‘SVG needs culture of change’

Head coach of Vincy Heat, Zoran Vranes, thinks there is a need for a culture change if this country is to realize its true football potential.

Vranes expressed the view that the current “culture” is impeding the sport here, and holds the view that this impacted on the team’s performance in the recent World Cup qualifiers and Digicel Cup. {{more}}

“Players need to be more disciplined,” Vranes observed. He recalled that during both campaigns he rarely had the full complement of players at training sessions.

The Yugoslavian, who was employed by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) last September following the sacking of Ces Podd and Aide Shaw, said that during the recent Christmas season, training was more or less non-existent.

Vranes singled out that the Tuesday prior to the return leg here against Trinidad and Tobago in the Digicel Cup earlier this month, six of the regulars in the starting 11, did not turn up to train.

Vranes, who has been living in the Caribbean for about 10 years, is baffled at this attitude. However, he acknowledged that this country possesses a wealth of football talent.

“There are good players here,” Vranes admitted.

He, however, reiterated that this talent must be harnessed in conjunction with a proper training regimen and “better discipline”.

Still struggling with his English, Vranes is proposing a four-year development plan, which will take this country into the World Cup qualifiers.

He is advocating a merger of some of the current Under-17 and Under-20 players, to blend in with some of those who will be still around in 2008.

The highly paid Vranes is likely to become this country’s technical director of football, as reports are that the SVGFF is satisfied with his tenure thus far. Vranes is paid US $6000 per month along with accommodation, transportation and part-coverage of his mobile telephone bill.

Under his charge, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has won six matches, lost five and drawn two.

Inclusive in this is the creditable 0 – 1 loss to Mexico, here October 10, in the World Cup qualification.

Many persons here are touting the team that participated in the World Cup qualifiers and the Digicel Cup as the best this country has produced since the much venerated 1979 squad.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines were ousted of the final round of the CONCACAF zone of the World Cup qualifiers losing to Trinidad and Tobago 2-1 in Port of Spain, November 17 last year.

Their exit from the Digicel Cup also came at the expense of Trinidad and Tobago. Vincy Heat lost the tie 3-2 on aggregate.