MARC STAMP, STAR Writer

President of Humble Lion Football Club, Mike Henry, said while the aim is to be the number-one team in Jamaica, if they don't achieve that goal this season, they would come again.

"The theme has been that winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is," Henry told STAR Sports in a recent exclusive interview, adding that if they don't make it past this season's semi-finals, he would be okay.

"Would I be dissatisfied? I'm not one to be dissatisfied. If I fail, I try to recover, dust myself off and start again," Henry, who is also a veteran Jamaica Labour Party politician, said.

Humble Lion finished in fourth position at the completion of the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) preliminary stage last Sunday on 53 points and will face Arnett Gardens in the first of a two-way semi-final tomorrow at the Anthony Spaulding Complex, starting at 6 p.m.

This is not the first time the Clarendon-based club has been in the top four, but it is a first since the play-off was reintroduced.

"My goal is to be exactly where we are, but moreso, the development of a strong background," he pointed out.

Henry took over the club during the 2008-2009 season following the passing of the then manager.

"When Humble Lion ran into problems, I stepped in and became the president. At that time, Effortville Community Centre (the club's home venue) was just a dust bowl with the community building," he disclosed.

Part of development means the club restricts its numbers to 60 mainly Clarendon-based players. Sixty per cent of its personnel reside in or come from the parish.

"We try to maintain that at all times because we figure the clubs and the players can be an example of how you can succeed to improve your life.

"We try to continue to deal with the players in a professional manner because you are in a professional league and you try to fill in where you are, so we think all of our players are examples," Henry added.

The management team is also seeking to move to a more professional management to help guide its players' careers.

"(We) try to negotiate permanent employment, and when a player is not marketable anymore, we can move him into training and development of his life."

Next stage

Henry continued: "That's the next stage we are moving to now - moving them into coaching and other development processes in and around the community. We have tried to build a family, and I owe it to the players who have stuck. It's not easy to meet the financial requirements, but we have tried."

Since Donovan Duckie took over as coach from Craig Butler last December, Humble Lion has moved from relegation zone to the last four.

"I hope the commitment and goals continue," said Henry.

"I would love to be number one and I'm fighting to be number one. The rest of it is left to how the ball is round," the club's president offered.

"I always tell the players, as long as your eyes are on the centre of the ball, you can never lose sight of the bigger picture," he added.

"The club is now in a transition phase - from ownership to a trust that can administer the club when I am no longer around," said Henry.

The club has its own studio and he wants to develop a label.

"I am looking to branding - the brand of Humble Lion," Henry concluded.