Patrick aims to lift Waterhouse in Red Stripe Premier League

In a bid to go forward and change their fortunes in the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL), former champions Waterhouse have gone back to where they were last season - under the guidance of Anthony Patrick. His first assignment is against Cavalier Soccer Club.

Patrick, who quit the club at the end of last season, returned on Thursday last, following the resignation of Calvert Fitzgerald, with the team rooted in the relegation position.

This time around, though, Patrick, who first joined Waterhouse in 2007 and remained with them until earlier this year, will work alongside technical director Paul Young, when he becomes available in November.

"It was a very warm welcome Thursday morning. It has given me the confidence that I need to go and do the job that is required. The feeling that you are wanted and that you have the support of the players and management is very important," Patrick said of his return.

That welcome, though, will be short-lived, and there is a rescue mission to perform.

"The game will be an interesting one. We are at the bottom of the table, so we have to roll up our socks and work hard.

"They (the players) have shown a willingness to do that in the two sessions I have had with them, so that is a good start," added Patrick, who was promoted to the position of head coach at the beginning of last season after assisting the previous season and working with the youth teams in his earlier years.

Today's opponents are in seventh position on eight points, four more than Waterhouse. However, Patrick is confident his group of players have what it takes to win. The veteran, Jermain Anderson, is a proven scorer and a willing servant of the club. The addition of Kemar Beckford and the return to fitness of Kenroy Howell and Gary McIntosh, he said, are major pluses.

"I am going for a win. I have seen Cavalier. They are a good, talented bunch, but we are confident that we have what it takes.

"It will be tough, but as long as we do what we are capable of doing, we will get the three points," the confident Patrick said.

Cavalier's technical director, Rudolph Speid, gave some insight into Patrick's confidence.

"Waterhouse owned us last season. We led in all three games last year, and they came back and won. They are like a bogey team for us, added to that the fact that Patrick was the coach last season. That is not a good sign for us," he said.

Despite that fact, Speid said the intention is to make this game a season-defining one for his team.

"This is a game that could shape our season. We have played well in all departments, with the exception of our goalscoring.

"We have tried, but we are still not scoring the goals and that is why we are where we are. We have to do much better in that area. We have some young players who we are persevering with," Speid noted.

In previous seasons, Girvon Brown and Claudious Blackburn led the team in goalscoring, but both departed for UWIFC and Harbour View, respectively.

Interestingly, they are yet to find the back of the net so far this season.

"We do not have a lot of good strikers in Jamaica, more so Cavalier, but we are hopeful that we will get it right. We have O'Shane Jenkinson returning to form, there are some quality young players who could be involved, and we have Akeem Shackleford with us. Shackleford is our most prolific scorer in training, so it is just for him to carry that over into the games," explained Speid, whose top player is Chevonne Marsh.

 

Today's Games

 

n 4 p.m.: Montego Bay United vs Harbour View at Wespow Park

n 4 p.m.: Portmore United vs Humble Lion at Middlesex Int'l College (Clarendon)

n 4 p.m.: Rivoli United vs Reno at Spanish Town Prison Oval

n 3:30 p.m.: UWI FC vs Boys' Town at UWI Bowl, Mona

n 4 p.m.: Waterhouse vs Cavalier at Drewsland Stadium

 

Tomorrow's game

 

n 8:45 p.m.: Arnett Gardens vs Tivoli Gardens at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex

 

Standings

 

Teams P W D L GF GA GD Pts

MoBay Utd 6 4 1 1 13 4 9 13

Portmore 6 4 1 1 6 2 4 13

Reno 6 3 2 1 8 5 3 11

Arnett 6 3 1 2 9 2 7 10

Tivoli 6 2 2 2 9 5 4 8

Humble Lion 6 2 2 2 4 5 -1 8

Cavalier 6 2 2 2 3 5 -2 8

Rivoli 6 2 1 3 4 7 -3 7

H View 6 1 3 2 4 7 -3 6

Boys' Town 6 1 3 2 6 12 -6 6

Waterhouse 6 1 1 4 4 9 -5 4

UWI FC 6 1 1 4 1 10 -9 4