Volume 3,Issue 3, Caribbean Football Union Newsletter

MARCH 2015, VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3, CARIBBEAN FOOTBALL UNION NEWSLETTER
ARTICLES
4 Five CFU teams advance to second Round of CONCACAF WCQ
5 Derrick welcomes Cuba’s move into Int’l transfer
market
6 Dominica Republic
Fifteen teams get schedule for
2015 CFU Club Championship
F
ifteen teams from nine Member
Associations in the Caribbean region
have received their schedules for the
17th edition of the Caribbean Football
Union (CFU) flagship event, the CFU Club
Championship Cup set to begin April 15 at
four separate venues.
7 Jamaica loses out on
The fifteen teams are Alpha United and
Guyana Defence Force (Guyana), SAP
FC (Antigua and Barbuda), Central FC
and Direct TV W Connection FC (Trinidad
&Tobago), Inter Moengotapoe and SV
Excelsior (Suriname), Waterhouse FC
and Montego Bay United FC (Jamaica),
Helenites Sporting Club (US Virgin
Islands), Club Sportif and Unite Sainte
Rose (Guadeloupe), Lyford Cay FC
(Bahamas), America FC and Don Bosco FC de Petion Ville (Haiti).
8 Antigua & Barbuda star These teams have been grouped into four groups. In Group 1 there are three teams Alpha
United FC, Inter Moengotapoe FC and Central FC. Group 2 has four teams, SAP FC, Direct
TV W Connection FC, Waterhouse and Guyana Defence Force FC
9 Grenada FA unveils new Group 3 has four teams Montego Bay United FC, America FC, Club Sportif FC and SV
Excelsior FC while in Group 4 there are four teams as well namely Helenites Sports Club,
Don Bosco FC, Unite Sainte Rose FC and Lyford Cay FC.
launches historic Professional League
World Cup Berth despite a thrilling performance
relishes love affair with soccer
logo at Awards
Ceremony
10 Benbow moves apace
with USL Pro contract
At the end of the competition the CFU will present an exact replica of the CFU Club
Champions Cup trophy to the winning team for the club’s permanent possession.
The CFU Club Championship Cup is an annual international football competition held
amongst association football clubs from the Caribbean Islands for clubs that are members
Cont’d page 2
15 Teams......cont’d
of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU). This CFU Club
Champions Cup tournament also serves as a qualifying event
for the CONCACAF Champions League Tournament from
which teams are qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup.
Initially, thirty-one Member Associations affiliated to the CFU
were invited to participate with National Premier League, Cup
Champion or Sub Champion League teams.
All nine member associations have experienced this level of
competition except for the Bahamas who will make history
making their debut into the competition for the first time.
Teams will play games simultaneously with the final round
played as a straight Knock-Out to crown the champion. At the
end of these games the three top teams will qualify for the
CONCACAF Champions League.
Cont’d page 3
2
3
Five CFU teams advance
to second Round of
CONCACAF WCQ
F
ive of the twelve Caribbean teams which competed in
the First Round of the CONCACAF FIFA 2018 World Cup
Qualifiers that started on March 23 have moved a step closer
to joining the list of Caribbean countries to have played in the
FIFA World Cup Finals.
The five teams are Barbados, Bermuda, Curacao, Dominica
and St Kitts and Nevis.
The other two teams completing the seven teams to advance
from this round are Belize and Nicaragua Member Associations
of UNCAF. Belize defeated the Cayman Islands after a tough
battle 0-0 at home and 1-1 in the return leg in the Cayman
Islands.
Round Two is scheduled to be played from June 8-16, 2015, and
will feature the seven winners from Round One plus thirteen
additional national teams, which were drawn into ten pairings.
The first team to qualify for the Second Round was Barbados
who after a 1-0 defeat in an away game to the US Virgin Islands
(USVI), did their homework well and whipped USVI 4-0 at
home in the return leg played on March 26, to cement their
place.
St Kitts & Nevis was the next team to advance at the expense
of Turks and Caicos who was beaten 6-2 in both legs.
