Former pros among long list of quality applicants

FORMER professional footballers, including one who has played in the Premiership, are among the applications for the football development officer's job. Phil Corbet leaves the post at the end of this week and interviews for a replacement will start at the end of the month.

GFA secretary Matt Fallaize said there had been more than a dozen applications, but in the first instance only locals would be interviewed.

'It is fair to say that we have had some very good quality applicants from here and the UK and even as far afield as Canada.

'The interviews are on 26 July and those to be interviewed have already been notified.'

Fallaize said that a local would be employed 'if possible' but that the GFA want to make the right appointment and will not be rushed into a decision.

'Should we not appoint someone locally, we will have to go and look for a housing license and we've already made tentative enquiries.

'We would hope to get a short-term licence of three years.'

Fallaize added that all the UK-based applicants had been informed that the local contenders would be interviewed first.

Meanwhile, Guernsey's most qualified active football coaches are about to start their own academy.

'Educated Soccer' is the brainchild of senior island manager Steve Ogier and the new Junior Island coach, Paul Ockleford.

Ogier and Ockleford are current Uefa B licence coaches and have completed part one of their Uefa A advanced coaching licence.

Ogier said that the principle of the Educated Soccer scheme, which will run at Les Varendes three evenings a week during the school holidays, was for 'equal opportunity and fun in a soccer environment for boys and girls in school Years 4, 5 and 6'.

The island manager said Educated Soccer was being run for several reasons.

'We think we can offer quality coaching for the people who may be not involved at the Soccer School and we can help them to improve.

'We do it because we love coaching.'

Ogier was also honest enough to admit that the pair were using the scheme to offset their major financial outlay involved in becoming as qualified as possible.

'It cost us £1,600 for two weeks at Lilleshall, which we've already paid, and there will be another £1,600 to pay next May. Plus there is the time off work and the travel costs.'

Educated Soccer will be open to 36 for each of the three sessions with Ogier and Ockleford responsible for 18 each per evening.

On the FDO position Ogier said it was important to make the right appointment and there was no need to rush into one.

'If they appointed from outside of the island I would not be against it.'

n?ST MARTIN'S and North will kick off the new football season with the Martinez Cup clash st Blanche Pierre Lane on Wednesday, 18 August.

The first set of Priaulx League matches comes three days later with the following triple-header: Bels v. Rovers at the Track; St Martin's v. Sylvans at Blanche Pierre; and Vale Rec v. Rangers at the Corbet Field.

In a hectic start to the campaign two more Priaulx triple-headers are planned for the following week.