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| St. Lucia's logo |
After a period at a georgian side, David Henry signed with third tier San Gwann FC in Malta. Henry was the first player to leave the island to play in Europe. He is also an eventual name on St. Lucia National Team. Henry was on the squad that faced Antigua and Barbuda in World Cup Qualifiers 2018.
Inside Caribbean Football: You were the first player to leave St. Lucian football to play in Europe. How do you feel about it and how do you think it influence the football in the country?
David Henry: Before heading to europe, while playing in Saint Lucia leagues and making outstanding contributions. I worked as a Youth Mentor and Soccer/Sports Coach at Sacred Sports Foundation. Where, through national and international programmes got to influence footballers directly and indirectly. Myself Playing with the national team inspired so many of the current national team players at all age levels, everyone who knows my story knows that if I can do it, anyone who works hard to acheive greatness, can do it. Heading into Europe has further influenced footballers in Saint Lucia, a standard, so that the ones after me can follow up on and look to acheive bigger things.
Inside Caribbean Football: St. Lucia National Team didn't play the CFU Scotiabank Caribbean Cup Qualifiers. Do you think it tambered the football in the island?
David Henry: Football as we know it is a global sport where, players from even to smallest countries can give an account of themselves domestically and internationally. The SLFA decision to not compete in the CFU Scotiabank Caribbean Cup Qualifiers and after following congress 2016, National Team Players will not get a chance to give an international account of Saint Lucian talent playing in FIFA Tournaments. When I went into European football, I walked into club offices with my 3 classes of stats, Domestic Club, Inter-district and international caps, the only reason I was given the chance to train with these pro teams is because I was the only player who play for my country, when given the chance to impress coaches I always gave a good account of myself. Saint Lucia not having a national mens team to participate in FIFA tournaments can only destine Saint Lucian footballers to remain in the very poor and unrecognized tournaments in Saint Lucia, leaving no space for growth in Saint Lucian football
Inside Caribbean Football: All caribbean countries have a national league, many of them amateurs but they have a national league. St. Lucia is the lone federation with out a national championship what we see is a lot of discrict leagues. What do you think: to create a national league will bring up better results or the way that we have is enought for the country necessities?
David Henry: With the careless decision of the SLFA admin to set up football leagues in all communities in Saint Lucia and the embarrassing decision to apply the FIFA rule of one player to a club to amateur players, ahead of the association executive elections, fully knowing that there is no funding in place to give these football leagues support to have competitions. 22 domestic leagues in total, as an answer to the 2-3 year absence of football in communities, which in turn has failed to see some football leagues in many communities over the past 12 months. Eventually saint Lucia with 22 domestic leagues, cannot manage to have Club championships. There is no economy to support the movement of these clubs to move around nationally to compete in a championships. Due the Competitive nature and the Level of sponsorship toward inter-district competitions which are all knock-out competitions, there are at least 4 Senior inter-district tournaments in Saint Lucia. To create a national league is the best way to develop football in Saint Lucia and the best filter to select a National Team.
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| David Henry with San Gwann FC's uniform |
Inside Caribbean Football: You were the first player to leave St. Lucian football to play in Europe. How do you feel about it and how do you think it influence the football in the country?
David Henry: Before heading to europe, while playing in Saint Lucia leagues and making outstanding contributions. I worked as a Youth Mentor and Soccer/Sports Coach at Sacred Sports Foundation. Where, through national and international programmes got to influence footballers directly and indirectly. Myself Playing with the national team inspired so many of the current national team players at all age levels, everyone who knows my story knows that if I can do it, anyone who works hard to acheive greatness, can do it. Heading into Europe has further influenced footballers in Saint Lucia, a standard, so that the ones after me can follow up on and look to acheive bigger things.
Inside Caribbean Football: St. Lucia National Team didn't play the CFU Scotiabank Caribbean Cup Qualifiers. Do you think it tambered the football in the island?
