Ace Defence Force forward and 2012-2013 Digicel T&T Pro League top goalscorer Devorn Jorsling believes his team's existing squad can dominate local football for the next few seasons.
"We've been together for a (number) of years and I think we have matured well in the league, and we have an experienced bunch of players," said Jorsling, who topped the league scorers list with 20 goals.
"I believe if it was not for the (2011 limited) state of emergency, Defence Force would have won the league last season.
"I think this squad has two (to) three years in it, because the average age of the players is 28 and we have some youngsters coming through. So I say we can dominate local football for the next two, three years."
Last Friday, the Teteron Boys ended a successful league campaign with a 4-0 win over cellar-positioned T&TEC FC at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, and celebrated the trophy which already had the name Defence Force etched on it five days before.
Defence Force, with 46 points (14 wins, four draws and three losses), was followed closely by runner-up Caledonia AIA.
The Morvant/Laventille club finished with 42 points from 13 wins, three draws and five defeats, while last season's winner DirecTV W Connection finished third with 38 points, similar to fourth-positioned North East Stars, but ahead by a better goal difference.
"It really feels great because every game, week in, week out, (every) 90 minutes, it was a hard fight," explained Defence Force captain and right back Cory Rivers, who was rested on Friday.
"It feels really great to now lift the trophy at the end of the season, and that was one of our aims from the beginning (to) go at the league championship."
Rivers added that the soldiers took each game one at a time and gave it all that they had.
It was the second league title clinched by Army in the last three seasons.
In 2010-2011, Defence Force lifted the title and Jorsling led the season scoring and was later named Toyota/TT Pro League player of the year. Jorsling immediately moved on to join USL Pro club Orlando City on a one-year deal and was part of the team's league success.
But, back at home, the soldiers failed to defend the title in 2011-2012. The Government of T&T issued a limited state of emergency in 2011, between September and December, which resulted in the soldiers entering the season late and without preparation.
Jorsling returned to T&T, around the time Defence Force looked set to start its 2011-2012 campaign, but opted to join home-town club Caledonia on a short-term deal to complete his two-year sabbatical from the Army. Jorsling enjoyed cup successes at the Morvant/Laventille club, but it was Defence Force teammate Richard Roy who was named Toyota/TT Pro League player of the year in that season.
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