Morvant Caledonia United Thread

[Flex]

Under head coach Jamaal Shabazz, Caledonia AIA created history when they finished their 2012 season with 4 trophies to their names. The FA-Cup, First Citizen Cup, Lucozade Sport Goal Shield and the CFU Club Championships.

[Flex]

Caledonia AIA take on NLCB.
By Ian Prescott (Express).

Caledonia Athletes In Action (AIA) won their battle to become Caribbean Football Union (CFU) champions on Thursday night, beating W Connection on penalties at Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.

But they feel they can only participate in the region's top club competition, the 2012-2013 CONCACAF Champions League, if they win an impending war with main sponsors, National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB), which they have accused of reneging on a signed three-year contract.

"Under the last Government we had a three-year contract with the NLCB. But since the new board have been installed, they have reneged on several aspects of the contract," AIA head coach Jamaal Shabazz declared after Thursday's victory.

"One of the critical issues surrounding our participation in the CONCACAF Champions League is the role the NLCB plays. I intend to approach the chairman, Mitra Mahabir, to address this issue. Apparently some members of the Board feel that the figure in the contract is too much for a small club coming from Morvant-Laventille."

[Tallman]

Caledonia gives thumbs up to critics
ttproleague.com

Even the critics received an applause from Caledonia AIA following the TT Pro League club’s success in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship.

Now the club asks for it in return.

Caledonia defeated compatriot W Connection 4-3 on penalties in the Final last Thursday at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium following a 1-1 draw at the end of 120 minutes which were interrupted three times by power outages.

However both sides celebrated qualification into the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions’ League 2012-2013 season by reaching the CFU Final with Caledonia defeating United Soccer Leagues (USL) club Antigua Barracuda 2-0 and W Connection trashing North American Soccer League club and two-time defending Caribbean champs Puerto Rico Islanders 4-1 in the semi-final round.

Caledonia (CFU winner) enters the CCL for the first time in the club’s 32 year history joining a group that includes Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit Seattle Sounders and Honduran club, Marathon. While Connection (CFU runner-up), very familiar with the CCL, will face top Mexican side Chivas de Guadalajara and Guatemalan team Xelaju,

Puerto Rico Islanders, which defeated Antigua Barracuda 2-0 with goals by Joshua Hansen and a Jonathan Frias Fana penalty in the CFU third place playoff in the earlier match on Thursday, grabbed the third and final CCL spot.

The Islanders (CFU third place) enters the group of David Beckham's LA Galaxy of the MLS and El Salvador’s Isidro Metapan in the Group stage.

Caledonia’s accomplishments goes further this season as the Morvant/Laventille added domestic titles, the First Citizens Cup, the FA Trophy and the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield after reaching four Finals and finishing third in the Digicel Pro League, two points shy of winners W Connection(40 points) and one point behind runner-up and debutants T&TEC FC.

However it wasn’t all success for Caledonia over the years despite producing a quality level of football, receiving heavy criticism by some football supporters over the years.

“I think the (critics) helped us,” said assistant coach Jerry Moe during his post-match remarks. “They kept us focused; they kept us strong although we knew we were doing the right thing. People only throw stones at a tree that bears fruit.”

He added, “We are now going to (the CONCACAF Champions’ League) and try to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the best of our ability.

I think (eveyone) need to stick with it and keep giving the players hope because the football is improving don’t matter what some people are saying on the streets.

If they come to the games they would see that it is getting faster and we are slowly turning the corner. It’s just a matter of time before we get back to where we were a few years ago (even at the national). Once the players start taking responsibility for their performance and their own individual development, then we would go a lot further.

I think the coaches are doing a good job in trying to get the players prepare for international football which we saw against the NASL leaders Puerto Rico Islanders and Antigua Barracuda which also plays in the US because they weren’t a cut above us. So while we are doing well, it’s for the people to see it. And if we do well at CONCACAF then people will really believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Speaking on Thursday’s hard-fought win against Connection Moe explained, “We had normal preparation for a game of its nature. In terms of during the game with all the stoppages turning it into a very long night, with the blackouts, I think we persevered. At times when we weren’t playing too well because of fatigue, I thought we had enough to win the game. We had players capable of winning the game even though we weren’t playing that well.”

It was Caledonia’s third overall CFU Club Championship appearance with 1998 being the first and this season the second consecutive.

