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Brazilian Academy courts Jamaican defender
LIVINGSTON SCOTT With Jamaica’s U-20 REGGAE BOYZ in Brazil
Thursday, March 24, 2011
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PORTO FELIZ, Brazil — Jamaica's Under-17 and Under-20 central defender Alvas Powelll is on brief trial stint with the Traffic Football Academy here.
The 16-year-old trained with the Academy's Under-17 squad yesterday and according to physical trainer and assistant coach, Rodrigo Dias, the young Jamaica defender made a very good first mpression.
Jamaica player Alvas Powell (left) trains with Traffic Football Academy on Wednesday. [Hide Description] Jamaica player Alvas Powell (left) trains with Traffic Football Academy on Wednesday. [Restore Description] 1/1
Dias said interest in Powell came about after he and Traffic's Under-17 head coach Fabio were talking with Luciano Gama, the Jamaican Under-17 physical trainer, and because the Under-17 squad only has 16 players presently, they are trying to add some more players to the outfit.
"Luciano told us about Alvas Powell so we had our first practice with him today (Wednesday) and we got to see him close up and the first impression was good, very impressive, actually," he said.
And though the big defender was here with the Jamaican Under-17 which qualified for their age-group World Champinship in January, Dias noted that neither he nor head coach Fabio has seen Powell before as they were not with the Academy at that time.
He pointed out that the staff is basically a new one, with Fabio joining the Academy in Febuary and him only three weeks now. However, because the academy has changed its philosophy from buying and reselling players to grooming young talent for the international market, the staff was rearranged to meet that objective.
"We've not seen him before, but Luciano spoke good things about him and he's just 16 and he's on the Under-20 national team... He's seem to be a prodigy, so we're taking a look at him," he added.
Dias, a former Miami FC's coaching panel member, explained that there are three components in soccer: the physical aspect — and Alvas has a good physical; the technical quality — and the youngster showed he is pretty good technically; while in terms of tactical awareness (which is positioning, movement and game intelligence), Powell would be examined in that regard later on this evening
"He's has a very good physical and he has good height; he is good in the air, as we did some technical specifics for the defenders with some headers and passes on the ground and technically, he seems pretty good, so this afternoon we're going to incorporate him a little into the tactical component and see how he looks there, but the first impression was very, very good," he reiterated.
He added that if they were to make a move for the player, Coach Fabio would have to give the approval first and then it would be passed on to the Academy's co-ordinator, who would make contact with the individuals responsible for Powell.
"But first we need to make a decision... so let just see if it's going to come about," he added.
Meanwhile Powell, who heard the news the evening before after training with the Jamaican outfit, was elated. He said after training with the Traffic squad yesterday morning, he was a bit nervous and although he could not understand what they were saying, he eventually caught on when they gave him instructions.
"...I feel real happy because I have come a far way and didn't expect anything like this and although it's my first session with them, I know that I could make it here; I just have to put out the hard work," he said.
"... If they really select me it would mean a lot, but I'm not getting carried away because nothing has happened as yet, but if it happens it would really mean a lot to me training and building my skill in Brazil," he added.
Jamaica Under-20 physical trainer Luciano Gama said that although he was the one who recommended Powell, it was left up to the Academy to have a look at him because they showed the interest.
He noted that the squad will leave Brazil tomorrow for the CONCACAF final-round World Cup Qualifiers in Guatamala and if Traffic Academy admires and wants the player to continue with them, they would have to go through the general secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), Horace Reid.
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Some of the coaching staff at Miami FC and Traffic Sports are familiar with Jamaican players as they spent time working with some of former national team players such as Wolde Harris, Omar Cummings and Sean Fraser.
