W Connection technical director/head coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier has heaped the praise on his players for what he described a "fantastic season".
Last Friday Connection defeated Police FC 3-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in the Final of the Digicel Pro Bowl to wrap up the 2013-2014 season with an impressive five-title haul, the second club to do so in domestic competitions after the now defunct Joe Public successes in 2009.
However it isn’t the first time in Connection’s 15-year history that the Couva based club won five titles in one season. In 2001, led by Fevrier, Connection won the League, First Citizens Cup, Charity Shield, President’s Cup and Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship.
Now 13 years later, Connection, led by Fevrier, dominated the 2013-2014 season with the Digicel Pro League, FA Trophy, Toyota Classic, Digicel Charity Shield and Pro Bowl titles.
While bitter Couva rivals Central FC won the First Citizens Cup, Lucozade Sport Goal Shield and finished second in the league championship to qualifying for the 2015 Caribbean Club Championship with Connection.
“It's not really about me,” responded the 55-year-old Fevrier when asked his feelings on such an accomplishment.
“I had my time (as a player) and now it’s [the W Connection players’] time,” the former St. Lucia international and coach continued.
“I’m just happy that I can help the club achieve its objective and help the players experience success in the game because I demand a lot from them on a daily basis. I always I try to stress upon them the importance of hard work and sacrifice. So I’m always very happy when they [get] the rewards and be successful.”
Fevrier praised the club’s owners, board of directors, his staff (which includes fellow countrymen Earl Jean and Elijah Joseph as assistant coaches), and every other member of staff including the cooks, but heaped the bulk of the congratulations on his players.
“It’s a fantastic season,” Fevrier said. “It’s one of our better seasons over the years. The coaching staff must be given credit, the owners, the board, because to win five titles [in a season] is a massive achievement. I want to congratulate the players; they are the biggest winners – the ones that most of the praise should go to because they are the ones who play the games.”
Some of the key Connection players 2013-2014 included versatile midfielder Joevin Jones (with 14 league goals), defensive midfield general and team captain Gerard Williams; defenders Kurt Frederick, Alvin Jones and Daneil Cyrus (who recently joined Vietnam top flight outfit Hanoi T&T); talented attacking options Stefano Rijssel, Hashim Arcia and Jerrel Britto; goalkeeper Julani Archibald and the very useful and explosive teenaged winger Neil Benjamin Jr. among others.
Fevrier revealed that are interests from European and Asian clubs for Connection players and that his off-season is business as usual.
“We have to look at our squad for next season,” he said. “We definitely have some requests for players in the European and Asian markets. So we are looking to get some players out and will try to restrengthen our squad to compete next season. That’s what our off-season is about.
Fevrier said he is also aware that being number one has its consequences but it is something that W Connection are very much used to.
“Obviously we are now the number one team in the country and I guess everyone will be highly motivated against us. But we are not just the number one (team) this season, and even when we are not the number one, we are still the team that everyone wants to beat. So we are used to it … and that’s why we take our preparations seriously and work hard every day to achieve our goals on the playing field,” the Connection coach concluded.