Local game is in safe hands

Following last week's announcement of the new coaching teams for Guernsey representative teams at U16, U18 and U21 level, senior island coach Kevin Graham gives his viewpoint on the direction in which football is heading under Steve Sharman and Angus Mackay.

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YOU should all be glad that I'm not responsible for planning the development of football in the island as I really wouldn't know where to start.

I'm a coach and a former player, but I'm definitely not the right man to trust when it comes to youth development policy and implementation.

If I think back to my youth, I was incredibly fortunate to develop as a footballer in a youth system that was influenced by the likes of Dave Dorey and Martyn Le Prevost – two great football men who made it their life's work to give the best opportunities to young footballers in Guernsey.

While those two names are widely acknowledged, the island has had so many fantastic people working with or supporting young footballers in the island in my lifetime.

Terry Huelin, Geoff Tardif, Ivan De La Mare, Darren Le Tissier and Jim Kindred – they are just some of the names that spring to my mind who have in one capacity or another worked tirelessly to develop our young footballers in the last 30 years.