Show me the money - Molynes president wants more financial support for newly promoted RSPL teams
Published:Monday | December 16, 2019 | 12:30 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Molynes United president Herman Cruickshank says Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) organisers should put aside a cash allocation to help promoted teams. This, he says, would be to help offset expenses these teams face, especially at the beginning of the season.
Cruickshank says that the financial reality of the Premier League, more often than not, is a big burden for up-and-coming clubs, and he thinks that the Premier League Clubs Association (PLCA) should give new clubs an advance to kick-start each season.
“To be honest, it (RSPL) is the best in the region, but it’s one of the most difficult to support,” Cruickshank told The Gleaner. “If you take into consideration that we have two clubs in the Concacaf League, we are better than the teams around the Caribbean, but the financing is poor.
“We played KSAFA (Kingston and St Andrew Football Association) [Super] League come right up to the [All-Island] play-off, and when we finished the play-offs, we went right into the Premier League without a sponsor. We have been spending from there come straight up to the play-offs with no real assistance. So I think there should be some funds there for teams that come into the Premier League. Whatever allocation that was there for the club that is demoted, the promoted club would get that as an advance for preparation going into the season, but new clubs need assistance.
“The league starts when most budgets are finished, so you can’t get anybody to sponsor you until the new financial year.”
DEPARTURE FEARS
He added that the club was also fearing a mass migration of players and said that it has put in a contingency plan to cushion the blow of any such departure.
“Monday we will start to prepare a B team for what we expect to hit us in January,” he said. “We know we will have some migration come January as people will want to move. But I have read the riot act, and anybody who wants to move can’t leave [when we’re] near relegation.”
Cruickshank also believes that a change of mentality is needed to help turn things around at the club.
“The team has to switch off the mode that they can win all their games, and start trying to get at least a point,” he said. “They won six games (consecutively), so they feel like they can go into the games with the same mode, but some games you have to play ugly, take a point, regroup, and come again.
“It has been a burden trying to get three [points], so let’s start with one and then get three as there is no way we are going to go back to winning six games on a run.”
Molynes suffered their seventh straight loss after losing 4-1 to Mount Pleasant at the Constant Spring field yesterday. Cardel Benbow fired the St Ann team ahead after just two minutes. Suelae McCalla added a second in the 38th minute to make it 2-0 at the half. Kevaughn Issacs scored a beautiful free kick on 54 minutes to make it 3-0. Kemar Beckford missed a penalty afterwards to add to their tally but made amends seven minutes from time with an excellent solo goal.
Molynes are four points and two places above the relegation zone with 20 points. Mount Pleasant are second in the table with 34 points, one behind Waterhouse.