Davids: Caribbean football has potential

If you believe that the Caribbean can one day produce a World Footballer of the Year, then you share the same view as former Holland midfielder, Edgar Davids.

The Suriname born Davids, who has represented Holland 74 times, however, thinks that for this to happen, “more structures” have to be put in place.{{more}}

Davids, who rubber-stamped Digicel’s sponsorship, which will allow Caribbean people to view all FIFA events leading up to next year’s World Cup Finals in South Africa, made his views known at the Sandy Lane Country Club, Barbados, last week Friday.

Admitting that there is obvious talent in the region, Davids’ concern is “how do you cultivate that talent?”

“If you are a good player, you will be recognised everywhere….You have to know where you want to go,” he advised.

Davids is of the view that if Football in the Caribbean is to further take off, more emphasis should be placed on Football as “Football bonds people together.”

“Caribbean Football is developing, and there is potential but there must be more development in other things,” the 36-year-old Davids observed.

Davids advanced that to get to the next level, having players train three times a day is one requirement.

He said that Football must also be seen as priority for the advancement of the sport, but at present it is not so, as players still have to work at other jobs to make a living.

Known as the “Pit-bull” in his hey day for his robust tackling, Davids has taken a one year break from the professional game to focus on other areas.

At present he is part of a Foundation known as “Street Soccer”, which germinated in Holland and seeks not only to develop players’ raw Football skills but build respect and discipline, as well as promote the protection of the rain forests.

Street Soccer mainly captures players’ freestyle skills.

Davids, whose professional Football career has so far spanned seventeen years, has seen him play for AC Milan, Juventus, and Inter Milan in Italy’s Serie A, Barcelona, in the Spain’s La Liga, Tottenham Hot Spurs in the English Premiership and Ajax in the Dutch Bundesliga.

Davids is expected to become part of Digicel’s Football image landscape. (RT)