Fundamentally, I’m interested in coming back purely for the players,’ the 51-year-old said yesterday afternoon.
‘I’m not worried at the moment about which league we play in or whether there are four or more games a year.
All I know is that I want to bring a smile back to the Jersey players’ faces, take each game as it comes, and make certain that each player wants to fight to get back into the team, to want to wear a Jersey shirt again.
‘It’s not a question of being politically correct.
All the JFA has to do is to give me the fixtures list and, after that, I’ll sort the team out.’ A winning player as well as a winning manager first with St Paul’s as a player, then with Sporting Academics, the Island and St Peter FC as manager, Vincenti said that the ‘drive is still there’ to look after the Island side and that he knew former under-18 Island manager, Jon Welsh, has already approached JFA president Charlie Tostevin, to put his name forward for the post.
‘I could have applied before, after Kevin McCarthy resigned, but at the time I wanted a rest,’ Vincenti said, ‘and although I’ve had a few run-ins with the JFA over the years, the last time I saw Charlie (Tostevin), on a formal occasion, three years ago, we shook hands before I left after an hour of conversation.
‘When I was first manager of the Island side my ambition was to win three Island Games gold medals in a row.
We won two, and were only denied a third in Gibraltar by a dubious goal scored in the semi-final.
‘Yesterday (Saturday) I must have had 20 or 30 people asking me if I was going to apply for the job, as well as several e-mails and other messages left on my voice-mail.
And, despite my ups and downs with the JFA, I’ve never been suspended or disciplined and I’d like to think that we could enjoy a good working relationship.
‘Before, in my first term of management, I was elected by the clubs.
Now it seems that the JFA makes the appointment, but whoever decides, my aim would be to win, in whatever competition we play in, including the Muratti.
‘To virtually every Islander, that is the most important tournament of all, and I think that my track record, at both under-21 and senior level, ought to go in my favour when they look for a new Island manager.
‘As for where we’ll be in 18 months’ time, I have no idea; but I would like to think that every time we go out onto the park, every player I pick is looking forward to the game, wants to play, and will enjoy those next 90 minutes of football.’
