 Yeah, back on the Sportsmax zone and we're talking about cricket the Ghana Amazon warriors They are champions of the Caribbean Premier League a T20 competition They beat Trent Baganite riders in the final on Sunday night and they have been celebrating since of course an outstanding achievement Remember they had gone to five finals previously and they managed to snatch the title on their sixth attempt the manager of the Ghana Amazon warriors team Their former four-day captain Outstanding player mr. Johnson himself Leon Johnson joins us on the show now Leon Johnson, welcome to the Sportsmax zone. It's a pleasure to have you and once again We're having you on the Sportsmax zone following an outstanding performance by Guyana this time in the T20 version of the game How are you doing? Thanks Yeah, I'm good running on about An hour sleeping the last 48 hours, but I'm good Happy Yeah, certainly without a doubt I can understand the joy that you must be feeling can you describe the last the 36 to 48 hours for us? Yeah, it's been very good. I've seen all ganas Guyanese are very passionate Passionate about cricket has been 11 long seasons The whole country will be less that And in any kind of cricket. So, yeah, they feel in the It's one of ecstasy. We're still sinking in Obviously, I mean it was something to be hold on on Sunday night, you know celebrations after but I think even leading up to to the Championship game the support of Providence, you know, it's always been good, but I think it was a little extra specialist Yeah, I gather there was some sort of a parade on Monday. What was that like? It was it was good. I was great actually yesterday after the first week. We were out in the parade but Suppose what it means though Amazon Warriors fans, you know, we're able to cross the line the the line the streets and thousands, you know So to celebrate with us, you know, we we are very happy that a lot of us could have been there We extended a lot of guys extended their state. So so that Yeah, you're a former player and no manager of this Amazon Warriors team How much does it warm your heart the type of support that the Warriors got from the fans? Not just after winning the title But as soon as the guy in the leg of this tournament started it was evident the love for the game in your country How much does it warm your heart? Yeah, it does warm our it's that we we treat cricket here like a religion You know, if it was very much about the honest Sunday At parade as well, you know, I really expect that many Support the beat in a working day on the house, you know, and everybody trying to get home from work or Golden Still turned up out there. So kids in there in school uniform after school They're, you know showing appreciation and you know, I think it goes both ways Appreciate the funds as well. Not the same guy. I love a large support large support all over the world. So It's very it's very warm Yeah, Leon whether you are, you know, player captain Manager you seem to have the magic touch as you have pointed out to us before on this show Can you give us an idea of what was different this time around for the Ghana Amazon Warriors? That eventually brought you over the line Different I mean, I would probably have to be in there the last five years to be able to tell you all was different I played in 24th Unfortunately, I was a band the one band that lost as one of those five right now I think my situation or all the situation that was very unfortunate very rain stopped play at 18th evening or 730 evening. We couldn't get So that has lived me for for a long time You know be able to win it in a different capacity is great I think, you know, I'm not brilliant He came in as our head this year and you know, he's a he's an exceptional thing I made a post on Facebook saying that Lance was after the night of Lance was Last became a favorite of a lot of people, you know, I told it me how very young me made an impression on me And to be able to work with him on himself was was a pleasure. But, you know, he came and You know, together we tried to create a Good environment turned out to be a great environment where guys were Relaxed that they're willing to play each other and we just figured you know once We get we get to the back-ended in tournament with everyone, you know, still Healthy and an input form We don't see a reason why we've had a kept the core of players They keep a core of players who we've been playing for the last 45 years You know those guys would have lost not but games as well But I think they've matured a lot of those guys and played leagues around the world and they have gained a lot of experience Yeah, and Leon player turned manager that must be very very different for you Were there any instances during this CPL that you felt like you just wanted to pad up and go play and How difficult was it for you managing big personalities because that might be a bit different as well But yeah, it was as I said the environment was was Quite good and be honest all the guys they're really exceptional of sighing and as I'm Doing I would have played with or against you can aim around I would have completed this against him and so You know all those guys there would have had a good relationship with whilst I was playing what I played against them with them Even our analysts who was sort of frequent I know it took a long time to go so it was it was pretty easy to be honest and you know we Our team there's there are no guys with biggie those in there. So that made it easier for You know manage them as well Yeah, well before you go Leon. I want to ask you one question because Nicoletum Giandani the young commentator said on the show yesterday that they sort of Enthusiasm and the impact that he got from the atmosphere of the final on on Sunday night Was nothing like he has ever seen in in cricket nothing he had experienced before like that now He's young. He's 21 or 22 years old So obviously he hasn't seen as much cricket as as you have Leon But but was he off the mark or or was he on point with with his description of the atmosphere and how Unbelievable it was. I think we lost him. I was about to ask him the same thing you did Mariah about wanting to pad up because we were just talking about him in the office in the past couple of days and There was the feeling that someone was surprised that he was only 36 years old He only recently turned 36 years old Polly's 36 Bravo is 39 So, you know in the in the moment of victory and celebration It was a good question to ask him as a professional cricketer himself if he felt as if he missed it Yeah, I've always spoken to cricketers who retired and I mean what made this one even special is they won this year So I'm sure he would love to be a part of the setup But I like on his response because the team was so good There was no need for him to feel like that because you usually feel like that when your team is losing right Ricardo You're the skip off the sports max team that I'm yet to see play one match and Ricardo has not selected me on the team And the water girl did I even make that role? Anyways, oh his mic isn't working again No, listen clearly today is a is a breaking news the undersports magazine because Mariah is giving me a lot of new information So thank you very much for all that information Mariah But I also think Leon Johnson is in the perfect place Lance and Mariah because he has shown over time to be a quality leader And a quality manager of men yes in his role as captain of the guy in a four-day team And so I think when you it becomes easier to move into that management role now where you are doing a similar thing in terms of guiding processes and Leading the men helping them to achieve Their full potential and certainly this time around with him in that management role The Amazon warriors were able to achieve their full potential by winning the CPL So think it's a good look and he was in the perfect place I hope I don't get knocks for saying this, but I've never really seen Leon Johnson as a T20 juggernaut I've always felt he was a solid batsman But if you if you said to me T20 batsman out of Guyana Leon Johnson would not readily come to mind To be honest, so I think he was in the perfect role and he did play that role perfectly. I think yeah Hmm. All right, we go to a break on the sportsman zone We still will be talking cricket when we return, but we'll be talking about no cricket at a particular venue