Speid: I was in Portland at Titchfield High
Published:Saturday | June 10, 2023 | 1:05 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Cavalier’s no-show at Thursday’s Jamaica Premier League (JPL) final press conference caused some concern among football fans with some even suggesting they might miss the final as well.
However, club coach and technical director Rudolph Speid insists their absence was not intentional and that it is impossible for them to miss tomorrow’s grand showdown against Mount Pleasant.
Although Speid said their absence was unavoidable, he was pleased with the impact their no-show had on the organisers.
“I was in Portland at a high school meeting,,” Speid explained. “I am a director on the school board, so that is where I was, at Titchfield High School.
“So personally I could not go (to the press conference) because I had that commitment. I had to be there in person. It started at 10 a.m. and the press conference was at 11 a.m. and I couldn’t call anybody because they have no phones,” he pointed out.
Speid, however, welcomed the reaction to his no-show as a meeting was held the same evening and the organisers of the league gave a commitment to replace the players’ phones which were stolen during the Lynk Cup final at Sabina Park on May 26.
“It caused the appropriate response because they called a board meeting Thursday night and dealt with it. So I am satisfied with the commitment to replace the phones. It is not the best because we did not get back the cash but it’s satisfactory,” he commented.
Speid went on to rubbish suggestions that the 2021 champions may not turn up for the main event on Sunday.
“In a way it (burglary) affected us but we have played two games since. I do not think that (Cavalier missing the final) is a possibility. They stole our phones and we still finished that game. So this is what we have been through and we will do what we have to do,” he said.
During the Lynk Cup final cellphones, money and other valuables were discovered to have been stolen when the Cavalier team returned to the dressing room at halftime. They completed the game but were beaten 2-0 by Portmore.