FITZROY Vidal has replaced Ricky Chin as president of Waterhouse FC while Calvert Fitzgerald returns as head coach and will have club great Kevin Lamey as his assistant in a major restructuring at the Drewsland club.

Club chairman Bruce Bicknell told the Jamaica Observer that he expects Vidal to bring a wealth of passion and management experience to the club.

“He has a lot of knowledge in football and has a passion for the sport and also the community. I think he is going to be a great president,” said Bicknell.

Vidal, a former Cornwall College student who was appointed to the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Board in 2012, is the principal director for Energy at the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining.

“He is willing to learn and has the wherewithal to attract sponsors as well,” added Bicknell.

Fitzgerald will be having his third stint at Waterhouse, having first coached there in 2001. He brings with him a wealth of Premier League experience having started out with the Ian ‘Pepe’ Goodison-inspired Olympic Gardens before venturing to Waterhouse, Tivoli Gardens, August Town and Rivoli United.

Last season he guided Rivoli to ninth place with 10 wins, eight draws and 15 defeats and now believes it’s time to move on.

“After five years I needed a new challenge, it was just time to move on. No animosity or anything like that,” he told the Observer.

Bicknell also welcomes the move as part of the restructuring for the new season, having made it to the semi-final under the guidance of Anthony Patrick.

“We had a number of meetings already and we are basically starting over, getting our team together and it’s looking really good so far,” said Bicknell.

“We are very enthusiastic and the community and sponsors are looking forward to this change and it’s a positive one and everyone is motivated,” he noted.

Waterhouse finished the regular league season in second spot on 60 points, nine adrift of Arnett Gardens before crashing out to then champions Montego Bay United in the semi-final play-offs.

Waterhouse, formed in 1979, won the Premier League title in 1997 and 2006 with the prolific Lamey being instrumental in those championship years.

Now 39-years-old, Lamey will serve as assistant coach.