NORMAN FORDE could still feature in Barbados’ future football plans but certain matters needed to be resolved.
That’s the word from chairman of the selectors Sherlock Yarde as he explained why the 33-year-old former national captain was omitted from the initial 35-member Barbados training squad for the upcoming 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign kicking off in June.
“It is not age. There are things outside of being able to play good but the good thing about it is that the coach (Colin Forde) and the assistant coach (Thomas Jordan) still think that Norman Forde can be an asset to the Barbados national team,” Yarde told NATIONSPORT.
“I’ve watched Norman Forde play and I think he is still a very good player but there are things outside of football that need to be dealt with and we have decided that we will convene a special meeting with Norman Forde and sort out certain matters that need to be sorted out and then take it from there,” Yarde said.
Ability not all
“I don’t think that anybody will query Norman Forde’s ability but as you know in sports, ability is not all. But I can assure you that all things being equal, that Norman Forde will be a part of the campaign,” Yarde added.
He said it was the view of the entire selection panel, which includes Jordan, Under-17 coach Kenville Layne and coach of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) football programme, Asquith Hamlett-Howell that Barbados “need to build a team” as they were all aware of Forde’s ability.
But new national coach Colin “Potato” Forde said while he had no problem with the players selected, some adjustments would be made.
“The list here that has been compiled by the selectors, is one that we will revisit. I’ve spoken to chairman of the selectors about the make-up of the squad and he has given me the assurance that I can request any player that I see fit to come into the squad,” Forde said.
“I was not part of the initial selection committee but after being appointed as the coach and looking through the list, there were some players that I felt that we might need to call and the chairman has given his blessings,” added Forde.
“This list is not in concrete. We will have to introduce players.
As we go through a transition, trying to build a young team, we must still have some experienced players among these youngsters to guide them,” he reasoned.
Forde said he was happy that some Under-17 players have been invited to national training.
“How are they going to get experience if they don’t get the opportunity to come and play at a higher level? I must say that I’m glad that we have some Under-17 players in the squad because I too, when I was first brought into the senior national team, I was given the opportunity at 17 years old to play,” he recalled.
“These 17-year-olds have the opportunity now to show what they can do.
It is a list (of players) that can be improved and it will be improved but at the moment, this is what the selectors select and I will go with it until I see fit to add or take away from the list,” Forde contended.
