National Under-20 assistant football coach, Lenny Hyde, is calling on Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Manning and daCosta Cup coaches to look beyond winning matches, but also the development and preparation of top talents for future national teams.

Having coached at the level with Kingston College (KC) last year, Hyde notes the school boy football structure needs a more professional approach.

"We are far from it with our Manning and daCosta cup leagues; they are too small and mediocre competitions. But when you put those ballers in a different environment, them can't manage," Hyde pointed out.

The outspoken Hyde is less than impressed with the first-round draw for the upcoming schoolboy football season.

"I don't deal with grouping. I deal with players, so you have to look for the best players, and that's what we (Under-20 coaches) are going to do this season."

He added, "Schools have to deal with it more professionally. Schools with limited resources are not going to make it ... while other schools with resources do well because they have good coaches who travel over the world."

He explained that few players would be able to fit into the Premier League or international youth levels.

"Manning and DaCosta Cups are exciting and draw crowds, and people (cheering), but the bottom line is we need competition other than Manning Cup.

"I don't think they should have scrapped the Under-21 premier league, which was a step up from the Manning Cup," he reasoned.

"Preparation needs to step up," Hyde concluded.

- S.F.