West Indies national football team

The West Indies National Football Team is the team that represents the West Indies. It is not a member of FIFA, CFU or CONCACAF, but is a member of the N.F.-Board, an organisation for teams who are not members of FIFA. They were admitted to the N.F.-Board as a provisional member in 2013.[1]

West Indies Football Association
AbbreviationWIFA
Formation2013
TypeSports
PurposeFootball
Region served
West Indies
Membership
NF-Board
President
James Baird
AffiliationsNF-Board

The West Indies FA will use Caribbean players from all over the world who have not played with their national team and give them the opportunity to represent the West Indies and let them experience international football.

The West Indies FA or WIFA will initially be based in Trinidad and Tobago and were scheduled to play in 2014's Viva World Cup.[2] Unfortunately, due to the short timescale afforded them, they were unable to take the field. However, over the long term, their ability to pick players from any of the Caribbean countries should emerge with a strong team.

History

There have been many attempts to put a West Indies football team together but in the past they mostly failed although there was the British Caribbean Football Association established in 1957 and played various matches as the select team from the Caribbean mostly against English opposition.

Modern Era

Re-imaged in 2013, the WIFA organisation will play at various levels and encompass all forms of association football. Although a regional squad has been formed, matches have yet to be played as the team head coach assesses the current crop of players.

Due to the nature of the organisation, players from across the region have the opportunity to participate on a world footballing stage where perhaps they wouldn't be offered that chance with their home nation.

West Indies national football team
First international
WIFA Pirates 5–4 Petrotrin Sports Club
(Trinidad and Tobago; 17 January 2015)[3]

The development squad, WIFA Pirates played their first ever proper match on January 26, 2015 in a friendly match against Trinidad and Tobago Football Association side Petrotrin Sports Club, winning 5–4.

WIFA will also host a Futsal team based out of London, UK.

Current Management

WIFA have formed a group of executives, all of whom have been brought together, working in various fields, heading towards achieving the same goal.

NameRoleNationality
James BairdPresident
James BairdHead Coach
Bill AlsobrookVice-President
John FurlongSecretary
Justin LallFinance
Debby Ann Ojar-BairdDirector/ Attorney-at-Law
Marc RosebladeMedia/Website
Nathan LangaigneAssistant Coach
Clinton LewisCoach
John SimeGoalkeeper Coach
Robert BrassettFutsal Coach
Erik KlintScout Have left the FA
TBAPhysio
West Indies national football team
First colours
Second colours

Team colors

The WIFA will play its home matches in a blue and yellow kit and away matches in a red and yellow kit.

WIFA Squads

National Squad

As of 20 January 2015

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK  SCO James Baird
GK  CUB José Manuel Miranda Boudy
GK  FRA Paul Nephtalie Decimus
DF  ENG Jerel Ifil
DF  ENG Kirkie Thomas
DF  COL Milton Correa
DF  ENG Keon Richardson
DF  CAN Clint Crouch
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF  COL Julio Fernandes De La Roas
MF  SWE Jonathan Grannum
MF  ENG Jamie Barnwell-Edinboro
FW  BLZ Colville Richards
FW  TRI Keston Raphael
FW  SWE Jade Grannum
FW  MSR Jaylee Allen Hodgson
FW  ENG Craig Matthews

Local Squad (WIFA Pirates)

WIFA partnered [4] with Texas Premier Soccer League club side Galveston Pirate SC on August 20, 2014. The partnership between both clubs saw the introduction of the WIFA Pirates, which would act as the WIFA development squad.

{-} Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth. Squad correct as of Jan 26, 2015.

No. Position Player Nation
Goalkeeper Daniel Ringis  Trinidad and Tobago
Goalkeeper Joshua Lamb  Trinidad and Tobago
Defender Andrew Thomas  Trinidad and Tobago
Defender Nixon Thomas  Trinidad and Tobago
Defender Haylon Martin  Trinidad and Tobago
Defender Shakir Thompson  Trinidad and Tobago
Defender Jaheil Austin  Trinidad and Tobago
Defender Gavin Luke  Trinidad and Tobago
Midfielder Francis Rojas  Trinidad and Tobago
Midfielder Lannel Hamilton  Trinidad and Tobago
Midfielder Kevon Smart  Trinidad and Tobago
Midfielder Joel Melville  Trinidad and Tobago
Midfielder Brendon Romero  Trinidad and Tobago
Midfielder Stephen King  Trinidad and Tobago
Midfielder Kelson Wilson  Trinidad and Tobago
Midfielder Marcus Alexander  Trinidad and Tobago
Midfielder Darrion Bernard  Trinidad and Tobago
Midfielder Khaleel Reid-Devonish  Trinidad and Tobago
Midfielder Jerome Thomas  Trinidad and Tobago
Forward Erik Ranoo  Trinidad and Tobago
Forward Runako Vincent  Trinidad and Tobago
Forward Tacuma Sadlow  Trinidad and Tobago
Forward Jeron Melville  Trinidad and Tobago
Forward Keston Raphael  Trinidad and Tobago
Forward Lannel Hamilton  Trinidad and Tobago
Forward Kareem Alleyen  Trinidad and Tobago
Forward Che Edwards  Trinidad and Tobago
Forward Javan-Marc Joseph  Trinidad and Tobago

Futsal

The West Indies Futsal team is based in London UK where many of the West Indies Futsal player participate in the UK leagues. The team is headed by Englishman Robert Brassett and continues to grow since its start in 2014.

Results and fixtures

Recent results

21 January 2015 Friendly match WIFA Pirates 5–4 Petrotrin Sports Club Santa Flora, Trinidad and Tobago
18:00 Che Edwards x 3
Tacuma Sadlow
OG
Report Stadium: Petrotrin Compound

References

  1. NF Board. "NF Board Membership". Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  2. T&T Newsday. "VIVA World Cup". Retrieved April 11, 2014.
  3. Galveston Pirate SC. "WIFA partners with Pirates". Retrieved August 20, 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.