Ma Pau SC Technical Director Michael McComie became very vocal following his team’s 1-0 victory over rivals San Juan Jabloteh on Saturday at the Larry Gomes Stadium.
The former T&T international U23 coach boasted that Saturday’s Round One Match Day Three win over Jabloteh was his eighth consecutive victory against coach Terry Fenwick.
“The victory is my eighth consecutive victory against Terry Fenwick,” he said. “The last positive result he had against me was a 2-2 draw at the Marvin Lee Stadium in 2006 while I coached at Joe Public where we had to equalize through goals from Roen Nelson and Silas Spann.”
The victory courtesy Anthony Wolfe´s header from Elton John's freekick puts Ma Pau in fifth spot in the 2010 Digicel Pro League standings along with North East Stars and defending champions Joe Public all tied on 5 points, but behind by goal difference. While the result saw Jabloteh remain in the bottom half with one point in ninth position.
“Jabloteh didn’t surprise us,” explained McComie. “They didn’t do anything that we didn’t see them do before. So from that aspect we were more or less prepared.
“We were expecting a closer game, because of the fact that around this time last year under (coach) Earl Jean and (administrator) Wesly Webb, Jabloteh were a much more competitive team and were in the top two position.”
McComie a former Pro League Coach of the Year considers himself to be a good manager and believes that local clubs should come to the realization that there are good coaches locally.
“I think the League has good local coaches,” continued the former Joe Public goalkeeper and coach. “And I think it’s time that local clubs, especially in the Pro League, come to the realization that there are good local coaches and should take that into consideration before bringing in average or mediocre foreign coaches.”
He pointed out, Anthoy Streete [with limited resources at St. Ann’s Rangers], Jamal Shabazz and Jerry Moe at Caledonia, Angus Eve, Travis Mulraine [and the good work he is doing with the Caledonia Reserves], SouthEnd’s Anthony Rougier and Police FC’s Muhammed Isa.
With former Jabloteh players Elton John, Shandel Samuel, Anthony Wolfe, Lester Peltier, Devon Jamerson and Mikeil Williams being part of his roster at Ma Pau, Mc Comie continued that the motivational factor was present against Jabloteh.
“Some of the players had a point to prove. But our coaches had to curb that because we didn’t want over anxiety,” he said.
“I thought our players were mentally and physically stronger. We were faster to the ball and as a group proved that we were better prepared and disciplined. From very early, Jabloteh players were shouting at the referee."
“If I had to take out a disappointing part of the game, it would be the result, because I think that we were three or four goals better than them. Another thing is that we weren’t able to play our normal passing game, which we have become accustomed too, because of the poor conditions at the Larry Gomes Stadium.
“Our midfield trio of Elton John, Kemuel Rivers and Mikeil Williams nullified the five midfielders that Jabloteh started the game with. And as promised the four strikers we played were more than a handful for the inexperienced Jabloteh defence of Jamal Jack, Sheldon Bateau and Joel Russell while their frontline posed no trouble for our defence.
“I thought we dominated both halves, created more chances and outplayed them. But unfortunately the scoreline didn’t show that because we didn’t capitalize on our chances.”
McComie who guided Joe Public to the 2004 Super League and Knockout titles, then defended them in 2005, followed up in 2006 by winning the 2006 Pro League Championship on their return to the top local division. In 2007, he landed two titles in the Toyota Classic and the FA trophy.
In 2008 he took up a position with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation national youth programme before returning to the professional league with Ma Pau SC and had big plans for the Woodbrook based club.
Following their debut season in 2008 under then coach Ron La Forest, Ma Pau finished ninth. The club reacted by hiring in Brazilian coach Ubirajara Veiga Da Silva but he only lasted for the 2009 pre-season when Ma Pau made the surprise announcement of McComie as head coach.
He guided the team to a fifth position finish in his first season with creditable performances throughout 2009. At present, he believes that his side is the fittest team in the league, and that a player is only as good as his fitness allows him to play for.
McComie’s Ma Pau SC will next challenge second positioned W Connection from 6pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Match Day Four of Round One.