Butler welcomes postponement of JPL assignment

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR of Vere United, Craig Butler, explained that getting his players to stay mentally sharp for their rescheduled game against Mount Pleasant will not be difficult to achieve as the team is focused on the long haul.

Matches in the Jamaica Premier League were postponed on Monday due to a tropical storm warning in effect for Jamaica.

“I think we should understand that God is the one that controls all things. Football is just a game. Everything happens for a reason, but as coaches and players, we must always be ready as we aren’t here for one game but for the entire season. Therefore, it’s easy to refocus the players and get them going so long as our goals are still in place,” said Butler.

Vere United sit ninth, having registered two victories in their last six games, while last season’s beaten finalists, Mount Pleasant, lie fifth, having also registered two victories in their last six games.

According to Butler, with a plethora of his players also playing in the ongoing ISSA schoolboy football competition, the postponement might work in his favour.

“It will beneficial to us because we have a lot of Manning Cup players in our team. Majority of the time when we’re playing we’re short on players, and it will benefit us the longer the competition goes,” he said.

Raring to go

Butler added that he respects the decision of the governing body but he wasn’t fearful of the dangers that the former champions possess as the team was ready and raring to go.

“We have our ultimate goal of winning the Premier League. This isn’t a one-game. We have to keep getting better, and this will give us more time to prepare, and so this will be beneficial to us. At the same time, the boys were hyped, ready to go and excited about the team. These things happen, and we have to respect the decision of the governing body because it’s in the interest of the players and their families.”

According to the Jamaica Football Federation, a rescheduling of the postponed fixtures will be announced at a later date.

orane.buchanan@gleanerjm.com