Ezra Hendrickson heeds national football coaching call

Former St Vincent and the Grenadines football captain Ezra Hendrickson will lend his expertise to Vincy Heat, as the senior men’s team prepare for their matches in round four of the CONCACAF Zone of the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers.

The encounters, against the USA on November 13 and November 17 against Guatemala,{{more}} will take place in Missouri, USA and at the Arnos Vale Playing Field, St Vincent and the Grenadines, respectively.

Current head coach at Sounders 2 in the United Soccer League, Hendrickson has been summoned to assist Vincy Heat’s head coach Cornelius Huggins. Indications are that he is expected in the state on October 17. The 43-year-old Hendrickson, who was born in the Central Leeward town of Layou, will cover for the team’s assistant coach Wesley Charles.

Huggins’ second man, Charles, suffered burns to his body on the morning of Saturday, September 12, allegedly during an attack while he was asleep at his Brighton home.

It will not be a new partnership for Hendric­kson, as he, Charles, Huggins and Burton Forde formed one of the most accomplished back fours that St Vincent and the Grenadines has ever produced.

The quartet comprised the backbone of the Vincy Heat outfit during the 2006 World Cup campaign, which to date is St Vincent and the Grenadines’ best showing in the World Cup.

Hendrickson’s professional footballer career, which spanned 18 years, has seen him trekking across the United States of America. During the period, Hendrickson got on the roster of Des Monies Menace, New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers, New York Metro Stars, Los Angeles Galaxy, Dallas Burn, DC United, Charleston Battery, Chivas USA and Columbus Crew.

After retiring in 2008, Hendrickson joined the back room staff of the Seattle Sounders, working as an assistant to first team coach Sigi Schmid, before being elevated to the head man of Sounders 2 in November 2014.(RT)