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Valencia CF announced that their coaching staff will be in Jamaica for a camp and will play a friendly versus MLS newcomers Philadelphia Union in Chester,PA.
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Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer
Andre Virtue, a founding member of the Next Generation Pro Baller Easter Football Camp, said he was impressed by the skill level, but expressed concerns about the attitude of youngsters who are looking to earn a training camp spot at Valencia, one of the top football clubs in Spain.
"I have seen a lot of abilities here, but what I am concerned about is their whole professional attitude towards the game," said Virtue, the camp's technical director.
"We want to showcase the best that we have at the Valencia camp and so we will be looking for those players who possess the ability, attitude and the tactical awareness while they are out there playing," he said.
Good turnout
Over 55 youngsters from the Corporate Area turned up on Saturday at the Liberty Academy on Hope Road to display their skills with the hope of being selected for one of five spots to attend the Next Generation Pro Baller Easter Football Camp, which will be held from March 28 to April 1, at Sabina Park in Kingston.
The trial sessions, sponsored by telecommunications company Claro, were held under the watchful eyes of Virtue and Jamaica Football Federation talent scout, Patrick 'Jackie' Walters.
The camp was the first in a series which will be staged across the island to select 100 youngsters for a camp that will be held by the Valencia coaching staff.
Professional attitude
"I am pleased with what I have seen because it is also an opportunity to talk to the players and let them know that the professional level requires a different level of attitude," noted Virtue.
The camp is the brainchild of Spanish national Victor Salazar-Chang, who has been residing in Jamaica for 20 years and owns Taino Trade and Investments Limited.
His has entered into a three-year contract with Valencia Football Club, from which 10 youngsters will eventually be drafted to go and practise with the Spanish giants at the club base in Valencia.
A second trial for the Western Confederation was held yesterday at the Urban Development Corporation playing field in Montego Bay.
You see this! It is a spanish national who has seen the potential of our kids and although great if an outsider does not step up we cannot get off the ground. Who is going to benefit financially from this? Victor of course because he has a contract. Why can't the PLCA find a deal like that to export players from the under 21 league.
You see this! It is a spanish national who has seen the potential of our kids and although great if an outsider does not step up we cannot get off the ground. Who is going to benefit financially from this? Victor of course because he has a contract. Why can't the PLCA find a deal like that to export players from the under 21 league.
What happen to Aaron Lawerence academy?
A Spanish national living in JA for 20 years, not exactly an ousider.
Carter, Its a free market! No one is stopping JA nationals from getting in the BUSINESS!
Why dont you go get qualified as a FIFA approved agent and start a thing? Its not that hard...
Ericdread he is not quite an outsider but he is not quite a Jamaican he make his money and can go back to Spain anytime.If these kids were that great scouts and agents would be flocking the Island already. We need structure and proper coaching for our age group players then agents will be scouring the island.
Marklon I agree there is lots of talent.The clubs should be investing in these players and selling them. JJF select teams for FIFA tournaments the JFF do not develop talent for clubs.
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Valencia FC forge football ties with Ja
BY HOWARD WALKER Observer staff reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, March 26, 2010
ONE of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish football, Valencia FC, is hoping to use Jamaica as a feeding tree as they joined forces with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).
Pablo Mantilla, director of Valencia Foundation, the owners of the club, met with JFF boss and FIFA executive Captain Horace Burrell yesterday in a meeting which highlighted endless possibilities.
This will be the first time Valencia will be doing anything of this kind in the CONCACAF region, having previously done so in the United Kingdom.
"Our objectives is not to do a one training camp; we want to make a structure in Jamaica," said Mantilla in stuttering English at the press conference at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston.
"We want to spread the brand of Valencia around the world. This is the first step we make in a long relationship with Jamaica and the JFF.
"Why Jamaica? It is easy. We have felt the response from the kids, coaches, sponsors that it was necessary," Mantilla noted.
He added: "The training camps will be for the kids in the morning and the coaches in the afternoon," he noted.
