JEROME Waite, newly appointed head coach of Jamaica Premier League (JPL) outfit Tivoli Gardens, believes it is going to take a collective effort from everyone if the club is to make a return to the pinnacle of local football.

The west Kingston-based Tivoli endured poor runs of form in each of the last two JPL seasons. They finished a disappointing 11th place in the league last season and in eighth spot in the season before that.

The vastly experienced Waite, who is a former coach of rivals Arnett Gardens, took over the reins from Jermaine “Teddy” Johnson.

Waite twice won back-to-back premier league titles with Arnett Gardens in 2000-2001, 2001-2002 and again in 2014-2015, 2016-2017.

He told the Jamaica Observer that the immediate focus is to achieve a top six play-off spot in the competition.

“So finishing in the 11th spot last season, one of the main objectives is to get into the top six and then we can take it from there,” said Waite.

“It must be a collective effort from everyone at the club for this to happen.”

Waite pointed out he is well aware the job is not going to be an easy task but says he has prepared himself mentally and physically to deal with any issue which may arise.

“Pressure will also be on coaches because the objective is to perform, but we all know that it is the players who are at the helm. But, they say players win games and coaches lose games so the pressure will always be there.

“A lot of things are there to be changed. And I have spoken not only to the management, but also to the players, and they understand because they realise that I have a lot of experience so they are willing to work with me and to see how I can make things better for them,” the straight-talking coach said.

He said the club has been staging a number of trials for players and he has been encouraged by the turnout.

“Well, presently we have a trial going on to see how many talented players…can be added to what they have here going forward

“The first day of the trials, 78 players turned up, the second day it was a 108, and the third day it was little over 80 players and so a lot of people are saying that it is the first time that they have seen so many players turning out for a trial for Tivoli.

“It is a good sign because the overall objective this time around is to see how we can transform a new generation of players and to get them to learn a new system going forward,” Waite said.