PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – A British youth football coach said that he viewed plenty of talent during the first three days of inaugural Digicel Academy.
But Sunderland Academy coach Carlton Fairweather said they were missing two key ingredients that would help to take them to the next level in the game.
“Caribbean players have a good sense of flair and we’ve seen some magical moments this week,” he said. “But what we’re bringing – structure and discipline – is probably not as obvious.
“We don’t want to take the flair from the players – but we want to combine the two attributes and in the end produce players who are going to look to go on to the next level.
said: “In order to do that, however, they must understand they have to work hard – they need to demonstrate greater intensity.
“For us, it’s all about attitude, hard work and desire – and those are the attributes these aspiring young players should be developing.”
Fairweather and fellow Academy coach Kevin Ball have been putting the 37 aspiring young players from across the region through their paces.
He said the standard of play among the young footballers was comparable with players their ages around the World.
“The only thing they need to work on is that self-discipline, the willingness to go that extra mile – not just for themselves, but for their team,” he said. “And if we can develop that, it can only be beneficial for football in the region as a whole.”
Fairweather said it was important for coaches to try and find exercises for young players that benefit them specifically.
“That means picking training exercises and making sure these young players understand why you’re doing it and that they see the benefit of it,” he said.
“The more they see the benefit of training, the more they will want to do it – and that’s when you will see an improvement – which is why we’re all here.”
The Digicel Academy is a week-long elite training camp taking place from November 1 to 7 in Trinidad.