FIFA Youth World?Cup?2013 is the goal of the coach of the national Under-17 football team, Kenville Layne.
Layne left the island on Tuesday for a ten-day coaching stint in Germany and Holland, organized by the World Class Coaching organization and former head of the Ajax Youth Development Programme, Jan Pruijn, in conjunction with the Dutch Touch.
His stint will encompass observing coaching sessions while interacting with coaches from professional Dutch clubs such as Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord, and former German champions Schalke.
A selected Eredivsie game will be viewed as well so the coaches will have a hands-on look at the “finished product” after a week of training.
Layne believes this tour will provide him with further knowledge and the experience needed to go to the next FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
He did the country proud by guiding Barbados to the final stage of the CONCACAF Zone and Layne believes the current crop of footballers, who are now in training for the Under-17 campaign, can go one step further to the big stage.
With the qualification campaign beginning in a couple of months, Layne sees the timing of his assignment ideal as it would prepare him for the challenges ahead.
“I am going with an open mind to grasp as much knowledge as possible, so that it can benefit these guys and the team,” Layne said.
With the Barbados Football Association preparing three teams for competition (Under-17, Under-20, Senior Men’s), Layne conceded that the BFA?was not in a financial position to send a team to such a tour.
“I know it is quite difficult for the association to send this entire squad (Under-17) to such a tour, so I decided I would make the trip and come back with as much knowledge as I possibly can and share it not just with my team but to all who are interested,” he said.
Layne conveyed thanks to all who assisted him in arranging the trip.
