Duckie ready for Portmore
MOUNT PLEASANT Football Academy head coach Donovan Duckie says that his team is very hungry to win their semi-final matchup against defending champions Portmore United in the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) competition.
The veteran coach, who is still seeking to win his first RSPL title, lost in last year’s final to Portmore while coaching Waterhouse. However, Duckie told The Gleaner that his team is ready for the match, and he is confident that they will come out on top.
“It is the penultimate game, and to be in the penultimate game before the final is a huge achievement for a first-time club in the Premier League, and it is history for the club, and the owners must be praised for that,” Duckie said.
“Playing against Portmore United is always going to be a tough one, and there is no doubt about the prospect of Portmore United.
“Last year, I went to the final against Portmore United, and you saw what happened because it was just a penalty that separated us from being victors,” he said.
“They are in the way, so it is not going to get any easier for us, but it is an obstacle that we would have to cross, and we know that they are a very experienced bunch, and we have a lot of respect for our opponents,” he said.
The Premier League debutants became the first newcomers to reach the playoffs and secured their spot after a 3-2 aggregate win over UWI. HUNGRY TO WIN
Duckie added that his team has been moving from strength to strength this season, but they still have a lot work to do before they contest the semi-final against Portmore.
“It is lot more work to be done. We spoke of top six, and we knew once we made our entry into in the top six, there is a realistic chance of any one of the six teams winning, so we are very hungry to win it,” he said.
“The name Mount Pleasant is new, but most of us, we are not new to these waters because we have travelled these waters before, and we are hungry for victory, and we remain focused, and we remain humbled and focused on the task ahead,” he said.