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By Neto Baptiste
Manager of the Wadadli Jets FC, Wayne Hewlett, is hoping that the 11 young players headed for the UK on a one-month stint and tryout with the FCV International Football Academy, will grab the opportunity with both hands.
Speaking ahead of the party’s departure for the UK on Thursday, Hewlett said the goal is to provide the opportunity and the experience, but it is the players who must put in the work and want it badly to enough to make it happen.
“We can only push you thus far and you can try and do the rest for yourself, so once we can get them into FCV, into the senior set-up, then they can work their way up. Also, they are going to meet people from all over the world because it’s an international academy. Last year, they had [players] from Korea, China, Italy, the Bahamas,” he said.
The contingent includes five players who had a similar stint last year when they travelled under the Soccer Academy banner. They are Ivan Grant (defender), Keyondre Hewlett (forward), Kamari Hewlett (defender), Terell Duberry (defender) and Teeray Layne (goalkeeper).
Players travelling to the UK stint for the first time are Terroy Pond, Ezekiel Clarke, Taijah Christian, Nicholas Clarke, Imani Joyce and Malik Williamson.
Hewlett hopes the experience will be a life altering one for the young players.
“These kids are getting the opportunity so that, basically, they can see what the professional life is about and this is not a two weeks thing because we are paying for a whole month. Sending the kids off for a two-week trip, as soon as you look around it’s done. What we are looking at, is a situation where the kids now are getting to see two professional stadiums; get to walk through and do everything just like the players and they also, at FCV, have a professional set-up because they have a senior team also and an Under-23 team,” he said.
FCV International Football Academy is listed as the UK’s first private football academy, providing academic football courses for aspiring footballers aged between 14 and 21.
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