By Neto Baptiste
Future combines hosted by the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) could include players from neighbouring Caribbean islands.
This is according technical director and former national player Sowerby Gomes who said colleges and universities would want some level of guarantee regarding the quality of players that would be presented during an annual combine.
“Certainly, once per year would be important but if we go forward on a yearly basis or to have it once per year, then surely we would have to invite our neighbours to strengthen the product because after a year or two most of our best would be away, and in order to make the product a viable product then we would have to invite our neighbours from St Kitts, Anguilla and reach across the waters and bring them over,” he said.
Gomes said that although a recently held combine catered exclusively for Antiguan players that the country would not be in a position to constantly provide that level of quality for an annual event.
“The strength of a combine is basically the players in the field and if the coaches are going to put their time and effort to look at a particular area then they would want to make sure that what they are looking at is worth it,” he TD said.
Just 24 hours following the combine held December 12-14, a total of 18 offers had already been made to a number of players with Gomes expecting well in excess of 30 offers from the near 70 coaches and scouts who would have attended the event whether physically or via the virtual platform.