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Sports => Football => Topic started by: Flex on August 27, 2006, 08:04:44 AM

Title: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Flex on August 27, 2006, 08:04:44 AM
Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).
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The Trinidad and Tobago Secondary Schools' Football League (SSFL) could kick off next month without its star pupils after national youth teams' coach Anton Corneal admitted the possibility of a ban on national players.
Corneal, who coaches Trinidad and Tobago today in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) U-16 Youth Tournament third-place play off against Jamaica, believes that the country's chance of qualifying for the 2007 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Korea would be significantly boosted by a boycott of the SSFL competition.
Although no formal decision has been made thus far, Corneal proposed that his under-16 players would benefit more from strength and endurance training programmes and, possibly, international friendlies than representing their respective schools.
He argued that the national youth players could forget the lessons learnt from exacting opposition like Haiti-Trinidad and Tobago lost 1-0 to Haiti in the CFU semi-finals on Friday-if they return to the SSFL, and insisted a ban could help the team to qualify for the Under-17 World Cup.
"It is a conflict in the intensity of the game (at SSFL level) and what we are trying to get from them at national level," said Corneal. "When they play at that lower level twice a week and in training for their school teams, it becomes a norm...I am thinking of (withdrawing the players from the SSFL) so we can have proper preparation without being hindered."
Corneal suggested that the failure of national youth teams over the past decade and a half was a direct result of the influence of the SSFL, which he referred to as "a big bad wolf".
Trinidad and Tobago have not qualified for the final CONCACAF round at under-17 level since 1999. Two years ago, Corneal implemented a ban on school football as under-20 coach and is convinced that it helped his squad progress to the final CONCACAF stage where they lost all three group matches against the United States, Panama and Costa Rica.
Although the SSFL has been a nursery for national talent for decades, Corneal countered that school players in the 1980s and early 1990s also played senior football at club level which is no longer the case.
He claimed that he was not trying to belittle the schools competition but felt obliged to prioritise the national teams.
"Some people are against (the ban) and some people are for it," said Corneal, a former Fatima College standout. "But everyone is afraid to talk about it because it is taboo. The last few national (youth) teams didn't go through because they compromised. "I am not against the colleges' league but, when we are talking about qualifying for a World Cup, we have to put things into perspective."
T&T mesmerised by Haitian magic.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).