Bermuda was next on the list after they dismissed the Bahamas
5-0 in the first leg and 3-0 in the return leg.
Dominica had the better of British Virgin Islands (BVI) 3-2 in
their first leg encounter and 0-0 in the return leg.
Curacao was the last of the five to qualify for the next round
after inflicting a 2-1 defeat against neighbours Montserrat in
the first leg and a 2-2 draw in the return leg.
Four teams from the Caribbean region has reached the World
Cup level before. The teams are Cuba (1938), Haiti (1974),
Jamaica (1998) and Trinidad & Tobago (2006).
4
Derrick welcomes
Cuba’s move into Int’l
transfer market
T
he Associacion de Futbol de Cuba (AFC), in collaboration
with The Confederation of North, Central American and
Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Cuban
Government, recently made a significant step towards the
opening of an international transfer market.
The major aim of this initiative is for local players to be able
to be appropriately transferred from Cuban clubs to clubs
overseas.
Gordon Derrick President of the CFU
This initiative was welcomed by president of the Caribbean
Football Union (CFU), Gordon Derrick.
FIFA Vice-President and President of CONCACAF, Jeffrey
Webb, gave his blessings to the CFA.
“Over the years Cuban
athletes have performed
remarkably well in several
sporting disciplines and in
particular, football. Cuba
has proven to be one of the
most consistent competitive
teams in the Caribbean
region and has always
showcased their competitive
skills in all competitions.”
Said Webb: “This significant occasion
represents the first step to open
new horizons for football’s growth
in Cuba. We hope the international
transfer market will provide Cuban
players with unique opportunities to
display their extraordinary talent in
the international arena. Local players
will be able to further develop their
skill and inspire younger generations
to follow their passion for football.”
The seminar, which was attended
by representatives of CONCACAF
and the CFA, along with Cuban
government
officials,
covered
multiple areas, including contractual
stability, underage player protection,
player registration and training and
formation mechanisms, with the aim
of explaining the steps necessary to assist in the opening of
Cuba’s international transfer market.
“This is a new horizon in the
history of football in this
Spanish-speaking country.
A timely effort of this
nature, albeit long overdue,
can only improve football
development and create opportunities for the Cubans who
have the passion and the skills to climb the football ladder
internationally,” said Derrick.
“On behalf of the CFU I take this opportunity to congratulate
you on your courageous step forward and I am sure that these
players will lift the Caribbean flag with pride wherever they go
in their new venture,” he added.
In addition, CONCACAF offered advice on how to create
a registry and data base of Cuban players while obtaining
guidance on training mechanisms.
The CFU and CONCACAF has said that they are fully committed
to the continuous support of its Member Associations and
its endeavour to significantly and positively impact the
development of football.
Meanwhile, in order to support the process, CONCACAF held
a two-day seminar on February 19 and 20 in Havana, with
the objective of assisting the CFA in its efforts to achieve this
major development in Cuban football.
5
Dominican Republic
Launches historic
Professional League
H
istory was created on March 15th in the Dominican
Republic when over six thousand spectators from across
the length and breadth of the island came out to witness the
inaugural launch of the first ever full Professional League,
dubbed the Liga Dominicana de Fútbol (LDL).
Osiris Guzman President of Dominican Republic Football Federation
The phenomenal occasion was held at the Estadio Cibao FC
on the grounds of the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y
Maestra under the watchful eyes of the CONCACAF General
Secretary, Enrique Sanz. Sanz was impressed with what he
saw.
compete in this competition, namely Atlantico FC, Atlético de
San Cristobal, Atlético Vega Real, Barcelona Atlético, Bauger
FC, Cibao FC, Delfines del Este FC, Moca FC, Pantoja FC and
Universidad Dominicana O&M. “Congratulations to the Dominican
Football Federation after more
than a decade of work on the
inauguration of the LDF. It is a
historic step not only for the island,
but for the Caribbean and the
entire Confederation. This is the
beginning of a dream to further
develop
Dominican
Republic
Football, while taking it to the top
level of competition.” Last
September,
CONCACAF
President Jeffrey Webb was the
distinguished guest at a gala event
in Santo Domingo held by the FDF
when the League was endorsed and
announced. President of the CFU, Gordon Derrick,
welcomed the initiative taken by the
Federation.
