TTFA News Thread.

[Controversial]

@seeker

well said, I couldn't agree more tbh

Where is the proactive approach? No rhyme or reason?

[gawd on pitch]

It sounds as if they were giving Derek King a chance to prove himself. I thought they were already proactively looking.

I believe the new coach will have say into whether Derek stays or is let go.

Berhalter is a good prospect.

[Controversial]

@gawd

Seeker and I are skeptical of Berhalter

I would love if they would post a shortlist so we can really do a deep dive into the candidates

[gawd on pitch]

Ok.

They'll only post a shortlist of candidates if there are strong applicants. Whoever is hired, has to actually have faith that a world cup is possible. A coach with a good reputation and decent record will only take the job if they really believe in the teams, set up and program

[Controversial]

@gawd

Absolutely agree brother

But is this US coach ideal? Do you trust him with our national team?

There's only a few upsides, hypothetically of course, he may be able to secure quality friendlies for the team and bring in a different form of discipline that may benefit the players, if they respond. 

[Deeks]

When is the TTFA league going to start?

[gawd on pitch]

@contro, well put it this way, what does Berhalter have to gain? The US has already qualified. . Look at it this way, the recognition for taking a very small team to the world cup when all the odds are stacked against them, is a challenge that can have a huge future payout.

There's a difference between a coach who takes the job because they actually feel the team has a chance (Steve McClaren for instance), versus a coach who takes the job because they need a job. I think we might get the latter. Sorry.

Right now the issue with the players payment is more important. Apparently, some of them players shouldn't have been playing because they were planning on operating at 50% instead of 100%. This is what Jones and I think David was alluding to.

I think the next Nations league game will have new faces i.e. more pro league players

[Controversial]

@gawd

Good points but yes I agree, these player payments are a blast from the past that we would rather forget. If this is the case, which I trust and take your word for it, it means TTFA are again sabotaging our football again. So with all the NC and big talk, they can't pay the players which is normal everywhere else.

By neglecting to pay the players, they create an atmosphere of uncertainty and distrust and it will prevent players from playing for us which means another WC missed if it is not resolved. There is no point of a coach stepping into this environment if the fed can't pay basic match fees.

[gawd on pitch]

Yep. And the next thing, who is going to apply to work at a place that has trouble paying their current employees? This debacle is not going to encourage good quality coaches to apply.

The TTFA would have kept Derek King if he won those games. They thought that it would have been a good opportunity to save money.

[Controversial]

@gawd

After reading you and Seeker, I believe Derek was not at fault. The players going through the motions currently. They know if they start winning the TTFA will just walk all over them and think they don't need to pay them. The govt is also to blame here because while they steal money from the country they could be investing in our team at least. The TTFA and this new Prez is a chip off the old black of the Dictator. I had said that before about him being an understudy for DJW.

Now players are not getting paid and they are underperforming because of it, de ja vu...

[Tallman]

Soca Warriors lining up friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Qatar
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)

Matches against Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been lined up as the first real tests for new national football coach Dwight Yorke and his staff ahead of the preliminary round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup and also the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers next year.

President of the T&T Football Association (TTFA) Kieron Edwards is intent on delivering on his promise of an out-of-window international friendly match for Yorke as efforts to secure one for the last window (November 11-19) did not materialise.

Yorke on his first assignment as Soca Warriors coach conducted a live-in camp during the November 11-19 window for local players mainly and several international players who were able to attend. However, with no international friendly match lined up, he embraced the opportunity to engage in a "get-to-know-you" session between players and staff members. The team took on T&T Premier Football League campaigner Defence Force in a practice match and won 1-0, last Monday.

After a week of constant negotiations, Edwards is close to confirming the matches which he said will be played abroad.

"We're looking at Saudi Arabia and Qatar for those games in December. We're in the final stages with Saudi Arabia, so hopefully they could confirm and we're now starting discussions with Qatar to play those two games down on that side. If Saudi Arabia confirms in December then both games will be in December," Edwards explained.

The matches are expected to be part of a larger initiative to ensure the entire country and the wider diaspora are on board for the T&T team when it contests the Concacaf Gold Cup Qualifiers in two matches against Cuba in March next year, and later in the team's third World Cup qualifier against St Kitts & Nevis at home in June.

"So the team had its first camp, we had the camp in the last window and we're planning a few out-of-window games. The first game home would be that match window for the Gold Cup prelims, so we're looking at different ways to push.

