Rampant Bodden Town faces newly promoted Cayman Brac in their first Premier League match on Saturday, and their success is partly because they still have the mentality of struggling contenders.
Bodden Town plays Brac at their home ground, with kickoff at 8 p.m.
A few years ago, when Bodden Town was a mid-table team whose nucleus of youngsters were trying to find their way against mature men’s teams, technical director Elbert McLean instilled in them the need to train consistently.
His policy was no matter how talented the player, if they did not show up regularly for training, they were not picked.
The kids have grown up now, and coupled with their physical maturity is the supreme fitness necessary to stay champs and take on tougher opposition when they play in places like New Zealand in November and any other tournaments that may come up later in the season.
BT were a little disjointed in the first half of the Charity Shield match they won 2-0 on Sunday against Elite Sports Club at the TE McField Annex.
But the Premier League champs of the past two seasons found their rhythm and looked far fitter and fresher after the break, winning comfortably through two fabulous Ricoh Brown goals. “We did seven weeks of hard training before facing Elite and it showed in the second half,” coach McLean said.
“Elite was tired in the first half. Hard work with good attitude guarantees success.”
Brown, 21, was the third-highest league scorer last season with 15 goals. Top marksman was BT teammate Theron Wood with 28.
Wood missed the Elite match and will also have to sit out the next three games through suspension after getting a red card at the end of last season.
McLean reckons Brown is in the sort of form that could see him rack up a hat-full before Wood returns and finds his own scoring form.
“I expect Ricoh to do very well, the sky’s the limit,” McLean said. “He is definitely good enough to turn pro and has been training extra hard.”
McLean joked that Brown is so intent on making an impression in New Zealand that he expects to get signed by a big club and not return home.
“No team trains like Bodden Town,” McLean said. “It just makes my job easier as a coach.”
Although the BT strikers and midfield get the majority of credit, McLean also found praise for his back line against Elite of captain Yefry Calderon, Santangelo Bush, Abraham Frederick and Wesley Robinson.
Related Videos
