Two previous national titles have not lessened Ladale Richie’s hunger to win the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) in 2023.

Richie, as captain, leads Mount Pleasant Football Academy into its first-ever JPL final against 2021 champions Cavalier at Sabina Park on Sunday and says as long as they stay focused on what they were prepared to do in training, he will have a third title to his name.

“It’s a great feeling to be in the final and the plan from when I came to Mount Pleasant was to help them to get to the final and to possibly win it,” Richie told the Jamaica Observer ahead of a training session at the team’s base in St Ann on Wednesday. “I’m an experienced campaigner and I know what it takes to win, so definitely I try to drive my team every time.”

Richie won the Premier League in 2014 and in 2016 with Montego Bay United, and consistent performances in the centre of defence in that latter season earned him his first international call-up from former national senior men’s football team coach Theodore Whitmore.

Whitmore is now Mount Pleasant’s head coach and Richie speaks highly of the work he has done this season, especially from a man-management perspective.

“It’s good working with Coach Whitmore,” Richie said. “It’s not my first time; I worked with him on the national team and I think he has a great staff. We reasoned a lot in the past and now, so I would say we have a bond. I’ve never had a problem talking to Coach, he always listens.”

Richie is aware of the threat Cavalier pose, but says he is not too bothered by what tactic they employ on Sunday.

“They have a nice young team and they’ll be running, but as I said before, I think about my team. I don’t think about Cavalier,” he said. “I expect my team to perform and once my team performs, then I think we will get the victory. I don’t think about the next team.”

Richie will be involved in one of the key head-to-head battles during the game, as he will be tasked with shutting down Cavalier striker Collin Anderson, whose 17 goals this season puts him in a prime position for the golden boot. But he’s just two goals ahead of Mount Pleasant’s own Trivante Stewart.

“He’s the leading goal scorer and I’m a centre-back, so definitely we gonna pay close attention to him, that’s the reality,” Richie said.

Richie describes himself as highly self-motivated, which he says is a result of being a spiritual person. This is why, unlike many other footballers, he does not get caught up in superstitious practices ahead of games.

“It’s the work that we put in in training that pays off in the games,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what you do otherwise, although you have luck in the game. But it doesn’t really matter. If you work hard, then you’re gonna automatically get luck.”

But Richie will be working hard to make his family and the people of St Ann proud, much like Stewart promised after their win against Arnett Gardens in the semi-final on Sunday.

“The fans are great and that’s why they travel with us all around,” Richie said. “So, that’s why Trivante said this one is for the fans. I think it’s great for us to be in the final and the people come to support us. I think a win would be kudos to them travelling all around with us.”