From the signing of a major cooperation agreement with FIFA, to the launch of its action plan to revitalize Saint-Martin football, including the recruitment of a new regional technical advisor, and without forgetting his next participation in the brand new CONCACAF Nations League, the Saint Martin Football League has clearly taken on a new dimension, between ambition and the desire to unite.
It hardly seems ... but March 2, 2017 will undoubtedly remain a memorable date in the history of Saint-Martin football. On that day, as a "premise of recognition" on the part of the highest body of world football, FIFA, the Saint Martin Football League and its tireless president, Fabrice Baly, signed a cooperation agreement in Zurich aimed at developing football in the overseas territories (agreement also signed with Guadeloupe, Guyana and Martinique). A great victory, the result of several years of relentlessness to challenge, convince and unite behind this noble cause population, public authorities, politicians, presidents of federations (FFF) and of confederations (CONCACAF).
In summary, and even if some points for improvement will be negotiated later, such as the release of players by professional clubs, FIFA will already provide financial support to the Football League of Saint Martin, will open the access to all its training courses for educators and referees, and will allow an observer member to attend its conferences.
The continuity of long-standing work
This important success should not make us forget the previous fights led by the Saint-Martin Football League, which led this body to become in 2013 a full member of the Confederation of Football of North America, America Central and Caribbean, and to move in 2015 from district status to that of an autonomous football league.
The Saint-Martin Football League, strengthened by its major advances over the past five years, has shown its determination to take all the place it deserves on the international scene.
Recruitment of a new technical advisor
However, to succeed in any reconstruction project, which is more in the case of Saint-Martin, heavily affected in September 2017 by hurricanes Irma and Maria, undoubtedly requires financial means, of course, but also requires surrounding yourself with good skills. It is there, one of the main qualities of President Fabrice Baly, to appeal to talents, knowledgeable about the environment and context. The recruitment last February of David Baltase, new Regional Technical Advisor of the Saint-Martin Football League, was a strong signal of the League's desire to combine excellence and speed of execution.
Former assistant to Tours FC in Ligue 2, and respectively physical trainer and assistant coach with Vanuatu and New Caledonia in 2017 at the FIFA U20 & U17 World Cups, David Baltase above all has the advantage of knowing the area for having evolved in three overseas territories (with the exception of Martinique) and to know its audience perfectly. And when behind the scenes, it is said that similar profiles should soon arrive ... what guarantees of success!
New 2018 action plan
And the good news follows. In addition to this fine recruitment strategy, the Saint-Martin Football League is preparing to launch its development program for the 2018 calendar year, starting with the organization of a development course for 14-15 years. This course was animated by an international reference in terms of training: Christian Gourcuff, former coach of FC Lorient (2003-2014), Stade Rennais FC (2016-2017) and former coach of the Algerian team (2014-2016) ). Several promotional events for school and women's football will be available from May to October 2018, as well as numerous actions such as the participation of youth and senior selections in international competitions and tournaments.
CONCACAF Nations League destination!
Indeed, one of the most significant events of this year 2018 will be the entry into the competition next September of the selection of Saint Martin in the CONCACAF Nations League. This new competition created by FIFA, and which replaces friendly matches, will serve as qualification matches for the Gold Cup 2019 and 2021, as well as for the World Cup 2022. Here too, the ambition (at least continental) of the Saint-Martin Football League remains intact.
Reinforce values, realize dreams ...
Despite the purely competitive aspect, which is naturally one of the missions of the Saint-Martin Football League, it measures more than ever the role that football must play with the populations and in particular with the youngest.
At a time when the writing of a new and promising history of Saint-Martin football begins, we can only gather behind the motto of the Saint-Martin Football League: "Better, Bigger, Beyond", " Better, Bigger, Beyond ”, because young and old, after the difficult months on the Island, we all feel the desire to be taken to horizons with the most improbable dreams…
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