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Speid has mixed feelings on Cavalier’s inactivity
May 03, 2024
Cavalier's coach Rudolph Speid has mixed feelings about their lengthy stretch of inactivity in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), as while he acknowledges that the rest period might have been at an opportune time, he is somewhat concerned that it might also work against them.
Former JPL champions Cavalier received an automatic spot in the semi-finals, after finishing the preliminary round in second place, behind defending champions Mount Pleasant Football Academy.
Mount Pleasant and Cavalier have been resting with the quarter-finals contested over two legs, one week apart. Speid argued that the break provided healing time for his players but could also affect their performance.
"It's not good to be inactive for about four weeks. We must fix it somehow, but at the end of the day, we were tired, as we didn't stop playing from last year.
"We had a small squad for a long period and were running on fumes. A lot of the times when we go away and return, we often lose, therefore we needed some rest and that's why we tried to finish in the top two," Speid stated.
According to Speid, Cavalier's coaching staff monitored their semi-final opponents Waterhouse during the two legs of the latter's quarter-final encounter against Tivoli Gardens. Waterhouse defeated Tivoli 3-1 on aggregate, after winning the second leg 2-0, with the first ending 1-1.
On Sunday at Sabina Park, Cavalier will meet Waterhouse in one semi-final, with Mount Pleasant battling Arnett Gardens in the other.
Cavalier, two-time winners of the JPL, were last crowned champions three years ago, which they aim to repeat this season, but Speid shared that they are not entirely focused on winning, which they regard as a bonus.
He says they are driven more by developing players and staying in the upper half of the table each season.
"No, we don't think like that in our club. In our club, what we try to do is improve our players and there's a door, with players coming in and going out every year, so we hardly ever have a settled team. What we focus on is to try to do our best, and then satisfy.
"Winning the title is a bonus, but what we're proud of is that we're always in the top four for the last six seasons," Speid stated.