“Everyone is happy (now that we have won the Club Championship). This is something that we have been working on for a long time. Since inception we have always wanted to be in the Caribbean Club Championship, and to win it is more like the icing on the cake. I think it’s something we have been working hard for, and we deserve it,” said the notable assistant to head coach Jamaal Shabazz.

Moe who held the coaching reigns on numerous occasions in absence of Shabazz who is also the head coach of Guyana’s Men’s National Senior Team, said there isn’t a secret to Caledonia’s all-time season success.

“It’s not a secret. We put in the hard work and with a couple of new players such as Devorn (Jorsling) who was big for us this season, Stephan David was consistent … and also Jamal gay. Everyone helped in their own way based on the roles we asked them to play. This was a very long season and we used a lot of players. And even though we did that, we were still able to get the results. It was a total team effort from the staff and players.

“I think you’ve got to persevere. I think if you believe in something, then keep doing it over and over. One day you’re going to reap the benefits. It’s like if you’re a farmer and you’re planting corn. If you don’t wait for it to grow, then it would come out of the garden too early. I think we believed in the crop that we were planting all the time and now it’s time to reap the benefits of it,” he ended.

[truehaitian]

CUDOS AND MANY Congrats to Caledonia...THEY ACTUALLY DEFEATED ANTIGUA NATIONAL TEAM NOT JUST A CLUB.  THIS WAS THE NATIONAL TEAM WHO HAD ELIMINATED HAITI, AND STILL  CHASING A WORLD CUP SPOT  NOT TO MENTION THAT THEY DID LOOK GOOD PLAYING THE US AND ALMOST BEAT JAMAICA  AT HOME..

[dreamer]

Well done Caledonia. Well done.

[Deeks]

CUDOS AND MANY Congrats to Caledonia...THEY ACTUALLY DEFEATED ANTIGUA NATIONAL TEAM NOT JUST A CLUB.  THIS WAS THE NATIONAL TEAM WHO HAD ELIMINATED HAITI, AND STILL  CHASING A WORLD CUP SPOT  NOT TO MENTION THAT THEY DID LOOK GOOD PLAYING THE US AND ALMOST BEAT JAMAICA  AT HOME..

True, just remeber they have some English boys for the WC that really made the difference. The homegrown squad is not match for some club teams from TT, JA or Haiti. But their imports makes a big difference.

[Tallman]

Guyanese Domini Garnett joins Caledonia AIA
Kaieteur News

Grove High Tech Striker Domini Garnett is the latest player to join the professional ranks in Trinidad and Tobago. The prolific striker has signed a two-year deal with Caledonia AIA of the TT Pro League after spending 2 months on a trial in an arrangement between the East Bank Football Association and the T&T based club.

Speaking to Kaieteur News Garnett said: “The feeling of signing for a professional club is great and I am very excited knowing that I would be playing at the high level of the game. My intention is to work hard day to day to improve in every aspect of the football world including educating myself on the game more.”

Caledonia’s Head Coach Jerry Moe felt that Garnett is a player for the future and is impressed with how he has fitted into the team. “Domini is quite an ambitious youth who though soft spoken is not shy. I am impressed with his focus and commitment.

“At first we just allowed the trial to facilitate a request from our Owner Jamaal Shabazz who is working with the Guyana team. So we gave him the opportunity and he has held it with both hands.”

A goal in the TT Pro League Reserve Division and injuries to senior players saw Moe give Domini his debut First team appearance in the TT Pro League. The aggressive 19 year-old striker returned the compliment by scoring in his first game in a 3-1 win over St Ann’s Rangers.

To date Garnett has scored 3 goals for the first team and has started in four matches. “With some work and more playing time I think this kid can make it. He has a good attitude towards working hard and that is so important.

“His three goals so far were well taken and once he keeps his head right I think he can achieve something in the game,” ended Moe.

Garnett commenced his football career locally with the number one club in the East Bank Football Association, Grove Hi Tech as a 9 year-old and has played at the Under-13, 15, 17, 19 and senior levels. Garnett represented Guyana at Under-15 (Suriname), U-17 (Dominica) and U-19 (Dominican Republic).

In the EBFA’s Stag Beer sponsored division one league last year which was played over two rounds, Garnett ended as the leading goal scorer with 21 goals and was also the tournament’s MVP. He also ended as the joint top scorer in the inaugural Stag Super XV1 KO Cup with nine goals including all five in the final which his side won 5-0.

