Gale joins professional ranks

Former Barbados striker Dwayne Gale dreamt his 18-year-old son Thierry Gale would one day sign a professional football contract and it has come to pass.

During an interview with Barbados TODAY, Gale said 13 years of hardwork and commitment had paid off for his talented son who has signed a three-year contract with Hungarian Club Budapest Honvéd. It is the club that has produced legends of the game such as Ferenc Puskas and Sandor Kocsis.

The proud father explained that since age five Thierry who attended the St. Leonard’s Boys School knew he wanted to be a professional player. And on May 8 of this year, Thierry, one of Barbados’ most talented forwards, signed on the dotted line for what is now the start to his professional career.

“It is a great feeling knowing that this is something we have been working on for 13 long years. From five years old he told me he wanted to be a professional footballer. So I told him straight up if you want to be a professional football player, work with me and I will work with you,” Gale said.

As they say, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree as the younger Gale has followed in his father’s footsteps. Dwayne made his debut for Barbados at age 16, and played for club teams Paradise and Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame.

Thierry started his football schooling at Paradise Club and also played for Pro-Shottas. He also wore the ultra-marine, gold and black at 15 when he played his first international game on home soil last year for Barbados against Bermuda in the CONCACAF Nations League.

(From left) Thierry Gale and his father Dwayne Gale.

Gale explained that he always encourages Thierry to put in the work and success will come somewhere along the line. In addition, the father stated that each year he pushes his son to be better.

“I always tell Thierry you should keep rising to a certain occasion every year. So, if you do fifty percent in 2013, make sure you do 60 percent in 2014. The point is year by year you should keep improving and developing.

“You have to start young. I played at the highest level for Barbados at a very young age and I wanted Thierry to go further than me, so I told him in order to get there you have to start at an early age. Look at all the footballers around the world, how early people made the senior team and stuff, at 16, 17, 18 and all that stuff. You got to get in there as early as possible,” Gale said.

Thierry Gale who is from Fairy Valley, Christ Church has joined an elite list of Barbadian players that competed professionally such as Gregory ‘Lalu’ Goodridge (England), Horace Stoute and Eric Lavine (Ireland) and Elson Seale (North American Soccer League).

Of course, Thierry Gale who so far has six international caps for the Barbados senior men’s side and one goal to date scored against St. Maarten is delighted about his contract deal.

As the young sensation put it, “this is what I was waiting for my whole life.”

Thierry told Barbados TODAY the journey was rough but he was happy about what he has accomplished so far. He said: “As a junior, it wasn’t so rough but in the senior team, it was more difficult because I didn’t have many chances to play because I was young. So I just come off the bench sometimes but I didn’t give up, I just kept working hard and then earned my play.”

He added: “I have improved a lot where my game is concerned. In Barbados it is different. In Hungary, it is much faster and you have to work harder because everybody is good, so you have to push yourself extra. You don’t have a choice to get better or else you won’t make it.

“My father is tough. Like sometimes if I play and I don’t perform or I argue with the referee or something, he would ‘kill’ me at times but otherwise, he is very nice, very good, we are very close. He is like my brother, my best friend.”

Barbados Football Association technical director Ahmed Mohammed explained that this development in Gale’s career came as no surprise to him. In fact, Mohammed noted that since his arrival in Barbados in 2017, Gale had shown a unique level of maturity that was admirable for a player his age.

“Thierry is one of the best talents right now or even the best talent Barbados ever had. The boy was good and by the time I reached Barbados in 2017, I was impressed with his maturity and the quality of the football he was playing. And I knew immediately he was special and needed to go out of the country,” Mohammed said.

morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb