Tweet
NPL coaches' jigsaw puzzle falls into place
Sunday, August 19, 2007
With the new Wray & Nephew National Premier League (NPL) season set to kick off on September 16, the movement of coaches continues. Of the 12 NPL clubs, five will be with new coaches at Arnett Gardens, Tivoli Gardens, August Town, Seba United and Waterhouse FC.
Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore, a former national player who scored twice against Japan in Jamaica's famous World Cup Finals victory in 1998, has taken over at Seba United. Whitmore's appointment has forced Peruvian coach Daniel Barriga to switch to former champions Waterhouse, replacing Barrington 'Cobra' Gaynor, who is currently overseas.
Orville Powell, Seba's managing director, said they had to part with Barriga because they could not meet his demands. "There were certain things he was asking for that we couldn't meet. He was being offered better. He wanted to stay with us but based on the finances of our club we could not afford it," said Powell, who is also president of the St James Football Association.
Whitmore's role will be more than just head coach - he is also technical director and a registered player.
"He's the technical director for our programme... In all my years I've never seen anybody that gets the respect that he's getting now from the players. That's why we asked him to step up to the plate right now," said Powell.
Meanwhile, Barriga will take charge of his third local club following stints at Reno and Seba. Waterhouse president Peter Hibbert said he is expecting a culture change with the appointment of the Peruvian on a three-year contract, which started July 1.
"We're expecting at least some form of cultural effect and... with his experience... it will actually boost our organisational level.
"We're also trying to be careful that the executive don't get involved with the technical aspect of the game. The agreement we have is that he (Barriga) will oversee all teams in the club," said Hibbert, who over the years has lamented the lack of quality coaches to choose from.
Meanwhile, Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey has moved from Arnett Gardens to arch-rivals Tivoli Gardens for a second stint, after leading the latter to victory in the 2003/04 season.
Last season, Bailey was frustrated with war-torn Arnett Gardens' inconsistent performances, with community violence often hampering training.
Bailey's predecessor, Calvert Fitzgerald, has since moved on to August Town to replace Hugh McCarthy, who had a fairly successful run, finishing sixth in the team's first season in the NPL.
Fitzgerald told the Sunday Observer that although he has been with the team for the past two weeks, he has yet to put pen to paper. "It has been confirmed verbally, nothing has been signed yet," he said.
On his departure from Tivoli, Fitzgerald said it was a mutual agreement that he did not want to discuss. However, he's optimistic about his new club although he believes it will be a more difficult season.
"For the first season they came in and finished sixth, but just like Boys' Town, which finished ninth in their second season, it will be difficult because we're not the surprise package anymore. Everybody knows what we're capable of, so they won't be taking us lightly," Fitzgerald explained.
It's the dream of every coach to win the premiership, and Fitzgerald also shares that dream, but he would be contented with a top-four finish.
"I'll be comfortable with a top-four spot, but I'll be doing everything to win, just like every other coach," he said.
But while Fitzgerald can be satisfied with a top-four placing, the same can't be said of Max Straw, the new coach in the hot seat at Arnett Gardens. The 52-year-old Straw was assistant coach at Harbour View last season and before that, was assistant to Peter Cargill at Waterhouse.
He takes over at a club that expects to win every year and the pressure will be on him from the very first game.
"A lot of the clubs in the world, once you fail one time, they'll fire you. Arnett Gardens is a big club and once you get a call you have to consider all of that. "They called me and I'm honoured. I'm going to try my best. Arnett Gardens will not accept finishing eighth out of 12. That can't work," Straw admitted.
Last season, the former champions finished a disappointing eighth and Bailey said it was almost impossible for football to exist in that community because of the violence.
Luckily for Straw, however, the violence seems to have ceased and the players are coming out to training. He noted that a good start to the season would be crucial to his team's chance of winning the league.
"Right now most of the players are coming to training, but it all depends on our start. If we can get our crowd support back, then we have a chance," noted the former Kingston College 'Colts' player.
Straw, who a couple of years ago was an assistant marketing manager, thinks his fresh ideas will be key to Arnett Gardens' success.
"I think I have some modern methods and I'm confident in them. But you can't be lucky and win; you have to work hard," he said.