While expressing gratitude to the Management of Caledonia AIA, Garnett also thanked the East Bank Football Association, Mr. James Herbert and family, Franklin Wilson (EBFA Secretary), Clive Matthews (Grove Hi Tech Manager) who Garnett said used to plead with his mother for him {Garnett} to play which she didn’t want him to play.

His mother, Kay Ann Padmore and father, Mark Anthony Garnett also came in for high praise by the young Garnett as did Coaches, Gordon Braithwaite, Jermaine Alves (Grove Hi Tech) and Sampson Gilbert among others.

[Tallman]

Morvant Caledonia United and Courts in $M partnership
ttproleague.com

Former Caribbean Club Champion Caledonia A.I.A has entered into a $1.2 Million sponsorship arrangement with one of the region's leading retailers, Courts. This was announced on Monday during a Media briefing at the Courts Megastore in San Juan. The deal is over a three year period starting with the 2016/2017 season and the substantial injection of funds and resources serve as a revitalization of the relationship between the two parties. Courts has been an integral part of the popular team's success over the years, with major sponsorship arrangements during the late nineties which continued with player sponsorship when the Eastern Stallions entered the Pro ranks.

Since their spectacular showing in the 2011/2012 season which culminated in the Caribbean Club Championship, the TT Pro League club has fallen on lean times in the titles department as they saw an exodus of top players to "greener pastures". This resulted in the Morvant/Laventille based club languishing in the bottom half of the league table in the last two seasons but with a strong youth program they still managed to capture some silverware by winning the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield in 2015.

Caledonia AIA owner and Technical Director Jamaal Shabazz indicated that the club will continue to invest strongly in youth development while also maintaining its long standing commitment to the community of Morvant/Laventille.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/Av6nwTUsyPs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/Av6nwTUsyPs</a>

[Tiresais]

Fantastic news for their sustainability

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[Tallman]

WATCH: Morvant Caledonia United intends to use the Morvant Recreation Ground as their home venue at some point during the 2016/17 T&T Pro League season.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/Q_MK0xvQYhk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/Q_MK0xvQYhk</a>

[madness]

very interesting and great for laventille

[Tallman]

Home at last; Morvant Caledonia to welcome Jabloteh at Park Street on Sunday
ttproleague.com

Residents of Morvant will for the first time witness top flight football in their community when home side Morvant Caledonia United host crosstown rivals San Juan Jabloteh in the Digicel Pro League on Sunday from 4pm at the Morvant Recreation Ground on Park Street.

This was made possible through the efforts by the Ministry of Sport, together with the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago and the local corporation following years of lobbying by the Pro League to have community fields within the areas represented by clubs to be upgraded to a suitable standard for professional play.

General Secretary of the Pro League, Julia Baptiste, said bringing the clubs back to the community has been a critical success factor in the League’s strategic plan.

"This is a red-lettered day in the storied Pro League," said Baptiste during a media briefing at the Morvant Recreation Ground on Wednesday morning to unveil latest venue for Pro League football. "The Morvant Recreation Ground will host Pro League football."

Baptiste reminded all, "The Pro League is more than a professional league. It is a movement that seeks through the sport of football to make a positive and sustainable difference in our communities, country, and for the youth of the nation."

While the playing surface, lighting, and the perimeter of the Morvant Recreation Ground needs improvement, efforts by the various stakeholders will give the Park Street venue a facelift in time for Sunday’s Digicel Pro League clash. 

Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Darryl Smith, speaking during the media briefing, said plans are underway to upgrade Park Street facility as well as include a community swimming pool in the area in the future—all part of his ministry’s plan in "investing heavily in young people."

"(…)little things that make big differences," Smith said. "You’re not going to be seeing any mega projects—not to the fact that we have less resources. [But] we will be focusing on this level."

Smith said it "makes absolutely no sense" having Morvant Caledonia United use the St. George’s Recreation Ground or Hasely Crawford Stadium as a home venue.

Morvant Caledonia have never played at the Park Street venue – currently the home of Morvant Jets track club and Cricket Club – other than youth level football.

In May 2015 the Morvant Recreation Ground was re-commissioned following upgrades involving the expansion of the pavilion, installation of additional spectator benches, addition of a cafeteria and meeting room, additional and improved public restrooms, athletes showers and storage rooms. The upgrades included ramps and viewing areas for the differently abled.

