January 16, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Hartford Athletic News Release
Hartford Athletic players reported to the team’s offices in Windsor today, kicking off an eight-week preseason leading up to the 2024 season opener at El Paso Locomotive FC on Saturday, March 9th.
Beginning before the 2023 season ended, the work to rebuild Hartford’s roster started with the Club welcoming new CEO Nick Sakiewicz and forming a strategic partnership with Global Football Group. The offseason was then headlined by the hiring of Head Coach and General Manager Brendan Burke and the roster has been revamped, with 15 new players signing with Hartford and more to come. The slew of new signings began with Brazilian goalkeeper Renan Ribeiro, who joined Connecticut’s Team after years playing in Portugal’s top flight. Attacking firepower was added with the signings of Marcus Epps, Enoch Mushagalusa, and Romario Williams, who bring a combined 115 professional goals to the Green and Blue. Danny Barrera, Jay Chapman, and Anderson Asiedu bring a seasoned presence to Hartford’s midfield, paired with the young talent brought by Emmanuel Samadia, Joe Schmidt, and Beverly Makangila. The back line was bolstered by league veterans Thomas Vancaeyezeele Joe Farell, and Jamaican National Jordan Scarlett.
The Club hosted their sixth annual open tryouts in late December, held at the brand new Day Hill Dome in Windsor, CT. The opportunity to become a pro brought 261 hopeful footballers from 16 different countries to three days of tryouts, posting record numbers in the Club’s open tryout history. Players in attendance came from as close as West Hartford, to as far as The Gambia for their chance to show their skills and earn their spot on the Hartford Athletic roster. Players from other countries included Uganda, Morocco, Kenya, Haiti, Brazil, Peru, South Africa, Italy, Bolivia, Honduras, Venezuela, Colombia, and Jamaica.
Coach Burke and his staff selected six players from open tryouts to join the club for preseason training, the most ever from the Club’s tryout pool: Alister Cutler (Cambridge, Mass.), Omario Rosen (Ocho Rios, Jamaica), Akolade Gbadebo (Ado-Akiti, Nigeria), Rivendi Pierre-Louis (Haiti), Danilo Seglio (Campinas, Brazil), and Jaheel Hyde (Spanish Town, Jamaica). Hyde is a 26 year old Olympic track and field athlete for his home country of Jamaica, most recently taking home the gold medal in the men’s 400m hurdles at the Pan American Games in November 2023….