Devonshire Cougars skipper Kwame Steede has called on his side to show their doubters that they are still the side to beat when they take to the pitch tomorrow against Boulevard Blazers in the Charity Cup at Wellington Oval.

The traditional curtain-raiser to the domestic season, Steede will be in control of the side for the game in St George's.

In temporary charge of the side as Cougars continue to search for a replacement for Devarr Boyles, who left having guided the club to the title last season, Steede has been putting tthe team through their paces as they look to successfully defend their Premier Division crown.

Defending a title is always considered to be harder than winning it, and without a head coach, the suspicion is that this season Cougars will struggle. The Charity Cup will give an early indication as to how the season might go.

Steede though is confident that his side can still be top of the heap come April and believes the game against Blazers will go a long way to showing that the side is primed and ready.

"Right now at this point we have done our homework, we have put in our time on the field and we all feel good," said Steede.

"We will take this game as any other game, step by step and play to our potential.

"Every game is important so we will look to get off on the right foot and see how far we have come in the off season.

"Obviously we want to win the game but for us since every one knows we have had trials and tribulations in terms of coach and things like that, we want to go out and show everyone that we are still here and play the same way.

"With that being said, it will be a big match for us in that aspect."

In the past Cougars have suffered from complacency, which has set in once they have won the league. The Devonshire side have claimed the title three times in the last five years, but have failed to dominate because they did not put in the same level of commitment the year after a title triumph.

Steede is determined that this won't happen this time around, and wants his side to approach the new season in the same way they did last year. Not looking to defend a title, but to go out and win it.

The Bermuda international also believes that regardless of what goes on with the coaching situation, the side must stick to what they know best which is to have faith and belief in themselves.

"We have won three leagues in five years because we allowed ourselves to fall to complacency after winning one and then had to get it back," said Steede. "This year we will be looking to continue our same mind frame as last year.

"The inconsistency of winning the league does show from time to time, but to win the league twice in a row you must remain consistent. I am here as a player and one of the coaches to help in this area, not to defend it but to win it again.

"I know we will have the target because we are league champions but we will look at it in the sense that we are like everyone else."