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Butler disappointed, but not dismayed at Vere Phoenix’s relegation
April 25, 2025
Vere Phoenix United's technical director, Craig Butler, said while he is disappointed in being relegated from the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), he is confident his team will make a swift return to the nation's top flight.
Vere Phoenix became the first team to be relegated from the JPL this season as they sit at the foot of the table with 23 points from 37 games.
Butler said while it is a disappointing end to their season, he is still determined to fulfil his promise of lifting the JPL trophy in the future.
"I am very disappointed, but I am not dismayed, and I am not finished. I am not (finished) in any way, and I will not take back anything that I've said," Butler said in a post on his Instagram page.
"It will not be easy, but I did say I will win it; and I will win the league - we will win the league because we are together in all of this."
Butler said the team's poor results came from their squad's overall inexperience and the league's physicality.
He pointed out that the majority of their squad were players under the age of 20, which saw them struggling to handle the physical demands against older and stronger opponents.
"I hear a lot of people laughing and happy and all of those things; it is fine. I played this league with 16-year olds, 17-year olds and 18-year olds, and maybe three players at the age of 26 and 27," he explained.
"Denzel McKenzie, who just turned 18 years old and (is) able to play another year of Manning Cup if he wanted to, is not going to be a match at this time for a Sue-Lae McCalla physically," he said, matching his player against the big Portmore United and national central midfielder.
"So the physicality of the league actually affected them, but it's not going to be a problem. It is a method by which they will evolve, get stronger earlier, and be able to transition better."
'WE WILL BE BACK'
Butler had insisted that relegation will not be the end of Vere Phoenix, and said they will make a swift return to the JPL.
"It is not for me to really be too worried. The game plan continues, the model continues, the management of my players continues, and the relationships that we have overseas continues," he said.
"Yes, this year we got relegated, but there is next year and we'll come back up; and the next year, where the players will be strong enough mentally and physically and understand the league better."
