Lawes left baffled, angered and uncertain - ... as Waterhouse remain title-less after putting together three good seasons

The cancellation of the 2019-20 Red Stripe Premier League season has left Waterhouse FC defender Shawn Lawes baffled, angered and uncertain of his future in football.

Lawes and his teammates, for the third consecutive year, are denied local football top prize after gutsy performances.

The Drewsland-based team were beaten by Portmore United in the final of the RSPL play-offs in 2018 and 2019, and after leading the 2019-20 season for the most part of seven months are told that the season is considered null and void because of the coronavirus pandemic.

After hearing the ruling by president of the Jamaica Football Federation, Michael Ricketts, late last week, Lawes said that he contemplated to retire from the sport, as it seems he may never be able to win the league.

"I am really sad now. I was saying to my teammate Nicholi (Findlayson) that it's almost like we are to retire because we are never going to win this league," Lawes told STAR Sports. "But we are looking to push on even though it hurts."

This season, Waterhouse amassed 54 points after 29 games and were a point ahead of Mount Pleasant FC.

"I am honestly disappointed but it is a disaster that comes along that we had no control over, but having gone to back-to-back finals and lose and come back the next year and leading the league and feel like we can do one better, it really hurts. We could at least win the regular season," he said.

They could wait

Waterhouse, under the guidance of Donovan Duckie, rallied to make it to the final of the RSPL in the 2017-2018 season after sitting in the relegation zone up until December of that season. They were beaten on penalties 4-3 by Portmore.

The St Catherine-based team beat them again in 2019, winning that final 1-0.

"I think they could wait another month before they make the decision, but that is just my opinion," Lawes said.

The national representative admits that it is going to be tough for the team to make another run as it will be difficult for the club to keep the group together.

"We have some talented players and other clubs will come after them, plus some of the players are getting old, but that is up to the management to keep the team together," Lawes explained.

Waterhouse won the last of their two titles 14 years ago, in 2006.