By Neto Baptiste
National and Parham footballer Tevaughn “Peter Redz” Harriette is on a drive to raise an additional EC$50,000 as he seeks to reach the $150,000 needed for career-saving knee surgery in Spain.
The striker, who was injured while on national duty in 2018, has not played since injuring his right knee during a training session with the senior men’s national team.
Harriette, who is hoping to utilise the services of a specialist based in Spain, believes the surgery could result in him representing Antigua and Barbuda once more.
“This surgery is one that the surgeon in Spain does on a monthly basis and he is telling me that the key to returning to 100 percent, rests on rehab. He is saying that ‘you need a specific rehab, an intense rehab … you want to play, yes, but you have to fight the urge of going out to play before your time and as long as you complete the rehab, you would know for sure that everything would be fine’,” he said.
Harriette, who has scored five goals in 22 appearances for the Benna Boys, recently revealed that through his own efforts he has been able to raise some $100,000, but he needs the remaining $50,000 to secure the surgery.
The player added, however, that he is yet to receive any form of monetary assistance from the national association but is awaiting word from the body’s general secretary, Rohan Hector.
“I spoke to [Hector] about six weeks ago and he was explaining something to me that FIFA had sent to them; I heard his [explanation] but I did not agree with it. I think that [me being] as an integral part of the football association’s competitions for a lot of years, they are not doing enough to help the situation. The general secretary [said] he was awaiting word from [FIFA] … this was about six weeks ago and I’ve tried to reach out to him to no avail,” he said.
Harriette, Parham’s chief marksman spanning several seasons prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, was notably absent from a large 30-member preparatory squad named by the football association ahead of June’s start to its 2022/23 Concacaf Nations League campaign.
“Discussions were held since the last tournament and I indicated to them that I would be out until I complete my knee surgery. We dialogue all the time, [Fernando Abraham] and I, and I’ve explained to him that the situation remains the same and that until my knee surgery is completed I can’t be effective enough for the senior team setting,” the player said.
The Antigua and Barbuda Benna Boys will play in League B of the competition alongside 15 other teams to include the promoted Bahamas and Barbados. Also turning out in League B are the relegated Belize, Bermuda, and Cuba.