"This is a community we want to identify with," Morvant Caledonia United general manager Ricarda Nelson told stakeholders gathered at the Morvant Recreation Ground. "It’s an honour to be here and we are happy to actually be part of Morvant. We have been waiting on this [opportunity] for years. Now we want to be positive, help the positives, and also change the negatives into positives in the area."

Nelson, a former T&T and Morvant Caledonia women’s footballer, who called on residents to come out with their families in full support, hopes to reward the people of Morvant with a victory on Sunday against neighbouring rivals Jabloteh.

Morvant, known for producing sporting talents, is also the home of Morvant Caledonia veteran Kareem Joseph and midfielder Akim Armstrong, as well as Defence Force ace and the Pro League’s all-time leading scorer, Devorn Jorsling, and talented Club Sando attacker Akeem Roach to name a few.

Ephraim Serrette, president of the National Association of the Athletics Administrations of Trinidad and Tobago (NAAA), applauded the effort of the Pro League and the support of the Ministry of Sport and Sport Company "for bringing the sport back to the grassroots level."

"This ground made me," said the former national sprinter who attended the media briefing. "It played a critical part in my development, my brothers’, and other people in Morvant like the Mc Gill brothers, Lance Dillon and others who represented the country at the highest level. So to bring back football in Morvant is a great thing."

Meanwhile Member of Parliament for Laventille East/Morvant, Adrian Leonce, believes the advent of the Pro League into the area will bring back the positive energy of the community. "Bringing back what we know to be the culture of our community—bringing Trinidad and Tobago to the place we want it to be," said Leonce.

Action this week in the DPL kicks off on Friday with a double-header at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva with W Connection against Club Sando from 6pm followed by two-time reigning champions Central FC against Defence Force.

And following Morvant Caledonia United’s home debut against Jabloteh on Sunday, play returns to the Ato Boldon Stadium on Tuesday when Ma Pau Stars take on St. Ann’s Rangers from 6pm, preceding an 8pm kick off between Point Fortin Civic and Police FC.


<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/kdWvkEU9TEI" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/kdWvkEU9TEI</a>

[maxg]

think I missed this clip from 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm1M3S5KvRk#t=69

[Tallman]

Morvant Represents!
By Wayne Cunningham (ttproleague.com)

They came from Never Dirty and Chinnapoo, Caledonia and Coconut Drive, Mon Repos and Vegas as a matter of fact, football fans came from all over Morvant and surrounding areas to witness the historic inaugural Pro League match at the Morvant Recreation Ground. The home team, Morvant/Caledonia United may have lost the match 4-2 against neighbours and arch rivals San Juan Jabloteh but even Jabloteh boss Jerry Hospedales was impressed with the turnout at the Park Street venue, “This is special, this is what we need in football” is the quote from the veteran football administrator.

Those sentiments were echoed by TTFA President David John-Williams whose football roots are deeply Pro League and he must be whispering to the new W Connection President to find a ground in Savonnetta. While the eagerness of Ma Pau Stars owner Darryl Mahabir must be heightened as he awaits the re-opening of his beloved Sangre Grande Recreation Ground especially after seeing the results of his marketing thrust in Point Fortin, Barataria and now Morvant.

The crowd was estimated to be 1700 surrounding the popular venue in the heart of a sports loving community although the members of the “real VIP section” made it to be around 2.2 million, give or take a couple thousand. This optimistic crew included some of Morvant’s well known ballers and sport personalities such as Shadow, Spence, Fires, Trevor, Corneal and of course The Serrettes (almost all of them). The leader of the section was undoubtedly Athletics boss Ephraim Serrette who managed to lure the likes of Olympic legend Hasely Crawford and TTOC head Brian Lewis to the best vantage point at the top of Park Street to view the entertaining encounter.

Other dignitaries were on hand at the event which in the end, was so much more than a Pro league football match. The Minister of Sport Mr. Darryl Smith and Parliamentary colleague Mr. Adrian Leonce, MP for Laventille East/Morvant backed the initiative and both expressed great satisfaction with what transpired in the community on this memorable Sunday.

The San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation also partnered on the project which brought top flight football into the community of Morvant, that was the reason for the near permanent smiles on the faces of Councillors Kwesi Antoine, Franz “Delamo” Lamkin and Lyndon Lara as well as CEO Mr. Kenwyn Pantin.

