The Digicel-sponsored regional football development clinics was launched yesterday in Guyana amidst concerns raised by International Football Federation (FIFA) vice-president, Austin `Jack’ Warner, about the lack of a proper venue.
Guyana was chosen as the launching pad for the clinics which entails former Liverpool and England football legend, John Barnes, travelling to eight Caribbean territories to conduct training among the national U-20 teams.
At the conclusion of the clinics Barnes, and the panel of national coaches who participated in the exercise, will identify six young players for try-outs with top English premiership club Sunderland.
Apart from Warner and Barnes, a native of Jamaica, top officials of Digicel were also present at Le Meridian Pegasus yesterday.
The three-day training clinic will kick off tomorrow, most likely at Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary.
In each of the eight countries, the three-day Kick Start Clinics will see Barnes, head coach of the programme, working with national Under-20 teams for two days.
On the third day the training squad will compete against a local club team to be chosen by Digicel subscribers.
The local team selected in Guyana, was Fruta Con-querors.
The other countries to benefit from the six-week programme which ends on February 16, are Haiti, Barbados, St. Kitts/Nevis, Antigua/Barbuda, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.
Warner, in his remarks, said that on most occasions sponsors contributed only to the best and he thanked Digicel for making the programme possible.
“Far too often sponsors go only to the top but I am very pleased that Digicel has gone to the grassroot, to the national level,” Warner, who is also head of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) said.
“Digicel has once again shown its commitment to developing football in the Caribbean.
“After the highly successful Digicel Caribbean Cup last year, the Digicel Kick Start Clinics will ensure the future of the sport in the region as it is designed for the benefit of youths,” he added.
He, however, expressed his concern about the lack of facilities for football in Guyana and said he believed that football was being discriminated against here.
“I am pained at the neglect because of a lack of facilities for football in Guyana. No country in the Caribbean has more fields and land than Guyana but yet football has no ground,” Warner argued.
The CFU is partnering with governments and other stakeholders to provide facilities for football in the region.
Warner made the remarks against the backdrop of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) being denied the use of the Eve Leary ground for the clinic because of the current inclement weather.
Barnes, the former midfield player who made 79 appearances for England between 1983-1995, said Caribbean footballers have the skills and ability like players from any other part of the world but it was essential to nurture the talent and other important attributes such as discipline, dedication and the ability to cope under different conditions.
“Players in the Caribbean and Africa have natural talent and the African players are making it big in Europe, now is the time for Caribbean football to make it big,” Barnes who scored 12 goals for England said.
The former manager of English Club Celtics, said the Caribbean was an untapped market for future footballers in the English Premiere League and by choosing six players to travel to Sunderland and train for a week at the Premier League Academy, it would give them the opportunity they needed to learn valuable football skills to help them realize their dreams.
Digicel Head of sponsorship Kieran Foley said the Clinic evolved following the enthusiasm shown by children during the Digicel Caribbean Cup and discussions held with Warner.
Foley disclosed that Warner had suggested that Digicel organize a programme for young footballers after seeing the cricket clinics. “Digicel was going to approach Warner but Warner approached first,” he noted.
He said that Digicel was delighted to be able to extend its development of football in the region and to ensure that a fully developed youth programme was now added to the flagship Digicel Caribbean Cup.
Foley said the Caribbean is already seeing the benefits of Digicel’s involvement with Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago reaching the Under-17 World Cup.
Following the finale of the Digicel Clinics in Jamaica, Barnes and the National coaches who participated will select six players who will be offered to travel to the United Kingdom to take part in a one-week training Sunderland AFC’s Academy of Light.
Sunderland’s Chairman and former Irish International Niall Quinn said his Club is excited to be involved in the clinics as it helps strengthen the Club’s Caribbean connection which was built over the years through players like Dwight Yorke, Carlos Edwards and Kenwyne Jones.
The clinic’s next stop is in Haiti from January 11-14, then on to Barbados from January 16-19, St. Kitts/Nevis from January 21-24, Antigua/Barbuda January 26-29, Suriname January 31- February 3, Trinidad and Tobago February 8-11 and Jamaica from February 13-16.
