MAY PEN, Clarendon — Christopher Bender has confessed that he’s always under pressure to perform as the coach of Humble

Lion FC.

He was, however, quick to point out that it’s not because of “demanding fans with unrealistic expectations”, but because of the pressure he puts himself under to execute.

With Geoffrey Maxwell being the frontrunner, Bender can perhaps be counted among local football’s most travelled coaches, having also plied his trade at Hazard United, Constant Spring, August Town and with the National Women’s team.

But while Maxwell has gained the reputation of being arguably one of the island’s better coaches, Bender is yet to leave such an impression among the pundits.

With all the teams he has guided, he rarely lasts a full season, oftentimes failing to get the desired results that his employers seek.

But in Clarendon, having successfully guided Humble Lion through their first season of the Digicel Premier League (DPL), and narrowly missed out on the Flow All-Island Champions Cup, Bender seems to have found the formula for success.

In an interview with the Observer recently, Bender spoke openly about his journey as a coach and what he hopes to achieve in his second stint with his present club.

“(It has been) fruitful, but at the same time a rollercoaster…,” he said. “I faced same things that most coaches go through, but you take the lessons and move each time.

“Each team carries a different challenge… so you have to learn how to adapt. Humble Lion is different from Portmore, so you have to bring your own personality to

(the job).”

From being the assistant coach at his alma mater, Camperdown High School (1994-95), he moved on to coach Hazard United (now Portmore United) in the now-defunct National A-League in 1999/2000, guiding them to an immediate return to the top-flight. But after the first half of the season, he was relieved of his duties.

His next stop was at Constant Spring (a club which he represented as a player), but that, too, was short-lived, and so he subsequently took charge of August Town in 2005/06 and helped them to a place in the Premier League the following season.

Again, it was the same old story. He was removed after the team struggled to find form among the big boys.

But of all the challenges he has faced as a coach, Bender said his job at Humble Lion ranks highest on the list.

“It’s an environment which is different from all the teams that I have been to,” he said, “but I’ve prepared myself in terms of unrealistic expectations (because) a lot of challenges come with this job.

“First thing, I wasn’t the one who brought (them) to the Premier League, so right away you face resentment from some players who probably think they have a right instead of a privilege to play for Humble Lion. And usually, inner-city communities demand a lot from not only players, but also coaches.

“Initially, it posed a challenge for me and you could see it manifesting in the first round (last year), but after carefully analysing the team we went on to do better in the second round,” Bender said in late July.

On match days, he faced disgruntled supporters at Effortville, who made it their priority to heckle him, plus there was the discussion on the street of how long he would last as the team’s coach.

Humble Lion finished last season in 10th-place on 43 points, the same as parish mates Sporting Central Academy, who edged them out for ninth place on goal difference — one of two teams they failed to beat — the other being Arnett Gardens.

And there is still the average supporter who believes, having acquired so many experienced players during the January transfer window, that the team should have finished higher up the tables or at least win the Flow Champions Cup.

But through all of this, at no time did the 1982 Manning Cup winner with Camperdown appear to be daunted.

“I have a source to which I’m connected in terms of my mental capacity,” Bender said last season. “It’s very strong (so) each day (I) come there is something that I say to myself to keep me focused on the job…

“My job is to the players on the field, what is outside I always try block it out because I have to set an example… I’m the leader, so I have to make them take that tone,” he told the Observer.

Bender also faced criticism for using what many believe was too much of a defensive formation — choosing to employ one forward despite being blessed with talented attackers in the likes of Kevin Mighty, Denzil Watson, Roberto Fletcher, Omando McLeod and Kimroy Davis.

But in his defence, he said: “It’s not about formation, it’s about responsibilities… It was about garnering points last year, most of the time, but this year you’ll see the team play with more confidence.”

And how has he managed to hold onto this job for so long? The extra-motivation, he said, comes from wanting to see the club do well for all the parties involved.

“A part of my goal is to build persons, not only players…,” Bender shared with the Observer. “So when we play a game on a Sunday my role is to make the players understand that they are not only representing themselves, they are representing Central Clarendon and more so you have a lot of people who benefit economically from Humble Lion being in the Premier League.”

As for his vision this year: Bender said he hopes to help start Humble Lion’s journey of becoming a household name in local football.

But whether he will still be in charge when the season closes in May is anybody’s guess.