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Alvas keep working hard my yute the road has just start and dis would only be a scholarship NOT a professional contract.....we now have u17 ballas training in Jamaica, England, Canada, USA, Spain and Brazil.
not sure how I feel about traffic academy. obviously a very good experience for Alvas, but I wouldn't want to see him sign with them. Look at the gale agbossoumonde saga with traffic. This academy wants to do what's best for them, not their players.
not sure how I feel about traffic academy. obviously a very good experience for Alvas, but I wouldn't want to see him sign with them. Look at the gale agbossoumonde saga with traffic. This academy wants to do what's best for them, not their players.
GALE AGBOSSOUMONDE
Full name: GALE AGBOSSOUMONDE Age: 19 years Position: Defender Current Club: Estoril-POR Birth 17/11/1991 Age 19 years Place of birth Syracuse-NY-EUA Nationality North American Passport - Height 188cm Weight 84 kg
Current List of players under Traffic Sports Management
I have to agree with menamejrgong's wariness about Traffic. You get the sense that they're operating almost like a pimp in their treatment of Agbossoumonde, almost to the point of breaking his spirit.
I'm not exactly sure what kind of arrangement the JFF has with Traffic, but I just don't think they should entrust young Alvas Powell's future to these guys.
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The surest sign other intelligent life exists in the universe is that it hasn't tried to contact us.
I heard Capt Burrell addressing the question of how it was made possible for 2 age group teams to be housed, fed and trained with such limited federation resources. He then alluded to the fact that we have people in high places that care about Jamaica.
Is it tit for tat and the JFF will indeed be indebted to Traffic academy by making players available in exchange for further favours. Obviously bargaining power in the interest of any player would be non-existent making this a dangerous prospect for our most promising footballers.
That is why it is so important for players to have good representation, if any deal is to be bartered with Traffic Academy solely by Burell and Reid Alvas corner's daaaak.
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Our Horace Burrell and Horace Reid are trying to get Portmore United to become part of the the Traffic Sports affiliated which currently include Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina Railhawks, Estroil and Deportivo Brasil.
What I do know is the Director of Soccer at Traffic Sports USA/Ft. Lauderdale Strikers is a big believer in Jamaican players, especially forwards.
What Traffic is doing is taking in the best young players they can get, developing them and grooming them and then offering them to the big sides in Europe; if the players do not develop as planned, then they keep them for their own teams and sell them on where and when they can.
Manchester United has an agreement with them for 3 young Brazilians; in Brazil, young players are not legally allowed to leave Brazil until they are 18 years old so Traffic is acting as a middleman in getting these players who become of legal age into Holland, Belgium and the other EU countries where they can play and qualify for an EU passport.
Jamaica has to be very careful with its players because this was the plan for Jason Morrison, Woolry Wolfe and the other yute...
Obviously this has not happened for Morrison, otherwise he would not have needed a work permit to play for Leeds United, that was ultimately turned down.
These youth age Jamaican players parents need to speak to their own legal representatives and make sure their yutes are protected by ironclad agreements before signing anything with anyone, least of all, Horace Burrell and the JFF.
I am not sure why anyone here is suprised about the Traffic Sports of the world. If you follow football you will know that this is "new normal" for slavery around the world. There are thousands of Africans on the streets of Europe who were chewed up and spat out. Some were very lucky because they had resources that could bail them out of the "contracts" that they signed.
Landon Donavon for example, signed a SIX YEAR contract with Bayern as a 16 year old and when things went sour, folks had to intervene to get him out of his ironclad deal. There are african kids/teenagers on the streets of Belgium who are afraid to go back to Africa because of the "shame" of letting their families down. Everything is not rosy and the parents/guardians need to play an active role in the lives of these boys. Football is a brutal business and some folks are only concerned about the 90 minutes or so that they see the players. When Jermaine Taylor walked out on the Harbour View machine some of us called him an idiot.....but...only he knows why he walked. Other players had their contracts voided by mutual consent but they were the other lucky ones. There are clubs/management companies out there that will destroy the player rather than let him walk away.....The dirty business of football is not different from the dirty music industry. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ not people.
