It has been a monumental nine months for Montserratian football. Firstly, last October there was the nation’s first participation in the Caribbean Cup for five years after missing the previous two tournaments in 2007 and 2008. Although results didn’t go as hoped for with three successive defeats to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados and Saint Kitts and Nevis, the team were back playing on the world stage again. More recently, Kenny Dyer’s men had the honour of kicking-off qualification for the 2014 World Cup and although the games against Belize ultimately ended in defeat, coach Dyer has been able to bring in some new and exciting young talent, including captain Anthony Griffith, midfielder Alex Dyer and goal-scoring sensation Jaylee Hodgson. So, where does the team go from here? The qualifying dates for the 2012 Caribbean Championship Finals in Antigua and Barbuda next June/July, have yet to be announced, meaning that when exactly the Emerald Boys will play again is uncertain. This current team has real potential to make a significant impact in world football. The impressive levels of play, team spirit and camaraderie that have been built in recent months, need to be maintained. This can only be done through playing friendly matches, but the fact is that Montserrat has only ever played one full international friendly, the 2002 ‘Other Final’ in Bhutan. It is all, of course, a question of logistics. Montserrat’s players are spread all over the world - the UK, Ireland, Australia and the United States - and so getting them altogether is a problem. However, with the majority being based in the UK, perhaps there is the possibility of playing a friendly there. More significantly, Montserrat has its own superb facility, the Blakes Estate Stadium. Noted for its excellent playing surface, the stadium would have been used for the recent home tie against Belize had the dressing rooms been ready. Staging a friendly international there would be a wonderful occasion for the island and its football. What about a return fixture against Bhutan?!
On June 30th 2002, the day of the World Cup Final in Yokohama, Japan between Brazil and Germany, the two lowest-ranked nations within FIFA, Bhutan and Montserrat, met in Thimphu, the capital city of the Himalayan kingdom. The match was the idea of Dutch filmmaker, Johann Kramer. Below is a link to a trailer for the documentary film that he produced, ‘The Other Final.’
'The Other Final' trailer
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