"We're talking right now with our supplier Capelli, our sponsors for jerseys and uniforms to make a collector's item jersey because a lot of people have been complaining about the unavailability of these kits for some years and it's something that we're going to make a right, to make sure that every fan who needs a T&T jersey, whether in T&T or the diaspora will have one.

"So we want to do a collector's item jersey and we're having discussions with them right now to do it. We're coining the phrase 'One TTFA, One Nation, One Team, Journey 2026' so we're going to have a collector's item jersey for that and we're going to start pre-ordering in January to have them ready for the next match day.

"We want to fill that stadium against Cuba in March, Dwight Yorke's first game home and build that momentum for the World Cup qualifiers in June against St Kitts & Nevis. We want to fill the stadium, and we want everyone in a T&T jersey. This would also help the process and what we do to ensure that there are camps and what not."

The local football boss noted further: "Persons are longing to be part of it, they're energised. I would have seen persons energised by the unveiling of coach Yorke, from the sessions he would have done, and you can see the light in the eyes of the players with him as coach."

In recent home and away matches against Cuba under then-coach Derek King, the Soca Warriors won 3-1 and drew 2-2 in the Concacaf Nations League.

In the World Cup qualifiers, T&T are second in Group B behind Costa Rica on four points from a 2-2 tie with Grenada and a 7-1 thrashing of the Bahamas. Yorke told the media, he was not studying the St Kitts & Nevis match right now as his focus was to get his players on the same page ahead of the qualifiers.

[Fyzoman]

Dwight's interview at the end of the camp is on YouTube under TTFA.

He won me over already with his closing speech, talking bout if yuh carrying extra weight work on that. Also don't be going and play no minor league as ah Nashy...people will be watching you...and many other sensible things.

The clincher was, "we don't want to be playing no backward passing football!"
Pass me another cup of Dwight's Kool-Aid please!!😀

[gawd on pitch]

Yorke looking fit. He talk about discipline and you can see the discipline he applied to his body. 53 years old and he have a body of a 28 year old footballer. Talk about leading by example. .

If you listen to him speak, he actually sounds like he has a plan. He's articulate and you can hear his knowledge of the game. I believe he got higher coaching certs/designation than Angus.

This has the potential to go excellent or crash and burn. Something to consider

[lefty]

All want to see on our first game is all the issues that plagued TT football on the field, for literal decades, actually looking like they are being worked on......so no more  attacking players taking "a breaks" when attacks breakdown, some actual work on counter-attacking...we have real potential there and just generally playing at a higher tempo......we are just too slow mentally and physically.

wish him luck, not going to pretend I am not skeptical about this

[asylumseeker]

Ah on a spectrum of more than mild curiosity to tempered enthusiasm (and even enthusiasm isn't quite the word ah looking for). I await Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Before yuh bring a mason to build yuh house, yuh duz observe how he handling an existing assignment.  The proof is in the construction, not in the mixing of the cement.

[asylumseeker]

Dwight's interview at the end of the camp is on YouTube under TTFA.

He won me over already with his closing speech, talking bout if yuh carrying extra weight work on that. Also don't be going and play no minor league as ah Nashy...people will be watching you...and many other sensible things.

The clincher was, "we don't want to be playing no backward passing football!"
Pass me another cup of Dwight's Kool-Aid please!!😀

An absolute fundamental to playing on a higher platform and a distinguishing feature in getting yuh name crossed off a list.

As soon as I heard it, I forwarded the video ... then went back to view the remaining content.

[Deeks]

I saw the video. I was impressed. Mainly, because he probably was telling them not to do the things he used to do. Learn from his and Latas mistakes. They have experiences in that kind of behaviour. But honestly I wish the best. If he gets the money and decent practice oppositions, I think we have a fighting chance.

[Fyzoman]

I thought I caught a glimpse of Neveal Hackshaw in Dwight's camp, but I figured (was hoping!) I made a mistake!

Today's Guardian article on the Saudi Arabia game we have on Sunday has him included on the roster yes.

Didn't Dwight pointedly say to the guys at the end of the camp, that those who are carrying extra weight should work on that... did Hackshaw lose a ton of weight in the few weeks since then?!?!

[Controversial]

tbh i dont think yorke is picking this team if hackshaw is still there

[asylumseeker]

tbh i dont think yorke is picking this team if hackshaw is still there

At this stage of the proceedings, these are consensus selections for various reasons. The first match hasn't been played yet. Once the ball is kicked, you should find the deck shuffled in a way that bears no relation to legacy prior to DY.

[asylumseeker]

I thought I caught a glimpse of Neveal Hackshaw in Dwight's camp, but I figured (was hoping!) I made a mistake!