The day was a victory for Morvant/Caledonia United, plus their sponsors Courts and Massy despite the loss on the field, because the effort highlighted a positive for a community which has its share of negatives. The Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago can also take a bow with Mr. Anthony Blake and his team bringing the field up to the high standard of the Pro League in just under four weeks. But the big winners on Sunday were the people of Morvant/Caledonia because following the match the argument amongst a group of youngsters was “which one of them would be playing in the Pro League first”.

[Tallman]

When the borders came down
By Garth Wattley (T&T Express)

“Say too much borderline, man and man fraid to walk down in ah next man vicinity,
It’s borderline, all this Satan wickedness in the poor man community,
It’s borderline, say man and man fraid to walk down in ah next man vicinity...”

Sunday gone, there were no self-imposed borders in the Park Street area of Morvant.

Local reggae artiste Mr King would have been pleased.

Having made his plaintive plea in song for unity among the masses with his “Borderline”, a smile would have broken out on King’s face had he been there to see national athletics boss Ephraim liming with his crew on Ramier Street, overlooking the Morvant Recreational ground on the western side, mere doors away from his own home, and former Strike Squad hero Hutson “Barber” Charles having a quiet look from the southern, Park Street side.

It was easy viewing.

“Doh want no badman groups
No more badman troops coming to rob and shoot...”

The T&T Pro League had come to Morvant and the people turned out to see the show.

For the first time in their 14-year involvement in the League, Morvant Caledonia United—the former Caledonia AIA—were playing a competitive game on home turf in front of their own people.

“This is long overdue. I think the community needs it, the support is so important to our whole development,” Jamaal Shabazz tells me.

Taking a head count is difficult but the small, yellow, refurbished main stand is just about full, as are two smaller sections snuggled in between the trees on the Ramier Street side, plus those on the road.

Shabazz has been one of those who has nurtured the Morvant Caledonia baby from birth way back in 1979 to the present day. So for him, Sunday was like graduation day for his “child”.

Now, taking a relative back seat as technical director/part owner to coach Rajesh Latchoo, Shabazz drinks in the scene from an appropriate distance. The round concrete seating area on the knoll upon which the main stand also sits gives him appropriate distance from both public and players, and time for reflection; quiet excitement.

“The notice was two days but it was buzzing,” he says of the community reaction to news of the match against neighbouring San Juan Jabloteh. “In my street people were excited,” he begins to say, his train of thought interrupted by Jabloteh’s Willis Plaza who shoots the visitors into the lead after only two minutes.

Recovering from that shock, he continues: “One of the things we have to check is the borderline situation with all the different factions and so far, the response of the different factions has been encouraging; everybody wants to see football come back in the community.

“Go tell the little school youth we no want no delinquent juvenile
Badness outta style!
And all the rude boy with the screw face, ah full time dem put on a smile
Badness outta style!”

The only “badness” taking place on Sunday was Jabloteh’s refusal to be compliant visitors.

By half time, they had the game virtually won at 3-1. But there hardly seemed any discontent in the half-time chatter.

“Morvant, allyuh team down, do something!” House announcer Wayne Cunningham tries to urge on the crowd in the second period. But silence is the only response.

It was a curious game; curious in the sense that the Morvant team and the Morvant crowd seemed to be strangers to each other; the spectators curious, rather than passionate observers of the action although 14 men on the Caledonia roster actually come from the community.

“Symbolic” was one word Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee president used to describe the occasion.

Dressed in white printed T-shirt and blue jeans, he blended easily into the crowd, and as a former club chairman, the Morvant Caledonia project is one in which he has special interest.

“While as you could tell everything is not as maybe it should be, in the sense of dressing room facilities, etc, I think that the initiative to move it forward nonetheless is one that is important. This is what we have to aim for if we want to generate not only success for the Pro League but sports on the whole. We have to take sports back to the communities. Too much of what is happening in sports is from the top down and not the bottom up.”

Lewis was right about the facilities. There is much work to do still. The soggy ground, struggling to absorb the rains of earlier in the day, did not encourage slick passing, while the teams had to be content with dressing and having their talks in tents set up on the eastern side.

Shabazz would like to see an artificial turf laid down to accommodate the volume of activity the ground is used for, and better lighting installed so that matches could be played on Friday and Saturday nights.

