By Paul Nicholson
15 November – The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and Major League Soccer (MLS) have signed a partnership agreement in Antigua that will showcase young Caribbean football talent to the MLS and give the players the opportunity to progress towards professional football in the US. “This provides an opportunity to get our best young players on to the professional ladder. It is the start of an initiative to develop the standard of football across the region,” said CFU president Gordon Derrick.
The first MLS Caribbean Player Combine will take place in January 2-5, 2014 at the Antigua Recreation Grounds, and will include training sessions and games against local clubs. This is the first initiative of its kind in the Caribbean.
Elite players aged 18-22 will play in front of MLS scouts, the best players being invited to the annual adidas MLS Player Combine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, later that month
“It is important that we involve all 31 of our Caribbean federations,” said Derrick. “Federations will be invited to nominate their top two players for the Combine.”
There is no limit on the number of players that could progress from the Caribbean. “There is no number set that will qualify,” said Derrick. “The MLS is looking for the best and if that means 10-15 players then good. If it only means one then that would be disappointing but it would show we need to work harder,” said Derrick.
The Caribbean Combine will not be open to Caribbean players who are already at college in the US, “they will progress through the college system. This is designed for Caribbean players based in the Caribbean.”
MLS Technical Director Alfonso Mondelo, acknowledging the talent within the region and that it was a region underserved when it came to scouting, said: “Quite a few players have played, continue to play in the MLS and have done so successfully. Now we are looking forward to the next generation of players who will be coming in. As MLS moves forward we have a mission of being one of the top leagues in the world by 2022,”
Recently there has been talk of a professional Caribbean league and CONCACAF has already stated that it is to announce a task force to look at the development of a league. “We are all advocates for a professional league in the Caribbean,” said Derrick. “I believe it is likely to take two or three years at the earliest so we need to do something to bridge the gap. We need to get our players plying their trade.”
There were 25 players from the Caribbean on MLS rosters during the 2013 season (not including players from US Territories in Caribbean), with Jamaica having the highest number of representatives at 15.
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