‘We punched above our weight’

HAVING COMFORTABLY secured their safety for next season’s Jamaica Premier League (JPL) campaign, Racing United head coach Anthony Patrick is proud of the team’s performance in their debut season.

Racing became the first promoted team to secure their stay in the top flight since the return of relegation in 2022.

They sit eighth in the league standings on 48 points, well clear of the relegation battle with Molynes United in ninth on 35 with two games to go.

Patrick is happy to see what the club has achieved in their first-ever season in the top flight.

“We are proud to have so much points for our first time in the Premier League and we’re in for next year. So we definitely have to give God thanks for this.”

Patrick explained, however, that their good fortune was not a fluke, but rather the product of years of planning at the club.

Since joining the St Catherine-based club, Patrick said it has always been his dream to lead them to the top flight and maintain their place among the best teams in Jamaica.

“It’s been a long season and a long overall plan. From 2017, this has been my dream to take over the club, carry the team to the Premier League, and give it our best shot,” he said.

“Being a mainstay is what I’m looking at now. That’s what I’ve been concentrating on with Racing and building this unit from 2017.”

He insists that, at its core, Racing’s success has been from their trust in youth players and allowing them to develop into top talents.

He pointed to the likes of Renaldo Biggs and Nickyle Ellis, who have proven to be instrumental to Racing’s campaign.

Patrick said, with the experience these young athletes have gained from their first season in the JPL, he is confident they can improve on the standards in the years to come.

“When you look around, you’ll see a majority of players from the division two competition and players with a lot of schoolboy experience,” the Racing boss said.

“We are very happy and I believe next season we are going to do very well with the youngsters. They got their feet wet this season and did so well in coming this far, so they will have that maturity coming into the next season.”

Although they have missed out on play-off qualification after a loss to Molynes United on Sunday, Patrick said the club has shown their calibre in the league against teams with deeper resources.

“I think we punched above our weight,” he said.

“The youngsters really did well and I’m very proud of them, the management staff and everybody here. They really put hands and hearts together to make this happen.

“When you look at the teams that are in the top six and the ones still fighting to be there, we were one of them but the seniority between the teams and the deeper squads really showed in the latter part of the season.”

Racing will see out their campaign with their remaining two fixtures against Humble Lion and Portmore United.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com