Today's Guardian article on the Saudi Arabia game we have on Sunday has him included on the roster yes.

Didn't Dwight pointedly say to the guys at the end of the camp, that those who are carrying extra weight should work on that... did Hackshaw lose a ton of weight in the few weeks since then?!?!

That didn't necessarily mean yuh doh get to do both simultaneously.

[Controversial]

@seeker

I hope that is true because DY will have to make major changes afterwards.. This is basically a litmus test for the players he inherited

[Tallman]

TTFA, Saudi Arabia Football Federation sign MoU; plan to 'grow together'
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)

SAUDI Arabia Football Federation (Saudi FF) president Yasser Al Misehal said he's excited to see what the future holds after his football body signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) at the Al Shabab Stadium in Riyadh on December 17.

On the field of play, Saudi Arabia defeated the Soca Warriors 3-1 in a friendly international on December 17. But off the field, Al Misehal and TTFA president Kieron Edwards felt they made an agreement that can benefit both countries' football programmes in the long run.

"It's not just about the senior team. It's about the women's team, it's about infrastructure and helping in terms of the leagues, referees' development and VAR," Edwards told TTFA media.

"It's a very complex and I think monumental achievement to have this MoU signed and it will benefit T&T. Not just footballers, but all aspects of football in the near future."

A TTFA media release on December 18 said the MoU "will include exchanges and support" in areas such as academy development, beach soccer and futsal, coach development, football management and technical direction, general management, good governance, rules and regulations, league and competition development, marketing and commercial activities, sport facilities, sports science, sports medicine, study and research, talent identification and player development, as well as women's and youth football.

"The new (TTFA) executive came into power in April and it's been about laying the right foundation to build upon for the future," Edwards said.

"It's important we lay that foundation, not just for the upcoming 2026 World Cup...it's just a continuation of the relationship between the countries, but now in football."

Al Misehal said the relationship between the countries is very good and is eager to partner with the TTFA, as he said TT has a very good football history.

"We saw the Prime Minister of your country (TT) visiting Saudi Arabia last month. And we're very excited about developing the football relationship. I want to thank the TTFA for their support in Saudi's bid to host the World Cup in 2034," Al Misehal said. "Also, I can see the famous ex-Manchester United player (Dwight Yorke) being the coach which shows that TT is a country that has a lot of passion for football.

"Our slogan is growing together. And that's part of our mission really to grow together."

Al Misehal said growing the women's game is of great interest to the Saudi FF.

"The TTFA has advanced women's football as well and that's a part where we want to learn from them, and also from our side we will be more than happy to cooperate and try to do some programmes where both federations can benefit."

The TTFA release said it will continue to provide updates related to the MoU going forward.

[Tallman]

TTFA President’s 2024 End of Year Remarks
TTFA Media

As we close the year 2024, I want to take this opportunity to reflect on what has been a transformative and progressive year for football in Trinidad and Tobago. Together, we have built momentum in several key areas, strengthening the foundation of our sport and reigniting hope and pride for the future of our national teams, clubs, and communities.

Strengthening Governance and Structures

One of our primary focuses this year was reinforcing governance and operational efficiency within the TTFA. We successfully established several standing committees, including the Technical, Competitions, Referees, Finance and Remuneration, Player Status, and Women’s Football Committees, which now play pivotal roles in driving professionalism and accountability within our organization.

Additionally, we made significant progress in Club Licensing, aligning with FIFA standards to ensure our clubs operate sustainably and meet international benchmarks.

The FA also hosted the Concacaf Executive Mentorship Program workshop, ‘One Concacaf,’ in August. This pivotal event was designed to introduce the new executive of the TTFA, led by the President, and to share best practices in governance and leadership. We have also partnered with Deloitte which provides an array of services which will allow us to address diverse business challenges affectively, as well as assist in streamlining processess and enhance operational performance.

For the first time, the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s League Football (TTWoLF) became compliant with Concacaf standards. This expansion of compliance opens doors for our women to participate in Concacaf Women’s Tournaments, a critical step in molding better and more competitive female footballers.

Reviving Domestic Football

The restart of the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) was a cornerstone of our domestic football revival. Through partnerships with the Ministry of Sport, Sportt Company, Arima Discount Mart (ADM), Reboot, Hearty Foods, Khan’s Poultry, Angostura, National Flour Mills (NFM), and Blue Waters, we secured the support necessary to elevate the league’s profile and improve opportunities for our players and clubs. This is only the beginning of our commitment to making the TTPFL a competitive and financially viable league in the region.

