The quality of football being played in the Caribbean needs to be drastically improved if we are to ensure the future growth and development of the game in this region”
This was the strong message delivered by Keith Look Loy, a member of the Fifa Technical Committee, at the opening of a Fifa Transfer Matching System (TMS) Workshop, at the Dr Joao Havelangem Centre of Excellence, Macoya on Monday.
The TMS Workshop which is being hosted by Concacaf, ends tomorrow. At opening ceremony, Look Loy stressed on the importance of youth development.
“The statistics presented in the Fifa TMS report paint a grim picture for the Caribbean- as it indicates that of all the Caribbean countries featured in this report, which looks at player transfers from October 2010 to March 2011, only two Caribbean Countries have completed player transfers.
“What does this say about the demand for our Caribbean footballers on the International Market?”
Look Loy further stressed on the importance of addressing the inadequacies of the current systems in place in Caribbean football saying “it is only by improving the quality and level of our football can we ever truly reap the benefits of the Transfer Matching System”.
“I may open myself up for some criticism here, but I will say it nonetheless, our Caribbean teams failed miserably in the recent Concacaf Under-20 Qualifiers.
A lot of work needs to be done in the region and its needs to be done soon.” “We must raise the standards but it cannot be done overnight, a lot of work has to be completed but we must start somewhere and now.
“We need to develop our grassroots programmes, our local leagues, our coaching structures need to be revamped to accommodate the changing needs of our players and the game.
For too long we accept the excuse that we are limited by our size –if size was a determining factor then China and India would be in every World Cup final.
“So let us no longer look at our limitations but see the opportunities which are interwoven in the equation.”