Sport

The 2010-11 Digicel Premier League season kicks off tomorrow with the usual six matches. Two new teams will be in action - Benfica of St Ann and the returning Reno of Westmoreland.

Reno, were relegated after the 2008-09 season, are back. They topped the Jamaica Football Federation All-Island Confederation play-offs.

The St Ann-based Benfica will play in the top league for the first time. St Ann's last representative in the top league were Black Stars in 1992.

Defending champions Harbour View will start favourites to top the league again.

They still have in their line-up players such as veteran midfielder Jermaine Hue, Kavin Bryan, Richard Edwards and Marcelino Blackburn. Harbour View have not fared worse than fourth in the past five seasons.

They should be strongly challenged by last season's runners-up Tivoli Gardens, Boys' Town, Waterhouse, Reno and a rejuvenated Arnett Gardens.

Tomorrow's matches

1. Benfica vs Tivoli Gardens - 3:30 p.m. - Drax Hall
2. Boys' Town vs St Georges - 3:30 p.m. - Collie Smith Drive
3. Harbour View vs Humble Lion - 6:30 p.m. - Harbour View Stadium
4. Reno vs Portmore United - 3:30 p.m. - Frome Complex
5. Sporting Central vs Waterhouse - 3:30 p.m. - Brancourt
6. Village United vs Arnett Gardens - 3:30 p.m. - Elliston Wakeland 

• Arnett Gardens

Position last season: Eighth

Players in: Kirk Ramsey, Daniel Shaw, Fabian Dawkins.

Players out: None.

Coach: Wayne Fairclough

Home ground: Tony Spaulding Sports Complex.

Coach says: Once these players are motivated and have the will to win, I know that they can reach the high standard that was achieved in the glory days of Arnett Gardens. We have a good mix of young and experienced players and we hope that we can get everybody to gel together during the season, so that we will be able to make a serious push for the Premier League title.

• Reno FC

Position last season: Did not contest last year's tournament

Home ground: Frome Sports Ground

Players in: Fabian Blake (did not play last season), Nicholi Findlayson (Waterhouse) and Obrian Woodbine (US Semi-Pro League). The club is in negotiation with Gary McIntosh (Portmore FC).

Players out: None

Coach: Wendell Downswell

Club president (Radford Malcolm) says: We are blessed with an abundance of good talent and with the likes of Lexus (Fabian Blake) and Beckham (Obrian Woodbine) coming back, we should be giving a good account of ourselves. We are looking forward to making the first end-of-round final, getting into the top four at the end of the second round and then make a push for the title. We have an experienced coaching staff in Wendell Downswell, Michael Graham and Patrick Graham, and we expect good results.

• Boys' Town

Position last season: Fifth

Players in: Mark Newsome.

Players out: Peter Keys, Shawn McKoy, Fabian Watkins, Oneil McDonald.

Coach: Andrew Price

Home ground: Collie Smith Drive.

Assistant coach (Omar Edwards) says: We are going out there to win the Premier League. However, we know that it won't be easy for us throughout the nine months. We will have to try our best to keep our players focused and to let them know that they have to be disciplined in order for us to win some silverware.

• St Georges SC

Home Ground: Lynch Park

Coach: Braxton Hyre

Position last season: Fourth

Players in: Dever Orgill (Vancouver Whitecaps)

Players out: Undisclosed

Assistant coach (Raymond Gordon): Our success this year will be based on our experience gained over the past couple of seasons, especially last year when we did well. The aim is to repeat this unity, and with all of our key players available, and the addition of former national youth striker Dever Orgill, we expect to challenge for the title.

• Village United

Position last season: Sixth

Home Ground: Elliston Wakeland Youth Centre

Players in: The club is in negotiation with Teofore Bennett (August Town)

Players out: Delroy Ellis (overseas).

Coach says: Unlike former years, our preseason has been very good and the players are looking forward to making a positive start this year. We have a talented crop of very good young players and they are all aiming to do well. Our ambition is to win the league this year as we are looking forward to earning a place in the CONCACAF Club Championships.

• Sporting Central Academy

Position last season: Ninth

Home ground: Brancourt

Coach: Donovan Duckie

Players in: David Boswell

Players out: Carl Wiggan, Jermaine Christian

Coach says: We will be trying to replicate our first season when we broke into the top six, and then from there we are looking for a top-two finish. The players have been playing together for approximately six years, and this is their fourth season in the DPL, and with a greater understanding of the league and improved management with the help of businessman Garth Young, we are much more mature and ready.

• Tivoli Gardens

Home ground: Edward Seaga Sports Complex

Position last season: Second

Players in: Tivoli are expecting a flurry of late activity before the transfer market closes.

Players out: Errol Stevensen

Coach: Glendon Bailey

Brian Rose (manager): We were second last year and we are looking to go one better, which means to win the championship. We had a weak last round in the pervious season, which cost us the title, so this year we are targeting four strong rounds, and that should be enough.

• Harbour View

Home ground: Harbour View Mini Stadium

Position last season: Champions

Players in: Lamar Hodges, Ranique Cole (both from the Harbour View Under-21 programme).

Players out: None

Coach: Donovan Hayles

Coach says: We are not approaching the season with an outlook of defending our title but as one of the teams that are challenging for it. The mentality of the players I think right now is pretty strong, but physically we are not where we want to be. However, technically and tactically we will be able to get through the first couple of games.

• Waterhouse

Home ground: Waterhouse Mini Stadium

Position last season: Third

Players in: Peter Keyes, Andre Clennon, Theo Brown, Adrian King, Stephen Williams (promoted from Under-21 programme)

Players out: Nicholai Findlayson,

Coach: Baris Johnson

Ricardo Chin (president): We are looking to place three places better than we did the season before, that's our objective this time around. We may have some financial issues but that will always be there.

• Humble Lion

Position last season: 10th

Players in: Kenny Lee, Jermaine Christian, Carl Wiggan, Winston Griffith, Ajuran Brown, Omar Parker.

Players Out: None

Coach: Christopher Bender

Home ground: Effortville Community Centre.

Coach says: We are hoping for fourth place in this year's competition, and anything above that will be a bonus for us. We made a lot of errors in our first year in the competition, but we learnt our lessons and we are going to put on a good show this year. Most of the players understand what we are aiming to achieve, and their responsibilities are to achieve the goals that we have set out for them.

• Benfica FC

Home ground: Drax Hall

Coach: Harold Thomas

Position last season: (Debut)

Players in: Undisclosed

Players out: None

President (Tyrone Rose): Without a doubt we are here to compete. As the season progresses, we expect to progress with it. The aim is to be in the top six come the end of the season, thereby guaranteeing ourselves a spot next season.

• Portmore United

Home ground: Ferdie Nieta Park

Position last season: Seventh

Players in: Alonzo Adlam, Errol Stevens, Upstan Edwards, Corey Robinson

Players out: Cornelius Henry, Wolry Wolfe, Kevin Deer, Tyrone Sawyers, Kemeel Wolfe, Mario Harrison, Adrian Mitchell, Gary McIntosh, Sheldon Baptiste, Maurice Evans, Omar Campbell, Newton Sterling, Christopher Nicholas, Anthony Modeste, Ricardo Webb.

Coach: Linval Dixon

Coach says: It is a young team this year with most of our senior players not there anymore, but we are looking to compete and we think we can win the title. We had a poor season last time, by our standards, so we are looking to do a lot better this year.