CLAN Carthy High coach Nallawe Blake has threatened to withdraw the school from the Under-16 competition, accusing his players of indiscipline and a lack of commitment to training following their heavy 6-0 defeat to Innswood High on Saturday.

The game was played at the Alpha Institute and gave Innswood coach Anthony Patrick his first win since leaving St Catherine High.

Dowayne Morris opened the scoring in the 26th minute before Antoine Parkes doubled the lead in the 44th. Malik Williams made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time, with Nathaneal Powell adding the fourth in the 67th minute, and Jamar Hyatt the fifth in the 81st. Parkes completed his brace in the first minute of stoppage time.

A disheartened Blake, who has been coaching Clan Carthy since 2012, was particularly critical of players who have failed to attend training consistently, warning that those unwilling to put in the work will not be rewarded with places in his teams.

“If they are not coming to training in the Manning Cup, I don’t think I’m going to enter the under-16. You don’t want to train? I am not going to put you in the competition,” Blake said following the heavy defeat.

The veteran coach said the problems exposed in the defeat to Innswood are rooted in the team’s preparation rather than simply the events of the match itself.

Kevin Wills (front) of Clan Carthy comes under pessure from Innswood High’s Ranjae Johnson during their ISSA Manning Cup match at Alpha Institute in Kingston on Saturday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

“I think where we lose the game is on the training ground. I think there is indiscipline in attending training, and it showed on the pitch today,” he said.

Blake said Clan Carthy went into the game with just 12 players, four of whom were under 14, after several players failed to show up. He said the lack of numbers made it extremely difficult for his team to compete.

Blake said only a handful of players have been consistently attending training, a situation he believes is unacceptable when preparing for competition at the Manning Cup level.

“Two, three men are training. It makes no sense before a game,” he said.

Blake also lamented what he sees as a failure by some young players to appreciate the opportunity available to them through schoolboy football. He argued that players must be prepared to train and develop if they want to compete at a major level.

“If you are that young and you don’t want to train in order to make your skill show on a stage like the Manning Cup, which is the biggest football in Jamaica, as a coach, I don’t know,” he said.

Innswood High coach, Anthony Patrick (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

The heavy defeat was Clan Carthy’s first by a six-goal margin under Blake. He has coached at the school since 2012 and has also had success at the major league level in St Catherine.

For Blake, however, the issue goes beyond one bad result.

“I am responsible for football in the school because I teach at the school also,” he said.

Blake said he is prepared to withdraw from the under-16 competition if players continue to disregard training.

“They are doing their thing. I am going to do what I have to do as the person in charge of football,” he said.

While Blake focused on indiscipline, Innswood coach Anthony Patrick was able to celebrate a six-goal victory that moved his team to four points from their opening two games.

Patrick, though, admitted that the performance was not where he wanted it to be.

“I’m not too pleased with the way we play but we scored some goals, and that was important,” he said.

Patrick believes Innswood are gradually improving, after having only 11 players available for their opening game which they drew 1-1 with Hillel Academy. That number has now increased to between 14 and 15.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” he said.

Patrick said his priority is now to get his players to better understand the team’s philosophy and the game itself, describing the squad as a work in progress.

“It’s the whole philosophy and understanding the game that is important,” he said.

SBF central.