Action Gets Underway Today.
WITH just hours before the Phillip Marcellin Grounds in Vieux Fort comesalive blaze, the St. Lucia Football Association is appealing to St. Lucians to come out and support the home team in the defense of their title as the Windward Island’s Senior Men’s Football Tournament kicks off this evening.
In today’s double header from 5.00 p.m. Grenada plays St Vincent and the Grenadines, but the atmosphere is expected to raise a few notches as defending champions St. Lucia takes on Dominica from 7:30 p.m.
On Monday morning, the technical staff and members of the national football team paid a courtesy call on Minister for Youth Development and Sports Shawn Edward. In addressing the players the Minister said: “The fact that you are in this room this morning means that you are amongst the best that our country has to offer where football is concerned and with that selection comes a tremendous responsibility.”
He continued: “It does not matter who you are, where you come from, how long you have been playing or whether you are playing professionally or an amateur, coming from one of the pocket communities in St.Lucia. Yours is a very serious role. You are representing the hopes and aspirations of 175,000 people and what you do out there ought to be a reflection of our people. No one individual is bigger than the team, you are playing as a unit, the rules that govern the team must be rules that everybody would be willing to abide by”.
Edward noted that year St.Lucia won eight sub regional championships. He added: I am happy that the national senior football team was one of the teams that brought us glory. This year you have to retain that championship, is not optional and there is added pressure on you in that at the age group level we have been doing well. We all know of the exploits of our Under – 17 national team both at the CFU and CONCACAF level last year and again in 2015 and so we are expecting you as their senior counterparts to go out there and continue that momentum for the national team and for yourself”.
The full St. Lucia squad reads : Sheldon Emmanuel (Captain), Jamil Joseph, Lester Joseph, Tremain Shayne Paul, Kurt Fredrick, Shervon St. Prix, ZaccheusPolius, Dwight Degazon, John Perry Joseph, MelaniusMullarky, David Henry, Randy Joseph, Erickson Reid, Alton Roberts, Everton Lambert, Emmery Edward, Troy Greenidge, Sabbatus Hunte, Romiel Felix and Eden Charles.
The tournament continues on Thursday from 6:00 p.m when Grenada plays Dominica and St.Vincent and the Grenadines against St.Lucia from 8:30 p.m. On Saturday 16, from 6:00 p.m. Dominica plays St.Vincent and the Grenadines and St.Lucia against Grenada from 8:30 p.m.
