Former Molynes United head coach Garnet Lawrence replaces Jerome Waite as head coach of St Jago High School for the next three years.

Lawrence, who previously coached Bridgeport High, says that St Jago has improved its football programme over the last few years and he hopes to continue that growth.

“It is a real good opportunity and I am elated about it, knowing that St Jago has been getting better as a football school over the last few years and has employed some very good coaches,” he said.

“So the players should be at a level where they are really good players. I am hoping to do well. Every one of the stakeholders has been pleased with my progress as a coach, and I am looking for good things.”

Lawrence, who was officially appointed yesterday, has a contract that runs to 2025 and he wants to help young players transition from the junior teams to playing in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup. His plan is to instil the confidence that they can beat any team.

“We have a good crop of players to work with,” he said. “You want to do well every year and, if you put that in the players’ minds, they will get it within the year or over the three years.

“Last year, they went a little close and, with more time, I think Jerome Waite would have taken them a bit further.

“So far, I have received great support and we need the players, the coaching staff and the support staff to make it work. Once we can strike that balance, we will do well.”

St Jago will play out of Group B with Jamaica College, St Catherine High School, Meadowbrook High, Cedar Grove Academy, and St Mary’s College. Although wary of his opponents, Lawrence expects at least a second-round berth in his first season with the Spanish Town school.

“Our group is a very tough group,” he said. “You have teams that can do damage but we think will get out of the zone and try to move on.

“Last year, they nearly made the second round and, considering that we will have most of those players, we will try to get a balance.

“We expect to be ultra competitive. We will try to bring in good players to enhance the team and we will try to hit the ground running.”

Waite left for Wolmer’s Boys’ School last month.