“It is indeed a pleasure for us at the
CFU to embrace the efforts of the
Federacion Dominicana de Fútbol in
taking that giant step in developing
football in the region. This is a significant initiative that will
no doubt significantly enhance the quality of the game in the
Dominican Republic. It will also provide an avenue for other
Caribbean players to ply their trade as professional footballers.
We at the CFU wish the FDL continuous success and in the
same breath encourage the other Member Associations who
have the necessary infrastructure, corporate support and
population size to follow this example,” Derrick added.
President of the Federacion
Dominicana de Fútbol (FDL),
Osiris Guzman, in his inauguration
speech, said: “The Federación Dominicana de Fútbol feels
elated that the country has joined the world of football. I want
to acknowledge the efforts made by this university, along
with a group of entrepreneurs, to make sure this project was
achieved.” Other dignitaries who were present to observe the event
included FIFA representative Gregory Englebrecht, Cibao FC
President Manuel Estrella, and Dominica Republic’s Minister
of Sport Jaime David Fernandez
The FDL is one of the thirty-one Member Associations that
forms the Caribbean Football Union (CFU). The federation
has also been a member of the CONCACAF and the FIFA for
several decades.
The first game of the league was played between Cibao FC
and Atlético Vega Real. Ten teams have been registered to
6
Jamaica loses out
on World Cup Berth
despite a thrilling
performance
S
o near, and yet so far” could be the phrase used to describe
the devastating loss felt by the Jamaica National U-17 team
against the USA recently at the 2015 CONCACAF Men’s Under
17 Championship held in Honduras.
Jamaica U17 Team
Last month five Member Association teams representing the
Caribbean Football Union (CFU) namely: Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica,
Trinidad &Tobago and St Lucia along with seven other teams
from the CONCACAF region started the battle for the four
spots available for the FIFA World Cup finals in Chile later this
year.
1-0 defeat. This win earned the Young Reggae Boys ten points
and another match-up against the USA from which a win
would land them in the World Cup finals.
The Young Reggae Boyz lost and
were disappointed but proud of
themselves to have given such a
spirited performance throughout the
championship as the game ended 5-4
on penalties after a 0-0 score line at
the end of regulation and extra time.
However, at the end of the
preliminary stage Jamaica was the
only Caribbean team left with a
chance to get to the finals in Chile
but were squeezed out by the USA
on penalties after a 0-0 score line in
regulated and extra time.
The CFU BEACON caught up with
proud Jamaican Head Coach Andrew
Edwards who had this to say, “To say
we were disappointed I believe would
be an understatement. We believe we
gave everything, especially in the last
two games to have gained a place at
the World Cup in Chile. Despite the
disappointment however we are very proud of our efforts and
performances which I believe has caused Jamaica to dream
again.”
Hailing their efforts was CFU
President Gordon Derrick, “We
are all proud of Jamaica and their
efforts. We cheered with them and
felt their pain after losing out by the
narrowest of margins to the United
States.”
“These young men should hold their heads high for what they
almost accomplished and I am sure will serve as motivation
not only for them but all young footballers of the region as we
are becoming a force to reckon with in football,” said the CFU
President.
“Personally I would love to see them becoming the core of
the next national Under-20 squad and the 2019 campaign also
but obviously that is not a decision for me to make. So like
everyone else I will have to wait and see what happens next.”
Edwards concluded by saying that the players were a great
bunch to work with.
Jamaica got off to a shaky start in the tournament when they
were beaten 2-0 by the hosts Honduras. The Young Reggae
Boyz regrouped to edge out Guatemala 2-1. The team then
went on to draw 1-1 with Cuba. The boys did not stop there
and whipped rivals Trinidad & Tobago 5-1 in their next outing.
