Jamaican football strategist MERRON Gordon has formally assumed the role of Technical Director at Spanish Town Police FC, leveraging his extensive national team experience to guide the club through its precarious position in the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League (JPL). The appointment, confirmed this past weekend, marks a strategic shift for Gordon following his four-year tenure as assistant coach for the Reggae Boyz and previous consultancy work with Old Harbour United.
The transition occurred following Old Harbour’s acquisition of the JPL club, with owner Jabarie Baker persuading Gordon to join the restructured organization. Despite concurrent commitments as a full-time educator and new business owner, Gordon found alignment with the club’s developmental philosophy. “The vision aligns with my philosophy,” Gordon explained to the Jamaica Observer, emphasizing objectives to “develop a youthful team, sell players to international opportunities, and build a competitive local core.”
Gordon brings a decade of multifaceted coaching experience, including work with the Reggae Girlz, national U-17 and U-23 teams, alongside club engagements with Humble Lion, Sporting Central Academy, and Garvey Maceo in schoolboy football. His immediate focus centers on implementing structural reforms within both the club administration and technical departments. “I’ve learned from top coaches locally and abroad,” Gordon noted, citing mentorship from Vin Blaine and Roy Simpson in both technical and administrative domains.
Spanish Town Police currently anchors the JPL table with merely eight points from 14 matches, trailing safety by five points. Historical context underscores their challenge: since the league expanded to 14 teams in 2022-23, only Phoenix Chapelton Maroons have avoided relegation as a promoted club. Despite this, Gordon identifies strategic optimism in recent performances, including two victories within the last three games and an unexpected training window created by a waterlogged pitch cancellation.
The technical director outlined a pragmatic survival strategy: “We’re not trying to win the league but maintain our spot. We’ll concentrate on the bottom six teams while treating any points from top sides as bonuses.” The club faces immediate tests against playoff contenders Tivoli Gardens and title-chasing Portmore United, matches that will critically impact their relegation battle.