Ouanaminthe’s new coach prioritizes teaching players to play cleaner

CAP-HAITIEN — Before Ouanaminthe Football Club 2011 takes part in its first-ever regional competition this August, the team’s new head coach, Roudy Joseph, emphasizes the importance of instructing players to play less aggressively. Certain hard tackles and other misconducts that are usually allowed in the Haitian D1 Soccer League will be penalized in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, and if players do not adapt, it may be detrimental to the team.

“First and foremost, we need to teach the players the law of the game because Ouanaminthe has a serious problem,” Joseph said. “They’re going to commit a lot of fouls — raise their hands and put it on players’ faces, commit all types of dirty fouls.”

“I already discussed this with [assistant coach] Alfred and the committee,” Joseph added. “If they can do a session on the law of the game with them, that will do me very well.”

For example, Joseph said players need to learn not to push opposing players when marking them and not to pull their jerseys, or else referees may caution them with yellow cards.

Joseph was appointed as Ouanaminthe’s head coach on June 15, replacing Erick Dalusma, a founding member of the club who was initially a player. Dalusma led the team to a second-place finish last season, qualifying Ouanaminthe for this year’s Concacaf Caribbean Cup. Dalusma left the team last month because he moved to the United States in search of a better life after being approved in the humanitarian parole program (I-134A). His departure left a deep void within the club, which Joseph is tasked to fill ahead of the Caribbean Cup.

“I’m not here to replace ‘Thuram’ [one of Dalusma’s nicknames], but I come to play my part,” Joseph said. “It will be a continuity. I’m not here to tell the players to forget everything and impose my style of play. I will just add to what’s already there.”

Joseph added that the team might still play its 4-2-3-1, but he might modify the style of play.

Joseph has been coaching since the 1990s. He led and co-led giants such as Association Sportive Capoise (ASC), América des Cayes, Football Inter Club Association (FICA), and other clubs.

Joseph coached ASC in the preliminary round of the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League in 2019, so he has experience playing in regional tournaments, making him the “ideal” coach for Ouanaminthe, he said.

ASC did not make it out of the preliminary round under Joseph, losing to Surinamese side Robinhood 1-1 on away goals.

Players understand they need to adapt  

Ouanaminthe defensive midfielder James Cené will be playing for the club for the first time without the presence of Dalusma, whom he views as his father. Dalusma’s departure hurt Cene a lot, he said, but that will not prevent him from giving all of his attention to Joseph.

“We don’t want coach Roudy to fall and for us to stand,” Cené, 18, said softly. “If coach Roudy falls, we will fall with him. We want to work together. The same amount of respect we gave coach Thuram, we will give it to coach Roudy.”

Ouanaminthe is in the same group with Dominican sides Cibao FC and Moca FC and Trinidadian club AC Port of Spain in the Caribbean Cup.

Cené admitted that certain hard fouls or dirty plays allowed in the Haitian League will not be tolerated in the Caribbean Cup but said he and his teammates will adapt.

“We’re ready,” Cené said. “Some of us — not all of us — have experience playing overseas even though it’s not in the biggest leagues. But I’m not here to please people. I’m here to defend my team. If I have to beat them physically, I will, or technically, I will do that too.”

“I won’t advise people to go do a dirty tackle that will injure a player,” Cené added. “But you might go in for a tackle and injure someone without even wanting to. That’s part of the game.”

Haitian players have a history of racking up yellow and red cards for hard fouls in regional tournaments. For instance, Violette Athletic Club amassed nine yellow and a red card in just four games in the 2022 Caribbean Club Championship. The club received the red card from yellow card accumulation in the final of the competition but still ended up winning it, besting Dominican club Cibao 4-3 in penalties after a 0-0 draw.

According to some soccer specialists and fans, many Haitian players lack of overall discipline in the game. That’s one of the reasons why some of them do not perform well for overseas clubs or miss out on opportunities to earn contracts. Coach Joseph’s prioritizing discipline is a step in the right direction not only for Ouanaminthe but also for the players individually, they say.

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