Mount Pleasant look to overcome arduous title defence
Assistant coach Davion Ferguson believes the all-time high competitive nature of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) makes it difficult for teams to repeat as champions, which his outfit, Mount Pleasant Football Academy, are seeking to do this season.
Only two teams, in over two decades, have won back-to-back titles – Arnett Gardens in 2001 and 2002 and Portmore United in 2018 and 2019.
According to Ferguson, it will be difficult for the St Ann-based Mount Pleasant.
“I think the JPL is difficult to win. That’s the first thing. The competitiveness is always there. As far as I can remember, this is the most competitive I’ve seen the Premier League. Teams one through to 12 are good enough to beat any other team, so I think this is why it’s always difficult to repeat as champions,” Ferguson explained.
AT SECOND
Currently seated at second in the JPL standing, on 39 points, one behind Cavalier, Mount Pleasant have enjoyed life at the
upper end of the spectrum for most of the season.
Ferguson kept his cards close to his chest but shared that one of the secrets
to their success is focusing on only the next game. This Ferguson believes, helps to keep the players grounded and fixated on their task at hand.
“With every league in the world, each year you win, your opponents find ways to minimise the gap or even surpass you. At Mount Pleasant, we think about the next game as we have our internal objectives.
“We don’t try to think too far ahead of time, and our next game is Tivoli Gardens. They’re difficult opponents, but that’s the game that we’re focused on as we try to win it,” he said.
SUCCESSFUL START
Ferguson believes it is unsurprising the successful start Mount Pleasant have to their title defence because of the programme they have implemented, but argued that they still need to improve.
“There’s always room for improvement, but Mount Pleasant deserves to be at the upper half of the table. This is just the reality of the quality of players, staff and management we have, along with the structure that we have in place.
“However, we have to work each and every day to achieve, and we’ve managed to maintain ourselves there. We try every day, as coaches, to see how we can get these boys to play at their best,” Ferguson stated.