Whitmore: It was not difficult to return
Mount Pleasant face tough Arnett Gardens in Concacaf Caribbean Cup
Published:Tuesday | August 27, 2024 | 12:09 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Returning Mount Pleasant Academy coach Theodore Whitmore said it was not difficult to return to the club he severed ties with just under three months ago.
Whitmore will take charge of Mount Pleasant for their second Concacaf Caribbean Cup game against local rivals Arnett Gardens today at Sabina Park, starting at 5 p.m.
The former national midfielder did not have his contract renewed when his deal with the St Ann club ended in the summer. However, after Harold Thomas lost his first and only game at the helm, their Concacaf Caribbean Cup game against Cavalier, the Mount Pleasant hierarchy terminated his contract and recalled Whitmore.
Nevertheless, Whitmore insists that it was an easy choice to make.
“I have found some great friends at Mount Pleasant, the fans, management, so it has not been difficult that a few months have passed and we are back here.
“In football there are no surprises. I am not going to be the first coach to go back to a club. Jose Mourinho has done it, Zinedine Zidane has done it. So it was not hard. And I won’t be the last,” he said.
He added that he has done his assessment, and there is a lot of work to be done.
He said Arnett Gardens have been boosted by their Concacaf Caribbean Shield victory, which will make their challenge that much harder.
“Arnett Gardens are just coming out of a tournament, which they won. So they will be upbeat.
“Our players know the task at hand. They know it’s going to be a difficult game, but I think this unit is up for it.
“It’s for us to put ourselves out there and give 110 per cent. But there is one other thing, and that is to get a positive result. We have not spent a lot of time with the players, so we are still trying to put the pieces together. Hopefully, come match day, we will be ready,” Whitmore said.
Arnett Gardens coach Xavier Gilbert said going up against a wounded Mount Pleasant under the returning Whitmore will be tricky.
Despite coming off a loss in their first match against Cavalier, and removing coach Thomas and replacing him with Whitmore, Gilbert insists that Mount Pleasant will be much more difficult than before.
“This game is going to be extremely tough. They are coming off a loss, and we will want to ensure that they stay in the hunt.
“They are a quality team. They have acquired some good players. So it is going to be tough, but we are going to put or best foot forward and ensure that we get something out of the game,” he said.
Although Mount Pleasant lost their opening game 2-0 to Cavalier last week, Gilbert anticipates that breaking down their opponents for this game will be a lot more difficult.
“We anticipate that Whitmore, who coached them last year, knows the players well. He will probably put the pieces together despite not having a lot of time.
“He has worked with them over the past two seasons, but we hope what is transpiring there (at Mount Pleasant) will play into our hands.
“We know we have to come out and execute, and it will not be easy. Hopefully, we can get the fans behind us to give us that added push.”
He disclosed also that the intention is to keep Mount Pleasant at bay while trying to exploit the spaces that will come during the game.
“We just have to be cautious - try not to concede any goals for the entire game - and if there are openings we can take advantage of, we will. But tactically, it is going to be very difficult for us.”