This Is Guernsey

By Nick Mollet

THE father of the island’s hottest young football prospect believes entering a Guernsey United team in a UK league would enhance the chances of local players making the professional grade. Bobby Loaring, dad of 16-year-old Grammar School student and Northerner Matt, is fully behind the idea of creating such a team to compete regularly in a national league.

‘The best young players like Matt, Alex Le Prevost, Ben Coulter and Glyn Dyer and other youth players would benefit from that kind of environment,’ he said.

Currently they are getting a sample of South-West Counties football for the U18s.

‘I think it would be a good idea. Looking at the senior side position and the way they have dropped out of going away for the South-West Counties league there does not seem to be that many people interested in that,’ he said.

‘I think there are people who could make it over here as a semi-pro or pro but over here they don’t get the competitive edge they need week in week out and that lets us down.’

‘I know there are issues with the costs [of entering a national league] but if you have people who are good players coming through that would benefit them and they would get spotted over there and maybe something would come from it,’ claimed Loaring.

‘If Matt was born in England I think there is a very good chance he would be a professional now and on somebody’s books because of the different standards between England and here. You have to go over there and raise your game to their standard and to their level,’ he said.

Loaring has been away with his son when he has been to trials for Watford and Grimsby Town and has seen what is needed to get somebody into the U18 and reserve teams and possibility of making the first team.

‘It’s a different game to Guernsey. It’s more physical and quicker and you have to be a little bit stronger than over here. If you are looking at making it as a pro, looking at Matt, he had a lot of ability on the ball and there were not a lot in the Grimsby U16s like him, but they were looking for people who were quicker and stronger,’ he admitted.

‘It’s been very easy for Matt to go up through the North ranks and then have to try and raise his game.’

He believes there is still a chance that his son could become professional and make it at 18.

‘There are things in his game that need to be improved but there are other things that could make him a professional,’ said Loaring.

Support has grown this week for serious consideration to be given to going down the Team Guernsey or Guernsey United route.

Perhaps Guernsey players who have played professionally or semi-professionally like Dave Waterman, Chris Tardif and Ryan Zico Black would be interested in joining ranks with the island’s best in future?

‘I agree in principle that it is a good idea to enter a team in the UK,’ said Black yesterday.

His availability would largely be dependent on when and where the games were as he coaches 20 hours a week for Morecambe Football Club and plays for Lancaster City in the Unibond League.

‘If it was possible to play for Guernsey and play for my club wherever that may be I would enjoy representing my island anywhere,’ he said.

Like other players he had to pay out of his own pocket to represent the island at the Island Games in Shetland, which he found strange considering the island’s wealth.

But would he pay money to go to a tournament to play for Guernsey?

‘The answer would be yes because tournaments are different from leagues and they are enjoyable. You only get one career playing football and when it’s over it’s over so I try to make the most of it, although there are inevitably ups and downs like in any walk of life,’ said Black.

He would also like consideration to be given to trying to get into tournaments, such as qualifiers for European and world competitions, if possible, even as a Channel Islands team.

Guernsey U18 and U16 youth coach Paul Ockleford, speaking from South Africa, backs the principle of a Guernsey United team.

‘I think it would be a great idea and a positive step. There are a lot of obstacles to overcome but if they could be overcome what a great opportunity it would be for the players in Guernsey. It would give them something to achieve.’

Guernsey’s current No 1. Goalkeeper Nathan Pattimore said he agreed it was a decent idea in principle.

He suggested in the short-term it might be good but in the longer-term playing week in week out may affect family commitments of some players.

‘You might have to find enough committed players week in week out,’ he suggested.

‘But playing different opposition each week will only improve players. There will be different styles of play in the UK whereas in the Priaulx you know everyone’s game. You will have to be more clued up and think a bit more,’ said Pattimore.

‘I would like to play in it but you have to look at work commitments as well. It depends how it will work but the idea in principle is a good one.’

* Have you got a view on a ‘Guernsey United’? What are the ways forward for Guernsey football? Contact us with your name and contact details via sport@guernsey-press.com, voicemail phone on 240230 or fax on 240235.