FORMER national midfielder Altimont Butler who presently coaches in the Norway first division with Nottoden SK, is on a one-week scouting mission in the island and hopes some young talent will impress him and grab an opportunity to ply their trade in the European country.

The 43-year-old Butler is also spearheading a project to redevelop the football field in his hometown of Port Royal with an artificial surface, which would be the first of its kind in Jamaica.

Butler, who last wore the national jersey in 1998, began coaching in the Scandinavian country in 2010. As head coach for player development and the reserve team, the former Reggae Boy helped Sogndal get promoted to the Premier League.

He has, however, returned to the first division with a new club, Nottoden FK, the former club of Jamaicans, Fabian Taylor, Oneil Thompson and Kavin Bryan.

Butler is keen to give a new generation of Jamaican players a shot at playing in Norway, provided they make the grade and have the right attitude.

“We’re just here looking at some talents and seeing… if there is any possibility that we can get somebody offered a trial,” he told the Sunday Observer.

“We don’t have any expectations… we’re just looking at the talent… with the other two people that are here with me. We’ll discuss it and see where it goes from there,” he added.

The Port Royal native said they will be scouting players from age 17 and 22 years and will be watching some Premier League matches this evening, as well as the Monday night match between Harbour View against Tivoli.

He said he watched both friendly matches between Jamaica and Cuba but was not impressed with the standard. He said he would have loved to see more of 17-year-old goalscorer Jorginho James before he could make an accurate judgement on his abilities.

“There was not much we could have taken away from that game,” he pointed out, “but he came in and didn’t play much minutes and scored a goal.. so it would be unfair to judge him based on that one goal…,” he said.

Butler, who will sit his UEFA ‘B’ exams in May, says he is now trying to develop the whole aspect of his coaching and at the same time trying to give back to Jamaica.

But he says it all comes down to the players that Jamaica has on show.

“First and foremost, we have to find the right players with the right attitude… Then it will depend on what kind of feedback we get when we return to Norway,” he said.

“If something can happen immediately, it will… but if it’s a longer period then probably they will have to come in and develop a little before they can be thrown into the first team.

“It all depends on the talents… because there is no way that we can say what the immediate effect of the player that we pick will be,” he stated.

He said that he and his colleagues have received advice on the players they could look at, but he believes moving off their own accord and going with an open mind will help them make better judgements.

Meanwhile, the former French and Portuguese League player wants to help redevelop the game and field in his native community of Port Royal.

He said he and his colleagues, who are both from top Norwegian clubs, are currently assessing the field and plan to assist in establishing the first artificial football facility in the island.

“We’re trying to… to get Port Royal back into competitive football once again. The kids and people in Port Royal are excited about it because the project will be the first… in Jamaica.

“The guys who are here with me will assist with the funding and project in terms of surveying and seeing what the structure will require,” he explained.

“We’ll come back… in August, and hopefully within that time we’ll get the project kicked off and at the same time I would like to have even one player travelling back with me,” he added.

BUTLER… we’re seeing if we can get somebody offered a trial