Though knowing the tough task ahead, Jerome Waite is confident about returning as head coach of the Under-20 Reggae Boyz as they head into the qualifiers this summer for the FIFA U20 Men’s World Cup next year.

National senior men’s assistant coach, John Wall, was appointed head coach of the Under-20 team in 2023 and guided the team during the recent Concacaf U-20 championship qualifiers in St Kitts and Nevis where Jamaica finished top of their group with wins against Martinique, Bermuda, and Grenada.

However, Wall will no longer be part of the youth set up after the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) “decided to recall Wall from his duties so he can better concentrate on assisting coach [Heimir] Hallgrimsson in preparing the senior men’s national team for the numerous competitions ahead [which] includes the Nations League [on March 21 & March 24], the Copa America Championship [June 20- July 14] and the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers [beginning June 6].”

The Jamaica Observer reached out to Wall for a response to the move but he was unavailable for comment.

Waite, who coaches Tivoli Gardens in the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League, makes a return to the national setup after being removed as the senior Reggae Boyz assistant coach in 2021. He also led the U-20 team during their World Cup qualifiers in 2018.

Waite told the Jamaica Observer that he is delighted to accept the position and doesn’t believe his Tivoli coaching duties will be a distraction.

“It’s always a good feeling to be at the helm working with your country where you were born and grew,” he said. “This is an opportunity that any coach at any level in our country will want to be part of. It’s nothing new but it’s a warm welcome. The league ends in basically less than three months and at the same time, the final leg of the qualifiers is July, so I wouldn’t have any problem coaching both teams at the same time.”

The groups for the Concacaf Under-20 Championship, set for July 18 to August 4, have not yet been determined. However, it’s likely that the young Reggae Boyz will have to face top seeded USA, Mexico, Costa Rica and Honduras as the 12 remaining countries vie for one of the four spots for the 2025 World Cup in Chile.

Waite is concerned the lack of professional game time for the Jamaican players could make the task harder.

“One of the things you also have to understand is the other countries they’re up against,” he said. “None of those boys are students, those are professional players. They also minimise their mistakes which is why they have playing time in the top flight. As for our competition locally, we can classify it as a semi-pro and it’s still a work in progress for these youngsters going forward.”

However, while not knowing a lot about the current crop of players, Waite is hoping to overcome those challenges and make a push for a World Cup spot.

“When that time comes and I meet the team, I’d have to take time out and find out about each individual, what level they’ve played at and what they have achieved over the period. Then, when the actual training starts, we’ll see how best we can start to minimise mistakes playing the game because system of play is what plays the game but if you’re not applying yourself tactically, you’ll make mistakes and it will become atrocious.”