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ARNETT GARDENS recently appointed head coach Phillip Williams said he is under no pressure in his new role as he makes final preparations ahead of their Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Shield campaign.
Arnett, the defending Club Shield champions, will begin their quest for a second hold on the title when they face Dublanc of Dominica in their opening game of Group D on Sunday.
Williams said it will be his first competitive game in charge of the Junglists following his appointment last month, taking the reins from the outgoing Xavier Gilbert.
Despite joining one of Jamaica’s most successful clubs, Williams said he was under no pressure as he prepared for his first challenge with his new team.
“There is no pressure on us, but we’re confident. It is not about pressure, but it’s about our execution,” Williams said ahead of the competition’s start.
“So there is no pressure. Our confidence comes from our potential and knowing what we can do. We’re looking forward to regaining the title that we would have won last year.”
Williams said the team is in top shape to defend their title despite small issues that would have delayed their preparations.
With the change in head coaches, and activity in the transfer market, Arnett fell behind their schedule, but Williams is confident that they will be ready in time for the Club Shield challenge.
“We started a bit late as you’d know, but I think we have made up for lost time seeing that the boys are very committed and enthused about the Club Shield.
“We’re fully prepared right now, and we’re where we want to be at this stage, especially for the Club Shield,” he said.
Arnett will be without several of their more established players over the past few seasons as Kimani Arbouine and Philando Wing are among those who left the club this transfer window.
ACTIVE IN THE TRANSFER MARKET
The Junglists have been active in the transfer market, however, having brought in the likes of Damari Deacon, Jloyd Smith, and Dexter Manning.
With two of their three signings under the age of 20, Williams said their presence are investments in the club’s future rather than immediate impact signings.
“We have lost quite a few players, and there are some players that are still on the books but have not returned yet,” he said.
“So this is an opportunity for younger players to step up, and based on what we have seen in training so far, they are ready to prove that it is now their time.
“We have a couple players coming in the transfer market, but these are youngsters, and the club is looking to invest in some youngsters for the future.”
The Club Shield has departed from its previous knock-out format and will now be contested using the Swiss-style group format.
Arnett are drawn in Group D alongside Club Franciscain, Scholars International, Dublanc, Doc’s United, and AC Port-of-Spain.
However, they will only face Dublanc and Port-of-Spain for a chance at gaining the top spot in the group.
Despite the new format, Williams said his players are ready to fight to defend their title
“The format was explained to the players and the significance of the changes, so now we’re taking each game as a final. The objective is to maximise all our chances, but the players are ready to play whether it was this format or the old format.”
Arnett have done some research on Dublanc, but Williams said their information may be outdated.
With much of their research being from the previous season, Williams said the goal will be for his players to stamp their influence on the game.
“The clips we have seen of both teams are from last season, so we’re really entering only knowing their old track records and trends we have observed. We’re not too privy on the knowledge of their current setup.”
“But we’re focused on what we can do. I think that is very important to make the opponents deal with us rather than us focusing on what they can do.”
Arnett will face Dublanc on July 27 before taking on Port-of-Spain on July 29. Both games will be played in Trinidad and Tobago.
Dublanc are the two-time Dominica Premier League champions while AC Port-of-Spain finished fourth in the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League.
The top team from each group will advance to the semi-finals, set for August 1, with the finale set for August 3.
The top two teams from the Club Shield will earn a place in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup.
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