Kendon Anderson (centre) dribbles away from Glenmuir's pair of Kevon Lambert (left) amd Donovan Morgan during their teams' Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Gatorade/Digicel Olivier Shield first-leg football final at the Constant Spring Complex. - Gladstone Taylor

Jackie Walters

Can Glenmuir mount a turnaround on home soil at Brancount against St George's College in tomorrow's second leg of the Olivier Shield?

In an unscientific poll, involving a few coaches, several fans and a handful of current players in the central region, Star Sports could find only a precious few that would dare stake a positive bet.

The daCosta Cup champions took a hiding at Constant Spring against a plucky St George's side laden with some of the country's best youth talent. The 4-1 defeat is one of the biggest margins of victory inflicted on a rural champion, within recent memory, certainly not in the last 40 years.

Facing an uphill task, the man under the gun, Glenmuir's coach Jackie Walters held whatever aces he may still have close to his chest, but sounding very terse, and defiant about revealing his plans, the proud coach threw down the gauntlet.

"Come to the ground on Saturday and you will see," Walters said in a Star Sports interview. The coach used the same remark in response to the following questions posed, before becoming adamant he would answer no further questions on the matter.

emotions in check

However, that kind of response is uncharacteristic of the veteran coach, dubbed in daCosta Cup circles as 'Zagalo', named after the famed veteran Brazillian coach. He seldom looks unruffled on the sidelines, shouts very little, and often keeps his emotions in check regardless of scoreline.

The outburst may be an indication that Wednesday's defeat, stung deep, or perhaps he has found something special that could push back the weight of expectations, or to dismiss the belief that a lush Brancourt surface may better suit a St George's team eager on inflicting more embarrassment.

jittery goalkeeping

Privately though, Star Sports sources say Walters exudes confidence going into Saturday's clash, despite openly acknowledging after the first-leg defeat that his opponents were far superior. He would have been encouraged at least by the fact that his team scored on St George's, the team's first since the quarter-finals, and that the scoreline was 1-1 at half-time and also that two of the goals conceded, represented real lucky breaks stemming from the jittery goalkeeping of Dane Chambers.

Walters relented briefly, content on releasing just enough of an impression that he has some fight back up his sleeves.

"We will take up the challenge, we won't back down," he said.