Newly appointed head coach for the Antigua and Barbuda senior men’s football team, Jacques Passy, has pledged to assist in the advancement of local coaches via training and coaching opportunities outside of Antigua.
Identifying assistant coach with the senior men’s team, Schyan Jeffers as a primary target, Passy who was contracted on a six-month interim basis by the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA), said the experience level of both local coaches and players will be important aspects in the overall success of the country’s programme.
“When I came to speak to the Antiguan FA for the first time, one of my major conversation themes was [asking] what can we do to help local coaches and some players to have international experience because you need international experience to grow. And I can tell you wholeheartedly and very clearly that I believe a key issue for Antigua and a key issue for any country to grow, is to have international experience,” he said.
“In the case of Schyan, I’ve spoken to him and I am going to try, through many different means to help Schyan and to help the FA develop who I understand, is perhaps, the premier coach of the moment in Antigua,” he added.
The Mexico national, who is a former coach with the St Kitts & Nevis and the Dominican Republic senior men’s national teams, take over from England-based Mikele Leigertwoodas head coach of the Antigua and Barbuda Benna Boys.
Passy said he wants a unified effort from all stakeholders as only a unified approach will bring success.
“I am going to bring one of my assistant coaches and a goalkeeper coach but we’re going to work together with a very important part of the extended staff and with Schyan who is going to be a part of the staff as well. Once this begins, we are one staff and the same thing is going to happen with the players where it’s one team. You’re not going to hear ever, from me, a concept of local players or overseas players or local or overseas staff. It’s not going to happen because this is exactly the path in which things don’t work,” he said.
Passy will preside over the senior men’s team for their 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Cuba on June 6 and Honduras four days later on June 10 as they wrap up their Group A campaign. The Benna Boys will be at home to Cuba and away to Honduras.
Passy holds coaching badges from both the Mexican Football Federation and the Peruvian Football Federation, along with specialized training from the Dutch KNVB.