David Henry: Football as we know it is a global sport where, players from even to smallest countries can give an account of themselves domestically and internationally. The SLFA decision to not compete in the CFU Scotiabank Caribbean Cup Qualifiers and after following congress 2016, National Team Players will not get a chance to give an international account of Saint Lucian talent playing in FIFA Tournaments. When I went into European football, I walked into club offices with my 3 classes of stats, Domestic Club, Inter-district and international caps, the only reason I was given the chance to train with these pro teams is because I was the only player who play for my country, when given the chance to impress coaches I always gave a good account of myself. Saint Lucia not having a national mens team to participate in FIFA tournaments can only destine Saint Lucian footballers to remain in the very poor and unrecognized tournaments in Saint Lucia, leaving no space for growth in Saint Lucian football
Inside Caribbean Football: All caribbean countries have a national league, many of them amateurs but they have a national league. St. Lucia is the lone federation with out a national championship what we see is a lot of discrict leagues. What do you think: to create a national league will bring up better results or the way that we have is enought for the country necessities?
David Henry: With the careless decision of the SLFA admin to set up football leagues in all communities in Saint Lucia and the embarrassing decision to apply the FIFA rule of one player to a club to amateur players, ahead of the association executive elections, fully knowing that there is no funding in place to give these football leagues support to have competitions. 22 domestic leagues in total, as an answer to the 2-3 year absence of football in communities, which in turn has failed to see some football leagues in many communities over the past 12 months. Eventually saint Lucia with 22 domestic leagues, cannot manage to have Club championships. There is no economy to support the movement of these clubs to move around nationally to compete in a championships. Due the Competitive nature and the Level of sponsorship toward inter-district competitions which are all knock-out competitions, there are at least 4 Senior inter-district tournaments in Saint Lucia. To create a national league is the best way to develop football in Saint Lucia and the best filter to select a National Team.
Inside Caribbean Football: What we have seen is that some st. lucians when they reach Europe they stop to play for the National Team. What do you think cause it?
David Henry: The past few Saint Lucian players who have previously set out for europe, have setted out to find leagues and not further development, failure to find leagues means that the player doesn't meet the minimum criteria for the national team selection. It has never been cleared to understand why players like Zaine Piere who has enjoyed season stain in italy's Seria D, has just been prohibited from playing for the national team. As a Student of Sports Management I can well imagine that all players who go out and play in european leagues, should be first priority when team selection comes into play. For many years Saint Lucia has been using mainly home grown talent and the lads who play in Trinidad who have been doing well, farless the foreign players.
Inside Caribbean Football: St. Lucia has sent to Trinidad some young players that showed ability this season, National U-17 get well last year and you going to Europe. Do you think St. Lucia have a good generation that can change the football in the country?
David Henry: I believe that through embarassing decisions like Not competing in CFU Scotiabank Caribbean Cup Qualifiers, despite sending many players to play in Trinidad semi pro leagues, just defiles what a football asociation stands for. Football Associations manage National Teams with the sole purpose to climb the world ranking table, which could only be done by playing in the few FIFA competetive A tournaments that we have in the Concacaf region. Saint Lucia players like myself have been making the extra effort to find higher levels of football, without the support of the Football association. My reason for going to play in Europe was to develop in the game, specifically to contribute more than I have previously contributed, in return for making that extra push, there currently isn't a National Team.
Inside Caribbean Football: Many caribbean countries are using English-born players on their National team. And as in the case of Antigua and Barbuda,Jamaica and maybe St. Kitts the English-born steal the place of good young local players looking results and not development. In your opinion to bring up europeans to play for the countries is a good idea?
David Henry: Soon we may have a number of European players to play alongside.The European players bring a different mentality. They are professional players. There standard of fitness is typically higher, so too are there powers of concentration and mental toughness. For all the skill of local players St. Lucia has not produced many quality professional players in the European leagues. The European players would probably argue that if St. Lucian players were so good, why aren't more playing in top European leagues? I believe that the European players bring that extra strength to the various caribbean national teams.
David Henry explained us very well his thoughts about how the football things in St. Lucia are going on. There are a lot of players. These players only need to be organized to the development of they all and for the development and better results for the National Team in all levels.
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