International Collaboration

This year, we also expanded our global footprint by signing an MoU with Saudi Arabia, focusing on development initiatives. This partnership paved the way for our men’s team to play their first game in Saudi Arabia since 2013, symbolizing our commitment to fostering international relationships that benefit our teams and players.

Youth Development and Competitions

Our youth programs continue to thrive, with significant preparation efforts for the U-17 Men’s and U-20 teams, setting them up for strong performances in upcoming campaigns. Additionally:
The staging of the Jewels of the Caribbean tournament for our U-20 Women provided invaluable preparation and exposure.

We successfully hosted the Concacaf Girls U-15 Championship and the CFU Boys U-14 Tournament, including grassroots programs, and were selected as one of the Generation Amazing hosts, solidifying our position as a capable and trusted host of regional competitions and programs.

Technical and Refereeing Progress

Our Referees Department has seen remarkable advancements this year, with increased opportunities for training and development, ensuring our officials are equipped to excel both locally and internationally. Similarly, our Coach Education Department has made strides, offering programs that align with international standards and preparing our coaches to meet the demands of modern football.

Senior Team Achievements

Our Men’s Senior Team made encouraging progress in the Concacaf Nations League, laying the groundwork for a promising 2025. The appointment of Dwight Yorke as head coach marked a new chapter for the team, bringing fresh leadership and ambition to our World Cup and Gold Cup qualification campaigns. We are currently unbeaten in World Cup qualifying and ended the Nations League group stage positively.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As we look to 2025, we embrace a year filled with critical opportunities and challenges:
World Cup Qualifiers and Gold Cup Qualifiers will be defining moments for our Men’s Senior Team.
Our youth teams will embark on crucial campaigns, aiming to continue their upward trajectory.

We are proud to continue our partnership with Republic Bank to host the National Youth League. This year, for the first time, the league will span a little over six months, offering an expanded schedule that significantly increases the number of matches. This initiative aims to enhance the development of players and coaches, providing greater opportunities for growth and progression.

The continued growth of the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s League Football (TTWoLF) will establish a longer, more competitive, and sustainable competition, fostering greater development among players and clubs.

We aim to host more Beach Soccer festivals throughout the year and embark on renovations to enhance the Beach Soccer Facility, reinforcing our partnership with the Beach Soccer Association to advance this exciting format of the game.

Plans are underway to collaborate with the Futsal Association to launch the first-ever Futsal League, building upon the strong foundation already laid and promoting this dynamic form of football across Trinidad and Tobago.

The continued expansion of the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) and aspirations in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup will further elevate the competitive landscape for our players and clubs.

I want to express my gratitude to everyone who contributed to this year’s successes—our players, coaches, referees, clubs, sponsors, partners, and fans. Your passion and dedication have been the driving force behind our achievements.

As we step into 2025, let us continue to work together to elevate Trinidad and Tobago football to new heights. The future is bright, and with your support, we will achieve even greater things in the years to come.

On behalf of the TTFA, I wish you all a safe, prosperous, and football-filled new year.

Thank you,

Kieron Edwards
President
Trinidad and Tobago Football Association

[Tallman]

Trinidad and Tobago FA makes changes to safeguarding policy
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)

THE Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), in an effort to protect its members including children, has made changes and additions to the Safeguarding Policy and Regulatory Framework.

“In line with our ongoing commitment to greater transparency while modernising the Safeguarding Policy and Regulatory Framework, the TTFA engaged with various stakeholders to discuss proposals to amend and clarify its safeguarding policy,” a TTFA media release said on December 30.

“These fruitful discussions resulted in the decision to include some additional articles to ensure the protection of the image of football against any threat or harm as a result of illegal, immoral or unethical methods and practices.”

The changes to the safeguarding policy 3.0 will be effective January 1.

In order to protect children, an addition to Article Four, Section Three says, “Unlicensed individuals are not allowed to work with children, youth players or vulnerable groups registered with the TTFA or TTFA licensed or endorsed events, leagues or competitions.” According to Article Five of Section Three, penalties have also been adjusted.

“Players that are registered with the TTFA are prohibited from hiring, retaining, working with or engaging any unlicensed individual either for remuneration or on a volunteer basis.

“Registered players found in violation of this article shall have their registration suspended for a period of one month to a maximum of one year.”

The TTFA has also said that safeguarding officers have a responsibility to conduct background checks before hiring.

Another addition to the policy (Article Seven, Section Three) said, “All safeguarding licensed organisations must practise due diligence, before the hiring of any new staff member.”

