BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - WITH the local football season set to kick off in two weeks, executives from the St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) have briefed their sponsors and potentials clients on what to expect for the next 12 months - both at the club and international levels.
Over the last 12 months, the local football community has been celebrating the successes of the Sugar Boyz with their ascendency in the international football rankings.
The team climbed the ranking with several victories over the last year and made it its highest rating of 80 in the world. This results in them being 7th on the CONCACAF ranking and third in the CFU sub-regional rankings.
On Friday (Aug. 19) at the Ocean Terrace Inn, the SKNFA held a breakfast briefing for marketing managers to highlight some of the achievements that the governing body for local football has made in recent times.
Over that time the President of the SKNFA, Anthony Johnson, told the corporate representatives that for the first time the Federation made the journey to Europe and played in two friendly international games in November last year.
He reminded that with one win and a loss, St. Kitts and Nevis was the Caribbean nation to walk away from European soil victorious.
“Our last five internationals have resulted not only in wins for the Sugar Boyz, but in that process, we have not given up one goal. We have been ensuring that our defense is extremely strong,” said Johnson.
The President reiterated that the current goal for the National team is for them to reach the finals of the Caribbean Cup and book a spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2018.
An optimistic Johnson said the team is poised to achieve that dream with the assistance of the corporate community and the citizens and residents of the Federation.
“It is going to take quite an effort, but where we are now is that we are scheduled to play in the third round of the CFU men’s tournament in October this year, against French Guiana in French Guiana on the October 8th, and against Haiti here in St. Kitts on the October 11th.”
He explained that if the Federation’s unit were to top that group, they would qualify for the CFU Finals, but also for the “prestigious CONCACAF Gold Cup”. And should that take place, it would be for the first time in St. Kitts and Nevis’ football history.
Additionally, he disclosed that the male U-20 team was also successful in their recent quest in the first round of the CFU tournament, when they beat their Jamaican counterparts and topped their group.
With that victory the team qualified for the final round of the tournament in October Johnson noted, but he lamented that there is a joint need from St. Kitts and Nevis in order for the teams at all levels to move forward.
“It is clear that football in St. Kitts and Nevis is on the rise. But it is a sport that cannot continue to rise without the partnership of the public and private sector.
The 2016/2017 National Bank Premier League kicks off on September 3 at the Warner Park Football Stadium.
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