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...Governing body approves funding 

FIFA  Development officers Gregory Englebrecht and Howard McIntosh completed a two-day visit to Trinidad and Tobago today during which they met with officials of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association and made site visits to potential locations for a National Football Training Centre.

 Englebrecht, who is a senior manger for development for the Americas, stated that FIFA has approved funding to the tune of US$500,000 for the establishment of a National Training Centre through the FIFA Goal Project.

Both Englebrecht and McIntosh met with TTFA President Raymond Tim Kee and General Secretary Sheldon Phillips as well as Government officials and stakeholders before paying a visit to the site in Marabella, near to the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, which has been earmarked as a site for the construction of the centre which will include training fields, both natural and artificial surfaces. (Photo shows McIntosh (left) and Englebrecht)

Englebrecht explained the purpose of his visit, saying “The purpose is two-fold. We looked at the location where the TTFA wants to build the Goal Project funded by FIFA which will be a training centre for national teams to practice and organize activities and the other purpose was to review one of the income generation programs where FIFA will support the TTFA with initial funding to set up a program where they can be come more self sustainable,” 

Englebrecht was impressed by the site in Marabella.

“The location is close to the stadium which is a quite a large area with capacity for four to five fields. This is very good and if the TTFA can coordinate with the Government all the arrangements and paperwork necessary to get access to this  area then we can help them develop it into a very useful modern facility for Trinidad and Tobago football.

“First we will start will building a football field with the option to do up to four fields. That will be the first step and then we will look into how the TTFA wants to develop the area with additional fields and also mini pitches for small sided games and to allow schools and other teams to utilize it. And with the main stadium nearby there can be a double effect for the area,” he added.

Englebrecht explained the conditions necessary for the project to take off, adding that FIFA has already approved funding for the construction of the facility.

“Depending on a proposal proposal done by an Association, FIFA makes available US $500,000 which can be invested into the project.  We have certain conditions and one of them is that the property has to be a lease or an agreement, usually with Government, for use of the property for a minimum of 25-30 years so that it can be developed and that it will benefit football in the country for a long period.

“The project funding is  already approved and the TTFA has access to that funding.  What has to be determined is the scope of the project and the contracting for it.”

Englebrecht noted that the efforts of the TTFA over the recent months has demonstrated to FIFA that it is worthy of support through its various projects.

“We have seen progress and that the investments are working out, particularly in women’s football and also youth development. We will continue to support the TTFA  in this period to enhance their facilities and hopefully this will provide a good base and stability. 

“There’s a saying that if you do, then FIFA does. And we have seen that over the last four years or so the TTFA has gone through a lot of difficult times, a lot of changes and a lot of things have impacted on the association but there is a lot of hard work being done.

We’ve seen the progress step by step and as the leadership of the TTFA itself engages in taking initiatives in changing the momentum, it also encourages FIFA to give support through the different programs. The situation is changing in such a way that we are more confident also that  our support  will reach the right objectives of the TTFA and we can then also see the benefits for the TTFA and football in general with our investments,” Englebrecht concluded.