Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter
YOUNG
IN THE midst of all the Christmas-season partying, reigning Wray and Nephew National Premier League champions Portmore United are continuing their build-up towards the next leg of the club championship series.
The Portmore club helped to distinguish Jamaica as a two-time Caribbean Club Championship winner, following its recent triumph over Suriname team SV Robinhood.
Their next overseas assignment will be a tough one, as they will play against Mexico's Club America.
"We are going to try. We know that we are going to play against the richest club in Mexico," their coach Paul Young pointed out to The Gleaner in an interview.
"It's not going to be an easy task but it's not going to be an impossible one," he added.
"We have two months to get ready and we are going to give it our best shot. We are going to try and do Portmore proud and all of Jamaica proud."
Speaking of their success in Suriname Young admitted: "It was a little different, because you are playing in a different country, but basically you are working with the same set of players.
"The first rule of thumb was that you have to take a look at your opponents. After about 20 minutes in the first game we realised that as a team we were better than them and should win the game.
"We dominated the game and just didn't score. At 0-0 at the end of the first half I had to tell the team a piece of my mind. In the second half we started out well but they got a penalty even though we kept on getting chances," Young said.
In that second half Tyrone Sawyers was injured and let in a goal that on other days he would have saved. While Portmore pulled one goal back to end the game 1-2 losers, Jamaicans all over wondered if the defending premier league champions were going to fall short of defending the title Harbour View had won the previous year in the final against fellow Jamaicans Tivoli Gardens.
"For the second game we made the adjustments and did some shooting in front of goal just to get the confidence back and it paid off," said Young of their 4-0 return-leg win.
BENEFITS
Already there have been benefits to Portmore from playing the Club Championships, even if they don't go any further in the competition.
"Playing in the Club Champion-ships have been very beneficial. For example two of our players that have been in our roster are currently playing in Antigua in a club there because they were impressed with our play and wanted two players and we sent Mario Swaby and Denzil Watson," said Young.
"When we went to Curacao there were Mexican scouts inquiring about Steve Morrisey and Jason Morrison because they caught the eye," explained Young.
While there are those benefits there were also draw-backs.
"Every time you travel it costs between $500,000 to a million. You have to cover airfare, stipends for the players, food, accommodation, so it's not easy, and that's not taking into consideration that you have to pay them salaries at the end of every month," Young told The Gleaner.
The tournament has been good for Young as a coach as well. The former national striker has said playing against teams overseas has helped him to grow.
"It's been very helpful, I've learnt a lot. I'm improving, I'm getting to know the players better, getting to know the game a little more, coming more conversant with making those little adjustments during the game, after the game and even before the game.
"It's been a good learning process, it's been a challenge and hopefully some day I'll be able to contribute more on a wider scale."
