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Chapelton call on saviour De Oliveira
January 31, 2023
Chapelton Maroons FC owner Michael Scott believes Clovis De Oliveira will help the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) debutants to survive in the league this season, despite admitting that the Brazilian will need time to adjust.
De Oliveira arrived on the island yesterday to replace Lenworth Hyde as coach of Chapelton, who are sitting 13th in the 14-team league with three points, after they were docked six points for their failure to show for their JPL fixture against Mount Pleasant on January 22.
"We are just trying to survive the league. We are trying to be in the top 12 that is all we are looking for this year. He (De Oliveira) is experienced, respected and the youngsters are looking forward to working with him. This will give us a chance to survive," Scott said.
Chapelton's dilemma started after Hyde, who depended on his Clarendon College schoolboy players, was fired. The majority of these players who Hyde also coached at the rural area daCosta Cup champions helped Chapelton qualify for the top-flight JPL.
Chapelton, however, based on Concacaf rules, could not field more than five amateur players in a game, which largely dented Hyde's plans. He fell out of favour with Chapelton's hierarchy and was dismissed, leaving them in a tailspin as several schoolboy players failed to turn up for training after the sacking. This culminated in Chapelton's failure to honour the Mount Pleasant fixture.
Chapelton were courting Brazilian De Oliveira before and yesterday after his arrival, Scott argues that the former Reggae Boyz coach must be allowed to achieve their objective of staying in the league.
"We need time, everything needs time. We just want to stay in the top 12 and next year we will be in for business," Scott said, about avoiding the bottom two places in the league, who will be relegated next season.
De Oliveira, who arrived with his assistant, Gabriel Barros, also admitted he will need time to make things work but insists that discipline will be key.
"We are going to need a little bit of time. I know Jamaican culture, the potential but this group (of players) from Chapelton does not know me, how my philosophy works, how I like (to do things), but they must be first of all disciplined.
"Without discipline, you are not going to reach any place, and that is what I am going to ask the group of players to be together and try to make one family and make Chapelton get a good result," De Oliveira said after he arrives at the Norman Manley International Airport.
"I am a professional football coach. I am not a magician. We need time to work with them. I watched the team playing last month but things have been changed. Mr Michael has hired some experienced players, some good players.
"I cannot promise titles and things like this, but I promise I will give more than the best. They are young players with good potential. I have no doubt the team is going to improve and get better. Hopefully, we will also get better results.
"You cannot predict, you cannot give a time before, but no doubt the team will give better performances. They will improve with discipline, with the Brazilian style at work.
"I cannot tell when it will happen, but some of the fans will see in two weeks, three weeks, something different from Chapelton team," he said.
