Visa issue depletes Mount Pleasant ahead of LA Galaxy clash

Sporting director of Mount Pleasant Football Academy, Paul Christie, said the club will be without at least 10 first-team players when they face Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy in the Round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

The two-leg tie is scheduled for March 11 and 19, with the Theodore Whitmore-coached outfit set to travel to Los Angeles for the first leg, before returning to Kingston for the second leg at the National Stadium.

Christie said that visa issues will significantly impact the squad selection, particularly affecting several key players.

"The Mount Pleasant Football Academy have been preparing for this championships well because we understand the assignment and we understand what it means to the people of St Ann and by extension the Jamaican people," Christie said.

"We are limited as it relates to travelling visas for some of our players and some very key players at this moment," he said.

"Notwithstanding, we still have to go out there and put in our best shift," he said. "It would be ideal if we would have had access to our entire squad, but it is a known fact that a decent part of the core of our team are from Haiti and those players at this time are barred from travelling into the United States."

Despite the setback, Christie noted that the club will not use the situation as an excuse because they are focused and determined.

"But we understand that and are not going to use that as an excuse because although we would love to have them, we believe that we just have to move forward with the remainder of the squad," he said.

"We have some Jamaicans who are key members of the team who did not successfully receive a US visa. So that is the handicap that we have facing us right now.

However, as usual Mount Pleasant will do the best that we can then we will live with the result," Christie noted.

He expressed confidence in the technical staff, led by head coach Whitmore, along with assistant Davion Ferguson.

"It is not our strongest possible team going into the tie, but we continue to trust the technical leadership of head coach Theodore Whitmore and Davion Ferguson.

"The camaraderie and chemistry in the team is good at this time and the players are relishing this opportunity," Christie shared. "We will continue to do the best that we can to ensure that we are fully prepared for this tie against the Los Angeles Galaxy."