Manchester High are hoping to build on last season’s strong campaign as they continue their search for their first major schoolboy football title.

Manchester have established a reputation as arguably the best team never to win a major title, having reached the semi-finals of the daCosta Cup and the final of the Ben Francis Cup in previous seasons but always falling shortshort.

They have also dominated their first-round opponents over the years, scoring record numbers of goals in the process and at one stage even going almost a decade without losing a first-round game — apart from two decisions that were overturned by ISSA.

After retaining most of the players from the team that reached the Round of 16 in the daCosta Cup and quarter-finals of the Ben Francis Cup last season, Manchester High Manager Okieve Lambert is confident this team can create history.

Lambert said retaining the majority of the players while adding young talent to the group has strengthened their chances.

“Our intention is to go all the way,” he said.

As one of the 15 seeded teams Manchester will sit out the first round and host one of the five Super Saturday In-season Festivals. Lambert says they welcome the changes to the format.

“One of the things we did was that we sat down as a team, and we looked at the format, and we would have analysed both the pros and the cons of the competition,” he said.

Lambert says the new format also gives lower-ranked teams an opportunity to make deeper runs in the competition.

Manchester High School football team manager, Okieve Lambert (Photo: Paul A Reid)

“It gives them an opportunity to venture deep into the competition. A lot of teams have quality players, and so it’s good for the lesser-ranked teams to come up and showcase that talent, but for us, we want to play against the best teams,” he said.

Playing for the Ben Francis Cup was also a plus, Lambert said, adding that he has always wanted the competition to be part of the schoolboy football calendar.

“That’s something that I’ve always wanted to be integrated back into the competition so teams can challenge for both. I think it pushes up the level of the competitiveness of the competition,” he said.

Preparation, he said, has been going well, with former Kingston College Assistant Coach Dwight Smith joining the coaching staff.

Smith was part of Kingston College’s Manning Cup- and Olivier Shield-winning coaching staff, and Lambert says his experience has added to what was already in place.

“He came in and has brought a lot of experience to what we already had with Head Coach Johnoi Chambers; we have been doing really well. The youngsters are upbeat as well,” he said.

Lambert told the Jamaica Observer that their vision for the players extends beyond the local schoolboy football competitions.

“Yes, we want to win some titles but the ultimate thing for us is that once our youngsters get an opportunity to showcase their talent, get scholarships or even professional opportunities. We have a youngster in the national Under-14 team. These are the type of things we push for as they bring a lot of joy for us to see the youngsters matriculate and become successful,” he said.