KINGSTON, Jamaica — Former national club champions Waterhouse FC have announced the resignation of Head Coach Javier Marcelo Ainstein “with immediate effect,” a release from the club said on Tuesday.

Ainstein is the second head coach to step down from their role following last week’s resignation of Donovan Duckie from Chapelton Maroons.

Meanwhile, Montego Bay United announced the promotion of head coach Xavier Gilbert to technical director, answerable only to the chairman and board of directors of the club.

The Argentine Ainstein had taken over the reigns at Waterhouse in January after the firing of long time coach Marcel Gayle and had guided them to the Jamaica Premier League play-offs where they lost in the quarterfinals to Cavalier SC.

The release thanked Ainstein for his “service during his tenure and appreciates the effort and commitment he brought to the role” while wishing him success in his future endeavors.

Waterhouse is not wasting anytime in identifying a replacement, the release said. “The Board of Management has already initiated plans to ensure continuity within the club’s football operations as preparations continue for the upcoming season,” it said.

Despite falling short of their goal of winning the JPL and also qualifying for regional club competition, MBU said that effective July 1, Gilbert will take over the job as the technical director.

This they said will “establishes a single, unified football leadership structure with clear ownership at every level of the club.”

The release said “Gilbert will own the club’s footballing strategy and assume oversight of all footballing activity: the Senior Men’s and Senior Women’s teams, the Youth Academy (U5–U18), recruitment across local, regional and international markets, and the club’s representation at the Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) and with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).”

—    Paul A Reid