Victory is always considered sweet and having some 28 or 29 titles with W Connection engraved in just over a decade of existence, one would think that the Couva based Pro League club is very much habituated in celebrating success.
Very much so, however there is always something different, something new that squeezes the uncontrollable tears of joy out of W Connection owner-president David John-Williams.
“It’s a very special championship for us,” he said. “It also showed that we made a good decision in going with the younger players. Although we are very competitive at W Connection, we never pressured the players into winning. And now this title is ranked among our sweetest titles.”
W Connection boasting its youngest ever squad in the history of the club, lifted the 2011-12 Digicel Pro League Championship last Thursday in the final match-day with an 8-1 drubbing of Police FC at the Ato Boldon Stadium to finish ahead of eventual runner-up T&TEC FC.
Connection made certain of the much needed three points in its final League match with goals by Andre Quashie (22nd and 79th minutes), Jerrel Britto (72nd and 90th minutes), Hashim Arcia (32nd minute), Clyde Leon (37th minute) from the penalty spot, Shahdon Winchester (68th minute) and Kenaz Williams (92nd minute) against Police to finished with 40 points—just one point ahead of T&TEC (39 points).
“The reason we feel very satisfied is because of the adverse circumstances we faced this season. When we look at missing players during Caribbean Olympic qualifying, during the Pan American Games, and for a month during preparation and CONCACAF Olympic qualifying added to Shahdon Winchester going on a few trials, team captain Hughtun Hector joining Vietnamese club Song Lam Nghe An, goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams who has been admirable [despite battling the tragic circumstances of his fiancée Candice Worrell being brutally attacked by a still unidentified assailant outside her workplace in January) and defender Mikeil Williams joining Polish club Pogoń Szczecin, our squad weren’t up to full strength throughout,” added John-Williams.
“We were playing fifth choice players and even U18 players and they came through admirably,” continued the Connection boss who broke into tears following his club’s triumph in the League title.
This season Connection’s roster included teenagers Neil Benjamin, Anthony Parris, Jomal Williams and Matthew Woo Ling along with U23 players Gerrard Williams, Andre Quashie, Johan Peltier, Kenaz Williams, Keon Quow, Jelani Grosvenor, Winchester, Jerrel Britto and Joevin Jones.
While Elijah Joseph, Kern Cupid, goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams and Clyde Leon stood as the experienced players alongside Kemuel Rivers, Hashim Arcia, Rennie Britto and goalkeeper Aquelius Sylvester.
This week John-Williams explained that his club has returned to the training pitch in chase of more glory this season with the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield(April) and Digicel Pro Bowl (May) knockout titles and the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Champions Cup around the corner.
“We have two Cups to play in and the Caribbean. We want to do well in the Cups and in the Caribbean Club tournament to go on and represent the region well in the Concacaf (Champions’ League).
We enjoy the moment of winning the League, but at Connection you’re as good as your last game. So our players are aware that we need to keep playing well if we are to do well at the regional level. We are already back on the training pitch in preparations for the upcoming competitions.”
The W Connection president also sent a message from the club to supporters saying, “We want to thank our fans who have stuck with us. We are happy to win the League for them after six years and hope they continue to support us.”