Jamaica Gleaner

Phoenix Academy to be documented in film

- Gleaner Writer Robert Bailey

A MOVIE production team from England is now in the island to film a documentar­y on the Phoenix Football Academy, led by Craig Butler.

The crew, which arrived in the island yesterday, will be conducting a number of filming sessions with the Phoenix players and coaching staff.

They are also expected to conduct filming in Germany, where Phoenix top graduate Leon Bailey currently plies his trade for Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

Filming is also being planned to take place in Malta, where a number of Phoenix players currently play their football.

Phoenix founder Craig Butler said that he is delighted with this achievemen­ts and he is looking forward to telling his story to the rest of the world.

FEELING GREAT

“I feel great,” said Butler. “It’s an honour, and it’s about time; the whole world wants to know our story,” he said.

“It’s a miraculous story about a man and his children and their dream, and that’s very inspiring, and I believe that the successes that we have had, the whole world has recognised,” Butler said.

He added: “They are doing a major motion picture about the journey of the Phoenix on myself, Leon, Kyle (Butler) and Kevaughn (Atkinson) on our journey and all the trials that have led to this.

Butler stated that the documentar­y will also help to bring a lot of money into the academy coffers.

“I am very excited about the prospects of having our story being told to the world,” he said. “It will generate good income for us as well. I am very proud of my family, and I am very proud of Phoenix. And I am very proud of Jamaica,” Butler said. “It means that we have establishe­d ourselves in the world because we have 17 players now playing profession­ally in Europe, so I am very happy for the academy,” he noted. The production team is set to leave the island on November 7.

 ?? FILE ?? Bayer Leverkusen’s Jamaican forward Leon Bailey scores during the German Bundesliga match against Borussia Moenchengl­adbach at the Borussia-Park in Moenchengl­adbach, Germany, on October 21.
FILE Bayer Leverkusen’s Jamaican forward Leon Bailey scores during the German Bundesliga match against Borussia Moenchengl­adbach at the Borussia-Park in Moenchengl­adbach, Germany, on October 21.

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