16986: Vilaire: Re: 16984: Haitian soccer and youth development (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Vilaire@aol.com

It's hard to argue against Corbett's point regarding the rigors of modern
football and the value of systematic youth programs (à la Bobby Duval) rather
than the haphazard pick up games in Champs de Mars and the Plateau.
Unfortunately, there's no way in hell Haiti will be flushed with youth soccer programs of
that nature any time within the next 25+ years. Fortunately, it's also NOT true
that Haiti needs to rely solely on such programs to develop quality players
and a quality team.

The poorest of African countries -- some poorer than Haiti, with absolutely
no youth football programs to speak of -- continue to offer vast numbers of
quality players to the Premier League, La Liga, Le Championat, Serie A, the
Bundesliga: Mali, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Benin, Congo, Liberia ...  To say
nothing of the more "developed" African countries like Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal,
Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa. Remove players from these countries, the
French League is crippled, the English Premier league lacks quality, Italy's
Calcio becomes even more dull. The past two football Olympic gold medals were
won by African countries: Nigeria in Atlanta, Cameroon in Sidney; Africa got
silver in Barcelona. As for the World Cup, it's only a matter of time, say
Nigeria champs in 2010. You heard it here first, folks! The vast majority of these
African players did not start out as pre-teens learning their crafts in
European football programs -- or any program for that matter. Their dazzling
dribbles and killer tackles were developed on dirt, uneven pitches. Yet, they've
blossomed into world class footballers.

My point is Money ain't everything. In football, passion for the game and
total conviction still count for something. How does a scrappy Haitian U-23 team
of amateurs compete against and dominate a well-oiled U.S. team, whose program
has more dead presidents than all of Haiti? How does a poor country like
Senegal spank a G-8 frat boy like France at the World Cup? Haiti will never have
vast amount of resources to put into football (nor would I want it to).
However, Haitians are mad for the sport on par with any other. I don't propose that
Haiti rely on this raw talent and passion alone; we need a well-thought out
program to harness the talent and put the little resources we have to maximum
effect. In the meantime, we'll be hoping for more Bobby Duvals. Go Haiti!

Marx-Vilaire