7 News Belize

FFB Enacting High Standards
posted (November 8, 2013)
Today, the President of the FFB also announced a major change in the way football is developed in Belize. All coaches must now get a license, and they must be trained by representatives from UNCAF and CONCACAF. If they don't, they won't be allowed to coach at any level.

The President says that the end result will be better football athletes developed from an early stage, which allows the country to compete at a higher level. Here's how he explained it:

Ruperto Vicente, President, FFB
"Come 2015 no coach who have not been trained by the Football Federation of Belize or even license by the Football Federation of Belize will not be able to coach in this country. Those days are behind us. Every coach that coaches our football players must be trained and license by the Football Federation of Belize and extension by UNCAF, CONCACAF and FIFA. We have more training coming for our coaches in March. FIFA is providing us with coaches who are trained."

"We are taking this business of training our people very seriously because we want our players to be properly prepared for international tournaments. We want that when a child or player comes to the National Team that the coach will not spend additional time or extra time teaching the player to control a football. Those days are behind us now and we are now going to engage in training our players properly."

The FFB also announced a major bit of housekeeping; their FIFA recognized stadium in Belmopan - the only one like it in Belize - will undergo major renovations, starting at the end of the month.

Viewers may remember that, earlier this year, the Champions of the Premier League of Belize could not participate in the CONCACAF Champions League because the country did not meet the organization's laundry list of requirements.

One of them is FFB stadium, and today the President told us that FIFA has pledged the funds to make the renovations possible:

Ruperto Vicente, President, FFB
"The Football Federation of Belize as you are aware is embarking on a major renovation of our stadium because we want our semi-pro teams to participate in the CONCACAF champion's league tournament. We have not been able to participate because of our stadium and so our stadium facility is going to be redone. The pitch is going to be torn down after this U-16 tournament and the bleachers are going to be redone, the lighting is going to be redone as well and so we are doing major improvement to our facility in Belmopan. Our office complex is now going to be improved as well and FIFA is proving the funding for all of that."

"The Football Federation of Belize is doing its best to ensure that football is properly administered and our players are properly trained."

The renovations are expected to be finished by end of January, when President of CONCACAF will fly in to Belize for the re-opening ceremony.

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