The Haitians were the only other Caribbean team who won a
game by defeating Caribbean colleagues St Lucia 4-1. Cuba
drew three games and lost two while Trinidad & Tobago drew
one and lost four.
It was no stopping up to this point for the Jamaicans as they
raced forward for a World Cup berth shocking the USA with a
7
Antigua & Barbuda
star relishes love
affair with soccer
A
melia Green stands tall as a central defender on the
Antigua & Barbuda Women’s National Team. The twentythree year-old star attends the University of South Carolina in
the United States where she majors in Accounts and plays for
the South Carolina State University.
As a child in Antigua, Amelia attended the Willikies Primary
School. She moved on to the Antigua Girl’s High School, then
the Antigua State College before migrating to the United
States to attend the University of South Carolina.
The CFU BEACON recently caught up with Green for an
exclusive interview.
Amelia Green
Barbuda National Women’s Team. I started out playing on the
Girls National Under-17 team and worked my way up through
the National U-20 and U-21 and currently I play for the national
senior team,” she disclosed.
“I play for five Ps in Antigua. The five Ps are Proper Preparation
Prevents Poor Performance. I was introduced to playing
football by my good friend Anika Jarvis who is now like a sister
to me. It was then that I found out I had a passion for the game
and that I could play well. When I first touched a soccer ball
I was 13 years old. I was always a
lover of sports. I played basketball,
volleyball, Cricket and did Track and
field,” she explained.
Asked if she had a role model and what was her best and
worst moments in football, Green said: “I would not say that
I have a role model, but I do admire how
Ronaldinho plays. I haven’t had a worst
moment because out of every moment I
have gained knowledge and experience.
“My best moment was when I played in
the first leg of the CFU tournament in
2014 as the captain and brought my team
out of the group winning all three games,”
she beamed.
She added: “No one else in my family
has any outstanding skills in playing
football. I have encountered several
outstanding coaches who I would
say have all played significant roles
in my football development thus
far. However, I want to mention my
manager Lowell Jarvis who would
take me to games and training
sessions when I had no means of getting to the location.
“I wouldn’t choose any other sport over
football,” Green added. “I have played
majority of the other sports and none
has given me the feeling that football gives to me every time I
touch the ball. I have two sisters and one brother. My greatest
challenge in playing the game thus far is keeping my team in
the game when we are down,” she told the BEACON.
“He was a true inspiration and eventually became a father
figure to me. Noel Egan was my first coach. He helped me
with my basic development. Coach Lenny Hewlette and Coach
Rowan ‘Debu’ Benjamin both helped me to develop as a
national team player,” she said.
“I dream of playing for any professional soccer team once it
allows me to travel.
My soccer career is evolving and it has impacted my life in
tremendous ways, teaching me the impacts of team work,
self-discipline, caring for others, motivation and heartache.
But at the end of the day this is my breakaway from the world;
that little ball is my love,” she said.
“I am a utility player; however, the main position that most
coaches play me at is central defense. I have played in the
Antigua and Barbuda Football Association Women League
and in the Wings League. I presently play for the Antigua &
8
Grenada FA unveils
new logo at Awards
Ceremony
P
resident of the Grenada Football Association (GFA), Cheney
Joseph, unveiled the new logo for the GFA at an Award
Ceremony held in February at the Grenada Trade Center Annex
in St George
Cheney Joseph President of Grenada FA
Joseph used the opportunity to appeal to the association and
its affiliates to assist with the rebranding of the ninety-oneyear-old entity in an effort to make football development the
focus heading into the future.
turnaround, persons within the association must play a role in
repairing,” he stated.
In his address, Joseph cited the lack of a proper club structure
as a major factor preventing the development of the game on
the island.
According to the former national player, “We have been calling
on our affiliates to embrace change, a necessary ingredient
for development. It is therefore my call to our clubs to fix that
which is broken.”
“As president of this association, I am mindful of the arduous
task of reshaping the GFA brand - a brand which was once the
envy of many other organizations when I was growing up,”
Joseph noted.