The Hasely Crawford Stadium fell under a Haitian spell on Friday evening.
Trinidad and Tobago's 1-0 loss to Haiti in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Under-16 Youth Tournament semi-final round might have prompted a hasty exit by spectators at the final whistle.
Instead, local fans stood in the aisles transfixed as over a dozen Haitian teenagers put on a dance exhibition that seemed to match their football performance for creativity, enthusiasm and, above all, audacity.
Jules Sandy, the game's lone scorer, celebrated his goal by bringing his finger to lip in a gesture to the home crowd and, at Surinamese referee Enrico Wijngaarde's final whistle, the Haitians indulged in some teasing hip movements in front the Trinidad and Tobago technical area that could be viewed as provocative. A post-game brawl between Argentina and Germany at the 2006 World Cup was ignited by far less.
But there was no denying that the young Soca Warriors had been mastered. "Haiti was more mature in their game," said national youth teams' coach Anton Corneal. "There were times when we had them on their back but they were mature enough to handle the pressure and play themselves out of it, especially in the second half."
It has been a tough week for Trinidad and Tobago football fans still basking in the country's historic showing at the Germany World Cup, just two months ago.
First, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation's (T&TFF) decision to scrap September friendlies against senior Mexican and Colombian teams suggest, correctly or not, that new coach Wim Rijsbergen does not have a squad worth fielding without his overseas contingent. It is a point that might prompt a cringe from Pro League CEO Dexter Skeene.
And Trinidad and Tobago's failure to top a four nation Caribbean group that did not include English-speaking rivals Jamaica would further sting local pride as does a continuing failure to produce a youth team capable of seizing one's breath. There were some shouts for Corneal's dismissal as the game headed to a predictable defeat although the youth team coach pointed out that he has done better than most in recent memory.
Two years ago, coach Nigel Grosvenor's under-16 outfit fell to Cuba by a 6-2 goal aggregate score in the final Caribbean qualifying leg while Ron La Forest's team ended bottom of a group that comprised Bermuda, Guyana and St Lucia in 2002.
In the past 15 years, Trinidad and Tobago appeared at the final CONCACAF group stage just twice--1999 and 1991--and, on both occasions, finished last and without a win. Still, Corneal promised that his team will do better next April in the final World Cup qualifying phase.
"We need to step up the program physically," he told the Sunday Express, "and play against competitive teams more often, not once, every two months, so the players know what it is like."
Corneal, an assistant to former head coach Leo Beenhakker at the 2006 World Cup, pointed out that the Warriors significantly closed the gap between themselves and respected international opponents like Sweden with just five weeks of intensive training.
Dutch coaches Rijsbergen and Jan Van Deinsen are, according to Corneal, playing an active role in an attempt to perform a similar job with the youth team.
It will be interesting to observe Haiti's mettle against Mexico in this afternoon's 4 p.m. final at the Hasely Crawford Stadium but the French-speaking islanders seemed a good yardstick to gauge the merits of Corneal's squad on Friday.
Trinidad and Tobago kicked off without the injured trio of Leston Paul, Stephen Chang and Daniel Cyrus--the latter confessed a back injury during the warm up--and were soon second best to the Haitians.
Corneal abandoned his 4-4-2 system to match Haiti's 3-5-2 in an effort to tame his opponent's midfield prowess while defender Brenton Balbosa was asked to stay close to Haitian captain and playmaker Joseph Peterson in Trinidad and Tobago's defensive third of the field.
The coach must have feared the worse when Peterson, the eventual man of the match, instigated an opening goal for Haiti after just 10 minutes. Haiti's skipper sent Normil Valdo clear down the right flank and his cross was teed up by St Victor Ulterguens for Sandy to finish with composure. Sandy wheeled away to face the home crowd with finger on lip. It was a signal of intent. Haiti were there to conquer not charm.
And yet there was something about the slick ball movement and deceptive shimmies from the Haitians that touched a chord with the Port of Spain crowd who alternated cheers for the home team with murmours of approval for the visitors.
Corneal claimed "four or five" scoring opportunities for his side but they came mostly from set pieces. Once the ball rolled, the Haitians were superior.
Peterson's clever turns in midfield and Valdo's penetrative runs down the right touchline were highlights of Haiti's offensive game while Saint Cyr Widner was commanding as a midfield sweeper.
In red, white and black strip, the central defensive trio of Robert Primus, Ryan O' Neil and Sheldon Bateau admirably managed an intense workload and there were flashes of potential from midfielders Kevin Molino and Chike Sullivan and forward Daniel Joseph. Corneal has eight months to transform this raw material into a world class product. But Friday belonged to Haiti.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Trini _2026 on August 27, 2006, 08:21:10 AM
Ok ban the players from school competition good idea  but continue to look at potential players in the secondary schools league... i know how they lazy already
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: rippin on August 27, 2006, 08:28:00 AM
Having the players playing more competitive matches is a good idea but they need to try and develop the SSFL too.
Narrowing down the player pool for 2010 does not make sense right now. There will always be late bloomers and men who fly under the radar.

Even if the intent was to ban the players he didn't have to talk bout the "lower level". All he needed to say was that he wanted the team to train together under one system and have international matches. No need to make SSFL sound like it is the worst thing ever. Now any type of relationship the coaches try to develop with schools and their staff will be strained. Foot in mouth disease. It have better ways to say bad things.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Teflon Don on August 27, 2006, 08:31:19 AM
If they pulling the guys out of the ssfl they need to make sure that they get to play alot of matches bcuz it was evident that our boys aren't accustomed to playing aot of games in a short space of time.... we also need to keep on looking for players to add to the squad
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Feliziano on August 27, 2006, 08:44:22 AM
Having the players playing more competitive matches is a good idea but they need to try and develop the SSFL too.
Narrowing down the player pool for 2010 does not make sense right now. There will always be late bloomers and men who fly under the radar.

Even if the intent was to ban the players he didn't have to talk bout the "lower level". All he needed to say was that he wanted the team to train together under one system and have international matches. No need to make SSFL sound like it is the worst thing ever. Now any type of relationship the coaches try to develop with schools and their staff will be strained. Foot in mouth disease. It have better ways to say bad things.
thats true
but if i was a player now in school i woulda say to hell with National football and concentrate on my education and play for my schoool with the intention of possibly getting a scholarship...TTFF ent showing no inclination to be organised and be well prepared.
first of all it going to be too late to get that current side up to the level it should be, which is easily beat other regional teams. If the team ent winning, what good exposure a player going to get in terms of a future contract or scholarship. Then when the team does lose eventually, they just going to prk up that side till next 4 years, then the players who sacrifice just will have to fend for themselves till they step up to the U-19 squad etc..for other who ent lucky to make the U-19 team, well then they lose out.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: trinbago on August 27, 2006, 08:53:53 AM
Very Good intent ...bad delivery

