Portmore’s Austin has sights set on lifting JPL title

Portmore United head coach Rodolph Austin is confident that his team can win the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) title this season but insists that they will be taking things one step at a time.

Portmore are currently third in the standings with 15 points, the same as second-place Racing United. Former champions Montego Bay United lead the table with 19 points. Portmore registered their fourth win of the season on Sunday after a convincing 4-2 victory over defending champions Cavalier.

“It is not going bad so far, but I am a bit disappointed with some of the results,” said Austin. “In the last few games, I think we could have finished much better in front of goal, but you know how football goes. I don’t think the players tried to miss chances.”

The Portmore coach said the players made up for those missed chances last weekend as they have been working on it, and “I think we are getting it at the moment”.

Austin, whose team was knocked out by Cavalier in the quarterfinals last season, stated that the focus this year is on maintaining consistency and building confidence as the campaign progresses.

“It is always good to win, but each and every game is different, and in football, you have to be consistent. I think when you are consistent, it will come with confidence and everything will fall in place, that winning mentality, and all those things fall into place,” he explained.

Portmore, who last lifted the JPL title in the 2018–2019 season, are once again targeting silverware this year.

“Portmore is a team with a winning mentality, and so every season we strive to win, but we are just taking it one game at a time,” Austin said while adding that as former champions, they are always looking ‘to win things.’.

Austin noted that the first round of the competition is crucial for setting the tone for the rest of the season.

“In the first round, you always try to accumulate as many points as possible and see how the other teams look,” he said.

The former Reggae Boy also praised the balance in his squad, highlighting the blend of young talents and experienced players who have been with the club for several years.

“We have a mixture of youth and experience, and some of the young players have been playing in the Premier League since the last time we won the competition, so it is a pretty decent squad that we have this season,” he said.

Robert Bailey