MONTEGO BAY, St James — National head coach Theodore Whitmore has warned members of the senior Reggae Boyz outfit against complacency.

Whitmore was guest speaker at yesterday’s launch of the St James Football Association’s Guardian Life Division Two League at Jarrett Park. He warned the players in the current squad that no position was safe and it would take more than skill to retain their places.

“Do not take your feet off the gas. The team will continue to evolve. No one is safe. It’s your attitude, commitment and performance that will earn you your place,” Whitmore declared.

The former midfield star began his playing career in the Division Two competition in St James and worked his way up the ranks to the Premier League, where he won titles with Violet Kickers and Seba United.

According to Whitmore, while “the (senior) national team has done well in recent times”, there was still a lot more to be done.

“However, we can and must do more. We must improve more. We must develop winning habits in Central America. We must work and improve to be consistent at the level of the top in our region. This is what the 2014 mission requires,” he stressed.

Jamaica split the results in their two recent friendly internationals, losing 0-2 at home to Venezuela in Montego Bay then beating El Salvador 3-2 away.

He told the players at the launch that they should never give up their dreams or seek the quick route to success without making the necessary application, as this was not the way to success.

“The national football programme is searching for players with strength of character and disciplined purpose. We need players who will not abandon the team in the heat of battle and players who are willing and prepared to work very hard towards personal and team goals. This will not always mean we will have the best players making up the team,” he asserted.

Twenty-two teams are taking part in the competition which is being sponsored to the tune of $750,000 — an increase of $200,000 over last season.

The teams will play each other once in two groups of 11 each, with the top four teams from each advancing to the quarter-finals, which will also be played in two groups.

The top two teams from each group will then advance to the semi-finals which will be played on a home-and-away basis, with the winners advancing to the finals to be played over two legs.