‘We are not hungry enough’ — Whitmore

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Mount Pleasant Football Academy head coach Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore criticised his team’s effort after a 1-1 draw away to Salcedo FC in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup 1-1 draw on Wednesday,  admitting that his players simply did not show enough hunger.

Playing in the Dominican Republic, Mount Pleasant got the perfect start when striker Warner Brown netted in the seventh minute. But Salcedo earned a share of the point as Sebastian Ramos equalised in the 49th minute.

Mount Pleasant are sitting in fourth spot in Group B on one point from two games. Salcedo leads with five points from three games ahead of Cibao on four from two games and Jamaica’s Cavalier FC in third spot on two points, from two games.

Jamaica’s third team, Portmore United, are at the bottom, pointless from one game.

While giving credit to the Dominican Republic outfit for their aggressive approach, Whitmore said Mount Pleasant failed where it mattered most — in the final third — and believed his players could have offered much more.

“I think first and foremost we have to give credit to our opponents, Salcedo. I think they were hungry this afternoon,” Whitmore said at the post-match press conference.

“I think our unit this afternoon, we were lacking in the final third. I think we got the perfect start we wanted, but we didn’t manage the key moments, and I think that would have led us to the point this afternoon,” he explained.

Whitmore dismissed suggestions that fatigue had affected his team in the second half, saying instead that some players appeared to hold back.

“I wouldn’t say tired, but I think we didn’t put ourselves out there this afternoon. I think we had a lot more we could have given,” he said.

“I think some of the players would have held back. As I said, the Salcedo team, they were a bit more hungry than us today,” he reiterated.

Whitmore acknowledged the improvement of Dominican football, describing the teams as organised and dangerous.

“I think they are decent, quality teams, well organised. They have individual players who can hurt any team, but again, the football in the Dominican Republic is growing,” he said.

Despite the result,  he told supporters to stay confident.

“For the fans, I think we are down, but we’re not out. We just have to recover, refocus and go again,” he said.

Mount Pleasant entered as former Caribbean champions, but Whitmore says that means little now.

“The last time we were champions, but as I said before, the teams keep improving,” he said. “As quickly as possible, we have to realise the tournament we’re in, and we just have to step up and go at it.”