Deep in Suriname's Football by Jurmen Vallei

When you think about the football in Suriname maybe you won't know much about it actually. In the past clubs like SV Transvaal and SV Robinhood used to show a great level of the football. However, Holland took the players and then the players of that success went to Holland making the football in the country got unknown for a while.

Despite it the football in the country never stopped and now everyday the players and clubs work hard to get back to the good days.

Actually, the high level in the country is Hoofdklasse that count with 10 teams. Inter Moengo Tapoe, SV Transvaal, SV Robinhood, SV Leo Victor, WBC, SV Nishaan 42, Takdier Boys, SV Botopasie, SV Notch and SV Excelsior. Season 2015-2016 have finished not much time ago and the champions, for the 4th time in row, was Inter Moengo Tapoe. IMT's Romeo Kastiel was the top scorer with 18 goals.

The second level of the football in Suriname is Eerste Klasse that have 12 teams. Acoconut, SV Deva Boys, Santos, SV Voorwaarts, Amardeep, PVV, SNL, Jong Rambaan, SV Boma Stars, West United, Caravan and Papatam. The season for the Eerste Klasse's teams haven't finished yet.SV Deva Boys is leading for now with 48 pts. For now, the top scorer is Delboha Akoela with 23 goals of SV Deva Boys.

Multi-champions for Inter Moengo Tapoe, Suriname National Team's right back Jurmen Vallei was invited to talk to us about the football in Suriname. Vallei is with national team for CFU ScotiakBank Caribbean Cup Qualifiers 2018. Suriname is at the same group that St. Vincent and Grenadines and St. Kitts and Nevis.

Jurmen Vallei

Inside Caribbean Football: How have you seen the football in Suriname? 

Jurmen Vallei: We are making little steps forward. The progress that we are making doesn't match the the progress in the region. Once  we were at that level. But it was in the late 70's. But nowadays football has change. Dundas: "It's big business and a sector of its kind you have to invest to get an good out come and certain level. And that is what we are missing at this moment. The less you invest the less progress you will make."

                                                                      

Inside Caribbean Football: Do you think that the level the Hoofdklasse is can Suriname start thinking to support a semi pro or maybe a pro Hoofdklasse?

Jurmen Vallei: Yes, because The level we are playing right now has much of a pro level. First you have to start asking what is a pro player according to the FIFA. A player that earns money from playing football and has a contract. So for example in my club IMT we have what we call a game fee and a training fee. Monthly we also get payed. And at the start of every season we are having a start fee also. Some of us has more the last contact, so yes  you can call us pro players because in all the club's in the hoofdklasse is more the less the same. But this same question you can look at it in and not her way. The football infrastructure is so bad that you can even talk about pro. In my optic there is a solution. If all big companies are multi nationals adopted a club to run it like a business there will be an certain kind of competition on then highest level. Also the progress the SVB making at this moment with the club licensy systems is a good step towards an official pro league.  At the start of the upcoming season every club in the topsection and even the SVB has to have licensy according to the CONCACAF.

                                                     

Inside Caribbean Football: Why do you think only one surinamese, Dimitri Apai, is playing pro?

Jurmen Vallei: Because players agents are not focusing on country that are not in the lift. I personally believe that a lot of our league players can compete at the highest level. It's just a matter of time. We have to breakthrough at international level and the rest will follow.

Dimitrie Apai #12 and Jurmen Vallei #4.

CFU Club Championship 2016

Inside Caribbean Football: Inter MoengoTapoe have won many of the last Hoofdklasse. Do you think this fact shows that the league isn't so competitive? 

Jurmen Vallei: The league is indeed competitive. Not because we are 4 th time in a row champions means that the league is not competitive. Yes, we have the best players. And yes my club president Ronnie Brunswijk is putting a lot of efforts in the club. And my fellow players are dedicated and that is the different between IMT and the rest of the clubs. And that is why we are still the champions. And let me say it isn't a walk over in the competition. We have to play every hard and clever to achieve what we want to achieve and that is IMT.

                                                                       

Inside Caribbean Football: We can see some Eerste Klasse's players on the National Team. Do you think it is good for the football in Suriname because it shows that both leagues in the country can support good players? 

Jurmen Vallei: Yes, there are some players in the national squad. But in the latest squad there are only players from the Hoofdklasse. It must be clear that in mine optic there is an obvious different in levels. The hoofdklasse is on a higher level. But for the competition it should be wise iff at least 6 teams of the eerste klasse (first division ) can compete in the highest level. In that case we can played more games in an competition year. Because statistics shows that we played less games and this is also a reason still on a certain level.

Inside Caribbean Football: What are you expecting from Suriname in this following CFU Scotiabank Caribbean Cup?

Jurmen Vallei: Technically St Vincent(and Grenadines) and St Kitts (and Nevis) have better changes in this group were Suriname at to go the the third round . Just by looking at the FIFA World Ranking list both country ranked much higher than Suriname. We are now above the 180 th place and the two other countries beneed 100. So technically they have better changes. But still if we look at how these teams are performing I can say yes there is still a chance. At the 1st of June we've lost against St Kitts away. So the 4 th we are playing home against St Vincent. Taking in consideration that most of the cfu country's are playing at the same level there is still a chance. There is na exception for countries like Jamaica, Trinidad and Haiti we've football is now developing on a highest level. Still the chances are there for Suriname to reach the next stage. As one of the best runner up.