Thompson ‘excited’ about Chapelton Maroons appointment
Published:Tuesday | August 13, 2024 | 12:12 AMOrane Buchanan/Staff Reporter
NEWLY promoted Chapelton Maroons will be under the guidance of Oneil ‘Bigga’ Thompson for the upcoming 2024-25 Jamaica Premier League (JPL) season.
Ahead of the start of the new season, Thompson said the club is attracting interest from several players around the league and is hoping that he, along with his coaching staff, will make the correct decisions on new recruits.
“When you have a club returning to the JPL, it will always attract a lot of players,” Thompson said. He added that he was excited to take on the challenge and was hoping that he would be able to do a good job.
The two-time champion as captain of Arnett Gardens will be entering his second stint as a head coach at this level, having coached Humble Lion for a brief stint back in the 2019 season. According to Thompson, while there is a vast difference between being a captain and a coach, he is excited about what lies ahead for the Clarendon-based team.
“It is, of course, two different ball games. As a captain or player, there’s someone who is responsible for things that are being carried out on the pitch. However, as a coach, you’re the one giving the instructions for players to carry out. It’s a different challenge, but I’m excited,and once we can work together as a team, we can achieve great things,” Thompson said.
Chapelton Maroons are making a return to the JPL, having spent one season, 2022-23, before being relegated. Thompson believes that the club has learnt from that experience and is better equipped this time around to be more competitive. He added that the many coaching changes in the league could work in favour of his team.
“Of course, you always want to be in the league. It (2022-23) was a learning process for the club, and we always look at mistakes and try to correct them. I don’t think that will happen this season as we’re looking at being around mid-table or top half. This is a new season for a lot of coaches, and it gives clubs like Chapelton Maroons the possibility to capitalise,” he said.
The former tough-tackling national defender, who represented Boys’ Town before moving to Arnett Gardens, shared that the team would be looking in the transfer market to bolster their squad and improve on their chances of remaining in the top-tier competition.
“It’s crucial (to remain in the JPL) as this is the top level in the country. The requirements in Tier 2 are not the same as the JPL, so we’re aware that we have to try and strengthen areas that will allow us to perform to the best of our abilities,” Thompson said.