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Whitmore: I can’t knock my players
May 22, 2024
After failing to retain the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) title on Sunday, following their penalty shootout defeat by Cavalier at the National Stadium, Mount Pleasant coach Theodore Whitmore says they will review the season before turning their attention to the Caribbean Club Championship in August.
Mount Pleasant succumbed 4-3 on penalties to Cavalier in the season's decider, and although disappointed with Sunday's outcome, Whitmore said it was an impressive season nonetheless.
"It's very disappointing (defeat in final) but at the end of the day I am pleased with the team's performance, the season, the staff, everyone. It is just unfortunate that we came up short but such is life.
"It was a wonderful season. The players gave it their all. They left it all out there. So you just have to congratulate the Cavalier team. They are victorious but I can't knock my players," Whitmore said.
Nevertheless, the club has long made their regional and continental ambitions known and Whitmore said they will have to first shake off their disappointment, then look back at the just concluded season before they prepare to make their historic appearance in the regional competition later this year.
"It's a bit too early (to look to Caribbean Cup). We have to review the season first. We will look towards the regional competition but we have to forget all of this (the defeat) and move forward
"Definitely (the club wants to make it's mark regionally but it was nine hard months (of JPL) this season so we have to now sit and prepare our next line of action going into the Caribbean Cup," he stated.
Devonte Campbell fired Mount Pleasant into the lead after 67 minutes on Sunday but Richard King replied for Cavalier two minutes later to level the score. The teams then failed to further add to their score in the time remaining leading to the dreaded penalty which Cavalier won.
Whitmore believes that had they been able to hold on to their lead a bit longer, it would have been a different result.
"I think it was a tactical game from both teams. We went into the lead but Cavalier came back right after. But if we had kept the lead for longer I believe we would have gotten something out of the game. But after Cavalier equalised the momentum shifted again," Whitmore said.
