DigicelFootball.com
* “The Digicel Caribbean Cup is the only tournament where we have the opportunity to come up against our fellow Caribbean players,” Thomas Jordan, Coach of Barbados National Team
Wednesday, October 6th 2010 – Kingstown, St. Vincent: The teams have assembled; the match commissioner has taken charge of players and officials are now all set for the Group B kick off of the Digicel Caribbean Cup 2010 at the Victoria Park in St. Vincent and the Grenadines this evening.
Barbados, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, and hosts St. Vincent and the Grenadines will square off as they seek supremacy in this Group over three days of matches – each of which will be a double header on October 6th, 8th and 10th.
The biggest concern at the moment – as expressed by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation President, Joseph Delves – is the weather. Over the weekend, heavy downpours from a tropical system in the area hampered the field and the player’s preparation, leaving match officials and players to hope that it will ease off for the next few days.
At a press conference to introduce the teams yesterday, the Barbados team coach, Thomas Jordan, said; “The Digicel Caribbean Cup is vital to Caribbean football as it’s the only tournament where we have the opportunity to come up against our fellow Caribbean players.”
He admitted that his team’s preparations were not what he had hoped because of the rains and said; “We have been training for two months but the recent heavy rains have affected our training significantly over the last few days.”
Coach Jordan is taking some solace in the fact that the current Barbados team represents over 95% of the team which played in the 2008 Digicel tournament. In spite of the lack of full preparation, Coach Jordan said; “We will do our best to put on a good show.”
Coach for host team, ‘Vincy Heat’, Mr. Sammy Carrington, said; “Good displays of football can be expected from the team – and we have three overseas players who have returned for the Digicel Cup.”
The St. Kitts and Nevis coach, Clinton Percival, said; “Whenever we meet with either St. Vincent and the Grenadines or Barbados, the matches are always competitive and we’re looking forward to an equally competitive Digicel tournament this year.”
Digicel St. Vincent and the Grenadines Country Manager, Sonia Polius, said; “As part of our promise to give back to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Digicel is delighted to be hosting Group B of the Digicel Caribbean Cup 2010 and bringing the excitement of the beautiful game to our customers. We would like to thank the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation for partnering with us again to make this year’s tournament even bigger and better.”
The winner of Group A – which will be determined tonight in Puerto Rico – and the winner of Group B will both advance to second round Group E which will be held in Grenada from October 22nd to 26th.
Boasting the largest cash prize for football in the region, the Digicel Caribbean Cup 2010 kicked off in Puerto Rico on October 2nd before moving on to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Groups C and D will take place in Suriname and the Dominican Republic respectively to complete Stage One. Some of the higher ranked teams – Cuba, Guadeloupe and Trinidad and Tobago – will join the tournament in the qualification stage playing across three host countries including Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda.
The eight best teams from the region will play in the finals in Martinique for the title of Digicel Caribbean Cup champions 2010 and walk away with US$120,000. Runners up will take home US$70,000 and third and fourth place winners will win US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively. The top four countries will also advance to the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States.
Group B Fixtures
Wednesday 6 October
1. Game 1 – 6pm St. Kitts and Nevis vs. Barbados
2. Game 2 – 8.30pm St. Vincent and Grenadines vs. Montserrat
Friday 8 October
1. Game 1 – 6pm Barbados vs. Montserrat
2. Game 2 – 8.30pm St. Vincent and Grenadines vs. St Kitts and Nevis
Sunday 10 October
1. Game 1 – 6pm St. Kitts and Nevis vs. Montserrat
2. Game 2 – 8.30pm St. Vincent and Grenadines vs. Barbados
