The T&T Football Association (TTFA) made a giant step toward having clubs fully compliant as well as bringing them in line with the mandates of the CONCACAF and FIFA, following the completion of a COMET workshop on Tuesday for clubs.
The workshop was held at the Northern Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port-of-Spain, but following its completion, Ryan Nunes, the AC Port-of-Spain owner said he foresees challenges for clubs ahead of the start of the New Elite Football League which is set to kick off next month.
"It is a welcomed move by the TTFA to bring the gentleman, both to educate and give a refresher of the comet system. It is pretty much a tall order, I think a lot of clubs will struggle to get compliant.
"I believe Mrs Felix-Toussaint has her work cut out for her in trying to support the clubs to reach that level but it is a welcome move and we wish everybody will get involved," Nunes said.
Nineteen clubs, all of which are attempting to become fully compliant to be accepted in the football association's new elite league, attended the workshop either physically or virtually and were exposed to a system that will make compliance simpler.
Amara Felix-Toussaint, the TTFA's Club Licensing Manager gave a simplistic explanation of the comet system, saying: "COMET basically is a management system for data and information. With regards to football, this is where clubs will put in all their information regarding players, teams, administration, finance, infrastructure and basically the overall running of their club.
"As we say sport is a business so this is just putting standards ahead and organising it in a professional way.
"My job as the club licensing manager is not to deny or approve anything but just to manage the system and make sure that all the clubs submit the right documents within a certain deadline and that we meet the local and regional compliance."
Like all the club representatives, Felix-Toussaint was excited about the prospect of having football played, and moreso, in a professional manner, saying: "It's been a long time in coming, especially after covid and the start of play. We look forward to having professional football again in T&T. This is just the first stage to making sure that everybody is compliant and that all the regulations and standards are in place.
"We're so grateful to have CONCACAF here today to be able to conduct this workshop and have a very hands-on workshop where only clubs that will be taking part in the New Football league taking part.
"We feel a lot more comfortable working with the software."
Nunes said he understands what they're looking for in terms of the facilities, in terms of the function of the coaches, the function of the different administrators, looking at what they require, and trying to increase the standard and the professionalism of the clubs.
"But again, it's a tall order with the short time frame to do it with, but it's the right direction we're moving in," Nunes said.
SOURCE: T&T Guardian