Veteran football coach Donovan Duckie has joined Phoenix Academy, where he will work alongside academy founder Craig Butler at Phoenix affiliated clubs and at Mona High for the upcoming schoolboy season.

Butler told Observer Online that it is a pleasure to have Duckie — a former senior Reggae Boyz assistant coach and former head coach of Jamaica’s Under-20 and Under-23 teams — officially join his coaching staff at Phoenix.

“His work is exemplary and his work ethic is consistent with the culture we have and want to maintain,” said Butler.

He continued: “He will join our already dedicated team that covers football at all levels in Jamaica. From our youth development all the way through our U-16, U-18, Manning Cup division 1 and Premier League squads.”

According to the Phoenix Academy boss, Duckie “is the type of coach you can leave running a session and be comfortable”, adding that he joins a coaching staff that also includes Dane Peralto, Ricardo Martin, Eddie Leighton and Andre Davis.

“We aim to keep one philosophy across all teams at Phoenix, Mona and our club competitions,” Butler said. “Duckie is a pleasure to work with. He is first to training and last to leave and instils discipline and has great structure and organisation in his work.”

Duckie rose to prominence as a young coach after guiding Star Cosmos FC to the Jamaican Premier League in 2007 and was selected by Reggae Boyz technical director Velibor “Bora” Milutinovic to be his assistant in 2007.

Duckie has had coaching stints with several Jamaica Premier League clubs including Sporting Central Academy, Waterhouse FC, Montego Bay United, Humble Lion, Portmore United and Mount Pleasant Football Academy.