‘Vindication’
Speid believes Cavalier’s third title enough proof of quality
IN 2021 WHEN Cavalier won their first Jamaica Premier League (JPL) title in 30 years, with a squad filled with young players, many questioned the merit of their victory, especially since the title came during the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic and many clubs were not as prepared or as strong as they could have been.
However, after his team defeated Mount Pleasant on penalties at the National Stadium on Sunday to claim their second title in four seasons, Cavalier coach Rudolph
Speid believes their triumph vindicated them.
“This win is just a vindication because the last championship we won they said was a COVID title. So I don’t know what they will call this one,” said Speid.
Speid stretched his vindication theme further, pointing to the fallacy of believing teams cannot win solely with young players.
Until 28-year-old Nicholas Hamilton came on for Cavalier on Sunday, the oldest player on the park for the eventual champions was 25.
“Last year (final) we started four to five teenagers, but this year they are older and wiser and more mature and I told everybody it was going to be a different game
“They use to say young boys can’t win anything and that the first one was a fluke. So I don’t know what they will say now. But I know this is the way to go, playing young players and believing in them,” he said.
Cavalier defeated Waterhouse on penalties to claim the 2021 title, and Speid promises a more decisive win when they contest their next JPL final.
“I think the next one, we won’t win on penalties, ”he commented.
In Sunday’s shootout, Cavalier’s Dwayne Atkinson had his first kick saved by Shaquan Davis.
However, Davis’ counterpart Vino Barclett responded by saving the third and fourth kicks from Ladale Richie and Romeo Guthrie, respectively, before veteran forward Hamilton converted Cavalier’s final kick to seal the team’s third national football title.
Speid also praised the players’ attitude and resilience.
“They are fantastic players. They stuck to the plan. Today they worked their socks off. From minute one they were pressing and probing. They defended stoutly and attacked when we had to.
“We missed the first penalty but you saw the resilience of the team. We fought back, got to the front, and these players are just a magnificent set of players, and it is easy to motivate them because they want to do so well,” he said.
He added that if people had doubted what they are doing at Cavalier before, it was time they started taking the club seriously.
“This is our sixth semifinals in six years and our third final in four years and second championship in four years. So people should start taking notice that this is a club that can do things.
“We have a squad of 32 players, and half of them are 20 and under, which is probably scary the amount of talent we can push through on a yearly basis.
“At the start of the season we were struggling as we had to replace half of the team or more. But this time we have a much better footing to stand on,” he said.