Kendall Mercury, head coach of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines U17 Boys National Team, at a press conference on Monday spoke to the preparations, challenges, and strategies for the upcoming CONCACAF U17 World Cup qualifier.
Mercury outlined a clear project with a vision statement: to improve the country’s U17 men’s ranking in CONCACAF. He explained that the competition format places teams based on ranking, and because the team finished last in their group the previous year, they were paired with a high-ranked opponent like the USA this year. His ultimate mission is to qualify for the FIFA U17 Men’s World Cup.
He highlighted significant logistical challenges regarding training time stating that most players are in school, with some in grades four and five facing exams, which limits contact hours.
“The team currently trains Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with games on Saturdays. So i am proposing an extensive camp to the federation to get more time with the players”.
Addressing the “daunting” task of playing the USA, Coach Mercury revealed his analytical approach:
Studying the Coach: Since the USA U17 team has a new roster (only two players returning from the World Cup team), Mercury noted he cannot study the players effectively. Instead, he is studying the opposing coach’s history, patterns, and previous work (noting the coach is a past U20 World Cup winner) to predict their tactics.
Mental Approach: He emphasized that while the USA has a better program, his job is to encourage his players to play “brave” and “fearless,” reminding them that on match day, it is just 11 players against 11.
Other Opponents: He noted a lack of intelligence on St. Kitts and the Dominican Republic but is actively trying to source information.
Mercury offered a candid assessment of his team’s physical and mental endurance and admitted that the team currently struggles to compete for a full 90 minutes, often playing well for 20 to 70 minutes before “falling apart”. He attributed this to a lack of “match fitness” derived from playing elite opponents regularly, noting that local competition does not always provide the intensity required for international play.
Mercury expressed that while the development phase has constraints, he aims to identify players who can be recommended for the senior setup as early as possible.