Football-St Francis join the elite |27 August 2009

Unbeaten in 13 games with 12 victories and a draw for 37 points, the Baie Lazare-based team still have three matches left to play and were handed the title on a plate by rivals SPDF, who lost 0-1 away to Praslin-based Côte d’Or.

After guiding the team to the top flight, coach Patrick Cafrine is now looking to the future.

“We want to stay unbeaten until the end of the season, but at the same time we should start focusing on playing first division football,” he said.

A former player with the old Anse Boileau team, Cafrine added that “top-flight football isn’t easy”.
“It’s going to be tough, and my players have to train harder to keep up with the rest of the league. We will be going to the first division with the objective of maintaining our position at the end of the 2010 season,” he added.

Coach Cafrine, who realised his dream of guiding St Francis to the top flight at the third attempt, after failing at the play-off stage in 2007 and finishing third last season, added that he needs experienced players to bolster his side.

“We need more experienced players to help the team keep up with the big guns,” he said.

Harry Libanotis, Allen Louise and Malagasy captain and defender Robert Edmond – who all used to play first division football with the defunct Red Star – are some of the most experienced players on the team’s roster.

G. G.