Coaches target keeping Treasure Beach, Lime Hall in JPL

When the new Jamaica Premier League (JPL) season kicks off in October, two new kids will be on the block, with Treasure Beach FC and Lime Hall Academy FC set to take their place with the 12 other teams.

At the helm for Tier II champions Treasure Beach will be renowned St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) football coach Omar 'Rambo' Wedderburn, while veteran Alfred Barnett is expected to be making the calls from the sidelines for the St Ann-based Lime Hall.

Wedderburn is already eying what he expects to be a monumental task keeping Treasure Beach in the league for at least the first year, with St Elizabeth teams in the JPL wilderness for approximately 40 years.

"It will be my first time coaching in the Premier League, but we have done a lot of planning, which we have already started. We are a little behind with some things that need to be sorted out but we are coming in and we are going to show our face," said Wedderburn.

Wedderburn, who has tasted success at the schoolboy level with STETHS in the daCosta Cup and Ben Francis Cup in 2015, says coaching at the JPL level will test his coaching competency.

"This is a totally different competition, so you can't coach the same way. We have to make sure that we get our preparation right before the competition starts, and then we will see if I can manage this league," he said.

Meanwhile, Lime Hall Academy have also begun getting additional coaching staff on board as they prepare for the arduous task of JPL football.

Their veteran coach, Barnett, is no stranger to the league, having done stints with current champions Mount Pleasant and former campaigners Highgate and Benfica.

"I have taken those three teams to the Premier League, so I have some experience. I know what we need to do to stay in the Premier League, because that is our first goal," Barnett said.

He emphasised that Lime Hall will be playing good quality, entertaining football, especially with the plan to get additional players, mainly on the attacking end, to bolster their already-talented squad.

"One of the first things we are going to be working on is getting the players in the right mindset. We have a good bunch of players, and we need a few additions in some specific positions, but we don't have to make any wholesale changes," stated Barnett.