Victor Salazar Chang, who grew up in Spain of a Jamaican mother and who was instrumental in bringing Valencia to Jamaican shore, said with the present economic financial crunch, Valencia is investing in Jamaica.
"Valencia is developing an academy because of the economic problem in Europe, so Valencia is using Jamaica as a feeding programme," he explained.
Burrell chipped in: "We spoke about that in length. Once the talent is found here they would do everything to have that person in Valencia."
The youth training camp will begin this Saturday with five Spanish coaches conducting procedures alongside Jamaica's Andre Virtue at Sabina Park.
Approximately 100 Jamaican youngsters between the ages of 12 and 18, and 50 local coaches, will get an opportunity at the Next Generation Pro Baller Camp.
Once that is finished on Thursday, three players will be identified and will earn the chance to attend a club camp with Valencia from June 27 to July 3.
"The possibilities are endless; it's a brilliant initiative. We're hoping that this relationship will grow from strength to strength and that Jamaican football will be he winner in the long run," said Burrell.
That relationship could also foster an opportunity an international friendly between the Reggae Boyz and Valencia and at a very long shot, World Cup favourites Spain, according to Burrell.
"There will be other possibilities, maybe a friendly international with Valencia club, or maybe Spain... Reggae Boyz up against Spain," he said.
"There are no promises, but we have begun discussions to make some of these a reality," said Burrell.
Valencia is one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish football. They have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups -- which was the predecessor to the UEFA Cup -- one UEFA Cup, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, two UEFA Super Cups and two Spanish Super Cups.
They have also reached two UEFA Champions League finals in a row, losing to La Liga rivals Real Madrid in 2000 and then German club Bayern Munich in 2001.
In the all-time La Liga table, Valencia are in third position behind Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. In terms of international titles, Valencia are again the third most successful behind Real Madrid and Barcelona -- these three being the only Spanish clubs to have won five or more international trophies.
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The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has entered into an agreement with the Valencia FC Foundation in an effort to strengthen their footballing ties with the Spain La Liga club.
Details of the of agreement were announced yesterday by Pablo Mantilla, director of the Valencia FC Foundation - which owns the La Liga side - along with president of the JFF, Captain Horace Burrell, at the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston.
Mantilla, who is in the island on a four-day visit, said he is looking forward to working with the JFF to help to develop the sport in Jamaica.
"This is the first time that Valencia football is having a camp like this in the Americas and we have done camps in the United Kingdom," said Mantilla. "But why Jamaica?
"It was very easy because we felt the desire that Jamaica is the right place to have it and the response from our coaches and sponsors was great," Mantilla added.
Easter camp
Valencia's continued involvement with football in Jamaica will continue this weekend, with the staging of the Next Generation Pro Baller Easter football camp, which will run from March 28 to April 1, at Sabina Park in Kingston.
The camp will be staged under the guidance of three coaches from Valencia's football academy.
Burrell said the agreement will not only open doors for Jamaican footballers wishing to ply their trade in Spain, but it will also help the development of the sport in the country.
"The Jamaica Football Federation is just about to commence the construction of our training centre. In conversation with Mr Mantilla, he has agreed to assist with technical assistants and other possibilities and this is great news for us," said, Burrell.
Playing for Valencia
"We have also discussed the possibilities of at least one Jamaican playing for Valencia and those possibilities are now going to be real, in the same way as our players ply their trade in England," Burrell noted.
The JFF president added: "The fact that Valencia have a sound investment in Jamaica means that they will now be able to look at our talent to see if anyone is capable of playing football in Spain, which will be another market open for Jamaica."
Burrell said Mantilla and himself have also discussed the possibility of the Reggae Boyz opposing Spain in a friendly international in the near future.
The camp is the brainchild of Spain-born Victor Salazar-Chang, who has been residing in Jamaica for 20 years and owns Taino Trade and Investments Limited.
Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa Del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups - which was the predecessor to the UEFA Cup - one UEFA Cup, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, two UEFA Super Cups and two Spanish Cups.
