BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - AFTER a successful hosting of the 2014 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) the “sizzling sexy summer of sport in St. Kitts and Nevis” is set to continue as the St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) is slated to host Group 6 of the Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU) Men’s Caribbean Cup.
Team St. Kitts and Nevis will host St. Lucia, Dominica and Guyana on September 3, 5, 7 as all make an effort to move on to the 2014 CFU Caribbean Cup final round in Jamaica
Speaking at a press conference yesterday (Aug. 19), President of the SKNFA Anthony Johnson gave details of the tournament and urged Nationals to support the home team.
“This tournament here in St. Kitts and Nevis comes on the heels of a sizzling sexy summer of sports in St. Kitts and Nevis. It so happens that we have as one of the teams, the Guyana National Team and I am advised that the population of Guyanese in St. Kitts and Nevis is extremely high…but we would want to believe they would be coming out to support their home.
“I would want to urge the nationals of St. Kitts and Nevis to come out and support their home team as well.”
He added that patrons can anticipate a quality product on the field with high levels of excitement and set a target of the home team emerging as the group’s winner.
“We expect the level on the field will be of great quality but in addition, we want to guarantee to our patrons a level of excitement, a level of entertainment that will be unsurpassed in terms of football in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“We expect that St. Kitts and Nevis will come out on top of the group and it is important that we have our nationals coming out to come with your flags, come with your rags, come with anything that you can to support your national team.”
Head Coach Geoffrey Hazel gave an overview of how training has been going and is expected to name a final 20-man squad in the near future.
“We started preparation some eight weeks ago following the completion of the Premier League. Currently we have 25 local-based players that are a part of the squad. In a matter of one week we will be able to cut the squad down 20 players. We expect to have our overseas-based players joining us in a week’s time.
“Preparations have been going well so far and we have been working alongside the under 20s as they have a tournament in a matter of weeks.”
He also stated that the likes of Atiba Harris, Devaughn Elliott, Julani Archibald and Romaine Sawyers are amongst the overseas players set to return for the tournament.
The Head Coach said he aims to win the group and also qualify for the Gold Cup.
“It is our intention to win this group and advance to the next stage. We intend to get to the Gold Cup we want to take it one step at a time and advance from this group.”
