-discipline key, says coach

By Marlon Munroe
Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United promises to be much more equipped for this year’s first round Caribbean Football Union (CFU) club championships against Bath Estate FC of Dominica next Wednesday at the GCC ground.

Coach Wayne ‘Wiggy’ Dover and Captain Howard Lowe echoed these sentiments yesterday at the team’s practice session at the GFC ground  yesterday. More importantly, the team will be looking to survive the first round after it exited the first round last year.

The inaugural Premiere League winners will then battle Walking Boys FC of Suriname.

When Stabroek Sport caught up with the team yesterday at its training session at the GFC ground it was running defence drills.

Subsequently, Dover told Stabroek Sport that he was trying to organise the team defensively. He said that the aim of yesterday’s session was to get it right when the team might be confronted with high pressure situations and the players have shown that they have the discipline to adapt.

“We are placing a lot of emphasis on good team organization and team discipline because last year the level of discipline was conducive for the competition and the approach was as if they were playing another Premier League match locally,” Dover pointed out.

However, he said that the coaching staff has been telling the players that international football is played at a much higher and faster pace.  The players were told that the room for mistakes is minimal and it was imperative that the management condition their thinking to what is obtained in the international arena.

On the other hand, when Stabroek Sport asked about the imported players from Jamaica and the chemistry with the rest of the team he reported that he has seen the talent and they have also brought with them their experience at a high level.

Dover also opined that his team is the most unified and the addition of new players can wane the chemistry of the team but the drilling that the team is receiving will be a winning recipe for what lies ahead in the tournament.

The Alpha United team now has with it midfielders Oneke Forde, Troylan Williams, Jeremiah and Leighton Murray from Jamaica and they will be shoring up the midfield, which Dover referred to as the engine room.

He said that while the players are experienced and have good work ethics two of the players have to work on their fitness.

Stabroek Sport asked why the emphasis on the midfield and Dover, who is also the national coach, said, “I think games are won and lost in the midfield although you would want your strikers to convert their chances. However, if your midfield does not play compact and solid and make good distribution and defend well then the team will experience problems.”

Dover was asked if this was always the problem of the team and he said that it was not a problem at the local level but at the international level “it is a much different ball game.”

Having said that, Dover reported it was important for the team to have depth so that it can counter any situation that may confront it at any time.

He admitted that his team has little knowledge of what Bath Estate will be bringing  to the field. But he said that they will be respecting them as a football team. He said though that ‘The Hammer’ will not fold to their counterparts because they are from overseas.

“If we see that the opposition is not passing well we will step in the high pressure situation and force the mistake and then counter. If they are a group that is passing well we will sit in back so as not to give too much at the back and then squeeze them from there,” Dover explained in terms of their tactics.

Meanwhile, Lowe, who is also the national captain, said that he will be leading from the front since he is a “no-nonsense” captain. He also reiterated that the players understand their early exit from last year’s performance but he believes that this year will be a better year for the team.

“We have a fair chance that we are going to go forward to the second round,” he quipped.