Champion Coach Mc Comie out.
...Cubans take over the Eastern Lions.
By: Randy Bando (ttproleague.com).[/size]
TT Pro League Coach of the Year Michael Mc Comie of the 2006 Pro League Champions B Mobile Joe Public will no longer be in charge of the Macoya based team as he is expected to take up duties with the national Olympic team ahead of the upcoming 2008 Olympic qualifiers.
It is confirmed that Cuban Coaches Domingo Hernandez and Manuel Rodriguez will take charge of the ‘Eastern Lions’ for the 2007 season.
According to the owner of the Club Mr. Jack Warner, both Domingo Hernandez and Manuel Rodriguez are expected to arrive in Trinidad on Tuesday ahead of the team’s preparation for the 2007 Pro League season.
Mc Comie who led the ‘Eastern Lions’ to the Pro League title in 2006 has been appointed assistant coach to Dutchman Jan Van Diesen who is also the assistant coach to the Trinidad and Tobago national head Coach Wim Rijsbergen.
Owner of the Pro League Club and FIFA Vice President Jack Warner confirmed to ‘ttproleague.com’ the move by his league winning coach.
“Mc Comie has been elevated to the national Olympic team as an assistant to Jan Van Diesen and they will both start working with the team for the Olympic qualifiers later this year. The plan really, is to allow him to gain the experience at this level, before he returns to the Club,” confirmed Mr. Warner.
The qualifiers for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing China begin in September of this year for the Trinidad and Tobago team, but no date has been confirmed yet as to when the local team would begin training.
Technical Director of the ‘Eastern Lions’ Keith Lookloy now believes the Club’s decision to hire the Cuban coaches Domingo Hernandez and Manuel Rodriguez was the right decision.
Speaking with ‘ttproleague.com’ Lookloy said, “I have known these two coaches for many years while working with FIFA. They have good local and international records in Cuba. They have the national team experience at the under-17 level to the Olympic team level.”
“Domingo Hernandez would be the head coach of Joe Public for the 2007 while Manuel Rodriguez will be the assistant coach.”
“If you look at the recently concluded Digicel Caribbean Cup, the top three coaches outside of the Trinidad and Tobago team were Cuban coaches. Haiti and Cuba both had Cuban coaches.”
“They are from the Caribbean, they know the people and our cultures and I think we have made the right decision,” ended Lookloy.
According to Technical Director Keith Lookloy, both coaches are contracted for the 2007 season with an option to renew for the 2008 season.
Grayson joins Joe Public coaching staff.
By: Randy Bando (ttproleague.com).
Former CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh youth Coach Michael Grayson, has joined the technical ranks of 2006 League Champions B Mobile Joe Public ahead of the 2007 season as part of their coaching upgrade.
Grayson whose contract ended in December with the San Juan based team previously told ‘ttproleague.com’ the major reason for him leaving the club is that he was reinstated as a teacher at the Curepe Junior Secondary School and would not have been able to make a full time commitment to the club and so the board of directors at San Juan Jabloteh the Club where he was employed for two years took the decision not to renew his contract.
The school teacher confirmed his move telling ‘ttproleague.com’, “I am with Joe Public this season but as coach of their reserve team as far as I understand. I am not with the senior or youth team under-17; I’m just with the reserve team and my first day on the job with the ‘Eastern Lions’ started on the February 7,” confirmed the former San Juan Jabloteh youth Technical Director.
He went on to explain his reason for joining the Macoya based team saying, “I am back as a school teacher with Curepe Junior Secondary and I can’t commit to any Professional Club team full time like what they wanted me to do at Jabloteh. I decided to join Joe Public because it’s the closest team on the East West corridor and I would only be working with the reserve team,” said Michael Grayson.
The former Arima Senior Comprehensive school teacher also said he is committed as the coach of the Secondary Schools football champions St Augustine Senior Comprehensive.
Technical Director of the Macoya based Club, Keith Look Loy confirmed Grayson’s move to the ‘Eastern Lions saying, “Yes, Grayson is now a member of the Joe Public coaching staff and is working with the reserve team.”
“When I took over the job of Technical Director of the Club back in April of 2006 my job was clear. I am about promoting player development and this is my reason for upgrading our coaching staff with proven winners.”
“Michael Grayson is one of our greatest local developmental coaches. He is also the 2006 SSFL League winning coach with St. Augustine and it is great that we have him at the Club to work with our under-20 players in the reserve team,” said Lookloy.
The 2006 Pro League Champions Technical Director also revealed another champion coach has joined his staff ahead of the 2007 season.
“The 2006 SSFL Intercol winning Coach, Keith Jeffrey who coached San Juan Senior Comprehensive is now the under-15 coach of Joe Public while former national defender Derek King will continue as Coach of the under-17 team.”
“Another addition to our club is the Trinidad and Tobago national women’s coach Marlon Charles who has rejoined us as the women’s team coach.”
As to how long the coaches would be contracted with the 2006 League Champions Lookloy said, “These are proven coaches and we have no plans of replacing them in the future. But for now I would say they are contracted on a one year basis and I predict they would stay with the club much longer,” ended the ‘Eastern Lions’ Technical Director.
