Club owner says sacking of coach won't affect Premier League champions' title chances

WESTERN BUREAU:

Montego Bay United Football Club owner Orville Powell said firing head coach Carlos Garcia will not affect his team's chances of repeating as Red Stripe Premier League champions.

"The fact is, the only reason we are changing direction at this time is to give the club a better chance at repeating as champions of the league," Powell told The Gleaner yesterday.

"I feel that had we kept faith in Mr Garcia, we stood little chance of holding on to our title."

He said the squad was told of the change and that the feedback suggests the players are focused on the job and not so much on who is directing them from the touchline.

The decision to relieve Garcia of his duties as head coach of the Premier League champions came on the back of the team's 2-1 loss at home to Cavalier Soccer Club on Sunday, when they needed a victory to seal a semi-final spot.

Now, with two matches remaining, MBU have mustered 52 points, but the fear is that they could slip from third to fourth behind Humble Lion.

"The team needed fresh motivation and while on-field performance is arguably at the same level as last season's at the same stage, I believe he wasn't living up to expectations.

"We needed to see improvements. As a club we cannot be OK. We need to be improving, being excellent. That is improvement, that is what was missing under Garcia," Powell stressed.

Dr Dean Weatherley, who took over as head coach about the same period last season when Donovan Duckie resigned for personal reasons, will once again take the reins.

Powell believes the change happened at the most appropriate time for the club, though this may seem ill-timed, with the semi-finals on the horizon.

He told The Gleaner his decision to fire the coach was based only on results. "The semi-finals is where we will once again make a statement. Dr Weatherley knows how to get the maximum from these players, having already done that last season. He is once again charged with bringing back home the title," Powell said.

MBU need only a point from the last two matches to seal a semi-final spot and Powell is of the opinion that with the 17th Caribbean Football Union Championship also days away, Dr Weatherley, with his championship pedigree, is the right man to lead them at this time.