The policy said the minimum action mandated to satisfy the due diligence requirement are to call the person’s immediate last club, academy, school or organisation that they worked with and ask for a character reference which can be verbal or written.

At least two written character references must be provided and a valid safeguarding ID card.

A severe punishment will be handed out if this article is not followed.

“Clubs/academies and or persons found in violation of this article shall be sanctioned with an appropriate fine of TT $10,000 as well as a ban on taking part in any football-related activity for a maximum of five years.”

The 73-page document detailed many other areas of how to conduct yourself as an administrator. Section IV spoke about unprofessional conduct including communication; field trips; topics related to sex; presence in a locker room; sleeping arrangements; relationships between members of staff and players; and the transmission of pornographic materials.”

Also, the policy has added or updated definitions of key areas to protect its members. Some of those words are emotional abuse, neglect, physical abuse, pornography and sexual abuse.

[Tallman]

‘Gulliginous’
By Fazeer Mohammed (T&T Express)

That headline is a made-up word, the blending of “gullible” and “vertiginous.”

“Gullible” meaning easily fooled and “vertiginous” meaning an inclination towards frequent and often pointless change.

What’s the point of this hybrid? To highlight a national condition, although not unique to us, which strangles any attempt at real progress and which, worryingly, wraps its tentacles suffocatingly around the many variations of media.

Take the local football scene as case in point. Why football again? Because it is not just the country’s most popular sport but, as it involves so many of us at almost every strata of society, it best reflects the level of disconnect where we--as has happened over and over again for decades—talk impressively about shooting for the stars while the fuel for that challenging journey is allowed to leak out of rusted, dilapidated storage tanks.

Look at the complete mess that is the 2024 Secondary Schools Football League season and ask yourself who, whether it’s the parents, teachers, school officials or SSFL administrators, emerges with any credit from this debacle?

Why not include the students too? Because they are just that-- students, or at least they are supposed to be. They are the pawns in this perennial game of manipulation where the culture of corruption never changes even if the names of the culprits occasionally do.

As befits an environment addicted to masquerade, we have a professional league that is anything but, except that an obsession with posturing prevents us from owning up to the reality that this thing has been on life-support from its inception, relying almost entirely on government handouts (another national pastime) and unable to attract any proper, long-term corporate support for one simple fact: the administration of football in Trinidad and Tobago, at all levels, is defined by corruption and incompetence in an almost 50-50 split, just like our politics.

Obviously football is not alone in this regard. In fact, the one downside of the cricket season just ahead of us in our local coaching academy is that every Sunday morning I get to hear of experiences, again with children as the ultimate victims, which seriously question the notion that mankind, at least the Trini version, is inherently good.

But this where we, meaning the media, should not just ask but insist upon proper responses to uncomfortable questions and not shrink in the face of either intimidating or smooth-talking public personalities. And if those personalities flatly refuse to respond, sure in the knowledge that a don’t-care-damn culture like ours will allow them to get away Scot free, then at the very least it is our duty to constantly remind the public of the valid questions which remain unanswered.

Take this first payment by the Sport Company to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association, which we now know to be the TT$ equivalent of US$2 million, for the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

When this was first announced two months ago, there was no reference to the two million being in US$. Because this is public money, will we get a precise breakdown of how much is going where? Apparently the balance (50 per cent) of the US$2 million will be paid next year.

But what happens if Trinidad and Tobago are eliminated after the games at home to St Kitts and away to Costa Rica in June? Will be the balance be paid? If yes, where will it go?

And this is where the role of the media, as compromised and as imperfect as we are, is so relevant. As someone who was the manager of the sports desk at the Guardian newspapers (not because of experience or ability but because I was too ambitious to realise I was being exploited) in the heady days of 1989 when the “Road to Italy” dominated everything, I was as guilty as anyone else of avoiding the uncomfortable questions—and there were plenty—because I was caught up in the euphoria of the experience.

But instead of offering up a media version of Desmond Carty’s “All ah we t’ief!” from 1986, we should reaffirm to at least attempt to do our jobs properly by holding all to account, starting with ourselves, and especially in matters close to our hearts, which is why the decision-makers should explain Joshua Regrello being named Express Youth of the Year for 2024 for a performance two weeks after the deadline for submissions.

This business is not about accepting public utterances carte blanche and then scrolling through social media for reactions, whether it is from a politician, TTFA, TTCB or even Pan Trinbago, whose triumphalism over Regrello’s performance, unfortunately endorsed via an editorial, takes doltishness to a whole new level.

To shy away from scepticism is to remain gullible and content with a vertiginous experience. In a (made-up) word: Gulliginous.