Intriguing transfers light up opening JPL weekend

WHEN LAST season’s beaten finalists Mount Pleasant and Portmore United take the field this afternoon for their monster opening-day Jamaica Premier League (JPL) clash at Ferdie Neita Park at 4, many wonder which bench Davion Ferguson will be seated on.

However, after weeks of speculations and negotiations, Mount Pleasant reacquired their assistant coach, who left the club at the end of last season to take up the head coach job at Portmore United.

It is understood that Portmore were demanding $26 million to release Ferguson, and although Mount Pleasant sporting director Paul Christie did not disclose the sum, he admitted that Portmore got a very satisfying compensation package.

“Portmore and Mr Ferguson came to an arrangement and a satisfactory one I might add, and as such, he is able to return to Mount Pleasant in the capacity he desires as part of Mr Whitmore’s technical staff.

“The head of the technical team (Whitmore) would have expressed his desire and we would have engaged Mr Ferguson and he duly obliged.

“So they are back together and we are just happy that we can now play football and hope football is the winner,” he told The Gleaner.

Although Ferguson spent the last three months preparing today’s rivals and will be fully familiar with the Portmore set-up, Christie does not think there is an advantage to be had, insisting it’s a matter of perspective.

“We don’t see that (advantage) in football at this level. It all depends on what angle you look at it. Portmore can say they understand how Mr Ferguson thinks and how he might influence the Mount Pleasant way of playing.

“So Portmore could have an advantage as well, based on the fact that they would have spent a lot of time around our assistant and understand how he thinks, how he plays and they can find ways to neutralise that,” he said.

“But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who have an advantage and who don’t have an advantage. It will all have to be settled on the pitch. So we will play good football, entertain our fans and try to get a positive result.”

After bringing in 10 new players, Christie noted that the team will need time to gel. Nevertheless, he declared they have only one intention when they take the field today.

“It will take some time for the team to be fully gel. There are a lot of new members who have been assembled. The coaching staff is still familiarising itself with the squad.

“So it will take time. We will have to be patient, trust the technical expertise of the technical staff

“But when we enter the pitch, we have just one thing in mind and that is to win the game, and tomorrow (today) will be no different. So we will go out, give it our best shot and live with the result,” he commented.

With the departure of Ferguson, Portmore will look to former national midfielder Rodolph Austin to call the shots from the sidelines.

Although Austin assisted Philip Williams last season, and was also Ferguson’s second in command in the off-season stint as head coach, this will be his first time in the head coach role.

Nevertheless, the former Reggae Boyz captain, who has over 80 caps and has played professionally in England, Norway, and Denmark, is not short on experience, making it very interesting to see how he manages his first game in charge.

Although they lost main attacker Alex Marshall to Mount Pleasant, Portmore have acquired three top-quality midfielders in Melvin Doxilly, Ramone Howell, and Romeo Guthrie from the St Ann club.

However, Mount Pleasant have added two overseas-based professionals in Cameroonian Wilfried Mbougain and Panamanian Jonathan Ceceña.

They also added Brazilian Jean Rios Ferreira from Montego Bay United, Kyle Ming, and Gadail Irving from Cavalier, Jahshaun Anglin from Harbour View FC, Odane Pennycooke from Tivoli, Marshall, and Nicholas Nelson from Dunbeholden.

Meanwhile, at the Wembley Centre of Excellence, it will be very interesting to see how the new-look Vere Phoenix match up against MBU and their Argentine coach Rodolfo Zapata.

The always exciting fixture between Arnett and Dunbeholden, as usual can go either way.

Unfortunately, the game between Tivoli Gardens and Molynes United has had to be postponed because of the untimely death of Tivoli’s Delano Daley.

Daley died in a car accident along with a sister and cousin yesterday.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com

Today’s Games

Vere vs Mobay at Wembley Centre of Excellence (3 p.m.)

Portmore vs Mount Pleasant at Ferdie Neita Park (4 p.m.)

Arnett vs Dunbeholden at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex (7:30 p.m.)