Montserrat’s young football players are currently without their weekly outlet as the grassroots programme has stalled.
Vice Chair of the Montserrat Football Association Ottley Laborde said there are no funds to run the programme, which allows more than 60 boys and girls aged seven to late teens to learn the game.
Laborde declined to respond to the reasons for the funding issue, considering that the MFA receives annual support from FIFA to the tune of US$250,000. The coach is also off island and is said not to be returning until given a green light by the MFA.
Last year, the MFA cancelled the planned summer camp in Guadeloupe due to the absence of a ferry. Since then, other issues including repairs to the road leading to the Blakes football field, the need for waivers for footballs and other equipment and now no money have kept children off the field.
The association also decided in 2016 to temporarily halt the national team training programme, again citing financial reasons as the main issue.