The GFA is an affiliate of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU),
Confederation of Central and North America Association
of Football (CONCACAF), and Federation of Internationale
Football Associations and (FIFA).
He challenged club administrators to do what is required to
take the sport forward on the island.
As the GFA celebrates its 91st year as an Association, the
number of affiliates has grown to thirty-nine members.
“During the past decade we have seen the demise of the
GFA’s brand, and this is a major worry. To make the necessary
9
Benbow moves
apace with USL Pro
contract
N
ational midfielder Cardel Carlus Benbow is climbing
his way up the football ladder by landing a professional
contract in the United States with third-tier outfit the
Harrisburg City Islanders in the USL Pro (affiliate to MLS club
Philadelphia Union) in Pennsylvania
Cardel Benbow
The nineteen-year-old Benbow has long earned national
recognition, having been an outstanding player for St George’s
College in the schoolboy Manning Cup competition, and for
local Premier League side Waterhouse FC.
“Coach Neville Bell has played a major role in my football
development as a player and my agent Kevin Cowan has
taken me to the next level of becoming a professional football
player,” Benbow added.
Waterhouse FC was a contender in the last CONCACAF
Champions League competition and Benbow was part of that
aggregation. He also had a stint with a Tampa-based outfit in
an Amateur League in Florida.
His main position as a player is on the wings, but he plays the
role of an attacking midfielder as well. Benbow also pointed
out that his main focus now is trying to reach the highest level
in football. When he is done with playing football his next
move would be to become a coach and focus on young players
who aspire to become professionals.
Benbow appeared in the 2011 FIFA Under-17 World Cup held in
Mexico where he helped to create history by assisting in the
netting of Jamaica’s first goal at that level. He later represented
the Jamaica Under-21 squad at the CAC Games in Veracruz,
Mexico, in 2014 where he scored his first international goal
against Honduras.
“My role model is Argentina’s football player Lionel Messi. The
most unforgettable memory in my football career so far was
when Jamaica qualified for the Under-17 FIFA World Cup in
2011.Signing my first professional contract this year is also a
memorable milestone for me. My worst experience in football
was when my team Jamaica failed to advance from the group
stage of the CONCACAF Under-20 championship held in
Jamaica last January.”
In January of this year Benbow represented his country at the
CONCACAF Under-20 Men’s Championship held in Kingston
and Montego Bay. He has also represented Jamaica at the
Under-17, Under-20 and Under-21 levels, as well as the Senior
Team in a friendly game against Japan.
“If for any reason I had the choice of playing another game I
would choose track and field because I think I’m pretty fast.
I use my right foot more when I am playing football but I am
aiming to get my left foot to the same level as my right. I have
some work to do,” Benbow said with a chuckle.
Benbow was born in Kingston, Jamaica and attended the
Waterford High School in St Catherine and the St Georges
College in Kingston. He played on the Pepsi and Manning
Cup teams of both institutions. He also played football for the
Waterford Football Club and the Portmore United Football
Club.
He added that his greatest challenge in the sport is trying
to maintain the high expectations of spectators and people
around him whenever he steps onto the field. However, he
said he like the pressure and uses it as motivation.
“I first started playing football after I was introduced to the
game by my older brothers,” Benbow told the BEACON. “I
found out then that I had a passion for the game and that I
could play it well and was selected to play for the St. Catherine
parish team in the U-13 and U-15 age groups.
“My football career has allowed me to travel all over the world
(Mexico, Finland, Venezuela, Japan, and United States). I’ve
met people from different countries and different cultures. As
a result, I’ve become a more informed person in every aspect,”
Benbow told the BEACON.
“My older brothers and uncles were very good footballers.
Maybe they could have become professionals but the
opportunities that are present today were not available back
then,” he explained.
10
For further information please contact the CFU General Secretariat,
Communications Department
The Towers - 10th Floor • 25 Dominica Drive, Kingston 5. Jamaica
Tel: +1(876) 754-4411 / 4657 • Fax: +1(876) 906-2973
Email: media@cfufootball.org, info@cfufootball.org
11