Barnes: Caribbean the new Africa for unearthing talent.
By: Nigel Simon (Guardian).
Digicel Kick Start Clinic head coach, John Barnes, a former Watford, Liverpool and England star, has stated that when it comes to digging up new football talent, the Caribbean region is being viewed as the next Africa for developing players.
Barnes, was speaking at the launch of the T&T leg of the Digicel Kick Start Clinic at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel, Invaders Bay, Audrey Jeffers Highway, Mucurapo, yesterday.
Looking as fit as he was in his glory days for Liverpool, Barnes said that this should be the beginning of the large export of talented players from the Caribbean to Europe.
“It is already known that players of the Caribbean have the talent, but once they are put into the right environment and giving the encouragement and experience, there is no telling how good they can get,” said Barnes.
Referring to some of world’s top players who have Caribbean roots or were born in the Caribbean, Barnes noted that Frank Rijkard, Ruud Gullit, Edgar Davids and Clarence Seedorf all have Suriname roots.
However he questioned had they stayed in Suriname if they would have reached the level they have.
He added, “Sol Campbell, Rio Ferdinand also have Caribbean roots, but without moving to Europe I doubted very much they would be where they are today in the sport.”
With regards to the future of Caribbean football, Barnes indicated that he would like to see relationships emerge between countries in Europe with the region just as countries like France, Holland and Belgium have formed relationships with African countries.
“It will be very nice to see England develop a better relationship with its fellow Commonwealth countries in the sport of football.”
Barnes, who is in T&T as part of a three-day Digicel Clinics which began at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya yesterday and ends tomorrow, warned young players that success does not come overnight as their was no magic formula.
“Hard work is the only way for you to get to the top. You must also have the right work ethic and discipline allied with the natural.”
Over the next three days, the ex-Liverpool winger said he was eagerly looking forward to working with the local coaches and the Under-20 players.
With regards to the three-day clinic, members of the national Under- 20 team who has been preparing since the launch at the beginning of January have a chance to become one of the six footballers from around the Caribbean chosen by Barnes and the national coaches of each country visited, to travel to Premier League club, Sunderland to spend one week’s training with the club’s Academy of Light.
The national Under-20 coach, Zoran Varnes, said of the upcoming clinics, “The whole team has been looking forward to the Digicel Clinics and has been training very hard to use this opportunity to improve their football skills and hopefully be one of the chosen six to go to Sunderland.
“We have a wealth of talented young footballers in T&T who will be the next generation of Soca Warriors and hopefully compete in a future World Cup.”
The clinic continue today from 10 am to 2 pm. On the third day, the winner of the Digicel text competition, Joe Public FC Under-20 team will get the chance to spend the third day of the clinic training with Barnes, followed by a life-coaching seminar.
The clinics conclude with a friendly match between the Joe Public Under-20 Pro League team and the T&T Under- 20 team.
To choose the winning Under-20 Pro League team, persons needed to text 6474 and the name of their favourite team to enter the competition.