Waite: No concern over holiday break

With most Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) players now on at least a two-day Christmas break from training, many coaches will be a bit worried.

There is concern that some players may go too far in their celebrations and return to training well below match fitness.

However, Arnett Gardens' Jerome Waite says this should not be a big problem as it's the duty of the coaches to whip the players back into shape the moment they return to training from their holiday break.

"This is Christmas, and the players will get their break. We will resume training on December 27 after Boxing Day, then they will break for the New Year and come back on the second of January.

"But your [preseason] preparation is the most important thing, and based on where the competition is at this time, we don't expect our team to be rusty. A lot of people will be enjoying the holidays, and they will be having excess food and drinking a lot of alcoholic beverages, but it's the duty of the coaching staff to get them up and running when the time comes," he said.

Waite noted that the team is also carrying a number of injuries and that the break will give some players time to heal old wounds. However, he anticipates that the Arnett Gardens team will get even better in the new year.

"Arnett have not found top gear as yet, but we are definitely looking to do that in the second half of the season. One of the key components that we need to work on is our finishing. Injuries have also been a major factor, but that gives other players the opportunity to step up and make a difference. Hopefully, everything falls back into place for the new year," he said.

The RSPL will resume on January 6 after a break for the holidays.