Duckie hopes to continue Humble Lion journey
AFTER MISSING out on the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) championships title in the final year of his three-year deal with Humble Lion, head coach Donovan Duckie says he is still eager to lift that title and is hoping to continue his work at the Clarendon-based club.
Duckie’s team won the league title for the first time in its history after ending with 61 points from 33 games, but were removed from the running for the championships crown, after losing out to Arnett Gardens in the semi-finals.
It’s a reality that doesn’t sit well with the tactician, who also called for a review of the current RSPL structure, which sees the league toppers on points receiving the league title and the winners of a top-six playoff being crowned the primary champions of the competition.
Speaking on his future with the club, Duckie said: “It’s up to the chairman (Mike Henry), we had a three-year deal and I have now completed my three-year contract with the club so it’s for the board to meet and make an assessment of my performance over the three seasons and they would have to decide if they want to renew my contract or we part ways.
“I would definitely be happy to stay at Effortville ... I think we just have to be more patient, the club is still learning how to win and if you look at other clubs Arnett Gardens are about 30 years old in the Premier League and have four titles,” said Duckie. “Humble Lion have done well in the three years that I have been there, the community has been good to me, the players - we have a good bond and I would be very happy to stay there.”
In his three years at the club, Duckie has led them to three RSPL semi-finals and of course the league title this season - this after taking control of the team, while it was in the relegation zone.
BEST DEFENSIVE RECORD
Humble Lion, as far as the league is concerned, ended with the best defensive record having conceded a mere 21 goals and were the second best offensive unit with 44 goals scored. They also had the joint least number of losses (6) and wins (17) in the 12 - team tournament.
Still, the coach is hoping to add the big prize to his trophy cabinet in the near future.
“Personally for me it’s (RSPL championship) a title that has been eluding me and definitely, it’s a title that I should have on my CV ... it’s important for me to win but I am still a young man,” said Duckie.
“I still have a lot of life left in coaching,
more opportunities to win this title so it’s definitely one that I have a personal interest in winning,” he added.
Nevertheless, the coach believes that organisers should reconsider the current format of the league and offer more reward to the team that tops that table on points at the end of the season.
“A league has to be about the most consistent team over eight or nine months and we were the most consistent team.
We are the winners of the league so we should be given the league title and even CFU berth or even a bye to the final of the knockout competition,” said Duckie. “We should have been crowned overall champions of the league.”