Derrick “Pretty Boy” Edwards.

By Neto Baptiste

Former national coach and striker Derrick “Pretty Boy” Edwards was brutal in his assessment of recent performances of the Antigua and Barbuda senior men’s national football team, criticising the standard of some overseas-based players while questioning the ability of those in charge of moving the team forward.

“For me, personally, I don’t see anything special with the guys they bring here. They are not a level-up, they are average and they look the same [as our players] and that is what is really killing me personally because we just came out of an under-20 [CONCACAF Under-20] and I think that we should have a couple more of those under-20s in our squad if we’re rebuilding,” he said.

His assessment came just days after the Benna Boys were beaten one-nil by the Cayman Islands in their FIFA Men’s World Cup Qualifiers held in the Cayman Islands. Previously, the Benna Boys had been held to a 1-1 draw by a visiting Bermuda team.

Edwards, who was coach of the Benna Boys between 2018 and 2020, was also critical of the arrangement with England-based coach Mikele Leigertwood, and called on the administration to make tough decisions in the interest of the team.

“We have to get away from having a coach come for three days, four or five days and then take over the team and if we are going to see Antigua football rise to another level then we have to make some wholesale changes. Personally, if you are going to have something work properly then you will have to start at the top. It is nothing personal but I don’t think we are getting enough from the people leading football in this country and that’s just a face. We have to put things in place for the coaches and the players and I just don’t see it,” the former striker said.

Antigua and Barbuda Benna Boys will host Dominica on September 6 and Bermuda 10 days later in the CONCACAF Nations League. The team will resume it’s FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in June of 2025.