Molynes show belief in Alex Thomas ability

MOLYNES UNITED president, Herman Cruickshank, believes the hiring of Alex Thomas as coach will not only help the club stave off relegation from the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), but also finish in the top half of the table for the first time.

Despite losing talismanic striker, Nicholas Nelson, to a one-year loan deal to Guatemalan club, CSD Xelajù MC, and strike partner Trevante Stewart to Mount Pleasant, Cruickshank said the new coach is highly motivated and believes this will be the deciding factor in their climb up the JPL standings this term.

Molynes finished second from bottom last season and would have been relegated had there not been a hiatus on that feature of the league over the last two seasons. That structure returns this season and although mindful, the club believes Thomas is the man to take them into the top half of the table and keep them there.

RELEGATION YEAR

“This year is a relegation year, so we have to manage the process. Our striker Nicholas is in Guatemala. We also sold a player (Stewart) to Mount Pleasant. So the club has been doing well but in the table and in the eyes of the public we seem like a sure candidate for relegation, but we are not.

“We think he (Thomas) is the best choice of all the options and we expect him to come up trumps

“He is a firm leader and coming from the easiest place to manage, coming to Molynes he wants to build his own record and his own reputation in this league, so it is time to announce himself,” he said.

Thomas, he says, looks forward to the role more than anything else and wants to shape the team in his style and image.

“He will have autonomy to put his own stamp and style of play on the club. He is up for the challenge and the objective is to move out of the lower half of the table as quickly as possible.

“It is our third year and we have lingered around the lower half of the table and our objective is to move out of the lower half to the upper half next season.”

The thinking is, if they can maintain a top-half presence in the league they can attract sponsorship from the business community in the area.

“Molynes United is situated right in the industrial belt but they (businesses) are not really attracted to people who are down the bottom.

“We have the necessary management but in terms of corporate support along the belt of Molynes Road, they are not looking at us.

“So we have to get ourselves out of the lower half of the table if we want people to take us seriously.

“We are looking for a good season with Alex and we are confident we will attract some sponsors along the Molynes belt,” he said.

Despite the pressure of relegation this season, Cruickshank insists the emphasis on youth will not change.

“The philosophy of the club is youths. We definitely want a youth look. We have enough youths and we will add to them and see how best we can participate.

“We had coaches from all over that applied, even from France and Alex came out on top in terms of (emphasis on) youth, qualification and personality.

“He is a young coach and we think he will attract youths and with the support of the management, we believe he can do the job.” Cruickshank said.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com