Waite welcomes Fuller’s return

Head coach of Tivoli Gardens FC, Jerome Waite, says the team and the wider community are thrilled to have talented winger Nickalia Fuller back in action after being sidelined for five months due to injury.

Fuller, 20, recently made his long-awaited return to the squad, featuring in the club’s last two matches. After coming off the bench in his first game, he made an immediate impact in his second outing, providing two assists in Tivoli’s 2-1 victory over Harbour View in the Jamaica Premier League on Sunday.

Fuller, who scored 11 goals last season to finish as Tivoli’s joint top scorer alongside Anthony Nelson, was instrumental in helping the club reach their second consecutive playoff quarterfinals.

Waite said that while Fuller took some time to regain his rhythm, his performance against Harbour View showed flashes of his old brilliance.

“In his first game he was not looking himself, he came from the bench and he added little to the team,” said Waite. “The second game was different as he started and he made an impact. He provided the assists for the two goals from set plays.”

Waite noted that the Tivoli Gardens community has warmly welcomed Fuller’s return, describing him as a homegrown fan favourite whose creativity and flair bring excitement to every match.

“The community is always happy to see Nickalia Fuller because he is a homegrown talent,” said the veteran coach. “He only can get better, but it comes down to the mind of the player and what he wants to achieve. He is very young and so age is in his favour, but he is one who needs to work out what he needs to do to make that transition.”

Waite stated that while Fuller has immense talent, consistency and discipline will be key to his continued growth as a player.

“He is a youngster and whenever he is ready, he trains very hard. “But mentally, that is an area that needs to be sorted out. No one questions his potential, but there are times on given days where he fails to apply the basic fundamentals as it relates to the game.

“There are times when he overdoes it, and chances are he will get hurt because no one will allow him to just play because if you allow him to play, then he can destroy you,” Waite said.