Despite criticising the Jamaica Premier League in the past, Phoenix All Stars Football Academy Boss Craig Butler says being part of the nation’s top flight with rebranded Vere Phoenix United is his way of contributing to the growth of the country’s football.

Last month, Butler, who is the agent of national stars Leon Bailey and Dujuan “Whisper” Richards, became the new part-owner of the Clarendon-based club — formerly known as Vere United — after reaching an agreement with former club President Lothan Cousins.

Butler will also act as technical director with support coming from his son Kyle and former national star and experienced local coach, Lenworth “Teacha” Hyde.

Over the years, Butler’s primary focus has been with youth football through his academy as well as Mona High School in schoolboy football.

However, Butler says moving into senior football is to ensure more Jamaican players can reach the pinnacle of the sport.

“I love my country, I don’t care what anyone want to say. If you’re doing wrong and somebody who loves you watch you doing wrong and don’t say anything, they don’t love you. I’m not a waggonist, I’m not a bootlicker, I’m not somebody who walks around and follow people. I think what we’ll be able to do to help Jamaica’s football is to be an example and to ensure that the players are exposed earlier, because it’s not easy,” Butler told the Jamaica Observer.

“Professional football in Europe isn’t easy. people think you just get up and go, no it’s not easy. You’re up against a lot; they’re protecting their home-grown talent. If you’re as good as an English or Belgian player, rest assured they’re not going to pick you, so you have to be 10 times better. [The JPL] is an opportunity for clubs to see us but the more the monkey climb, the more he exposes himself. Unless we’re prepared to show that quality, we’re showing the world how poor we are or we can show the world how good we are. This is what will open the doors for Jamaica and Jamaica’s football and I’m looking towards positivity and growth,” he added.

However, Butler says the players he will bring in from his academy, along with the players who preceded his arrival, will have to buy into his methods in order for success to be achieved.

“If you just playing football to play in the Jamaica Premier League for the fun of it, you might as well stop. But if you’re playing football to become better, to win the JPL, win the Concacaf club championships, to play overseas and make a lot of money, to help our country to improve and help our national team get better, by all means please come,” he said.

“If that’s what you want, a manager that can get you the opportunities in front of the big clubs in the world, come. But come with discipline; come with respect; come focused on training, and your attitude, and your mentality and loyalty because that’s what I’m about. I’ll fight for my players to the last players — and they know it.”

Butler says his main objective in the first two seasons is to win the JPL. To most, it might sound like a pipe dream due to Vere’s consistent bottom-half finishes since their promotion in 2019. However, he believes it’s more than possible because of his track record.

“Mona High School, the proverbial beating stick of the Manning Cup, is now the team to beat in two or three years. When people buy into vision, when people believe in something and do it together, it’s very important. And the players that are here must be frustrated — they want to do well. Nobody tries to miss a shot, nobody tries to play bad football but it’s the guidance that you have, it’s bringing things together — the youth together, the maturity and the senior players together — and ensuring you have a cohesive unit that has a shared vision.”

Lenworth Teacha Hyde (Photo: Observer file)

Phoenix Academy owner Craig Butler (right) and son Kyle (Photo: Joseph Wellington)