The first set of screening sessions for the Italo Galbiati Football Academy will take place on July 25th from 10am at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Tobago.
Galbiati, a former coach with Italian Serie A club AC Milan as well as an assistant coach to Fabio Capello for the England Senior team among other teams, is expected to visit T&T later this year to launch the Galbiati Academy but prior to that, AC Milan Youth Academy coach Silvio Broli will visit these shores to conduct the first set of screening and training sessions.
Galbiati initially visited T&T in 2008 as part of the technical staff of the England team for the friendly international with this country.
Broli arrives here on July 23rd and will also attend matches in the Caribbean Football Union Under 17 World Cup qualifying phase which involves T&T, Guyana, Suriname and British Virgin Islands. He is carded to have a look at the talent on display during the matches.
Stefano Monti, who is Italian and married to a Trinidadian, is the technical coordinator of the Galbiati Academy and is excited about the upcoming project.
“It is something that we have been planning for some time now after the first set of initial discussions over the Academy when Mr Galbiati bought into my idea to set up something here in this beautiful twin island,” Monti told TTFF Media.
“Initially we want to work with players between six to fourteen years and we also want to work with the local coaches.
“Of course we are still in the very early stages of setting up but we are pleased with the response of 1976 Phoenix FC which we will be partnering with and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation has also given the project its blessings and is willing to assist us.
This is a very important step for us. There is also the possibility of setting up an AC Milan Academy in conjunction with the Galbiati Academy depending on the initial success of this project,” said Monti.
Broli is part of a coaching team at the Milan Academy that includes Filippo Galli, Antonella Costa, Silvio Edgardo Zanoli and Riccardo Pecini. They all work under Fulvio Florin, head of the Milan Academy Project.
Stefano Monti
Broli is also expected to meet with TTFF technical director Anton Corneal during his one-week stay in T&T.
Monti added: “We are excited over the possibilities and of course there is also the possibility of working along with the TTFF and we are looking forward to meeting with the technical director for Trinidad and Tobago Mr Anton Corneal.”
Monti mentioned that he is also in touch with the Tobago House of Assembly after holding talks with its Assistant Secretary for Youth Huey Cadette.
“We have held talks with Mr Cadette of the THA and a proposal and official letter from AC Milan was requested and subsequently provided and we are anticipating their support in this venture,” Monti added.