MBU’s Lettman: Support important to lift morale of team
MONTEGO BAY United’s (MBU) most recent performance has injected hope into their Jamaica Premier League (JPL) season, which stakeholders believe can be built on for next season.
Playing at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall on May 5 in front of their biggest spectator support this season, MBU put in a spirited performance in a 2-2 draw with third-placed Arnett Gardens. They had to come from behind twice to get that result, and it saw them ending a six-game run of defeats. MBU, despite that result, are still at the bottom of the 12-team league with six points.
Technical director Leacroft Lettman said the fans’ support is important to lift the morale of the team.
“It is important that the fans come out and give that moral support even at training. In life, when you are down, it’s hard to get up when you don’t see anyone around you. Football is life, and not getting that support can weigh on you; so if you don’t have that extra drive you will continue to struggle. I want the supporters to not bad-mouth the team and just rally around because there will be no relegation; so we have this season to work on a few things,”
President of the St James FA, Gregory Daley, says the fact that there will be no relegation gives the four-time champions a chance to try to work through the difficult season. He believes the support of the entire western region is necessary.
“Yes, MBU are not winning, but I don’t see it as a struggle, it’s a rebuilding process. We all know that they won’t be relegated from the JPL so it’s a chance for the administrators within the club to look at what they have, and the improvements that they need to make for next season,” Daley said.
“It would be good to see all of western Jamaica and Montego Bay behind MBU right now,” he added.
MBU’s team mascot, Everton ‘Lunch’ Mckenzie, said the team is learning from this season’s setbacks and will be back to their dominant best next season.
“The team is young and have not been playing together for very long. They have just started to get to know each other and how to play with each other, so we just have to work with them. Just one team in the western region, so we have to support them,” McKenzie said.
Ardent MBU fan Linton Beckford has also called on his fellow Montegonians and football lovers in the west to be as loyal to MBU as they are to teams overseas.
“We have to remember that football in the west is down. Even the schools in and around are not doing well, so we have to give them some time. The fans are used to MBU beating everybody over the years, so it is hard for them to accept the current performance,” Beckford said.
“People must support the team. We say we love football, but if you look at England, when a team goes down (from the Premier League to the Championship) and you look at the stands, it’s still full. Montego Bay people say they love football, but they are not loyal. They are more loyal to the teams abroad, they are more likely to cry for Liverpool and Arsenal. They are with MBU only when they are winning,” he added.