Montego Bay United New Coach Promises No Miracles
2 min read
He said that he will give the current players a chance before he decides if he needs new signings
Rudolfo Zapata recently spoke to journalists after he was hired as the head coach of Montego Bay United. He wants the club’s supporters to have some realistic expectations because they are no ”miracles” in football.
Zapata is expected to begin his coaching gig in the 2024-25 season. He will be hoping to lead MBU to another Jamaica Premier League title. He will have a difficult task because the St James-based club finished 10th in the previous season.
The 58-year-old Argentine is an experienced coach who has worked in Africa and the Concacaf region. His last job was as the national coach of Fiji. He will take over from Neider Dos Santos. Dos Santos is a Brazilian coach who led MBU to almost booking a play-off spot.
Zapata warned his players that they will have to work hard work because there are no shortcuts in his training methods. He has already arrived in the country and he will meet his players in the next few days.
He said that he accepted the job because Yoni Epstein; the MBU chairman, has fresh ideas to improve Jamaica soccer. He revealed that he had watched videos so that he can learn about his players’ tendencies. Most of the clips that he watched are from last season’s games. He revealed that there are many talented players to pick from.
Zapata is a typical Argentinian coach who believes in a possession style of play. He wants his defenders and midfielders to build-up from the back. He wants to see short passes as the ball moves up the pitch. Apart from controlling the possession, he also wants to see his attackers pressing the opposition defenders.
He revealed that his system requires a fast striker and a dynamic box to box midfielder. However, he said that he will give the current players a chance before he decides if he needs a new signings.
Zapata said he feels well prepared for the Jamaica Premier League because of his time in Africa. He feels that he can implement his coaching style in Jamaica because he already dealt with poor pitches before.
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