Many supporters believe a third-straight Jamaica Premier League final between Cavalier FC and Mount Pleasant Football Academy may not be a good sign for local football but two stakeholders are against that view and say the other clubs should elevate their levels.

Cavalier will look to retain their title on Friday at the National Stadium when they battle 2023 champions Mount Pleasant, who are looking to bring a second JPL title back to St Ann.

While there have been individual clubs who have competed in at least three straight finals such as Portmore United and Arnett Gardens, it’s the first time in league’s history that the same two teams will contest a third-consecutive final.

Some in the football circle see it as a sign of imbalance in the competition but league-winning coach with Harbour View, Ludlow Bernard, believes otherwise.

“Mount Pleasant and Cavalier have distinguished themselves head and shoulders above all the other teams in no uncertain way, so they’re deserving of being there and it’s more the undoing of the other teams as to why they are in pole position to challenge for the title,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Meanwhile, Donald Oliver, lead commentator for the JPL broadcasters Sportsmax, says the quality and rivalry between the two is a boost for the league.

“The only issue that I guess third parties would look at would be the fact that although Cavalier have support, they don’t have massive support so because of that they may be perceived at not having the appeal,” said Oliver.

“But sometimes it isn’t necessarily about the appeal and the support of the teams, it’s about the quality of football and both teams have played the best brand of football in the country over the last three years and they deserve the spot in the final and it’s a rivalry that will be remembered for a while.”

Oliver says the club’s differing journeys should be a motivation to the other teams to raise their standards.

“Teams should look at both of them and say whether it’s going to be trying to get the best in the country and form a team or invest in youth, you see what happens when a set of players can stay together over a period of time and when coached properly, the type of football they can play,” he said.

“Two different examples, two contrasting methods, I just see Jamaican football winning. The hope is other clubs try to replicate and we have more than two clubs really competing for the top prize each season.”

Bernard is optimistic that there won’t be a ‘four-peat’ next season due to the work happening at other clubs.

“Montego Bay is doing very well, Portmore United also made a return after a couple of seasons out, there’s, of course, Waterhouse, who probably didn’t do as well this year but the possibility is always there so I’m anticipating that these teams along with the others, including Harbour View, will get their act together and really challenge the juggernauts,” he said.