BERMUDA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION P O Box HM 745 Hamilton HM CX Tel: 441-295-2199 Fax: 441-295-0773 www.bermudafa.com

February 2nd, 2010 PRESS STATEMENT

CLYDE BEST INVITATIONAL YOUTH TOURNAMENT

On February 12th, 13th and 14th top level international youth football will be on show at the National Sports Centre. The 4th Annual Clyde Best Invitational Football Tournament will feature two of the world’s renowned football Academies. United Academy of the UK and A.S. Saint-Etienne of France will compete against Bermuda’s finest young players involved in our National Academy Program.

The tournament is a celebration of the incredible legacy of our hero Clyde Best, ex-West Ham and Bermuda International football icon! The tournament is also an important key in the Strategic Plan of the Association which above all else provides the opportunity to prepare our youth players for upcoming CFU and CONCACAF tournaments, provides a barometer of where our National Academy players see themselves in relation to other football countries of similar age and continues to help build our ties with other top football programs.

There is no question that A.S. Saint-Etienne Youth Academy under the guidance of Director, Luc Bruder and Alain Blachon is one of the many outstanding Football Academies in France and forms the development program for the most successful Football Club in French Football History. In addition to winning 10 League Championships, St. Etienne has also won 6 French Cup Titles and 2 UEFA Cups. Some of Frances' most respected football players wore the St. Etienne jersey and the list includes French football legends Michele Platini, , , Aime Jacquet, and Dominique Rocheteau. All have represented France at the National level and several have gone on to become world class coaches.

Member of The Federation Internationale de Football Association Member of C.O.N.C.A.C.A.F. BERMUDA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION P O Box HM 745 Hamilton HM CX Tel: 441-295-2199 Fax: 441-295-0773 www.bermudafa.com

Similarly, West Ham United Academy is regarded as one of the most successful academies in modern football history; hence its nickname “The Academy of Football.” The introduction of the English FA’s academy system in 1998 placed significant emphasis on the development of young homegrown players and today the youth system at West Ham is more important than it has ever been. West Ham United can take pride in developing such top England internationals as , , , , and .

The tournament excitement begins as of Tuesday, February 9th with the arrival of West Ham United Academy while Saint-Etienne Youth Academy will arrive the following day on Wednesday, February 10th. The day tournament schedule is as follows:

Game 1 Friday, February 12 | 5pm Bermuda Red vs Bermuda Grey Game 2 Friday, February 12 | 7pm West Ham vs St. Etienne Game 3 Saturday, February 13 | 2pm Bermuda Red vs St. Etienne Game 4 Saturday, February 13 | 4pm West Ham vs Bermuda Grey Game 5 Sunday, February 14 | 1pm Bermuda Grey vs St. Etienne Game 6 Sunday, February 14 | 3pm Bermuda Red vs West Ham

For the first time in the tournaments history, the BFA is extremely happy to have the availability of two specialist practitioners for our Coach Education Seminars: Mr. Jacques Crevoisier and Mr. Tony Carr

Jacques Crevoiser has had a long and distinguished career at the club and national level. Crevoiser spent 12 years as a National coach with the French Football Federation at the famed Clairefontaine and won UEFA U-21 European Championships as the assistant to Gerard Houllier in 1996 and as the Head coach in 2000 and trained world class players

Member of The Federation Internationale de Football Association Member of C.O.N.C.A.C.A.F. BERMUDA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION P O Box HM 745 Hamilton HM CX Tel: 441-295-2199 Fax: 441-295-0773 www.bermudafa.com such as , , , , Nicholas Anelka and many others. He was also part of the French Coaching staff that won the 1998 World Cup. Jacques has also worked for UEFA’s Technical Department as a Senior Manager and continues to provide his expertise with in the UEFA framework.

Tony Carr, former player for West Ham and current Academy Director is directly responsible for developing some of the world’s best players in the English (EPL). For the past 27 years, he has devoted his life to the Academy and can rightly claim to be responsible for the development of world-class players such as Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and , just to name but a few.

The Coach Education Seminar will run from Wednesday, February, 10th – Sunday February 14th. Topics to be included in the seminars are: • The West Ham Way • Demonstration of structure in Academies and their goals • The implications for change from small sided football to the 11v11 games from the 4 cornerstones of development: Technical and tactical, physical, psychological and social • Transitioning from Youth to senior football

Practical sessions to compliment the topics will focus on: defending, team shape and games styles, finishing sessions and preparing teams for tournaments

Member of The Federation Internationale de Football Association Member of C.O.N.C.A.C.A.F.