United States College based midfielder Kevon Neaves is banking on utilizing the recent experience of training with the National Senior team under head coach Leo Beenhakker and captain Dwight Yorke to propel him to being one of the leading representatives of local football in years ahead.
The 21-year-old former St Anthony’s College player made his debut for T&T in last month’s 2-0 victory over Iceland after catching Beenhakker’s eye at a previous training camp in Fort Lauderdale. He was subsequently given the chance to be part of T&T’s first regroup since qualification was achieved in November. He was now brushing shoulders in same uniform with Yorke, Russell Latapy, Stern John, Carlos Edwards and Chris Birchall – the same guys he recalled cheering for during the qualifiers from in front a television screen. Also getting the first experience at that level was former Princes Town Senior Comprehensive player Anthony Noreiga who is now at MLS team Kansas City Wizards. They are just a few examples of the benefits that can be attained from the World Cup experience and the TTFF along with its partners including the personalities such as Yorke, John, Latapy, Shaka Hislop and teammates and of course the officials like special advisor Jack Warner and technical director Lincoln Phillips are keen to grab hold and develop these type of opportunities among others.
Later this month Neaves is expected to lead T&T’s Under 21 team attack in the CAC qualifying matches against Haiti and Dominica at the Larry Gomes Stadium.
The difference from being a “star” in the local Secondary Schools Football League and the US Colleges League so much so that the majority of fans start thinking the player ought to be on a national team is that when you actually get that call, it’s a whole different ball game. So much so that Neaves advice to upcoming talented ones is to ensure that they fully understand the game and their own capabilities before rushing into the major responsibilities of playing at the highest level.
“The pace of the game is much quicker than College football and even some other professional Leagues. It’s about decision making. It’s not about playing fast and running around like a chicken without a head. You have to be composed and intelligent and play quick at the same time. These are the things that I really got out of this stint with the national team in England,” Neaves told TTFF Media.
Recalling his few days with Yorke and company, Neaves’ upper body took a little more upright position as he explained: “It’s a lot more mature players that you are around now. These were the guys who we looked at on television during the qualifiers. It’s a been a wonderful opportunity to be with them and it’s an opportunity to give a good account and step up to it to catch the coach’s eye. There’s no time for being timid.”
As recent as December, Neaves never thought he would be exchanging passes with Birchall or swinging crosses over for John in training.
“I was in the USA and they had a team that had qualified and there were also a lot of other players around the team so I didn’t think it would be possible for me to get this chance. I had no idea he (Beenhakker) would want to look at us but it came and it was up to me and the couple other guys to grab it. I felt the experience was a good one and even if I don’t get into the World Cup team I think I have been able to take a lot out of it which can hopefully be of a huge benefit to me and whichever team I play for in the future,” Neaves said.
Currently undergoing his scholarship at University of South Florida where he is doing a major in psychology and a minor in business, Neaves wants to see young footballers being developed at a young age in T&T. He started off under former national team trainer and journalist, the late Trevor Smith.
“I started at the age of nine with Trevor “Burntboots” Smith. He had me at a young age when he used to coach Harvard. He introduced me to the game in Petit Valley and I have a lot of respect for him. I was fortunate to have someone like him take me up and I stuck with it but generally I think we need to develop players before they reach nine and ten years. I grew up playing both cricket and football but I chose football only at eleven. We are different to other countries but we can also follow and learn in different ways. Everything starts at home and it’s important for the kid to want to play the game from young. I agree that we need to start developing players from a younger age.”
And to those who believe there’s not much at stake in the Secondary Schools League, Neaves feels differently but he also had a warning to upcoming players to not get too high off the ground because they are scoring winning goals or being highlighted in the local press.
“There’s a lot of hype in local school football and you are always a star once you do well at that level back home. But the important thing is to be intelligent about it and also have your book sense. You have to want it within yourself to want to go to the next level. I will advise the younger players to go to College and keep a level head and then take it from there.”