The Caribbean is well presented in the Federation of International Walking Football Associations (FIWFA) World Nations Cup scheduled between August 24 and 26 in Derby at St George’s Park, the FA’s national training centre in Staffordshire, England.
At short notice the Caribbean have entered two teams, one in the over 50 category and the other in the over 60 category. Walking Football has become a global phenomenon since its inception in 2011.
The tournament will have 16 countries competing in the over 50 category and 12 countries in the over 60’s. The Caribbean will be entering a team in each category of the 6-a-side tournament, and due to the short notice have had to select their team from first generation players in the Caribbean diaspora that reside predominantly in the United Kingdom.
The 24 players chosen—12 each squad—have roots from a good spread of the English speaking Caribbean. It is the ‘Walking Football Caribbean’s’ intention to use this competition as a platform to fully promote the participation of this sport throughout the Caribbean in what has become a global phenomenon since walking footballs has been created.
In the over 60 category the Caribbean team will be playing in Group B against Northern Ireland, Italy, Australia, Wales and the Czech Republic. Group A will be contested between hosts England, France, Basque Country, South Korea, Japan and Canada.
In the Over 50 category, the Caribbean team will play in Group B alongside Italy, Basque Country, Nigeria, Singapore, Jersey, Georgia and Japan. Meanwhile, Group A will be contested by England, Rwanda, Czech Republic, Egypt, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Wales and Australia.
The Caribbean said said it was well aware that the challenge ahead may on paper seem daunting,…“However, we can take our lead from the great West Indies cricket teams of the past and believe it or not, we do actually have an enviable track record that means we have to be taken very seriously,” the Caribbean Team said in news release.
The release further stated that The club team ‘Pele’s Pearls’, a Caribbean Walking Football Club from the Midlands, UK represented England in a previous world championship and won.
“Several of these players are in both squads. So, we go into the competition with high expectations and certainly not as underdogs,” the release further stated.
Over 50's Caribbean Players are: Andre Nolan, Otis Roberts , Terry Grant, Anthony Shillingford, Otis Morrison, Kenny Dyer, Brian Palgrave, Mark Taylor, Steve McDonald, Dave Wallace, Robert Wilson, Martin Myers, Team Coach - Shaun Merchant , Manager - Theo Burnett.
The Over 60 Caribbean Players are: Ken Guiste, Roosevelt Merchant, Larry Berry, Stephen Reid, Trevor Blake, George Evans, Des Cole, Mike Adams, Hallam Doyle, Colin Thomas (Replaced Howard Revan who's injured), Ian Ward, Steve Edwards, Team Coach - Mike Adams and Manager - Larry Simpson.
To follow Team Caribbean’s progress in the competition and to find out more about ‘Walking Football Caribbean’ visit www.walkingfootballcaribbean.org and also the Recast FIWFA channel, the home of International Walking Football, which can be found at: http://recast.tv/FIWFA.
Walking Football Caribbean said it would like to express a heartfelt thanks to sponsors Theo Burnett, Golden Krust franchise holder and Foundation Member (Atlanta) and a collaborating partner and aligned charity, the Jason Roberts Foundation who shares in the vision to see the game played wherever there are people of Caribbean origin for the health benefits that can experienced.
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