I understand his point....the youths std. drops when playin in the SSFL....plus taking away 20-25 youths from the SSFL meaning 1-3 per school at most. is not going to be to the detriment of the league. The key is to keep an eye on the SSFL for up and commers so the youths in the SSFL will keep themselves and as result the league competitive. By putting the league down does not encourge that.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Feliziano on August 27, 2006, 08:57:44 AM
Very Good intent ...bad delivery

I understand his point....the youths std. drops when playin in the SSFL....plus taking away 20-25 youths from the SSFL meaning 1-3 per school at most. is not going to be to the detriment of the league. The key is to keep an eye on the SSFL for up and commers so the youths in the SSFL will keep themselves and as result the league competitive. By putting the league down does not encourge that.
i positive this ent the first time they doing this
they shoulda thought bout it since last year at least
not 1 week before the season start..steups
he must b trying to help Fatima win this year  ;D
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: morvant on August 27, 2006, 09:02:51 AM
this could have both good and bad things comming out of it

good: chemistry, discipline and unity in the team

bad: morale, self-seteem, and missing out on real tv6 play of de day and express clippings and nuff hoes,family looking foward fuh yuh to rep yuh school, yuh bredren telling yuh boy play fuh we nah iz ah semi-final dan.

SCHOLARSHIPS

too much bad
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: rippin on August 27, 2006, 09:08:29 AM
I am not overly concerned about the SSFL. Taking the players away will not be to the Leagues detriment. Not trying to improve the league will be to the country's detriment.

What happeining to the man who on the under 17 team and then get drop or replaced at the under 20 level. Who knows where his education will be at.

Corneal need to get some regional coaches trained. Tape the national training sessions and pass it on to schools. Let everybody know what they trying to do and what they trying to eliminate. Imagine all the schools playing at this "level." That is when the true talent will shine. Right now it hae skills men who would stand out but dribbling might not necessarily be what is best for the national team.

The TTFF need to start focusing on fitness. Implement some fitness testing for all footballers at every level. Start a database and start tracking men progress. It have men like Dwarika and Hardest blessed with talent but not using it. We need to weed out these men and let the serious dedicated men get they chance. The most skill in the world does not necassarily equate to the best team in the world. Ask Brazil.

Players like Gattuso who play a role will never be developed under our current system. Everybody cyah be the finesse midfileder.

EDIT


Is this kinda a mentality why we cyah field a team to play friendlies. All we eggs in one basket
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Feliziano on August 27, 2006, 09:10:19 AM
I am not overly concerned about the SSFL. Taking the players away will not be to the Leagues detriment. Not trying to improve the league will be to the country's detriment.

What happeining to the man who on the under 17 team and then get drop or replaced at the under 20 level. Who knows where his education will be at.

Corneal need to get some regional coaches trained. Tape the national training sessions and pass it on to schools. Let everybody know what they trying to do and what they trying to eliminate. Imagine all the schools playing at this "level." That is when the true talent will shine. Right now it hae skills men who would stand out but dribbling might not necessarily be what is best for the national team.

The TTFF need to start focusing on fitness. Implement some fitness testing for all footballers at every level. Start a database and start tracking men progress. It have men like Dwarika and Hardest blessed with talent but not using it. We need to weed out these men and let the serious dedicated men get they chance. The most skill in the world does not necassarily equate to the best team in the world. Ask Brazil.

Players like Gattuso who play a role will never be developed under our current system. Everybody cyah be the finesse midfileder.
well said Rippin  :beermug:
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: truetrini on August 27, 2006, 09:12:17 AM
The SSFL is shit.  Too short and the coaching poor!  Trinis like too much gallery too.  Always with we is de best shit talk, and dat we is perennial kings ah Caribbean football...dat was de past.  Last WC qualifyoin Uncle Jack make sure we get de easiest ah passages, he hold de draw behind closed doors and den we struggle mightedly against St. Kitts and St. Vincent, who had a right to beat we, but had no luck and lacked the technical skills to put away dey many more chances.

In T&T man does always act like dey reach!  Allyuh read what de Haitian coach said?  He had his players training together, going to school together for over ah year.....dey developed an esperit de corps and came here to win.  I feel dey go buss Mexico ass!  Besides if Haiti with all de politcal and socio-economic morasses can have an academy of sorts what prevents us?  (hint ask Jackucla and his dumb ass supporters!)

When the SSFL was good, de oval used to be packed, Guaracara Park used to be packed, Arima used to be packed.  Dat was football and I seriously doubt that any secondary team from de last 15 years packed any ah dem stadiums...why?

Se league shitty!

