The following article was done by Beverly Melbourne from cayCompass.com , Melbourne interviewed Bermuda Football Association’s Technical Director Derek Broadley.
Technical directors including Broadley representing football associations from 22 countries participated in a three day FIFA/CONCACAF technical directors’ seminar recently, hosted by the Cayman Islands recently at the Westin Casuarina Resort and Spa on Seven Mile Beach.
Broadley, the formerly of the USL’s Reading Rage, and former Crystal Palace Academy coach in the UK was part of a mass rebuilding process when he arrived in Bermuda.
He said: “It is very pleasing that FIFA/CONCACAF offered this course which has been long overdue. The course shows the intent to professionalise the role of technical directors which will in time; improve the development of football making it more important in the Caribbean.
“It’s a think tank that has unearthed many issues to be addressed by the technical gurus of the Caribbean. I have learnt a lot of new things and got ideas of some of what goes on in other Caribbean countries.
“I now have a firsthand understanding of how FIFA/CONCACAF operates and learnt how fortunate Bermuda is in comparison with other Caribbean Islands.
“The success of this course will be what happens next. I believe all technical directors should communicate with each other and produce a willingness to share ideas bringing more countries together with a common good, shifting from competitiveness to development which can only be helpful for football.”
According to Broadley Bermuda is blessed with better recourses and some excellent facilities. “Bermuda is self-sufficient as the Government and FIFA has helped the country to have top of the line facilities. This type of opportunity has improved the training attitude and the interest of the players.”
“In an effort to get the sport to the highest level, the Government of Bermuda has committed $15m to football over a five year period and although the global recession has affected the flow of the funds in some aspects the commitment is still in place.”
Broadley added that Bermuda Football Association worked with the Bermuda Hogges taking over administration and player selection. “We played 16 matches against USA Under-23 leagues and wrote four levels of coaching courses. This is an expansion of our efforts to develop our team to become one of the best over a set period of time.”
Referring to football in the Cayman Islands he praised the Girls Under-17 programme pointing out how these girls excelled to become CONCACAF icons.
“These girls played well and did extremely well by creating history representing the Cayman Islands for the first time at this level. Our last outing against the Cayman Islands senior team was also impressive and shows that Cayman is developing fast.”
Broadley explained that the Bermuda Football Association gets full support from the Government and sponsors, as well as grants from FIFA. With this type of funding the association is able to implement strategies that envision long-term plans for improving competitiveness of Bermuda football.
Strategies such as organizing competitions, player development, physical infrastructures, security, administration, marketing and having adequate resources has been developed in close consultation with stakeholders throughout the Bermuda Football community, and the focus of these strategies will see Bermuda football competitiveness improve significantly by 2014.
Women’s football under this strategy has improved and although the programme is still fragile, and at risk of regression, improving the competitiveness at all levels is going on.
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