Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
Khari Stephenson. - REUTERS
REGGAE BOY Khari Stephenson has international football on his mind, but the fact that he has not yet been granted a visa to travel, has temporarily put his ambitions on hold.
Stephenson was scheduled to leave the island on Monday for a try-out with top Swedish division club Hammarby. However, that has been put on hold as the player has not yet secured a permit to travel.
In the meantime the 24-year-old who recently parted ways with U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS) team the Kansas City Wizards, has spent the last couple of weeks training with Wray and Nephew National Premier League runaway leaders Harbour View. However, he is anxious to get back on the international scene.
KEEPING IN SHAPE
"I have been keeping in shape and keeping sharp by training with Harbour View but I want to go back overseas. You learn so much more and you grow so much more as a player," Stephenson noted.
"You have to be positive in this business. You never know whether it is going to work out or not, but the club is the one that expressed interest in me so they must have seen something they liked," he said.
Hammarby, which currently occupy fourth place spot in the Allsvenskan - Sweden's top league - have not been the only team to express an interest in Stephenson. Swedish club Gais and Norwegian top division club Aalesunds FK have also expressed an interest in seeing the player on trial.
Stephenson and ace striker Fabian Dawkins, who is also expected to try-out with Kalmar (another Swedish club) , are both represented by Patrick McCabe who also represents national players Shavar Thomas and Damani Ralph.
Should Stephenson fail in his bid to get into a foreign club he will sign with Harbour View.
