Missing duo won't hurt JC - asst coach

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

Jamaica College paid a very small price to advance to the finals of the premier urban area senior schoolboy football finals, the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Pepsi/Digicel Manning Cup, when two of their players - Odane Greensword and Junior Flemmings - were red-carded in the semi-final encounter against Bridgeport High.

This means they will miss out on playing in Saturday's final against Waterford High at the National Stadium. The match is slated to kick off at 3 p.m., following the third-place match between Norman Manley and Bridgeport at 1 p.m.

"The absence of Greensword won't change our tactics or how we approach the game because we play to a system; so whoever comes into that position will have to pick up and play the same way," JC's assistant coach, Delroy Brown, told The Gleaner yesterday.

Tactical play unaffected

"The other boy is a centre forward and centre forwards don't affect your tactical play at all. You just put in another centre forward, he might not be of the same talent, but the same role is what you are going to do, so team tactics will not change at all," he added.

Both players are naturally disappointed about missing out on the finals, but Brown believes they will get over it, especially because they have the Walker Cup final to contest.

Brown said: "They are disappointed in the sense that they are not going to be playing the finals, but they are experienced players. Although they will be missing the finals, we have another final to play after, so it is not like the last game we are going to be playing."

Preparations going well

Preparations are said to be going well for the Old Hope Road-based institution boys, who resumed training on Monday. The focus is on the mental state of the players, with an aim to keep them sharp and ready.

JC and Waterford met on two previous occasions this season during the first round group stage. Waterford held JC to a one-all draw in the first encounter at JC, before achieving a 1-0 win in the return leg in a match that was mainly of academic interest.

The JC players are, however, looking to gain revenge for the first ever defeat suffered to the St Catherine-based school.

"The boys are in high spirits, they are saying it is revenge," Brown informed.

"We are playing on better field conditions now than when we played at Waterford, so it is going to be a totally different game."