COACH BRUNO KALONJI SETS VISION FOR U-20 CONCACAF QUALIFIERS

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS—Newly appointed head coach of the St. Kitts and Nevis Under-20 Men’s National Team, Bruno Kalonji, has wasted no time getting to work. With the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship now less than a week away, Coach Kalonji recently outlined his immediate priorities and long-term tactical vision for the squad.

The highly recommended Kalonji, who brings a wealth of experience to the federation, noted that his primary focus since taking the helm has been on group cohesion and physical conditioning.

“With the CONCACAF (U20 Championship) coming up, the main priority here was to get the team together, get to know each other very well and elevate the fitness level. This is what we focused on. We focused on the players getting to know each other, understanding each other, developing a sort of a bond and basically elevating the fitness level of the team,” he said.

Beyond immediate preparation, Coach Kalonji shared a long-term vision that emphasizes building a distinct team identity centered around an attractive, competitive style of play.

“The style of play, basically for the St. Kitts and Nevis program, under-20s, we’re trying to keep possession of the ball. We have great athletes, we’ll keep possession of the ball and we will try to penetrate with our tremendous athleticism that we have as well, but we’ll keep the ball more. So you’ll see more possession of the ball, playing out of the back and building out of the back,” Kalonji explained.

Kalonji now faces his first major competitive test at the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship. St. Kitts and Nevis have been drawn into Group B alongside Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Bonaire, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Cayman Islands.

The “Young Sugar Boyz” will kick off their campaign on February 23 in Willemstad, Curaçao, when they take on Puerto Rico. To watch the full interview with Coach Kalonji, visit the SKNFA Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.