Caribbean Life, November 13-19, 2020 35
Bajan footballers
stalled at home
By George Alleyne
As COVID-19 continues to
make a casualty of some sports
and athletes across the world,
three Barbadian footballers have
to languish at home while professional
try-out opportunities
abroad go a-begging.
The island’s Nation newspaper
has reported that the youngsters,
Niall Reid-Stephen, Roshon Gittens,
and Abiola Grant, all junior
players, at this time were to be at
European clubs showing off their
skillsets with an eye to possible
call-ups for professional play.
“The players were supposed
to go out of the country on
stints, but due to COVID-19
they cannot travel right now.
We will have to wait and see
what happens but the players
were set to leave for sure. We are
waiting until things are better
and get safer with COVID,” the
paper reported Barbados Football
Association (BFA) technical
director, Ahmed Mohamed,
saying.
“We are still in contact with
the clubs at the moment. Everybody
understands that the players
are not travelling right now.
The interest in the players is still
there for sure. The boys are still
playing and training every day.
Unfortunately, the virus came
and it is out of our control,” he
added.
“It is a case where our footballers
must just keep working
hard so when the day comes,
they can be ready. We are preparing
the players mentally
towards that especially.
“Right now Europe is the best
destination for some of our best
young talents.”
The BFA is meanwhile not
leaving the young players idle
and in addition to taking them
through their paces daily is preparing
them for the new and
different circumstances they
will enter when the pandemic
is over.
“Once you leave Barbados and
go into a totally different environment
you will get a culture
shock and we want to avoid that.
We have to prepare as much as
we can so the players can integrate
into the new environment.
We are … teaching the players
what they have to know in order
to adapt,” Mohammed said. Youth footballer, Abiola Grant, (R) in recent action. Photo by George Alleyne
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