AT the end of the recently held Digicel Kickstart Academy at Sabina Park, three of the four Jamaican boys who participated in the programme were named among the top eight players.

As top players, Akeem Robotham, Alain Skerritt and Malik Powell will be jetting off to Manchester, England to receive further training at Manchester City FC, partners of the academy.

Robotham, an attacking midfielder from St George’s College, said: “It was a great experience for me to work with top coaches from Man City. What the coaches have taught, I will definitely be putting it into play on the field.

“As for the trip to Man City, it’s really a great feeling to know that 30 amazing boys came to the clinic (and) I was one of eight chosen.”

Skeritt, who entered the camp as a wildcard, was equally pleased with his achievement. “The academy was intense, but it was good overall. It’s a huge achievement to know I am a wildcard, and then to come out on top just motivates me to work even twice as hard,” he said.

Technical director of coaching at City Football Schools, Andy Smith, said he was happy with the reports he has received on the academy.

“It’s great to hear from our coaching team in Jamaica that the players taking part in Digicel’s Kickstart Academy have responded well to our sessions and have shown both great ability and attitude. We look forward to welcoming the winners to Manchester and to seeing them play here at the City Football Academy facility in the near future,” he said.

The other five players selected to attend the training camp with Manchester City FC are Charleus Talson (Haiti), Elihaj Shade (Trinidad and Tobago), Elysee Nael Wellofky (Haiti), Jon Paul Rochford (Trinidad and Tobago), and Tyrell Emmanuel (Trinidad and Tobago).

The Digicel Kickstart Academy was held in association with the Manchester City FC and saw 30 of the best young footballers across the region receiving world-class training from the club’s top youth coaches. The Academy was held at Sabina Park October 26-30.