Enters Ezra Hendrickson

As was announced formally last week, Ezra Hendrickson has been appointed head coach of the Senior Men’s St Vincent and the Grenadines Football team, christened “Vincy Heat”.

Hendrickson takes over from Theon Gordon, who served in an interim capacity for about 18 months.

Gordon took charge following then head coach Kendale Mercury’s, decision not to enter into any contract negotiations with the Cark Dickson Executive.

Gordon had dual roles; he is the Director of Technical Matters of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF).

The youngest to hold either position in St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Football landscape, Gordon must be highly commended for attempting to clear a new pathway for the sport locally. His tenacity to have our coaches certified at the best level relative to their competencies, has been one of Gordon’s highlights during his tenure thus far, having stood in the gap until things were sorted out. The Otashie Spring-led Executive of the

SVGFF, continued in the vein of keeping it local, hence, the advent of Hendrickson.

Hendrickson, 52, was born in Layou, but migrated at the age of 13 to the USA. It was in his adopted homeland that he learnt most of his Football, rising from a professional player to a head coach of a Major League Soccer (MLS) Club.

Critically to St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Football, Hendrickson is no stranger. He captained Vincy Heat for most of his tenure as a senior national player, between 1997 and 2008.Additionally, Hendrickson, who hails from Layou, had a brief stint as Assistant Coach of Vincy Heat in 2015.

More so, he returns to the land of his birth regularly, therefore he has an idea of the ins and out, the nuances, the football politics, the lack of resources and all the other disparities between the USA set up and that of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

But there will not be much time for Hendrickson to bring his 15 years of coaching experience to the fore locally, as Vincy Heat goes straight into Concacaf Nations League action on September 5 versus Bonaire in Bonaire, and three days later, challenges Montserrat also in Bonaire.

These two matches would be ice-breakers and not an acid test for Hendrickson. Accordingly, given the circumstances and the current state of affairs of our football, no one should look for instant results from Vincy Heat. Neither should we look at the turning of corners immediately as there is much to fix, reconfigure, recalibrate and reassess.

To add to the mix, Hendrickson’s appointment is short term, with a view towards possible extensions as time progresses.

As the details are worked out, it is for Hendrickson to stamp his philosophy on his charges. Already, Hendrickson has made his intent and objective clear, that his mission is to win matches. He, like anyone else knows, it will not be an easy road, first to get the desired results, as well as pleasing his employers, the unforgiving Vincentian football public and the sport loving people in general.

Like all of his predecessors, Hendrickson, apart from that buy-in from the players, has to get the support of the men and women who occupy portfolios on the executive committee of the SVGFF.

They have to provide him with the basic tools of the trade, and other support structures if advances have to be made during his stewardship.

Likewise, Hendrickson has to reciprocate, being cognizant of the constraints, he has to apply reasonableness, be adaptable and realistic in the circumstances.

In short, he and the decision makers of the SVGFF, all have to be singing the same football melody. Success in Football is not like buying a red-belly cake; It is not cheap. All the best Mr. Ezra Hendrickson as you set out to leave an imprint on St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Football, bring hope to the youths that you mentor and more so, to the country of your birth, St Vincent and the Grenadines.