East End is on the Up!
May 04, 2010
By Beverly Melbourne
East End United FC placed the eastern end of the Cayman Islands in a distinguished position, resulting from the team’s promotion to participation in the 2010-2011 season of the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) Premier League competition.
East End, under the presidency of John Mclean Jr and the coaching of Thiago Cunha topped the point standings on the promotional table of the CIFA First Division competition with twenty-one points. Only three teams were qualified for this position from the First Division competition, namely East End, Academy and Cayman Athletic SC.
Coach Thiago Cunha in a brief interview said that the team felt very special to have been promoted to the Premier League after completing their second season.
“We feel very special to have won the First Division table. Before the start of the season I asked the players what was their plans for the 2009-2010 season. Everyone said that they wanted to play hard for the team to be promoted to the Premier League.
“We used all the strong East End players and organized a positive and strategic plan to go forward. This has paid off and we are in the Premier League now. The residents from the eastern districts know how hard we have worked to keep up to the program and play better than the other teams.”
“Basically, almost all of our players are from East End and we have special people working with the youth and senior programs such as John McLean, Darcia Bodden, Anthony Frederick, Syd Parson, Darell Rankin, Rico Bodden and Triston McField.”
“I am very proud to be part of the senior team, Under 17, Under 15 and Primary School teams who work very hard to be successful. East End is producing very good players, I can attest to that as I am the coach for the past seven years,” Cunha stated.
An elated President John McLean boasted about the dedication of his devoted club members and players who had done the East Enders proud.
“I want to use this medium to extend my gratitude to Coach Thiago Cunha, Darcia Bodden, Joey Pearson, Anthony Frederick, Rico Bodden, Darrell Rankin and my sincere thanks to all the players and their families who have dedicated their time and effort to the advancement and development of the East End United Football Club.”
“We collectively, are aspiring to help the club continue to advance and maintain a high level of professionalism in football. As President, I will continue to give my unconditional support to ensure that these dreams become a reality. I was a player on the 1996-97 East End team when they became champions of the then Division Two competition. Therefore, I am fully aware of the sacrifices, dedication and hard work that each and every player place in these games.”
“When I became president, I immediately decided to include in our program the awarding of bicycles to players who score three or more goals in games. This stand motivated the players and three of them were presented with bicycles recently after achieving the requirement. They are Roderick Pearson, Rico Bodden and Andrew Bowling,” McLean stated.
The East End Football Club has been in existence for over twenty- six years during which time it won over ten championships which included FA Cup titles, Second Division titles and a number of tournament titles.
They have a great crop of youngsters who have a lot of potential and interest in the sport. This is a plus for football development on the island. Cunha is a dedicated Coach and Fitness Instructor who is also the Women’s National Technical Director.
