Star Wellington Phoenix striker Paul Ifill has received a call-up to the Barbados national team. The English-born former Millwall man will travel to the Caribbean next week for a trio of CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifying matches during the international break and says there will be more than just his own boots in his luggage.
"As of this morning there's nine pairs in the suitcase, donated by the lads," Ifill told The Dominion Post about asking his Phoenix teammates for spare pairs for the amateur Barbadian players in the squad.
"So that's a nice touch. They don't have much up there and to get decent boots will make a big difference to them.
"There's not much money. People moan about there not being much money over here but there's definitely not much money over there. Just to be able to help out with something like that makes a big difference to them. I've done it before - I don't want to blow my own trumpet but myself and another couple of lads try to get boots over there."
Ifill will return from international duty on October 13 or 14 and expects to be right for the home clash with Melbourne Heart on Sunday the 17th.
"So it's quite close but ... if we (Barbados) win the first two, I might come home early and make sure I'm back in plenty of time for the Heart game," he added.