TECHNICAL director of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association Anton Corneal said the local football body will have to do some restructuring as FIFA has announced that from 2025 youth tournaments will be held every year, instead of every other year.
In an interview with TTFA media, Corneal said, "Now we've got to redesign what we are doing when it comes to a high-performance programme. Instead of catering for players every two years now we will be catering for players every year."
He said more human resources and money will be needed to ensure T&T could have teams represented.
"It is going to be difficult to manage because you are asking for a second staff to be hired...If it does not come with additional funding then it is going to become difficult and we will have to make sure we prioritise in a way that it is beneficial to all."
The Under-20 T&T boys team will be the first team in action in 2024.
"We've got a few things (this year). First, we have youth tournaments. The Under-20 boys will be the immediate youth tournament where the preliminary group will be played in T&T in February."
Corneal said the Under-20 players in training have potential.
"We have been in training (locally) for the last two and a half months. I have to say it is a real competitive group of players. They would merge with players out of the US and a few out of the UK."
T&T will host Group D of the Concacaf Men's Under-20 qualifiers, also featuring Canada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica. Group matches will kick off on February 23 at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. Only the winner will advance to the next round of qualification.
Corneal said it would be a challenge to advance past the group and move on to the next round in July. "It is not going to be a given...But we have had relatively decent results against Canada over the last ten years where it has fluctuated. They have won some and we have won some."
Corneal said coaching education will continue including four C license courses, two B license courses and one A license course.