Are Dunbeholden Premier League favourites?

After acquiring a number of high-profile players during the off season, many observers are looking at Dunbeholden FC as possible favourites to win the upcoming Jamaica Premier League (JPL), tentatively set to kick off on November 14.

In their first season (2018-19), the St Catherine club finished 10th in the standings, while last season, with improvements to their squad, they were sitting sixth (a play-off spot) in the table when the season was called off due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But despite the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming football season, Dunbeholden have made a number of high-quality signings, and team manager Paul Christie insists this is the season they want to make the transition from being just a competitive team to title challengers.

"The truth of the matter is that we are really here to compete. We are getting better as we go along and we are trying to improve and generally compete for silverware. So we are not just here to make up numbers," he said.

"From year one to year two we saw where we were short on certain things, and we went out and try to improve, and we did improve as the seasons went by, and we now think we can compete as well as everybody else. The players last year started believing, they were winning games and realised that they truly belong.

Make that transition

"So now we are at the point where we think we can actually compete, and this season we are looking to make that transition from a team that participate to a team that people take serious."

The Spanish Town club recently signed former Arnett Gardens standout Errol Stevens from Vietnamese club Hai Pong. They have also added Waterhouse's experienced trio of goalkeeper Diego Haughton, Keithy Simpson and Tremaine Stewart, as well as Roberto Johnson, Cleon Pryce and goalkeeper Williams Benjamin of Portmore United, along with Ewan Weatherly from Mount Pleasant.

And although there is still a big question mark hanging over the upcoming season, Christie said the team will continue to focus and prepare, as this season they truly intend to make their mark.

"We are not able to say if there will be a season but we are still optimistic. The ministry (of health) and the JFF are in continuous dialogue so we are still optimistic of getting a positive response, and as long as we get a positive response from the minister of health it will be all systems go. So we are still preparing with a commencement date of November 14 in mind," he noted.

"We want to take part in the Caribbean championship and we are trying to give it the best shot we can and live with the result. We are aware that there are things we have control over and things that we don't. We try to stay focused on the things we have control over, and the things we don't have control over, we try not to worry about them."