Norman Forde should be pretty darn old. He's been around a long time. Why isn't he playing in the Pro League?
JUST IN time for preparations towards the FIFA 2010 Football World Cup, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China made a donation of training equipment to the Barbados Football Association (BFA) yesterday.
The donation, which
includes cones, 200 size five balls, 100 size four balls and about 130 bibs was made by His Excellency Ambassador Liu Huanxing.
Six nets are also to be added. It was witnessed by BFA senior assistant secretary Charles Husbands, junior vice- president Basil Gittens, Steven Reid, assistant manager of the senior national team, senior men's captain Norman Forde and defender Dwight James.
"Football is a very popular sport, not only in Barbados, but worldwide, and I hope these items can be helpful to the training of players in Barbados," said Ambassador Liu.
The donation continues the history of good sporting relations between the two countries. Chinese labourers built the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium and they recently completed the feasibility study for the National Stadium. Ambassador Liu also expressed the hope that teams from Barbados and China could play against each other some day.
BFA president Ronald Jones was quite pleased with the donation.
"Thanks to the Ambassador for coming to our assistance with this generous donation to our football programme," Jones said.
A conservative estimate, Jones said, placed the Barbados qualifying campaign in the region of $1.6 million based on current airfare. ($BDS)
"That is a lot of money in a country which doesn't understand or appreciate the cost of sports and it is efforts like these that would minimise those costs."***
KENSINGTON OVAL, the home of cricket in Barbados, may be the venue for Barbados' home matches in the qualifying round of the FIFA 2010 Football World Cup.
Ronald Jones, president of the Barbados Football Association (BFA), told NATIONSPORT they were in negotiations with the operators of the facility since the stands at the National Stadium could not be used while they were undergoing repairs.
"The National Stadium is out of use for competitive football, and we are in discussion with Kensington Oval. We have to take into account the cost, but it is a good facility which we can use," he said.
Jones, who was speaking after a donation of training gear to the BFA from the Embassy of China, said there was also a possible conflict with cricket next year.
"February and March is not a problem, but there may be conflict in June with international cricket, but we would hope that we could satisfy the principals of Kensington Oval to have football here in Barbados. Outside of Kensington Oval and the National Stadium, there is no other venue for international football and the National Stadium is out."
In his May 2007 report, FIFA inspector Kevan Pipe said the National Stadium was not fit for international matches, calling it "old" and "dilapidated", and recommended Kensington Oval. "To try and secure funding from Government for a tired old stadium after it has just built this brand new facility (three months old) is going to be difficult. The BFA should be encouraged to use this new stadium and work out a user deal and leave the old and worn out stadium in the past, as it has absolutely nothing to offer, particularly when compared to the new Kensington Oval Stadium," he wrote.
The rental fee for the facility which was recently renovated at a cost in excess of $100 million will also be a factor. This is likely to impact on the cost of tickets as well as attendance.
Barbados will open their campaign on February 6, 2008 in Dominica, with the return leg in Barbados on the 14th. The next round will be against the United States on the weekend of June 14 and 15, with the return leg here the following weekend. "When some people saw the World Cup draw and the changed format, they smiled and said Barbados would only play four games. I was talking to our captain [Norman Forde] and he said to tell those who were doubting Thomases that Barbados will play more than four matches," the president said.
He is optimistic, with the inclusion of several overseas-based players, that Barbados would have a very successful campaign.
"It is not about the selfishness of people who want to play, but bringing the best team we have to represent Barbados," Jones said.
