MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Despite losing 14 of the 20 players who help them to that historic second-place finish in last season’s daCosta Cup, coach Baron Watson believes the players coming up from their youth programme are good enough to help Manchester in their title bid this season.

Manchester missed out on the coveted rural area trophy following 0-1 defeat to STETHS in the final at Jarrett Park.

On their way to the final, they benefited from likes of young Reggae Boy Jason Johnson — whose 20-goal feat was bettered only by STETHS’ Deshorn Brown (26) — Romena Bowie and Baron Watson Jnr.

But with the above mentioned trio being amongst the players lost, Watson said the school is now rebuilding for the future. Despite that, his expectations are high.

“We lost almost everybody from last season, but at the same time the programme is set up in such a way that we expect them to compete,” he said. “The school didn’t enter the daCosta Cup just to participate; (we) enter to (challenge) for the trophy.”

The Mile Gully Super League coach added. “The pre-season was good and the transition (of players) from the Under-16 to the daCosta Cup team is not bad.”

Watson said while losing 14 players will be a major setback for any team, the fact that 11 of those charges – including Johnson, Bowie and Watson Jnr. (all overseas on scholarships) – are now enrolled in tertiary level institutions, the school community is feeling a great sense pride.

“The school feels very proud because we reach the final and at the end out of the 14 players who left the squad 11 of them are in tertiary level institutions. Three of them are on scholarships overseas and another two are at the (University of the West Indies),” the veteran coach told the Observer.

Manchester kick-off their season against Christiana High on Monday September 13 and will have another 15 days to prepare for arguably their hardest game in Zone G against Spalding High.

Spalding came to prominence as a danger team in 2008 following their historic trek to the finals which they lost 0-2 to St James High at Jarrett Park.

And they were on course for another appearance in the incentive game last season, but were stop in their tracks in the quarter-final round.

But like Manchester, having lost most of last season’s squad, coach Courtney Jackson said a top-eight finish would be a bonus for them this season.

Zone G is completed by Alston High, Cross Keys, Knox College and Porus High. Spalding open their fixture away to Christiana next Wednesday.