By Neto Baptiste
Coach of the Antigua and Barbuda Boys Under-17 Football Team, Auckland “Pin-up” Jarvis, said given the opportunity, he would seek to better prepare the young Benna Boys from a mental standpoint heading into a difficult Group E campaign in Guatemala.
Antigua and Barbuda emerged 3-1 victors over St Vincent and the Grenadines in the final group fixture on Sunday, finishing third in the four-team group. Jarvis said some players may have been mentally intimidated going into some games.
“Thinking that some teams are better than us and we can’t compete is part of the mental aspect I take away. We prepared basically, not to lose against those teams but I think mentally we could have changed that on the other side and say we were going out to win and what happens in the end if we don’t accomplish it by being too attacking. So that’s the mental part of it where I thought that as a coach, could probably be different,” he said.
Antigua and Barbuda started aggressively against the opponents and Brandon Satchell scored the opening goal in the 15th minute after breaking free on the right side of the penalty area and hitting a low effort into the far end of the goal.
Zibeon Cunningham struck from the top of the box in the 33rd minute to draw St Vincent and the Grenadines level, but a double from Greg Williams in the second half delivered the victory for the Benna Boys. Williams sent home a close-range header in the 66th before sending a second header over the goal line in the 74th.
Technical director, Sowerby Gomes, commended the players and coaching staff, following Sunday’s victory.
“The coaches had their work cut out for them to get the players up to the level they need to get to and at the same time, to make them not just go and compete in that game, but to compete to win in that game. And so I think a lot of commendations had to go towards the coaches and also for the players who would have had to put in the work,” he said.
Gomes added that he saw growth in the team while also pointing out the importance of being mentally prepared.
“Growth in the players, the growth in our coaches and the ability of the players to recognize that they can do it and it’s just a matter of a belief level. Most teams at this level would struggle with the mental [aspect] and that’s why the more and how well we can develop our coaches at that level is important, and knowledge can be passed on from the mental aspect to the players,” he said.
Team Antigua and Barbuda are slated to return on February 18.
Play concluded in Groups A, B, C, and E on Sunday with Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Haiti each securing first place in their respective groups and claimed their participation among the eight Concacaf representatives in the upcoming U-17 World Cup.
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