W CONNECTION have indicated that their focus on youth development is in full-swing and that the surface has just been scratched as to their future plans.
Coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier, and club owner David John-Williams, have professed that investing in the younger talents in the Caribbean is a system that reaps benefits for their club.
They added that the impetus is on unearthing and harnessing untapped potential on the regional footballing scope.
Central midfielder, 18-year-old Zaine Pierre from St Lucia, was transferred from Connection to Italian Serie A outfit, Genoa, last month and John- Williams has hailed the move as a big step for the player.
“Zaine is a St Lucian international and he has the ability to play at the highest level. He will be the first of many high profile signings as we look to keep shelling out high quality players. Our youth academy started in 1999 and since then we have the likes of T&T national midfielder Hughtun Hector playing in Vietnam and Under-23 striker Shahdon Winchester in our frontline,” stated John-Williams.
He added that a club’s success is measured by the progression of its youth into “senior” football and that Connection followed that pattern exponentially. John-Williams alluded to several international clubs expressing interest in the club’s youth players as testament to the refining and honing of such young talent at Connection.
In March, Connection’s 15 year-old midfielder, Matthew Woo Ling, went on trial with Tottenham Hotspur, and he is drawing interest from a few other foreign teams according to John-Williams.
Fevrier lauded Pierre’s move to Genoa after he personally scouted him in his native country two years ago and brought him to Trinidad. The coach revealed that Pierre played ‘senior’, reserve and U-18 football with Connection for a while and that it was only a matter of time before he was snapped up by a foreign suitor.
“Zaine has always shown the capability of going to the next level and he, like many of our youngsters, have instilled a passion and willingness to learn and improve,” commented the former national coach.
Fevrier confessed that all the youth players had that drive and discipline at the club. “Our youth system gives mature professionals with proper conduct on and off the field. This is respected and raises their actual footballing skill.
“We are constantly scouting because professional football is a business...where we import and export assets. As a business, we must make worthwhile investments and there is no better investment than in young talent,” he stressed.
Fevrier relayed that the club is always on the lookout for new prospects and that they do receive calls and recommendations from other Caribbean clubs because of their esteemed reputation of elevating youngsters.
With Pierre also lining up a Puma deal, Fevrier mentioned that much was expected from the player abroad. “We are elated for Zaine and when players move, they move onto bigger things so Connection does not view it as a loss.
We gain from their sale so we now can help sustain our own developmental programme and ensure opportunities for other young players become available,” he shared.