Barbados Beach Footballers Are So Bad
As most people in Barbados are fully aware the standard of football on the island is real bad. I thought us Scots were bad at football, but at least we have made an improvement over the last few years and we have a tiny glimmer of hope that things are headed in the right direction. I just wish I could say the same for Barbados.
It was just the other day when one of my Bajan relatives said that us Scots were as useless the Bajans at football. I would just like to put the record straight, Scotland are in a different league and class compared to Barbados.
In my time here in Barbados, I have watched a couple of matches and I can honestly say that they do seem to enjoy there football and they sure do try there hardest. And you have to give them credit for that.
I watched a bunch of locals playing beach football the other day at Silversands and these guys were a sorry and desperate bunch of footballers. But at least they played there football with a smile on there faces, which was a refreshing site.
Just to put the record straight for the family member! Scotland are ranked 24 and Barbados are ranked 120 by FIFA. Hopefully Barbados will get there act together and start improving and maybe start getting some decent results. I suppose passing to the same member of your own team would be a good start!
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I play here on the island and while it’s true that a population of 285,000 can’t compete with a country that has 5 million more people, the weather here makes playing a lot more inviting. You should also consider that a population that only just exceeds Dundee has to play on terrible pitches, often with a cricket crease down the middle. You try controlling a football that bounces on uneven concrete and you’ll see what skill does exist. I’m sure little Brabados would be happy to play Scotland at cricket anytime, despite having 5 million people less! Having watched Herts bv Hibs on Setanta yesterday, the difference between the two is not as far as you think judging it on one match.
You have a fair point, but I would hazard a guess and say that both Hibs or Hearts or for that matter any Scottish Premier league team would quite frankly give the Barbados national team a football lesson. I think in that match you had two teams both too scared to lose, which can sometimes happen in local derbies, or it can go the other way and there can be a cracker of a game.
I would agree that skill does exist but for a country like Barbados, to be just slightly ranked above a country like Haiti in the FIFA rankings is a joke. The point I suppose I was trying to make is that the whole football system in Barbados needs to be addressed and the people involved in running the sport need to get a grip of things, or probably sacked. Maybe a little bit less Government money needs to be spent on Cricket and horse racing and some more should be spent on the grass roots of the football system in Barbados, there is more to sport than just two sports.
I was wondering if Barbados has a woman’s football team, I couldn’t see them listed in the world rankings. Now that is job I could see myself doing and enjoying.
In Scotland and 95% of the rest of the world tiddlywinks ranks higher than Cricket as something to participate in or watch. In fact by the recent performances of the West Indies as far as cricket is concerned it looks like the glory days of the past are a long way off.
From what I have seen so far there are quite a few youngsters that are full of enthusiasm for football, but they need some proper guidance and training to take them on to a higher level. Barbados sure does have the potential to become a much better team. I don’t even think David Thomson would have to spend too much of the Governments money to take things on to a higher level. A few decent pitches, some proper coaches, and maybe some glasses so you guys can pass to the right player……
I agree that money needs to be spent on local football, particularly on pitches. Lighting is also a problem for night games. They use 20w bulbs when 80w are required. I see the Scot is upset when comparing cricket! The same for mentioning Haiti. The population there is so much more than here. I’ve watched 1st 2nd and third division football from Scotland and the teams would be lucky to match the premier league here. As to the women’s team, yes there is a league and a national team. Some of the players have already moved onto USA college teams. Football is the way forward for the young people in Barbados. It’s more popular than cricket and since Sky/Setanta games are on TV here, we can all see the English premier league regularly. There’s a whole team of Bajans playing professional football in the UK and Ireland. Our very own former National goalkeeper here used to play for your Livingston FC.
I must admit the Scottish 1st and 2nd division teams are pretty dire. But again nowadays any really talented youngsters are snapped up by the English teams, while they are still at school, because we cannot compete in the slightest bit with English teams financially and the deals that these guys offer the young kids. This I feel has had a massive effect on the standard of football in the lower divisions. Also most lower ranked teams back home are struggling like crazy financially and haven’t the money to buy or pay the wages of decent players.
I mentioned Haiti basically because the country is one of the poorest nations in the world and I would hazard a guess and say their problems are even worse than in Barbados as far as pitches are concerned. I feel the problem in Barbados is the fact the Government needs to take the blinkers off and start moving forward with things and helping to develop sports which offer a huge amount of enjoyment for the people playing the sport, as well as watching and of course, especially the youngsters with the potential to go on to a bigger stage, and hopefully make some good money.
I have seen some of the youngsters playing football with the shirts of their favourite English teams on and I feel there is quite a few that have the potential to go on to a much bigger stage if they get the right coaching while they are young. They sure have the enthusiasm and the desire for football and above all else they enjoy it.
I didnt mean to talk bad about my fellow countrymen, but Malaysian football scene nowadays is pretty infamous too..
Truth is Bajans can’t play football period. Maybe one or two but no we aint good at the sport.
For us to get far, our youths have to be trained from young both psychologically and skillfully.
We have a different mind set. lol