Lincoln I am not sure that is acurate. That is great news if Valencia is going to run the academy that is exactly what we need with our financial situation.If Valencia can find 2 players each year it is a win for everyone. The JFF job is not to develop talent therefore this a solid move because now we have a top professional club that will be scourng our school boy league for players with potential. If it bear fruit then you never know Barcelona might get jealous.
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Originally Posted By: jamatl
Valencia FC forge football ties with Ja
BY HOWARD WALKER Observer staff reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, March 26, 2010
ONE of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish football, Valencia FC, is hoping to use Jamaica as a feeding tree as they joined forces with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).
Pablo Mantilla, director of Valencia Foundation, the owners of the club, met with JFF boss and FIFA executive Captain Horace Burrell yesterday in a meeting which highlighted endless possibilities.
This will be the first time Valencia will be doing anything of this kind in the CONCACAF region, having previously done so in the United Kingdom.
"Our objectives is not to do a one training camp; we want to make a structure in Jamaica," said Mantilla in stuttering English at the press conference at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston.
"We want to spread the brand of Valencia around the world. This is the first step we make in a long relationship with Jamaica and the JFF.
"Why Jamaica? It is easy. We have felt the response from the kids, coaches, sponsors that it was necessary," Mantilla noted.
He added: "The training camps will be for the kids in the morning and the coaches in the afternoon," he noted.
Victor Salazar Chang, who grew up in Spain of a Jamaican mother and who was instrumental in bringing Valencia to Jamaican shore, said with the present economic financial crunch, Valencia is investing in Jamaica.
"Valencia is developing an academy because of the economic problem in Europe, so Valencia is using Jamaica as a feeding programme," he explained.
Burrell chipped in: "We spoke about that in length. Once the talent is found here they would do everything to have that person in Valencia."
The youth training camp will begin this Saturday with five Spanish coaches conducting procedures alongside Jamaica's Andre Virtue at Sabina Park.
Approximately 100 Jamaican youngsters between the ages of 12 and 18, and 50 local coaches, will get an opportunity at the Next Generation Pro Baller Camp.
Once that is finished on Thursday, three players will be identified and will earn the chance to attend a club camp with Valencia from June 27 to July 3.
"The possibilities are endless; it's a brilliant initiative. We're hoping that this relationship will grow from strength to strength and that Jamaican football will be he winner in the long run," said Burrell.
That relationship could also foster an opportunity an international friendly between the Reggae Boyz and Valencia and at a very long shot, World Cup favourites Spain, according to Burrell.
"There will be other possibilities, maybe a friendly international with Valencia club, or maybe Spain... Reggae Boyz up against Spain," he said.
"There are no promises, but we have begun discussions to make some of these a reality," said Burrell.
Valencia is one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish football. They have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups -- which was the predecessor to the UEFA Cup -- one UEFA Cup, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, two UEFA Super Cups and two Spanish Super Cups.
They have also reached two UEFA Champions League finals in a row, losing to La Liga rivals Real Madrid in 2000 and then German club Bayern Munich in 2001.
In the all-time La Liga table, Valencia are in third position behind Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. In terms of international titles, Valencia are again the third most successful behind Real Madrid and Barcelona -- these three being the only Spanish clubs to have won five or more international trophies.
Need a new industry or two real bad bad bad.
Good move towards improving local standards.
We should try win Caribbean Cup with only locals.
They say La Liga in one of the more technical leagues around.
Physical football infrastructure for the most part is basic at best.
Need good facilities to attract pre-season clubs and such. It'll be higher end market also.
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Martin Davis is U-13 4 MVP to Valencia
MARTIN!!! They say a young one will lead us and today he did, 12 year old Under 13 Captain, Martin Davis was the first of 3 boys selected as a MVP at the inaugural Valencia Soccer Camp at Sabina Park, he was awarded a Trophy, $50,000 from Scotia Bank and the rare opportunity to travel to Spain to train with the 3rd Place La Liga giants Youth Academy later this year.
