International Soccer Network

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Shinde Out of Texas Cup Final

Pratik Shinde will miss out on the TPSL’s showcase game tomorrow as an injury will keep him from playing in the Admiral Texas Cup Final. Shinde suffered a groin strain in training last night and will miss the match.

“He is devastated,” Houston Hurricanes FC head coach Brendan Keyes stated. “I feel so bad for him as he just earned his starting position back by playing some really good football.”

Jorge Vela will also miss the game with a pulled hamstring.

“That’s football, but you do feel for both players,” Keyes concluded.

The Hurricanes will play the Houston Dutch Lions Saturday November 30th in the Admiral Texas Cup Final. The match kicks off at 7:45 pm at the HDLFC Soccer Complex, 14562 Interstate 45 South, Conroe, TX 77384.

ISN Stars of Coaching Presented by Korrio – June/July 2013

“It’s been a honor to play for a coach like Brendan Keyes. He helped me achieve my dreams and always supported me.”

Photo Courtesy of Brendan Keyes

Those words came from Indian football phenom Pratik Shinde, who became the youngest Indian footballer in history to play abroad when he signed with the NPSL’s Galveston Pirate in 2012.

“I would say Coach Keyes truly loves the game,” Shinde added. “He has been a great player in the past and continues his legacy through coaching and creating great players. He has an ability to unify his team and make them committed to the game. He inspires them to get the most out of their performance.”

The most telling comment from the Indian youth star was when he called Keyes “a man with a beautiful heart.”

It shows you the impact that Brendan Keyes has made on the beautiful game over the years. His impact is not just here or in his home country of Ireland, but all the way across the world in an emerging market like India.

Bringing the talented Shinde to the States was big news in India and rightfully so.  The youngster was first scouted by Keyes at the Gothia Cup in Sweden, one of the largest youth tournaments in the world.  Keyes was impressed and the rest is history.

“America is a land of opportunities,” Shinde added. “I’ve learned to work hard, be a better person, and not to quit on my dreams.”

Helping players reach their dreams has been a lifelong mission for Keyes.  Why? Because people helped him achieve his dreams.  Keyes is simply returning the favor. He helps players on and off the field, opening his home and his wallet to help them achieve their dreams.  He helped raise thousands of dollars to bring Shinde to America so that he could continue his education in America and follow his dreams in American soccer.

Keyes himself went from a top youth player at Ireland’s Home Farm FC to a pro in America with the Houston Hurricanes (USL) and Houston Force (APSL).  He is simply passing the torch to a new generation, sharing his own success and his achievements with young players across the world.

Keyes has done a bit of everything to grow the beautiful game.  The biggest is his soccer camps, which have been a hit all across the country.  Keyes couldn’t recall an exact number of camps he was involved with, but admitted it was in the hundreds.

He is also credited with training, coaching, and developing hundreds of players that have made it to the collegiate and professional levels.

Keyes has even brought storied franchises in Texas back to life, including the Galveston Pirate and the Houston Hurricanes.  The Pirate, founded in 1916, was a huge success, winning the NPSL’s South Central Conference in 2012. It was their first season in the NPSL.

Photo Courtesy of Brendan Keyes

The Hurricanes, which saw success in both the NASL and USL, were a big hit in the NPSL this season.  Bringing back the Hurricanes name was something true to Keyes’ heart.  He brought back the legendary Texas club in a big way, bringing on major sponsors like MundoFOX and Admiral.

Now Keyes has turned his attention to creating a new league for young players to develop and grow their game. The Texas Premier Soccer League (TPSL) is one of the newest affiliates of U.S. Club Soccer and already has some incredible members like the Houston Dutch Lions and BCS Bearkatz FC.

Yet another trendsetting move from Keyes, who has made a career of setting trends.  We don’t expect this to change anytime soon and it wouldn’t be a surprise to hear another big announcement involving Keyes.

Growing the beautiful game here and abroad… that is the name of the game for Brendan Keyes.

Korrio understands it is your passion for coaching kids that drives you. We also know that the less time you spend dealing with administrative, communication and automation hassles, and the more time you spend on the field, the happier you’ll be. And because you play a crucial role in our children’s lives, we want you spending as much time as possible coaching our kids. Korrio offers a modern approach to coaching by allowing new ways to communicate and develop a community on and off the field. Congratulations to the ISN Star of Coaching this month.

Galveston Pirate Goes International

Galveston Pirate head coach Brendan Keyes is sharing his years of coaching experience with the world, literally.  Keyes is leading a delegation of professional coaches and players to India and Mexico with the purpose of offering top-flight instruction in an international camp format.

These events should be great publicity for his Galveston squad and the NPSL as a whole.

Keyes will be joined in India by former I-League coach Mohamed Nizam Packeer Ally and former Ireland Women’s National Team coach Noel Mulhall.  Ally currently serves as Director of Football for the Football Federation of Sri Lanka, while Mulhall remains one of the most coveted coaches in all of Ireland.

Five Pirate players will also be participating in the camp that will take place in Mumbai on February 11-15, 2013.  It will be a great opportunity for them to see soccer in a booming market.

“India is the fastest growing country in terms of soccer,” Keyes stated. “They have more kids playing soccer than anywhere else.”

India has become a hotbed for soccer thanks to an emerging middle class, a huge population, and a passion for the sport.  Their I-League is quickly becoming one of Asia’s best professional leagues in a country known for cricket.

But it certainly could be a country known for the beautiful game thanks to the success of Indian players worldwide.  It all started with Baichung Bhutia, who made history in 1999 as the first Indian footballer to play in Europe.  Today Sunil Chhetri is making waves in Portugal as only the third Indian pro ever to play abroad.

But there is no doubting the country’s potential and the talent of their players.

“It reminds me of America 25 years ago,” Keyes added. “It is an open market, a golden nugget.”

Keyes knows this firsthand as his club signed midfielder Pratik Shinde to a contract in 2011, making him the youngest Indian player to ever sign with a foreign club.  The 15-year-old had been courted by Spanish clubs before landing in the U.S. under the watchful eye of Keyes.

In a few months Keyes will head to Mumbai to share his expertise and passion for the world’s most popular sport.   But that is not the end of his global tour as another international camp is planned for July 2013 in Queretaro de Arteaga, Mexico. Keyes will be joined in Mexico by Oscar Carrillio, a player-coach with Galveston in 2012.