Craig Butler revealed that his wish was for his son Leon Bailey to join Ajax, but has no regrets that he has found a home at Aston Villa.
The comments came ahead of Aston Villa's goalless stalemate with the Dutch club in Thursday’s Europa Conference League Round of 16 match at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Bailey, 26, was subject of transfer interest from Ajax during his time at Genk before joining Bayer Leverkusen in 2017. But the Dutch giants continued to follow Bailey throughout the years, and he nearly joined the club on three separate occasions.
Butler revealed that the last potential switch came in 2022, a year after the winger joined Villa and struggled under former boss Steven Gerrard.
"Bailey was indeed already in the picture at Ajax, but also at Genk, to whom I eventually sold him. Ajax did want him, but not according to the agreements that were in place," Butler told Voetbal International.
"We were always very close, but the final push from Ajax was missing. I would have liked to see it happen. Who knows how it would all have turned out, but we stand by the choices we made. In retrospect, it was the steps that were necessary.
"Leon’s transfer to Aston Villa has turned out well. He’s doing well and he loves the fans. Who knows where Leon would have been now if he had gone to Ajax, because Ajax has produced great players worldwide. If Leon had signed with Ajax, he would probably have been sold for a lot more money, but money isn’t everything,” he added.
Bailey himself revealed that being at the Birmingham-based Villa under Unai Emery's leadership is the happiest he's been in his career.
“I would say yes. I think at the moment things have been going really well for me. I've been scoring goals and I've been getting assists," Bailey told the media ahead of the European clash.
"I've been really showing up for the team whenever I call up. And right now, I feel good, and I would say it's the best moment of my career,” he declared.
Jamaican international Dujuan 'Whisper' Richards is gradually working his way up the ranks at English Premier League (EPL) outfit Chelsea, as he was recently promoted to first-team training at Stamford Bridge.
According to a Chelsea Chronicle report, Richards, who was among a number of exciting young talent recruited by Chelsea from all over the world, has progressed rapidly since his arrival at the West London club late last year, and expectations for his future with Mauricio Pochettino's side are high, especially as he continues to improve in his craft.
Richards, a product of Craig Butler's Phoenix Academy renowned for producing Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey, burst into prominence last year with his performances in the ISSA schoolboy football competitions. The exciting youngster’s highlight reels from the tournament went viral on social media and attracted the attention of several Premier League clubs. Among them, Newcastle United and Chelsea.
Richards spent a trial at Newcastle, but in the end, it was Chelsea who won the race for his signature, as they wrapped up a pre-contract in June.
By then, Richards had already become a fully-fledged senior Jamaican international. He made his senior Reggae Boyz debut in March against Trinidad and Tobago, when he became the youngest player to represent Jamaica in the last 20 years.
Richards was also included in Jamaica’s squad for the Concacaf Gold Cup and got on the scoresheet in a 4-1 win over the Soca Warriors. That goal etched his name in the annals of the country's football history as the youngest Jamaican to score in the competition and the second youngest player overall, behind Canada’s Alphonso Davies.
Having waited patiently until his 18th birthday on November 10th to join Chelsea, the towering striker is now making the most of the opportunity, as he has reportedly impressed coaches with his performances since transitioning to regular first-team training.
For a fourth time in five seasons Clarendon College delayed their ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup celebrations in anticipation of Olivier Shield triumph. And for a fourth time in five seasons the decision was justified, as they reclaimed the badge of all-island supremacy after hammering Mona High 4-0 in the showpiece at the National Stadium on Wednesday.
Much like they did in a rampant display against neighbours Glenmuir High in the rural area decider, Clarendon College again demonstrated their class, seasoned with some individual flair at times, to secure their seventh Olivier Shield lien, with aplomb.
Christopher Hull with a brace in the 84th and 87th minutes, followed goals from the prolific Keheim Dixon (35th) and Deandre Gallimore (69th), and ensured that the title they first won in 1977 — then 1978, 1998, 2018, 2019 and 2022 — returned to their Chapelton base to complement their 11th daCosta Cup hold.
Winning Coach Lenworth “Teacha” Hyde was delighted that his players enjoyed themselves in the process, particularly the seven players, who were in their final schoolboy football season. Clarendon College just missed out on the treble after they lost the Champions Cup 2-3 to Glenmuir.
“I am very happy about it; I think we worked pretty hard this season; the boys wanted it really bad and as I told you before seven of the players are leaving us, so they were hell-bent on defending the Olivier Shield and it showed. They didn’t start out well in the first half but as the game went on the got into rhythm and they enjoyed themselves which is what I told them to do,” Hyde said in a post-game interview.
The much-anticipated clash between two of the most talked about teams this season, started as expected with Manning Cup champions Mona High showing first, as they got a warning shot off 30 seconds in.
Clarendon College gradually got into their rhythm and responded in the seventh minute with a series of chances after Mona failed to clear their lines.
