Bethlehem Steel announced on Wednesday the acquisition on loan of Jamaican forward Corey Burke.
Bethlehem Steel head coach Brendan Burke said in a statement, “A player with a recent goalscoring record and skill set like Cory’s has us hopeful that he will make a quick transition to USL. We are confident in his ability to make an immediate impact for the club and we’re happy to have him on board.”
Corey Burke comes to Bethlehem Steel from Red Stripe National Premier League-side Rivoli United, where he has scored 12 goals this season, the second highest in the league. He scored 11 goals for Rivoli in the 2014-15 season.
The 24 year old is currently training with the Jamaican national team and was part of the squad that traveled to Haiti for last November’s World Cup qualifier.
Burke will join Boluwatife Akinyode, Amoy Brown, James Chambers, and Seku Conneh in occupying international spots on Bethlehem’s roster.
In December, IrieFM.net and RJR News reported Burke would be joining Bethlehem but did not describe the move as a loan.
The Bethlehem roster now looks like this:
Goalkeeper (1): Samir Badr
Defenders (5): Nick Bibbs, Michael Daly, Raymond Lee, Ryan Richter, Ken Tribbett
Midfielders (5): Boluwatife Akinyode, James Chambers, Gabe Gissie, Josh Heard, Derrick Jones
Forwards (3): Amoy Brown, Corey Burke, Seku Conneh
Bethlehem’s inaugural season opener is Friday, March 25, at FC Montreal. The team’s home opener at Lehigh University’s Goodman Stadium is on Sunday, April 3.
Who in the Union organization thinks the Jamaican leagues are this huge source of untapped talent?
The Union has a Jamaican goalkeeper and two Jamaican forwards on their reserve team, I’m not sure Jamaica qualifies as a “huge” source of talent. I think a top scorer in the Jamaican league will probably do well in the USL, and he’s in the national team pool for a squad that knocked off the United States in the Gold Cup. Seems like a good move to me and I’m all for Beth Steel scooping up top players from lesser leagues like Jamaica and Ireland. If they’re young like Burke and Brown, they might crack the Union first team, or if they’re veterans like Chambers, they might help with the development of youngsters and make Beth Steel more competitive. I like how they’ve built this roster so far.
Come on, sieve. He’s clearly a young prospect…oh wait, he’s 24?? Carry on then.
Yes, Burke is 24 years old, which makes him younger than Jamie Vardy when he burst onto the scene with Leicester and one year older than Dom Dwyer when he lit up the USL before moving up to MLS.
Does anyone know if BSFC released a kit for the inaugural season yet? Interested to see them
Not yet.
you say you don’t know, you won’t know until you begin….ah can’t you see what I mean…. ah might as well JUMP.
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Like the roster too from my perch… BB can coach up dirt and a week into something lovely, Jamaican Irish American matters not. Dude is a Rock Star… just wait.
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get ahead and JUMP. JUMP. JUMP……JUMP.
[insert legendary solo here]
I am all Van Halen all the time… loud as possible.
Head Coach Burke said, “Burke is a player we are really excited to have on the team.” In response, Burke said, “Coach Burke just told me to go out there and Burke-Burke, Burke-ity, Burke it up.”
…..Burke…
I read his previous team as Ravioli United. Now I’m hungry.
Don’t count on Tribett being BSFC roster guy. He might make the first team