Dion La Foucade, who was hired by the Cayman Islands Football Association fewer than three months ago, has been released from his duties as the head coach of the national women’s team.
La Foucade signed as national women’s coach in June – the same month the Trinidad native stated at a CIFA conference that he was “in it for the long haul” – not knowing he would be fired on Monday, 7 Aug. – seven days before his contract expired, according to CIFA.
During that same CIFA conference, held 7 June, the association members told the Compass that they were going to sign La Foucade to a one-year agreement with the hope that he would extend, but then the situation changed, though the reasons are not clear.
The Compass reached out to CIFA on why the decision was made to release La Foucade, but they did not give any explanation. Instead, the association stated, “it was an amicable decision, and we all wish him all the best in his future career,” – ultimately leaving more questions than answers.
While CIFA gave no specifics, La Foucade’s release came a day after the Cayman national women’s team lost their final match against University of West Florida – a three-fixture series in which they dropped every game.
La Foucade, who replaced former Cayman women’s coach Alexander Gonzalez, was the former technical director of Trinidad and Tobago Football Association and head coach of the T&T national under-17 boys, boasting over 30 years’ experience in the sport.
In a statement to the Compass, La Foucade opted not to mention the reasoning behind his release but did express his disappointment.
“I see this country as one of the nations that can be highly recognised in football even with a smaller pool of players,” he said. “For this reason, I am disappointed that the CIFA has reached the position not to renew my contract. The accomplishment of great things takes time and also cooperation.”
La Foucade said he was pleased with the work he had accomplished in a short time with the association, noting that he has gotten players to agree to work towards a common goal to achieve excellence.
“The reception and feedback received in the last nine weeks from the players, parents and coaches have been really encouraging. There are so many gifted and talented players, if given the opportunity to showcase their greatness on and off the field, [they] can achieve so many accolades in the sport for the nation.
“To achieve this common goal, all need to be on board and in full support of the vision and mission. With more time and the necessary support, now that a solid foundation has been laid and the teams are becoming more synchronized.”
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