Theodore Whitmore is currently the player/coach at Seba United, the club where he spent most of his younger years developing his skills that later made him into one of Jamaica’s most skillful and accomplished playmakers ever.

The 35-year-old native from Montego Bay was a key figure when Jamaica made an historic appearance at the 1998 World Cup in France and was also the man who scored both goals country’s only World Cup victory over Japan.

Whitmore, an ever-present slender figure in midfield for both country and club, was a football maestro on the pitch with a bag-full of tricks that often create numerous goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates mainly.

Shortly after the ’98 World Cup finals, Whitmore was among a band of homegrown Reggae Boyz, who received football contracts in England where he represented Hull City, Livingston and Tranmere Rovers before returning home in 2006. He had scored 24 goals for his country at the end of his career, while scoring 15 goals at the club level in England in over 100 appearances.

Having envisioned being a coach, ‘Tappa’, as he was popularly called, returned home to assist his old club that is situated on the western end of the island.

Seba was struggling in the island’s premiership, but with Whitmore’s re-entrance the team was just able to remain in the top flight, finishing the 2006/07 season in 10th place in the 12-team table.

But since the start of the new season, Seba, led by player/coach Whitmore, has been riding high in second spot in the current standings and could book their place in the first end-of-round final in the National Premier League by winning their next two upcoming matches.

In November 2007 Whitmore was named as interim head coach by the newly installed Horace Burrell administration for two home international friendlies against El Salvador and Guatemala.

It was dream come true for Whitmore, who went on to inspire the team to comfortable victories over their South American rivals.

He has become a well-respected figure in the football circles and admittedly his task was made easier preparing those players, who either played him or watched him during his playing days.

Jamaica’s football is still in its developing state and with Whitmore around, he could once again be a vital figure in lifting the country’s football from its present predicament.

After all giving instructions from the touchline may very well be his real calling like so many former players before him.