Now me eh making no excuses for Corneal at all, but de idea seems logical.  The problem doh, will we like haiti have some proper international practice games?  

Given the mentality and History of the TTFF and the fickleness of the T&T public, I doubt it, but I have been wrong before, not often in regards to the TTFF but we will see.  I feel if Jack cyar make no money off de youth team, we eh getting no set ah practice matches.  

And if de team eh winning a lot, de fickle, asshole, non patriotic trinis eh going to see dem play, dat equals no money fuh Jack, so no damn international teams coming and we  youths eh going anywhere.

Look fuh some practice games against Jabloteh and Defence force and Tobago United as dem fellas education and training regimen.

Oh Lord ah hope ah wrong!
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: AB.Trini on August 27, 2006, 09:12:57 AM
"It is a conflict in the intensity of the game (at SSFL level) and what we are trying to get from them at national level," said Corneal. "When they play at that lower level twice a week and in training for their school teams, it becomes a norm...I am thinking of (withdrawing the players from the SSFL) so we can have proper preparation without being hindered."

Corneal suggested that the failure of national youth teams over the past decade and a half was a direct result of the influence of the SSFL, which he referred to as "a big bad wolf".

Ah ehehe another example of ' the pot calling the kettle black'' If Mr.Corneal, could determine that this is  ah problem, why abandon it without  putting measures in place to remedy and to raise the standard of the players and the game at that level? Is this not an avenue for players to develop and to be introduced to the game?

Once more, I implore those who have been entrusted with the care and development of our game to develop  proper training, nutritional programs and athletic programs  so that our athletes would benefit from the knowledge and coaching.

I don't see how removing players who have been exposed to a higher level of the game would benefit the majority of our existing teams. Could these players not go back to their teams and have an impact on their fellow teammates? Could Corneal not implore the TTFF to assist with the coaching and development of  players and coaches at the school level?

Once more  this appears to be a'band aid solution rather than remedying the alleged problem. This is almost akin to the senior national team where the best players are removed from the local scene,  and  the local players and league are left to develop on their own without the  benefit of the SO-called expert. We saw the experiment of taking a local squad to Japan. Well instead of taking the time to implement a training program with these players, all of  a sudden  Friendlies are cancelled due to lack of players availability!!!!! the nonsense  continues.

Work with our youths, work with our coaches, work with our programs. Do not abandon our youths, do not abandon our coaches, do not abandon our programs.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Jah Gol on August 27, 2006, 09:22:05 AM
These fellas were supposed to be in a live in camp 6-9  months ago with a sqaud of 40 players.In the last  2-3 months that list should have been cut to 23. We should have played against the U19 Pro- league teams to help prepare the players.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: truetrini on August 27, 2006, 09:24:54 AM
Nobody advocating de abandonment of de youths Alberta.  De league is de responsibility of de Schools demselves, unless I am mistaken.  

The league has deteriorated badly, it is too short and the emphasis has never been on player development, hence the reason we are always playing catch up.

We need proper youth leagues with well qualified coaches in charge to ensure development at a grassroots and community level.

The TTFF has never been interested in anything even remotely close to this, and when a man recently tried to implement a national program for the coaching and training of coaches, insisting that ALL persons aspiring to be national coaches in T&T need to hold accredited licences, he was demoted (Ah talking about Lincoln Phillips).

So back to the TTFF and Jack Warner again...what next fella?
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: MEP on August 27, 2006, 09:44:23 AM
So instead of working with the coaches in the SSFL and telling them what is needed Corneal would rather ban players. What an idiot.
So let's see that's creates a coterie of players who are more or less guaranteed a spot on the national team. It reasonably excludes any potential player from the SSFL since they haven't been playing at a level Mr. Corneal ajudges to be appropriate. My question is how then and from where would players be selected in order to field national youth teams?
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: palos on August 27, 2006, 10:04:33 AM
I wondering which players SSFL "PRODUCES"?

What is the definition of "PRODUCE"?

Because to me.....SSFL doh "PRODUCE" any player....certainly not in the past 10 years or so.

Who "PRODUCE" Stern John?  El Dorado?  The El Dorado coaching staff?

Latapy...Sando Tech?  Their coaching staff?

A case could be made for Dwight Yorke and BSC...yes....but that now is the exception rather than the rule.  Even then...Dwight Yorke was more a product of the St Clair coaching school, a year round initiative, rather than Signal Hill.  BSC just happened to be coach of Signal Hill.

To me the SSFL is a showcase league.  Players go to school, represent the school, maybe train for 2 months of the year, and then what?  What do they do?  Which SSFL coach then "produces" these players.

