Letman moves on from ‘unfriendly’ Herbert Morrison

Western Bureau

Leacroft Letman who tendered his resignation to the board of former daCosta Cup champions Herbert Morrison Technical last Wednesday, after just four games into the season, said the environment was no longer friendly for coaching.

Letman, who was in his fourth season at the school, left his post days after an embarrassing 4-0 defeat to William Knibb High at home and a 0-0 draw at Holland High.

"I was overwhelmed. As a coach, you can feel in your surroundings when it's not friendly hence there comes a point when you have to move on," Letman said.

Letman expressed his frustration in losing players who would have walked into the starting eleven of title-contending teams in both schoolboy competitions. Over the past two seasons, seven top players have moved on from Herbert Morrison. They include Matthew Thorpe, Solano Birch, Brandon Cray, Deverow McKenzie and Rahiem Heaven to Cornwall College and Richard Thompson to Jamaica College.

"Year in, year out we have lost players. As a coach you build, but there must be a management team that controls the players' well-being," Letman said.

The principal of Herbert Morrison, Paul Adams, who admitted that he was not pleased with the big home defeats said they have no control over which schools students chose to attend sixth form.

"From time to time players leave at the end of grade 11 for the sixth form programme of their choice. It's not like we are losing the players at grades nine and 10," Adams said.

"What I can tell you, as a matter of fact, is that we were beaten 4-0 by William Knibb, at home. I was displeased and I brought it to his (Letman's) attention. After he went to Holland and drew ... he took the decision to part company with the school," he said.

Interim coaches Omar Clarke and Garfield Anderson will be in charge when Herbert Morrison face Spot Valley High this afternoon.