Newcomers UWI face champs Arnett in opener; first-season goal to avoid relegation
Avoiding relegation is good enough for University of the West Indies (UWI) FC as they begin life in the top tier of local club football.
They open their Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) account today against title-holders Arnett Gardens FC in the flagship Monday Night show, starting at 8:30 pm.
It will be the first of many tough tests over the next nine months and head coach Marcel Gayle is relying on hard work coupled with divine help.
“As I always say, through Christ all things are possible,” he told the Jamaica Observer ahead of a practice session at UWI Bowl last week.
“This is a mountainous task… it’s a very long season and playing 33 games will be no easy feat, plus other competitions are around. Our aim is to stay in the premier league in our first season. Anything above that would be bonus.
“We just want to stay focused and stay positive. We have to take it one game at a time and I want to keep my troop happy. With hard work we can make some adjustments and improvements as the season goes on. The technical team knows of the task ahead and we’ve been doing what it takes. Everything is not how it should be as yet, but it’s work in transition and hopefully we can get it right,” Gayle continued.
Though it is new territory for UWI, it appears a challenge they are looking forward to.
UWI’s rules previously restricted the squad to present and former students, but changes have allowed recruitment from a wider pool of players.
The university team, last season’s urban area Super League winner, has attracted the services of free-scoring attacker Girvon Brown from Cavalier SC; Kemar Flemmings from Tivoli Gardens FC; and stylish national youth player Raffique Bryan from Arnett Gardens FC.
It’s a boost that Gayle, a former member of the Waterhouse FC coaching staff, welcomes.
“Those are some quality players who can help us get the job done. We have big squad and we want to keep it large because there are a number of competitions. Nine months is not easy and it could tell at the end of the day,” he said.
They made changes so that they adhered to regulations outlined by the competition’s organisers.
“We needed to fill the criteria of what a club is supposed to be in the Premier League, based on infrastructure. It doesn’t affect us much because if you look around we have three to four playing fields and we have gym and things like that. There were some small things we needed, but those weren’t much of a hassle for us,” Gayle assured.
UWI, representatives of Kingston & St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA), advanced to the RSPL after finishing second behind former national champions Portmore United in the four-team All-Island Confederation Play-offs early in the summer.
It leaves the question as to how far they have progressed on the road to professionalism in such a short time.
“We are aware of the magnitude of the premier league. Two months and a half is short to prepare for a full season, but with the resources that we have and the commitments made to us, it can work. Kudos to the wider population of the university,” Gayle said in response to the Observer.
