Veteran local coaches Lenworth ‘Teacher’ Hyde and Andrew Price believe Kaheim Dixon’s move to Serbian SuperLiga club FK Novi Pazar on a permanent three-year contract is an excellent step in his career.
The 21-year-old Dixon joins FK Novi Pazar from English Championship club Charlton Athletic after spending last season on loan at Crawley Town. The Jamaican international initially signed for Charlton from Arnett Gardens in 2024, but found first-team opportunities limited during his time in England.
Hyde, who coached Dixon during his schoolboy career at Clarendon College, says the move will provide the talented winger with the platform to play regularly and continue his development.
“This is a great move for him, and so he just has to set up himself there and propel himself from there,” said Hyde. “This is an opportunity for him to play on a regular basis and this will help him to improve.”
“The ball is in his court now, and so he just has to go there and deal with it and make his mark down there; and once he does this, then he can get back to the top,” he said.
Hyde added that the length of Dixon’s contract demonstrates the confidence the Serbian club has in his ability.
“I know that he is a very good player, because once they sign you for three years then they must see something in you, and something you can bring to the table for them,” he said.
“No club is going to buy you and don’t see if you can help them; because they must see him playing and know about him for them to be investing in him.”
Dixon has established himself as a regular member of the Reggae Boyz set-up, earning 24 international caps and scoring three goals for Jamaica.
Price, who has known Dixon since his youth football days at Boys’ Town FC, also welcomed the move, stating it should provide the player with the consistent playing time he needs.
“Yes, this is a good move, because it will give him more opportunities to get more playing time and continue to develop his skills,” said Price.
“Between him and his agent, they must have looked at it religiously and decided that a move like this would definitely guarantee more playing time.”
Price noted that Dixon faced stiff competition for places at Charlton Athletic, making it difficult for him to establish himself in the senior squad.
“The fact is that he went to a team that was battling for championship qualification, and so he didn’t get as much playing time,” he said.
“He was with the academy and once he left the academy, it was always going to be difficult for him to get into the first team. As you know, there are about three Jamaicans that participated in our World Cup Qualifiers that are regular starters for Charlton, and so they would be way ahead of him,” Price underscored.
He also pointed out that Dixon’s subsequent loan spell at Crawley Town also failed to provide the breakthrough he had hoped for, but believes the talented winger has the mentality to succeed in Serbia.
“Then he was loaned out to Crawley to get more playing time and that, too, didn’t work out for him,” said Price.
“He is the type of person that is particular to hard work and he knows how to overcome whatever difficulties that are in front of him. So this is a new opportunity for him, and I am sure that he is going to take it with both hands and make the best of it.”