Congrats Martin, his Mother Dianne and Father's who have always supported him, they were all on hand to join in along with our 10 HVFC Players and 4 Coaches including his U-13 and U-15 Coach Sydney McFarlane, who was doing the Coaching Course.
Off course his specialist Trainer Ludlow Bernard was immediately called to join in the celebration with the parents...we all took a group photo to circulate soon, while TV Interviews were the order of the day for celebrity Martin...go champ, you thoroughly deserve for your hard work, talent, discipline and commitment.
Coach Theodore Whitmore, boasted openly to having picked him out on sight in training.
Thank you to TSA for paying for half of his Camp Fees
That would be a great move for Daley. Im glad to see Valencia will be in the Champions League next season. But, it's gonna be hard for them to replace David Villa though.
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hursday, July 29th, 2010
From Jamaica to Valencia … Football Ambassadors, Martin and Kaya, Make Jamaica Proud in Valencia Jamaican scholarship winners pose with Valencia coaches. L-R Raymond Andrada, Martin Davis, Kaya Beckford and Toni Hernandez.
Jamaica’s Ambassadors to Spain, Martin Davis and Kaya Beckford, who spent the last week at the Valencia Football Club Summer camp, have returned amidst rave reviews about their performance and the athletic abilities of Jamaican footballers in general. Davis and Beckford, who received scholarships for the camp after participating in the Next Generation Valencia Easter Football Camp in Jamaica this year, play for St. Georges College and Glenmuir High respectively. Davis is also Captain of the Under 12 team at the Harbour View Football Club.
The Valencia CF 2010 Summer Camp covered various training concepts and trained and evaluated the youngsters in offensive and defensive tactics, individual and collective techniques, use of both feet, coordination, focus and behavior. They also had the added fortune of training with the First Division Football Coach, Unai Emery, and being in Spain for the much anticipated World Cup Finals. “It was an amazing experience that I will never forget….I made so many friends…I can’t wait to go back and perhaps one day play for the Valencia Football Club,” says Martin. His mother, Dianne Edwards, was equally impressed, “It was an experience and an opportunity of a lifetime for Martin. The organization of the camp and the levels of discipline and professionalism were impressive and the boys naturally fell in line. What also stood out for me was the wide mix of camp participants from across the globe and the strategies taught, for example the boys were always encouraged to work as a team and to keep the passes short.”
The Next Generation Camp, staged by Jamaican partner Taino Trade and Investment Limited, is part of the Valencia Football Club’s ongoing efforts to promote the club internationally. According to Taino Head, Victor Salazar-Chang, “It is a remarkable opportunity for Jamaican kids not just to benefit from Valencia’s know-how and strategies on local soil but to travel to Spain and participate in the Club experience first-hand. Additionally, we are working on opening up the opportunity to even more kids as we expect Valencia CF to set up a permanent school in Jamaica in a few years. Our two ambassadors have made us proud and have really paved the way for some exciting developments that will be announced shortly.”
The internationalization effort has already seen the establishment of the first official Valencia school outside of Spain in Kobe, Japan, and camps in Scotland and Wales. A second school is slated to be opened later this year in Cairo, Egypt. Jamaica has already hosted one of its three scheduled annual camps and the Valencia CF has committed to establishing a permanent Campus in Jamaica in 2013.
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Meantime, three other players, goalkeeper Andre Blake -- now in Trinidad and Tobago with the Reggae Boyz -- winger LeVaughn Williams and defender Keithy Simpson also went on a one-week trial stint with Spanish giants Valencia FC. Murray said they represented themselves well. "It was an experience that anybody would envy," he said. "Just to be in that environment for a week; it was fantastic.
"What was fantastic about the whole thing is that our guys went up there and matched up. Andre Blake was fantastic and he was (in my opinion) a notch above the other keepers who were in his age group.
"But going there, we realise very quickly that their selection process is very rigid and we couldn't have gone there expecting something overnight, but I know that they left an impression," Murray said.