_________________________ "Money doesn't change men, it merely unmasks them." - Henry Ford
I heard Capt Burrell addressing the question of how it was made possible for 2 age group teams to be housed, fed and trained with such limited federation resources. He then alluded to the fact that we have people in high places that care about Jamaica.
Is it tit for tat and the JFF will indeed be indebted to Traffic academy by making players available in exchange for further favours. Obviously bargaining power in the interest of any player would be non-existent making this a dangerous prospect for our most promising footballers.
That is why it is so important for players to have good representation, if any deal is to be bartered with Traffic Academy solely by Burell and Reid Alvas corner's daaaak.
J. Taylor brought it all of himself still. Good thing thing is H View and them never let out some of the things that the man was demanding to the public LOL
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Stop spread rumor, all the youth was asking for was better payment. At the time certain players were getting a big slice while nuff of the younger players salary couldn't compete. JT felt it would be cheaper not to travel and play in Kingston. You think St.Georges paid him a whole lot?
I am not sure why anyone here is suprised about the Traffic Sports of the world. If you follow football you will know that this is "new normal" for slavery around the world. There are thousands of Africans on the streets of Europe who were chewed up and spat out. Some were very lucky because they had resources that could bail them out of the "contracts" that they signed.
Landon Donavon for example, signed a SIX YEAR contract with Bayern as a 16 year old and when things went sour, folks had to intervene to get him out of his ironclad deal. There are african kids/teenagers on the streets of Belgium who are afraid to go back to Africa because of the "shame" of letting their families down. Everything is not rosy and the parents/guardians need to play an active role in the lives of these boys. Football is a brutal business and some folks are only concerned about the 90 minutes or so that they see the players. When Jermaine Taylor walked out on the Harbour View machine some of us called him an idiot.....but...only he knows why he walked. Other players had their contracts voided by mutual consent but they were the other lucky ones. There are clubs/management companies out there that will destroy the player rather than let him walk away.....The dirty business of football is not different from the dirty music industry. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ not people.
There are times when the parent/guardian should be kept away, because they are looking on young "Skilla Dee" their meal ticket for the rest of their lives.
I am not sure why anyone here is suprised about the Traffic Sports of the world. If you follow football you will know that this is "new normal" for slavery around the world. There are thousands of Africans on the streets of Europe who were chewed up and spat out. Some were very lucky because they had resources that could bail them out of the "contracts" that they signed.
Landon Donavon for example, signed a SIX YEAR contract with Bayern as a 16 year old and when things went sour, folks had to intervene to get him out of his ironclad deal. There are african kids/teenagers on the streets of Belgium who are afraid to go back to Africa because of the "shame" of letting their families down. Everything is not rosy and the parents/guardians need to play an active role in the lives of these boys. Football is a brutal business and some folks are only concerned about the 90 minutes or so that they see the players. When Jermaine Taylor walked out on the Harbour View machine some of us called him an idiot.....but...only he knows why he walked. Other players had their contracts voided by mutual consent but they were the other lucky ones. There are clubs/management companies out there that will destroy the player rather than let him walk away.....The dirty business of football is not different from the dirty music industry. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ not people.
There are times when the parent/guardian should be kept away, because they are looking on young "Skilla Dee" their meal ticket for the rest of their lives.
Jackhammer are u serious bro. At this age 16 -17 Parents should be involved every step of the way. We not talking about Cattle or sheep we talking bout Human.. I would rather see the kid sent to Valencia Academy there another Jamaican player (kaya Beckford) there just think spain is not quite the wild place that Brazil is.
Bredrin, what I am saying is that there are irresponsible parent/guardians who are looking out for themselves first and the pickney later. Just drop some dollars in front of their eyes and they will sign away their rights. And do not think that the JFF will be looking out for the yutes interest either, CAPO and Reid will be looking out for their pockets first.
This question is to all the ites, with the present JFF (mis)management, would you allow your son to go to there academy and you have no control of life.
