CONCACAF boss Jeffrey Webb says a key element of the development process within the confederation is to have a sustainable programme that will serve to help make smaller members stronger in the future.

Critical to that thrust, the Caymanian told the Sunday Observer, is to emphasise education across every plank.

The education of coaches, in particular, Webb believes will play a significant role in improving the technical aspects, which countries in the Caribbean lack compared to their North and Central American counterparts.

“We have to focus on education, when you look at the development that’s taking place in the USA and Mexico, so much has gone into the development of the technical staff, so when you have educated coaches you have better players … and the Caribbean must educate its coaches,” said Webb, who is one year in the job as CONCACAF president.

“I think it’s important to educate our coaches, and we have put in place now the coaches’ CONCACAF qualification, which will start with the D Licence starting in August this year. We are committed to club development… I want to also establish and do a strategic analysis of Caribbean football as far as the professional leagues throughout the Caribbean are concerned, and that is something we are looking for from… a development standpoint,” Webb noted.

Jamaica is a leader in the Caribbean region, with its new drive in coaching education, having set up the JFF/UTech Coaching School that has graduated nearly 500 coaches at different competency levels, over the past four years or so.

The FIFA vice-president, who said the main focus of his tenure is to develop the game, noted that part of that vision is to see the tiny countries of the Caribbean coming up to a plateau where they can be duly measured with the powerhouses.

“I think when you look through our confederation we have 41 countries, and you have probably five stages in different development aspects; when you look at the smaller countries and how they are at different development stages and the vision (now) is to bring all these entities (in line),” said Webb, who heads the high-powered FIFA Task Force on Racism and Discrimination.

“It’s important to work with some of the associations, like Mexico, down to the smallest federations in the Caribbean, like the Montserrats, Anguillas and so forth,” added the CONCACAF boss.

Webb said the Win in CONCACAF for CONCACAF assistance programme, with a US$4.5-million allocation this year, is also aimed at aiding its membership with their grassroots programme, where each national association is expected to receive US$100,000.

Also from a development point of view, he noted that “we are launching our CONCACAF Grassroots Programme, which will start in St Martin and various places”.

Webb added that CONCACAF has also launched “our Club Licensing Programme” as well.

The sub-continental body is also due to kick off an Under-15 tournament, starting in August.

Webb said he does not intend to be warming his seat as a FIFA vice-president, but will use the office to work towards making an impact in developing the game not only on the Caribbean level, but the wider CONCACAF and the global game as well.

“It’s a huge responsibility (to be a FIFA executive committee member) and I will just try to use the opportunity to effect change,” he noted.

WEBB… I think it’s important to educate our coaches, and we have put in place now the coaches’ CONCACAF qualification, which will start with the D Licence starting in August this year