CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) – The St Lucia Football Association yesterday called on the local fraternity to observe two weeks of mourning as a mark of respect for former national player and coach Keith Alexander who died Wednesday. Alexander died at his home in England on Wednesday and Mathurin described his death as a serious blow to the association and the football fraternity here in the island.

The 53-year-old was also founder of the Sacred Cows Foundation, a media and marketing consulting group.

“The St Lucia Football Association and the Sacred Cows Group were scheduled to meet on the day of his death to finalise an agreement to appoint Cess Podd and Keith Alexander as technical director and head coach of the national Under-23 Olympic team,” said Patrick Mathurin, the SLFA president.

“The St Lucia Football Association, on behalf of the entire football fraternity and its entire membership, wishes to express its deepest condolences to the family of Keith Alexander and the Sacred Cows Group.

“The Association invites all affiliates to observe a period of mourning for the next 14 days.”

Alexander was manager of English League two side Macclesfield Town at the time of his death and had only returned home Tuesday night from Notts County where they lost the match 2-0.

He made three international appearances for St Lucia and also represented several English clubs including Notts County, Boston United, Barnet, Grimsby Town, Stockport County, Lincoln City, and Mansfield Town.

Alexander underwent life-saving surgery seven years ago after being diagnosed with a double cerebral aneurysm.