Montego Bay United chairman Yoni Epstein says the St. James club intends to answer a disappointing end to the Jamaica Premier League season with a much-improved campaign next time around.
The former champions placed fourth in the JPL and were denied a route into regional competition after Mount Pleasant Academy beat them 3-2 in the third-place playoff, leaving them outside the Caribbean Club Shield places.
Epstein said the outcome hurt, especially because the team did not get to the Caribbean Cup, but he felt Montego Bay United still handled a demanding season creditably. He said the club had taken lessons from the campaign and would work to ensure the same errors were not repeated.
He added that the board remains fully behind head coach Xavier Gilbert as preparations begin for the off-season, with the aim of making the team more forceful when the 2026-2027 campaign opens on August 23.
Although regional qualification slipped away, Epstein credited the squad and technical staff for navigating what he described as a hard year for the western Jamaica outfit. He said the players gave what they had, even as several issues affecting the club were not widely known outside Montego Bay.
One of the biggest blows, according to Epstein, came from Hurricane Melissa, which battered western Jamaica in October last year. He said the storm disrupted the club badly, particularly in defence, because a number of defensive players chose not to come back afterwards.
Epstein said Montego Bay United had to rely on the group that remained, and he singled out Deverow McKenzie and Philando Wing for praise for helping to keep the back line together during that difficult stretch.
The chairman also thanked the club's supporters, saying Montego Bay fans continued to show belief in the team throughout the season. He acknowledged that they would be disappointed by the final outcome, but said many supporters had made it clear that they still stood with the club.
Montego Bay United last won the JPL title in 2016, and Epstein said the years after that championship had been challenging. However, he believes the club has made real gains in reviving football interest in western Jamaica and restoring confidence around the programme.
He said Montego Bay had shown that it deserved to remain in top-flight football and that the club would keep building on the progress it has made.
Syndicated from Jamaica Gleaner · originally published .
