The week-long training camp for the Digicel Kick Start Footballers from the Caribbean – which took place in Sunderland AFC in September – played a vital role in supporting the development of football in the Caribbean by giving young footballers an opportunity to experience life in an English Premier League football club and be trained by some of the best football coaches in England, President Warner said today.

Following a very successful training camp in Sunderland in September, the eight talented young footballers selected by Digicel Kick Start Clinics Head Coach, John Barnes, to travel to Sunderland’s Academy of Light, have returned to their respective home countries with high hopes for their future football careers.

“Having an opportunity to work with such great coaches in the English Premier League has given these eight footballers valuable experience. If they continue to display such dedication and commitment, they could be the next members of the Soca Warriors or Reggae Boyz, so it is crucial that they put what they have learned at Sunderland’s Academy of Light into practice to continue developing their game,” President Warner said.

“My advice to these footballers now is to share what they learned with their home teams, continue to work and train hard and follow their dreams of being a professional footballer. The Caribbean has a wealth of talent and, with the support of Digicel – which supports football from the grassroots up – there is no reason why more Caribbean footballers can’t play in Europe,” President Warner added.

Six young footballers from the Central American leg of the Digicel Kick Start Clinics are currently training with Manchester City’s Academy, having been selected by Liverpool legend, Ian Rush.