After Busy Off-Season, Hartford Welcome Promising Young Stars
Hartford Athletic were very busy this offseason. Following the end of his 12-month loan, now former Head Coach Radhi Jaïdi joined Belgian Division A side Cercle Bruggee KSV as an assistant. As a result, Hartford re-signed only 6 players from the previous season - CB Alex Lara, CM Arthur Rogers, RM Danny Berrera, LM Gabriel Torres, CM Conor McGlynn, and Connecticut homegrown CF Alfonso Vazquez. Of the 6 returning players, only 1 remained from Hartford’s inaugural season - Captain Danny Barrera.
On January 13th, 2021, Hartford announced the signing of new head coach Harry Watling. At first, not much was known about the 31-year-old Englishman. Having earned his UEFA B coaching license at the young age 18, followed by his UEFA A coaching license at 26, Watling is one of the youngest licensed coaches in England. Like his predecessor, the 2021 USL Championship season will be Watling’s first as a senior-team Head Coach, after coaching academy teams at West Ham, Millwall and Chelsea. I think Watling could be a long-term Head Coach for Hartford, which would be a first for the new franchise after two consecutive seasons of turnover.
After securing a coach, Hartford began to shape its roster. Two of Hartford’s offseason signings are former MLS players: Goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell and Forward Bradford Jamieson IV. Coming to Hartford from the New England Revolution, Caldwell was originally selected by NYCFC in the 2019 College SuperDraft before being traded to the New England. Oddly enough, Caldwell is Hartford’s second goalkeeper to come from New England - in 2019, New England loaned goalkeeper Hartford Cody Cropper to Hartford. Jamieson, on the other hand, was an LA Galaxy homegrown player who spent his 2020 season with Danish 1st Division side Vendsyssel FF.
The offseason signing that shocked me the most was Nii Armah Ashitey a 21-year-old midfielder from Ghana. Ashitey’s professional career started at just 15, playing for Still Believe FC of the Ghanaian Second Division. After spending a year with Crystal Palace Ghana, he joined Dreams FC in 2019 and was sent on loan to Berekum Chelsea to play in the Viareggio U20 Cup. In matches against Club Athletico Paranese (Brazil Serie A) and Spezia Calcio (Italy Serie A), Ashitey was named Man of the Match. During the Viareggio U20 Cup, scouts reached out to Hartford about the young star and the rest is history. Ashitey has performed well in preseason and might be in the starting eleven.
To start of their third season in USL Championship, has now signed the following players for the 2021 season:
Forwards: Sebastian Elney, Bradford Jamieson IV, Walmer Martinez, Preston Tabort Etaka, Alfonso Vazquez
Midfielders: Nii Armah Ashitey, Danny Barrera, Christian Gómez, Conor McGlynn, Luka Prpa, Arthur Rogers, Gabriel Torres
Defenders: Younes Boudadi, Nicolás Cardona, Thomas Janjigian, Alex Lara, Richie Schlentz
Goalkeepers: Jeff Caldwell, Carlos Merancio
