Otto Pfister has made his feelings known about the standard of the Trinidad and Tobago Pro League.
"This Pro League is zero. It is zero," said the veteran German, who has coached in Ivory Coast, Senegal, Ghana Cameroon and Saudi Arabia among other countries.
Speaking following his side's final match in CONCACAF 2014 World Cup qualifying at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Tuesday, Pfister said that although Trinidad and Tobago were eliminated from the World Cup, the 600 of so folk that turned up were far greater than most Pro League matches.
He said that in places like Bermuda and Guyana, more people probably also watch football than in the local Pro League. Pfister, who has been a regular at local professional league matches, suggested that excitement was missing from the Pro League.
"The spectator, he leaves from his home and tells his wife I go to a football game. He likes a spectacle, but when he comes to the stadium he sees nothing."
Pfister further said that organisation was also a problem with the Pro League and said some matches sometimes have no ball boys; sometimes did not begin on time and there was also a problem with referee quality.
"How come all referees strike, and we take second-hand referees. Some referee even don't known the rules," Pfister suggested. "Improve your local football and have a chance at international football."
Pfister calls on T&T to work more together.
By Shaun Fuentes.
German-born football coach Otto Pfister has made a call for all stakeholders and officials in local football to stop fighting among themselves and instead start working more collectively.
This he says will be a key ingredient for the country to succeed in its quest to return to some form of prominence in the game. “Football in the entire country has to change. I never bad talk my Federation or Association.
Right now we don’t have a president and my boss is Richard (Groden) and I never bad talk these people in such position because I think we have to work together always.
“Nobody wants to lose but the Professional League in this country has to improve. Right now it is zero and many other things in your football have to improve. What happens here happens nowhere else where football is serious my friends,” the German-born added.
“But I think that with proper planning and preparation we have a very good chance to qualify for the next Gold Cup and then 2018. You have to work more and more together. In every big football country, the people work together to achieve one goal.
“You have to make the investment and plan and prepare from very early. You cannot wait until 2016. And you must have the best in everything from early for your preparation. Do not take things lightly and say okay maybe we can manage it this way.
“As for me, I don’t know my future but football is played all over the world and I have been through it all. I can get a job easily tomorrow. It’s my decision to take it if I want.
I chose to come to Trinidad because I saw an opportunity to help a country like yours. The money is no problem for me. I can get more money in other bigger countries but this is not the point I am making here. I want to see the football improve,” said Pfister, who turns 74 on November 24.
He commended the staff that worked with him on the national team. “My only worry is my staff here. These men worked very hard and give a lot of effort. You do not get this everyday in a lot of other countries and I can tell you this from experience.
So what happens to them now? Will they get the chance to improve and to serve? Or will they be put away. I think you must keep these people and allow them to build on this and use their experience for the benefit of your football. “There must be something where your football continues and then you can prepare to take on the bigger countries and achieve success,” Pfister concluded.