Both teams continued their push for the go-ahead goal, and Mona again went close in the 27th, when a neat build up ended with ended with Kshaine Gordon driving a pass across the six-yard box, but none of his teammates was around to apply the finishing touch.
They rued that missed opportunity eight minutes later when an unmarked Dixon finished a free header at the far post from Gallimore’s weighted corner, for his 32nd goal of the season.
That goal knocked the wind from Mona, and gave life to Clarendon College’s attack, as they applied pressure in a decent passage of play at the backend of the half, but couldn’t get on target.
With the score unchanged at the break, the momentum stuck with Clarendon College and they almost doubled the lead in the 58th when Dixon twirled his way into space for a right-footed shot deep that was charged down at the near post.
Mona responded three minutes later and it took a big save from Clarendon College’s Roshae Burrell to deny Romarion Thomas’s head from close range.
But, any hopes Mona harboured of a comeback, were dashed when Gallimore fired home under pressure, for his seventh of the season.
The Craig Butler-coached Mona didn’t give up though, and Thomas again found space for a right-footer from a distance that was pushed over the crossbar by Burrell.
From there, it was all Clarendon College and Hull, who first rose above Mona’s custodian Ackeem Bernard to head home from a Jahmelle Ashley corner.
And three minutes later, the player sporting the number eight jersey secured a 14th goal for the season, when he struck a sweet left-footer from close range, that proved too much for Bernard, who helped the ball into the net.
Despite the loss, Butler was gracious in defeat.
“It was about not taking the chances and we eventually broke down. But I think the boys played well but Clarendon College was the better team on the day, and so we have to give them their respect for that,” Butler said.
Craig Butler stressed the term unification of purpose, and also spoke highly of Mona High’s pride throughout the season. To some, it may have even seemed arrogant when he declared that there was no school in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup to beat his team this year, and on Friday, Butler not only proved the doubters wrong, but more importantly, backed up the talk.
In only his third season in charge, Butler guided Mona High to its maiden schoolboy football title, as they edged Hydel High 1-0 in an entertaining final at the National Stadium.
Demarion Harris got the all-important goal that ensured Mona High became the 15th school to hold the emblem of urban area schoolboy football supremacy. They now join Jamaica College, St George’s College, Kingston College, Wolmer’s Boys, Excelsior High, Tivoli High, Calabar High, Charlie Smith, Camperdown High, Norman Manley High, Bridgeport High, Dunoon Technical, Ardenne High and St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS), in achieving the feat.
It is also the first time in 22 years that a new team’s name is etched on the title, as for the last 17 years, in particular, the Manning Cup has resided on North Street and Old Hope Road.
An emotionally Butler attributed the team’s success to the bond that they share.
“This is what love does, love conquers all things. Look at what they gave us on the field today, all heart fight for the entire game, they wanted this, and they got it, so we are very proud…Mona pride. This is about believing in youth and having faith in yourselves, believing in your system and playing to your strengths.
“That’s what these boys did, none of these boys were ever called for Jamaica’s Under-15, Under-17 and under-20, nobody wanted them and look how good they are. Look how Mona played, systematic right through,” Butler said in a post-game interview.
After a fairly cagey start, Mona injected some tempo into the contest with a tidy build-up which started with a long pass out by goalkeeper Akeem Bernard and ended with Kshaine Gordon playing a pass inside for Harris to fire home from deep inside the 18-yard box, for his fifth of the season.
Mona should have doubled the lead in the 16th, as Carlton Brown was left unmarked deep inside the area but steered his header, from Romarion Thomas’s cross, wide of the left upright.
Hydel belatedly came to life in attack and were enterprising in their build-up play in patches but couldn’t produce anything meaningful to beat Bernard in goal for Mona High.
Mona looked more threatening in open play after the interval, and bossed possession for the most parts, but found Hydel’s defence in a defiant mode.
It wasn’t until the backend of the contest that they got efforts on target, the first of which was in the 86th when Thomas produced a delightful first touch to get around defender and unleash a stinging right-footed effort that rattled the crossbar.
The second came seconds later through Gordon’s follow-up effort that was parried by Tajarie Lee.
Mona High School will contest their first ever ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup final after they downed their more fancied rivals St George’s College 2-1 in a keenly contested semi-final encounter at Sabina Park on Friday.
The dynamic duo of Romarion Thomas (39th) and Denzel McKenzie (56th), got the job done for the Craig Butler-coached team, which had over the past two seasons placed the competition on notice in terms of their improved quality and, by extension, ambitions to stop all that came before them.
In fact, it was an 42nd-minute own-goal by Mona High’s goalkeeper Ackeem Bernard that placed St George’s College on the scoresheet, and that Butler said spoke to their defensive fortitude, particularly in the second half.
Mona will meet the winner of the second semi-final between Kingston College and Hydel High.
