Dunbeholden coach Thomas returns

Dunbeholden FC head coach Harold Thomas is back at the club just in time for the play-off round in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL).

Thomas, who was overseas for over a month because of personal reasons, returned to the island on Sunday.

Dunbeholden finished second, behind Waterhouse, in the preliminary round of the JPL and will go straight into the semi-finals, meaning Thomas will have over a week to get the team ready after a dip in form during his absence.

That dip in form saw Dunbeholden win once in six games.

"The players are pleased to see their gaffer back," team manager Paul Christie told STAR Sports. "The mood is up again in the camp. He has gave them a sense of belief and that belief has returned immediately on his return. So there is a different level of energy, seriousness, and belief to the team again.

"We think we have enough to go all the way and we are intent on doing that because there is no guarantee," Christie said.

"But the confidence and belief is back, with the coach here, and we are just getting the preparation right and preparing to do our best.

"He knows exactly what to do to get the team sharp and ready. We trust his preparation and we are going to trust him with guiding the team across the line."

Thomas is taking the team into its first-ever Premier League league play-offs and Christie said this puts them at no disadvantage because the coach knows what it is like to be at this stage of the competition.

"It is not going to be a cake walk because there are some good-quality opponents, but we are just prepared to do the best we can," Christie said. "He would have been in situations like this before and we trust him and trust his judgement, and we know that at the end of the day, we will be okay."