Local football champions compete in New Zealand

(CIFA): Reigning Champions of Cayman Club football, Bodden Town FC departed Grand Cayman, Tuesday, bound for New Zealand to participate in the inaugural Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) President’s Cup.The team began a grueling two day journey from Grand Cayman to Auckland, New Zealand upbeat about their chances against two clubs from Oceania, two from Asia and Fiji’s National U-20 team, tuning up for the FIFA U-201 World Cup. “Just being invited to this tournament is a huge achievement for Cayman football,” said Bodden Town FC President Mark Scotland.

“Bodden Town has been trying its best to put our forward its best for Cayman football in the past few years. We have measured our success not so much on the local scene but how we can compete internationally.”

Bodden Town was one of a handful of English Speaking Caribbean clubs to compete in the CFU Club Championships this year, but missed a spot in the prestigious CONCACAF Champions League, the premier club competition in the region.
However, Scotland believes the international exposure will assist the team lift their standard of play and achieve personal milestones.

“Many of our players aspireto play professionally. When we played in Puerto Rico back in March, we had a couple of calls for players there as teams expressed interest in our players. That again incentivizes them, to look at this and say if we get looked at by a couple of teams over there and get a couple calls the players would look at this as a successful trip in addition to playing well on the field.”

Bodden Town will face strong opposition in Group A, against reigning Oceania Champions League winners Auckland City FC (New Zealand) and the Singapore U-23 team.  In Group B are Amicale FC (Vanuatu) Fiji U-20 and Busaiteen FC (Bahrain).

With Cayman’s leading goal scorer Theron Wood and emerging striker Ricoh Brown in attack, Bodden Town opens the tournament against Singapore U-23 on Wednesday, 19 November.

Scotland added, “We have prepared for this since August and looking forward to making Cayman proud, Bodden Town and in this instance CONCACAF as well.”

Bodden Town FC is the current Premier League winner and holder of the Charity Shield and will represent the Cayman Islands, the Caribbean Football Union and CONCACAF in the six team OFC President’s Cup tournament which runs from November 17-23 at the Trusts Arena in Auckland.

The Oceania Football Confederation governs the sport played in the national federations of American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tahiti and Tonga.

Tournament and Live Streaming Website: -http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/