- HW
Sunday, August 19, 2007
With the new Wray & Nephew National Premier League (NPL) season set to kick off on September 16, the movement of coaches continues. Of the 12 NPL clubs, five will be with new coaches at Arnett Gardens, Tivoli Gardens, August Town, Seba United and Waterhouse FC.
Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore, a former national player who scored twice against Japan in Jamaica's famous World Cup Finals victory in 1998, has taken over at Seba United. Whitmore's appointment has forced Peruvian coach Daniel Barriga to switch to former champions Waterhouse, replacing Barrington 'Cobra' Gaynor, who is currently overseas.
Orville Powell, Seba's managing director, said they had to part with Barriga because they could not meet his demands. "There were certain things he was asking for that we couldn't meet. He was being offered better. He wanted to stay with us but based on the finances of our club we could not afford it," said Powell, who is also president of the St James Football Association.
Whitmore's role will be more than just head coach - he is also technical director and a registered player.
"He's the technical director for our programme... In all my years I've never seen anybody that gets the respect that he's getting now from the players. That's why we asked him to step up to the plate right now," said Powell.
Meanwhile, Barriga will take charge of his third local club following stints at Reno and Seba. Waterhouse president Peter Hibbert said he is expecting a culture change with the appointment of the Peruvian on a three-year contract, which started July 1.
"We're expecting at least some form of cultural effect and... with his experience... it will actually boost our organisational level.
"We're also trying to be careful that the executive don't get involved with the technical aspect of the game. The agreement we have is that he (Barriga) will oversee all teams in the club," said Hibbert, who over the years has lamented the lack of quality coaches to choose from.
Meanwhile, Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey has moved from Arnett Gardens to arch-rivals Tivoli Gardens for a second stint, after leading the latter to victory in the 2003/04 season.
Last season, Bailey was frustrated with war-torn Arnett Gardens' inconsistent performances, with community violence often hampering training.
Bailey's predecessor, Calvert Fitzgerald, has since moved on to August Town to replace Hugh McCarthy, who had a fairly successful run, finishing sixth in the team's first season in the NPL.
Fitzgerald told the Sunday Observer that although he has been with the team for the past two weeks, he has yet to put pen to paper. "It has been confirmed verbally, nothing has been signed yet," he said.
On his departure from Tivoli, Fitzgerald said it was a mutual agreement that he did not want to discuss. However, he's optimistic about his new club although he believes it will be a more difficult season.
"For the first season they came in and finished sixth, but just like Boys' Town, which finished ninth in their second season, it will be difficult because we're not the surprise package anymore. Everybody knows what we're capable of, so they won't be taking us lightly," Fitzgerald explained.
It's the dream of every coach to win the premiership, and Fitzgerald also shares that dream, but he would be contented with a top-four finish.
"I'll be comfortable with a top-four spot, but I'll be doing everything to win, just like every other coach," he said.
But while Fitzgerald can be satisfied with a top-four placing, the same can't be said of Max Straw, the new coach in the hot seat at Arnett Gardens. The 52-year-old Straw was assistant coach at Harbour View last season and before that, was assistant to Peter Cargill at Waterhouse.
He takes over at a club that expects to win every year and the pressure will be on him from the very first game.
"A lot of the clubs in the world, once you fail one time, they'll fire you. Arnett Gardens is a big club and once you get a call you have to consider all of that. "They called me and I'm honoured. I'm going to try my best. Arnett Gardens will not accept finishing eighth out of 12. That can't work," Straw admitted.
Last season, the former champions finished a disappointing eighth and Bailey said it was almost impossible for football to exist in that community because of the violence.
Luckily for Straw, however, the violence seems to have ceased and the players are coming out to training. He noted that a good start to the season would be crucial to his team's chance of winning the league.
"Right now most of the players are coming to training, but it all depends on our start. If we can get our crowd support back, then we have a chance," noted the former Kingston College 'Colts' player.
Straw, who a couple of years ago was an assistant marketing manager, thinks his fresh ideas will be key to Arnett Gardens' success.
"I think I have some modern methods and I'm confident in them. But you can't be lucky and win; you have to work hard," he said.
- HW