“It should be a staple for any intelligent team, you have to have that component in your artillery, and we used it well. The boys played out their hearts and we are totally elated, the boys put in a lot of hard work and to get there (in the final), I am really happy for them,” an emotional Butler said in a post-game interview.
Following a stellar performance against Clarendon College in the Champions Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday, expectations would have been high that a repeat of that effort, would be good enough to put St George’s College into a long overdue final.
However, Mona with the fresher legs, used it to good effect, as they started brightest and caused a few early problems for St George’s defence, but failed to capitalise on the half chances.
It was not until the backend of the half that the deadlock was eventually broken when a long diagonal ball found Thomas, who made no mistakes from close range for his ninth goal of the season.
St George’s College pulled level three minutes later when Zabir Taylor was allowed time and space at the top of the 18-yard box to pick a spot and curl a right-footed effort that came off the crossbar and then off Bernard on its way in, to keep the game evenly poised 1-1 at the break.
Much like they did at the start, Mona were again more spirited at the top of the resumption, and regained the lead 11 minutes in, when McKenzie drove home a thumping right-footed freekick from inside the arc, and D’Jone Davis in goal for St George’s College, had no chance.
With that, his 11th goal of the season, McKenzie and company seemed content with the lead and dropped deep into their quarters where they were defiant in keeping their North Street-based opponents at bay and seal the historic feat.
For Neville “Bertis” Bell, his team was somewhat a shadow of itself when compared to their Champions Cup showing. Still, he took heart from their accomplishments this season when compared to last season, which ironically also ended with quarterfinal defeat to Mona High.
“It is always tough to lose any game, whether it is a semi-final or not, but we just didn’t do enough. But I am very proud of these kids, we did one better than last year, last year we ended fifth…never made the semi-final or the Champions Cup, so hopefully next year we will do even better. But congrats to Mona, they worked hard, and I wish them and the other finalist good luck,” Bell said.
Mona High continued their charge towards a maiden ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup title, as they secured a spot in the semi-final, following a 2-0 win over pre-season favourites St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) in their decisive Group One quarterfinals fixture at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Friday.
First half goals from Robino Gordon (7th) and Denzel McKenzie (21st), proved enough to send the Craig Butler-coached Mona into another semi-final for a second year consecutively, as well as into the All-island Champions Cup.
For Phillip Williams and his STATHS outfit, it was the worst time to produce a flat performance, and they miss out on the semi-final for the first time in six years, as a result.
Elsewhere in the, St Catherine High edged Kingston College 2-1 at the Spanish Town Prison Oval, but just missed out on a spot in the final four by virtue of a slightly inferior goal difference.
The results saw Mona finishing at the summit on five points, with Kingston College second on four points, same as St Catherine, while STATHS ended at foot on three points.
Butler beamed about Mona’s achievement as they enter the decisive end of the season with their unbeaten record intact.
“I am very proud of my team and very proud of my coaching staff. The players played hard, they stuck to the task, we took “Whispers” [Dujuan Richards] advice and it worked out. He [Richards] came out and helped us a lot especially with the changes and the tactics and the boys were disciplined,” Butler said.
Mona High started more purposeful and broke the deadlock in the seventh minute when McKenzie’s freekick was deftly flicked on by Gordon at the near post for his 14th of the season.
With STATHS looking flat and disjointed, particularly in the midfield, Mona were able to maintain their intensity and they used it to good effect to apply consistent pressure.
The lead was doubled when Romarion Thomas rounded the well-advanced Jaheem Williams, in goal for STATHS, and played a pass off to McKenzie, who calmly slotted into an empty net for his 10th of the season.
Mona should have added another on the stroke of half-time when McKenzie was felled inside the danger area by JLoyd Smith. McKenzie sporting the number 10 jersey picked up himself to take the 12-yard kick, but Williams guessed right, diving to his weaker left side, to keep out the effort.
The second half offered very little to write home about, though STATHS gradually improved in terms of their attacking thrust. They created a few half chances in an attempt to claw their way back into the contest, but were unable to make it count, even after Mona Carlton Brown to a second yellow card.
For Williams, it’s about picking up the pieces of another failed Manning Cup campaign to break a lengthy title drought dating back to 1987, with the focus now on possibly winning the consolation Walker Cup knockout title.
“The goals came off two mistakes but definitely Mona was the better team, and we have to give credit to them for putting in a full 90 minutes and keep us off the scoring sheet. It was very concerning, we did create chances but we didn’t put them away and so it is just about taking a break for a while and just recoup to come again next year,” he shared.
Friday’s results
Mona 2, STATHS 0
St Catherine 2, Kingston College 1
Saturday’s fixtures
3:00pm: Jamaica College vs St George’s College @Ashenheim Stadium
3:00pm: Hydel High vs Tivoli High @ Prison Oval
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