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Dr Dean Weatherley. - file
Dr Dean Weatherley, who has been drafted in to improve MoBay United's stuttering start to the National Premier League, is pleading with local fans to maintain support in the face of what could be a difficult sojourn in the nation's top tier.
The MoBay team, a revamp of the once-heralded local outfit Seba United, have just six points from two wins. Three were earned in the boardroom after they profited from Boys' Town mistake in using talented teen Marvin Morgan, and the other against the weakest aggregation so far this season - Village - in Weatherly's first game at the helm.
On Sunday, they went down 0-1 to one of the surprise form teams, Sporting Central, but quite notably it was against a weakened line-up. Missing from the Clarendon aggregation were regular captain Marlon Allen, central defender Linval Lewis, and the overlapping Gregory Lewis, who has already scored this season.
But, despite looking quite organised from defence to midfield, the MoBay side lacked killer passes as well as attacking players who could decisively punish the Clarendon side, who looked porous in the defensive third at times.
"It's important for the fans to come out to the games and give support. It is still a work in progress and we have many games left; they shouldn't give up," Weatherley said.
Despite having no highlighted names, or players known at the national level, Weatherly thinks he has seen enough progress to keep him interested in the job.
"I have seen a little progress with the players in the short time I've had the team, and we (coaching staff) are pleased with the consistency in play they have shown, especially from defense," he said.
However, there is little doubt that more effort is needed to break into the top half of the standings.
"They are putting in a lot of work but we just need to pull together, with a little more hard work up top," he added.
Defending seems one area that Weatherly will have to fix quickly. They have conceded eight goals while scoring six, three of which were gifted in the aforementioned match against Boys' Town. On Sunday, the two forwards employed - Shane Anderson and Leo Irving, as well as former schoolboy standout Allan Ottey, who came on as a substitute, failed to give the Sporting custodian Sanchez Lloyd an opportunity to save. There were, however, good signs from pint-sized Troy Reid, who made several roving runs along the flanks.
On Sunday, they will be up against another Clarendon outfit, Humble Lion, who are in joint fourth position and, amazingly, have the best away record to date, with three wins.
Weatherly hinted that much of the work to get his side ready is mental.
"Probably they haven't got past the euphoria associated with getting back to the league, but I am of the view, at least from what I've seen, that the standard of the teams is close, and on any day any team can win," he said.
