Duckie: I can make Waterhouse better

New Waterhouse coach Donovan Duckie is confident that he can turn the club's poor form around and make the team better and competitive once again.

Duckie, who is in his second stint at Waterhouse, signed a three-year deal with the Drewsland-based club on Monday and he believes that with time, he can make them top half-of-the-table competitors once again.

"I can improve the team, make them better and more aware of the modern game. There are a lot of things I can bring to the team, and as a coach, you have to be optimistic and always think objective ... I know my capabilities. I don't think I am the best coach in the country, but I think I am one of the best teachers of football. But adaptation [of players] will be key in how soon and how quickly we get it done," he said.

In the meantime, the former Montego Bay and Humble Lion coach says fans need to be patient as his track record proves he can get the job done.

Patience needed

"They have to be patient. They know me, they know my track record and what I will bring. They just have to be patient and they have to give us time, although there is little time to achieve the short term goals.

"I am not familiar with 90 per cent of the players, but first we look at the stats, and you see they can score goals. They have a good attack. But they are conceding more goals, so we have to stop that, and my track record speaks to that because the last three teams I coached won the best defensive team award in the league," he said.

"So I will have to improve them defensively ... get them stable so they will be able to compete above mid-table, that would be the priority,' he said.

Duckie the former national under-20 coach, took Humble Lion to the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) final last season. He will face former club Montego Bay United in his first game on Sunday at Wespow Park..

Meanwhile, the club confirmed the appointment in a release yesterday. Donovan White, the club president, said Duckie has a track record of building and managing football programmes with distinction.

"Mr Duckie is by far one of the most qualified and capable senior football coaches in Jamaica today. The addition of coach Duckie, a proven football tactician, will add tactical structure, consistency and stability to our system of play," White said.