Coaches embrace All Windward Football Competition

The coming on stream of an All Windward Football Competition has been embraced by coaches who see it as a good run out ahead of the more competitive National Inter Community League Championships.

Expressing their opinion on the competition last Sunday were the coaches of North Windward, Stubbs, Marriaqua and North East.{{more}}

Coach of North Windward Otashie Spring told SEARCHLIGHT: “It is a competition that we totally embrace … We are grateful for it … It gives us the opportunity to meet some high-level competition and serves as good practice going into the inter league competition.”

Looking ahead to the national championships, Spring commented: “It is about basically applying the many lessons that have been learnt from the 2014 stint….Our first goal is to make it out of the group stage, as North Windward has never come out of the preliminary round.”

Spring, who first coached North Windward last year, revealed that it is his ambition to carve out an upward path for his team.

Sharing similar sentiments was Cetroy Wilkes — the head coach of the Stubbs outfit.

“We are thankful for this All Windward League so that the players can be exposed to matches for the national tournament. … We are using this as a training ground,” Wilkes stated.

Wilkes said that he is optimistic that the players who would be appearing for Stubbs in the national championships are good enough to take the title away from Barrouallie.

Meanwhile, Yosiah Dascent, who is the man in charge of the Marriaqua squad, noted: “We are using this competition to expose many of the youths in Marriaqua; we are also using it as preparation for the inter-league tournament, so that players could be match fit and ready for the hectic inter league.”

And, coach of North East, Raymond Nickie, was more boastful, stating that his team is not only using the All Windward Competition as practice, but fancies chances of winning as well.

“It is basically giving us the much needed practice, as we would be playing at a higher level… We expect to do well, even win the competition….

“My players are not 100 per cent fit, but they are playing and working hard and with more games should be totally fit when the inter-league comes up,” Nickie projected.

The competition began in earnest also on Sunday, with North East overcoming Marriaqua one-nil, compliments a Kevorn Cuffy second half free kick.

Greiggs, Calliaqua and Brighton are the other teams contesting the All Windward Competition.

The National Inter-Community League is set for kick off February 8 at the Victoria Park.(RT)