Angus Eve, the newly appointed head coach of the Montserrat Football Association (MFA), says he is honoured to lead the Emerald Boys and is eager to help shape the future of football on the island.
“It’s a pleasure for me, and honour for me to be the new coach of Montserrat, and I wish to, really represent them in the right way that I’m supposed to,” Eve said during an interview with MFA media coordinator Keyola Greene ahead of the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup Qualifier matches.
A former Trinidad and Tobago international, Eve brings a wealth of experience to the role. “I represented my country for a very long time as a player… I also coached from under-17, under-20s, under-23s and most recently the men’s senior team,” he said. Under his leadership, Trinidad qualified for two consecutive Gold Cups and earned promotion to Nations League A.
Now, he sees Montserrat’s call as a full-circle moment. “Montserrat was my first game [when] I tried to be a national coach,” he recalled.
Eve is particularly motivated by the team’s current youth-oriented transition. “There’s a lot of young kids 22 years, 21-year-old kids and some even younger,” he said. “I’m known for building young teams and developing young players to be something, so that was very attractive for me.”
Describing himself as a disciplinarian who is “hardworking, dedicated,” Eve promised to give his all to the job. “Add one more [to Montserrat’s population] because I’m one. I’m gonna put everything that I have into this job,” he said.
However, he acknowledged the challenges ahead. “It’s very difficult… A lot of the guys are playing in the lower leagues, in the Conference League and stuff like that,” he said, adding that he didn’t select the full squad due to the timing of his appointment. “It’s a learning experience, me learning them, they learning me, but that is part of the process.”
One of the biggest hurdles is the team’s geographic dispersion. “It’s a massive challenge… Your players are based abroad,” Eve said. He suggested that future camps in England and outreach to the diaspora, including “very prominent players who played in top English teams” could help build cohesion.
With only 11 players available for the first training sessions, Eve admitted preparation has not been ideal. “It’s not ideal, especially when you have a new coach who’s trying to implement new things,” he said. “But I don’t complain… I think we have to be patient also, because we’re building a new team.”
He emphasised that commitment is key. “Commitment to want to come and represent the country… and then be brave, be courageous,” he said. “Our job as coaches is to enhance and develop that talent… to build a good squad.”
Despite limited time, Eve is encouraged by the spirit of the team. “So far, the three days I’ve been here with the group has been tremendous,” he said. “They seem like they want to learn, they want to represent their country.”
Trust, he added, is fundamental. “I don’t bullshit. I’m very honest and open,” he said. “We have to build trust in each other.”
On tactical direction, Eve said, “Every good house, you build it with a foundation, and your defence is always the foundation… But also we want to express ourselves offensively.”
While his current stint is short term, Eve is open to continuing if the vision aligns. “If they’re serious about that development, then I’m the right man for the job,” he said. “We gotta call the players, we gotta keep camps in England… go to the US and watch those guys. I believe that we can build a good team, a strong team that we could be proud of in the future.”
As for the fans, Eve had a clear message: “Obviously, I’m excited, you can hear it in my voice. I’m excited… Extremely excited about the opportunity. But we have to be patient.”
Listen to the full interview below.
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