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Seventeen-year-old Trinidad and Tobago international youth team winger Levi Garcia is set to become a “Cheese Farmer.”
Netherlands football magazine Voetbal International announced today the Shiva Boys HC schoolboy Levi Garcia has agreed in principle to join Eredivisie outfit, AZ Alkmaar, after his 18th birthday in November. The impending move was confirmed by a source close to the player who preferred to remain anonymous.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Garcia started in one of Trinidad and Tobago’s five 2015 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship group matches and made three substitute appearances but was unable to help the “Soca Warriors” qualify for the New Zealand 2015 FIFA Under-20 World Cup. However, he will continue his personal progress in the Netherlands after supposedly agreeing to a three-year deal with an option for two additional years.
His local Pro League employers, Central FC, have not commented on the move but they are believed to have agreed not to stand in the player’s way. Garcia signed for the “Couva Sharks” last July but never represented them in a competitive fixture.
AZ is a club of immense pedigree in the Netherlands although it operates in the shadow of the more famous Ajax Amsterdam and PSV Eidhoven.
The “Cheese Farmers”, as they are nicknamed, won the Dutch top flight league in 2009 led by celebrated coach Louis Van Gaal, who is currently at Manchester United. Up until last year, legendary Dutch striker Marco Van Basten was AZ’s head coach although he was forced to step down for health reasons while other recent bosses include former Holland coach Dick Advocaat and current Southampton manager Ronald Koeman.
AZ’s current coach John Van Den Brom is quickly building a reputation for himself too after leading ADO Den Haag and Vitesse to Europa League spots in the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons respectively. The 48-year-old Van Den Brom took over at AZ last September after Van Basten stepped down.
Former AZ players include current Southampton striker Graziano Pelle, former Chelsea star Jimmy Flloyd Haselbaink and United States international Jozy Altidore.
If Garcia makes it on to the field for AZ, he will become the first Trinidad and Tobago player to compete in the Eredivisie since Darryl Roberts played for Sparta Rotterdam in the 2007/08 season.
Garcia is yet to earn a senior international call-up but has represented Trinidad and Tobago at CONCACAF Under-17 and Under-20 levels.
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Still need to stay fit, injury free, turn 18, play hard and prove himself on the outside….
He deserves it,,,well done Levi,,,,Judah is nx.
Congrats fella well done!!
congrats levi i know you will lead by example
That is excellent. I how he gets the necessary spurt to help sustain him as a professional player
nice
Finally some good news
congrats brooo…………..
Franz Gillezeau didn’t we interview this kid?
Very true. We did.
Make the most of this .
Congrats Levi continue your development and you can become one of the best footballers from this country. All the best.
Go bro! Make yourself, your family and your country proud! #whosaytheyouthsnotdoinganythingpositive
This guy izza boss footballer , has a promising future #startedatstbenedicts
I am extremely happy for this young star and wish him good health and success in this endeavour. Hope he goes from strength to strength.
D boss boy….good luck. 😀
Well done Levi
Blessings to that youth!!
Well done
Congrats
Make it big cuz
Gt
Possible he can become the greatest T&T player of all times
Go Levi go
Nnniiiiiccceeeee. Great news.
Also nice wordplay Lasana lol
Great news! Wish him all the best!
That’s great, someone mention champions league. You think he will be a first teamer?
Not Kestor, it was Dion Sosa…thanks for the heads up
Congrats to the youngster ! May he be successful and develop into a top class player.
Besssssss
An agent alluded to this recently on this site Lasana, was it Kestor?
Awesome!
Well done lad!.. I guess i’ll be watching more eredivisie now… btw AZ is 5th on the table so he might be seen in the Champions League…
Congrats! Work hard and the Dutch will reward you well. Also repeating Jenifer’s sentiments. Hope his agent looKs out for him.
Congrats. to him and I wish him all success. I only hope that there are persons who genuinely seek his interests out there. I can never forget the demise of our young footballer from south who suffered the massive heart attack abroadwith several complications
Great news!
Congrats to him, hopes he continues to work hard and only see AZ as a stepping stone to bigger clubs.
For a minute, i thought you were making a reference to the rapper AZ ha
Congrats to the youngster!