Duckie takes aim at Waterhouse’s 20-year drought

It has been 20 years since Waterhouse Football Club last won the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), and coach Donovan Duckie, who returned to the Drewsland-based club for his third stint, says he has plans to take them to a third national title.
Duckie, who last coached Chapelton Maroons and has coached numerous teams across the league, pointed out that they have quality players, a strong backroom staff and management, and a passionate community behind them.
However, he thinks the thing holding them back is more mental than anything else, and believes if the team adopts his principles and philosophy they can achieve great things this term.
“For me personally, Waterhouse is home. This will be my third stint, and I have always felt in the back of my mind that there is unfinished business to take care of.
“Going back to the community and the love I have always received from players, management, staff and the community as a whole is something special, and there is always a part of me that wanted to come back,” he declared.
He pointed out that in 2018, when he took over, he basically took the team from rock bottom to the final, which they lost; however, this time he thinks he has a lot more quality at his disposal.
“Right now I think the programme is hitting six and a half to seven out of 10, and it is for me to imprint my philosophy on the team, and not only a philosophy that just includes the style of play, but a philosophy that will drive the narrative of discipline plus my core values and principles, and I am expecting good support from the board. 
“The players’ quality is very good. They are on par with the best clubs in Jamaica. So my aim is to implement a proper structure, one that they will thrive in and one where everyone is on the same pathway towards winning the league,” he reasoned 
“So, very important for me is the mindset, because through belief you can achieve anything. We can win the league this year with the quality we have, once they adopt the core principles that I’m trying to instil. Once they adopt it, their behaviour will normalise things, and when the behaviour normalises, anything is possible.”
He said the passion of the Waterhouse fans and supporters is something he believes can drive the players and the team, and he had already told his players to embrace the passion of the community and let it fuel their ambitions this season.
“The community, for me, is the most important stakeholder. I don’t think there can be a Waterhouse Football Club without this great community.
“I have said to the players that the community is very special and the pressure they create is what will drive us and drive intrinsic motivation that I think is missing. It is a task I believe I am fully ready for,” he continued.
He added that anything less than a top-three finish would be considered a disappointment, and that he is looking for a strong start and consistently good performances throughout the season.
“I thank [Chairman] Mr [Bruce] and Mrs [Nicole] Bicknell for the support they have given me, and I could not ask for more at this time.
“I am definitely looking for a Concacaf berth as a benchmark this season, and with the quality that we have, a Concacaf berth is fitting. If we exceed that, I would say we exceed expectations in the first year.
“We have some of the best quality players in the country, and it is for me and the staff members to put it together.
“History has shown that the teams that have been dominant from the get-go have gone on to win the league or qualify for Concacaf, and we want to follow in those footsteps.”
livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com