The Bermuda Football Association celebrated another milestone with the official launch of the Fifa Talent Academy Bermuda at the Clyde Best Centre of Excellence yesterday.

The creation of Fifa president Gianni Infantino and chief of football Arsène Wenger, the Fifa Talent Development Scheme is a global initiative placing emphasis on raising the standard of national teams by maximising opportunities for each member association.

The BFA has embraced the development scheme that provides male and female players between the ages of 12 and 16 the opportunity to hone their skills in a high-performance environment and enhance their chances of fulfilling their potential.

Among the dignitaries in attendance at the ceremony were Fifa representative Ryan Nelson, Howard McIntosh, the Concacaf Director of Caribbean Member Association Affairs, Bermuda football legend and former West Ham striker Clyde Best, junior sports minister Mischa Fubler and BFA president Mark Wade.

Nelson is pleased by the BFA’s commitment to elevate the standard of the game on island and the progress it has made implementing Fifa Talent Academy Bermuda.

“One of the big things we look for at Fifa is the motivation of the leadership in the member associations and how they want to get better and use it, and they [BFA] have been fantastic,” he told The Royal Gazette.

“Along with the Fifa Talent coach Jake Littlejohn, the improvement has been amazing in the last 12 to 18 months that we’ve been here, so it’s a joy.

“With this academy, we’ve kind of put some boosters on it and hopefully we can do even better stuff.“

McIntosh offered his congratulations to the BFA on behalf of his Concacaf colleagues.

“On behalf of Concacaf and the president Victor Montagliani, general secretary Philippe Moggio, chief football officer Carlos Fernandez, I want to congratulate the BFA on this achievement, which is another indication of the tremendous work that is being done on the ground here,” he said.

“We are 100 per cent in support of the programme with the BFA and what Fifa is doing to expose and help develop talent in the region.”

Wade characterised the academy is an “endorsement” of what the association has been doing.

“The two teams that came out of the Island Games with gold medals really cut their teeth and learnt the BFA way right here at the Clyde Best Centre of Excellency, and what the Fifa Academy does is take us to another level,” the BFA president said.

“For us to reach this milestone is fantastic, and from my standpoint I am excited about what’s to come.

“This is a milestone we must celebrate, but also now look to what’s to come in the future — and that is an exciting prospect.”

Best is thrilled to have the such an academy based on island.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity, not only for the BFA, but for the country when you look at the size of us,” he said.

“To be operating something like this is unbelievable, and I just hope the players and the coaches make sure we’re making it better year after year.

“We definitely have talent here. It’s just a matter of putting it in the right direction — having your own academy is going to help.”

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