Both Lewis and Shabazz were seeing way beyond Sunday, and the next match in early November when the Defence Force will come calling.

They were seeing days when the area’s nuts and corn soup men, the hot dog lady, the sno cone man and the nearby parlour people could earn regular bread from Caledonia matches; when the club could do a thriving business selling replica shirts and souvenirs, and collect rental fees for advertising space sold to corporate T&T. They were seeing days and nights when Morvant could live off their team and their team could live off their people. They were getting visions of a new sports culture in Trinidad and Tobago where entities like the Pro League are powered, not largely by government but by its own people.

Getting to those days will be as challenging as stopping the run of red in the green hills.

But as Mr King’s late calypsonian father King Austin would have said, Sunday in Morvant was about progress.

[Mose]

 

[asylumseeker]

Happy for Morvant. Happy for the  Pro League. Happy for the promise of people returning to the sidelines. Aside from the ball itself, there is nothing more energizing than playing in front of many spectators ... especially if they are close to the rope. The next question is how to monetise football in the community.

[Deeks]

Shabazz would like to see an artificial turf laid down to accommodate the volume of activity the ground is used for, and better lighting installed so that matches could be played on Friday and Saturday nights.


I wish you guys good luck on that. But congrats to this milestone achievement.

[Tallman]

New Morvant home excites Shabazz
T&T Guardian

Caledonia’s Technical Director Jamaal Shabazz is excited about his club returning to Morvant this weekend for their derby match up, against Defence Force, in the Digicel Pro League at the Morvant Recreation Ground, Park Street from 3.45pm this afternoon.

Two weeks after pulling a crowd of over 2,000 football fans when Morvant Caledonia United went down 4-2 to San Juan Jabloteh, Shabazz is still very upbeat.

“The results on the field would come, it will take time for the community to be integrated into the team and when the club and community gel  they will become the 12th man.

“After that we will see what home advantage really means and the real concept of a club driven by the cimmunity,  added Shabazz. “In football terms who ain’t dead badly wounded ....so let everyone talk they talk, waxed Shabazz lyrically sounding like a 3 canal rapso entertainer.

Sunday’s game which kicks off at 3.45pm at the Morvant Recreation Ground can be considered almost a Morvant Affair since half of the Defence Force team are players who went to school or resides in Morvant Laventille. Defence Force coach Marvin Gordon and ace striker Devon Jorsling both attended Malick Senior Comprehensive and grew up in Morvant.

“The community is very familiar with the “Army” players and they are very familiar with this territory, stated Shabazz.

“From a social standpoint it helps when people can see personnel from the Defence Force and Police Services not just here doing foot patrols but as rivals on the football field or among the crowd. This interaction lends for better relations.

“Over the years tension has built up with the security services and youths in the community, events like these helps to ease that tension, added Shabazz. Shabazz said that he has always been critical of the political leadership because of the “neglect places like Morvant and Laventille has undergone over the years”.

However the efforts to upgrade the field so that professional football can come to Morvant in his opinion is a plus. The man who has the distinction of coaching the national teams of Guyana and T&T feels that community fields are the future of professional football in the country.

“Credit to the club owners and the administration of the T&T Pro League it is so difficult to finance a pro team but with facilities within the communities clubs in both the Pro and Super League can achieve self sufficiency.

“We have started training in Morvant again and spectators are there witnessing our sessions. Everyone on my street in Morvant wants a team jersey so with the fans the potential for merchandizing is huge.

[Tallman]

Dominican to play professional football in Trinidad
dominicanewsonline.com

One more Dominican footballer has been given the opportunity to play at the professional level overseas.

Dublanc FC player, Rufferson Pierre-Louis will travel to Trinidad and Tobago this Wednesday to take up an appointment with pro league club Caledonia AIA

Pierre-Louis made his senior team national debut against Guadeloupe only last week.

Pierre-Louis will join Kelrick Walter who left for Caledonia AIA earlier this year.

Pierre-Louis’ move on the professional circuit was made possible by the Dominica Football Association in conjunction with the national team coach, Rajesh Joseph Latchoo.

To date, there are three Dominicans playing at the professional level in Trinidad. Briel Thomas is playing with W Connection.

This move is part of the DFA’s initiative to expose players and to provide opportunities for them at the professional level.