Is that the "PRODUCTION" we talkin about?

To me....representing a school and having a school "PRODUCE" players are 2 entirely different things.

Look at Leston Paul or Sean De Silva....CIC and CIC coaching staff "PRODUCIN" dem?

I agree with Anton Corneal on this issue.  The SSFL IS lower standard.  Our players WILL NOT IMPROVE if their focus is on SSFL football.

There is no "coaching staff" to really consult with.  These coaches in most part have these guys for a maximum 3 months of any year.  The pro league clubs already have their infratsructure in place where these same guys who REPRESENT SSFL teams are actually PRODUCED by most of the Pro League teams.  In the Pro League model, these young players play against their peers, and the best of them go on to play at higher levels like U 20 or even Pro League senor teams.  In other words...they playin "big man" football which was always the model used for our better youth players...from Alvin Corneal to Russell Latapy.

The SSFL has an undeniable emotional connect.  It has existing rivalries with tradition, it is heavily marketed in the media etc.  But the SSFL come like carnival in a way.  It seasonal...and not just seasonal....but the season way too short at that.  At the end of the day, is a "gallery" league.  Bragging rights is the main thing.  Yeah...it have a place for that too....but the priorities wrong.  The media priorities wrong.

Right now...the SSFL is a byproduct of the educational system.  Kids go to school PRIMARILY for educational purposes....NOT for SPORTING reasons.  That is how it should be and it's right and correct.  If we want to be SERIOUS about our football, as the Haitian's amply demonstrated with their model....you have to think about SPORT being a priority.  In the current structure with the SSFL...that NOT going to happen.  And I don't see that changing anytime soon.  The TTFF has no jurisdiction over the SSFL as far as I know.

As much as I disagree with a lot of things re: Anton Corneal....he is right on this issue in my opinion.

Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Trini _2026 on August 27, 2006, 10:08:26 AM

So let's see that's creates a coterie of players who are more or less guaranteed a spot on the national team. . My question is how then and from where would players be selected in order to field national youth teams?

Well it seems this present under 20 team was picked that way  it is the  exact same players from the last under 17 team  "automatic selection" man
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Midknight on August 27, 2006, 10:17:19 AM
These fellas were supposed to be in a live in camp 6-9  months ago with a sqaud of 40 players.In the last  2-3 months that list should have been cut to 23. We should have played against the U19 Pro- league teams to help prepare the players.

of course jah gol...but u ent realise ttff put everything on hold for the World Cup? I mean everything...since carnival done, every man jack in football only had one thing to study...who studying dem snat nose chile and dem.. ???

u mad or what?  :o
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Jah Gol on August 27, 2006, 10:32:55 AM
These fellas were supposed to be in a live in camp 6-9  months ago with a sqaud of 40 players.In the last  2-3 months that list should have been cut to 23. We should have played against the U19 Pro- league teams to help prepare the players.

of course jah gol...but u ent realise ttff put everything on hold for the World Cup? I mean everything...since carnival done, every man jack in football only had one thing to study...who studying dem snat nose chile and dem.. ???

u mad or what?  :o
:rotfl: :rotfl:
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: rippin on August 27, 2006, 10:45:09 AM
It have decent ballers who didn't play for any club that does come out in SSFL. I agree that the standards not the highest but the fact is the standards in all of TnT football not the highest. Instead of continuing to harp on it somebody need to start improving the standards. Instead of bad talking the league lets try to suggest ways to improve it cause the TTFF not going to pay for men to get to college.

I went Naps in 2000 and the footballers there actually got an education wheteher they wanted it or not. Plenty of them went to college in the States and were able to get an education. The likelihood is some of them would not have gotten to naps based on academics if they wasn't playing ball. Where would they be now? (Sweating in quarry league.)

Who is to guarantee that players in the academy going to get a good education. TTFF not going to pay for teachers. If they do the players will only be doing HSB, history etc etc etc. Shaka Hislop did Mechanical Engineering. Would the academy's cirrculum be diverse enough for him to get the foundation he would have needed?

The senior national team only have 23 spots and some men will maintain they spot for bout 10-12 years. Do the math. What happening to these excess players from the under 23, 20 and 17 team?

With the TTFF track record I would find it very hard to trust them with my future.

The boycott might not be a bad idea in the short term but I hope is  not the long term plan.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Socafan on August 27, 2006, 10:50:43 AM

There is no "coaching staff" to really consult with.  These coaches in most part have these guys for a maximum 3 months of any year.  The pro league clubs already have their infratsructure in place where these same guys who REPRESENT SSFL teams are actually PRODUCED by most of the Pro League teams.  In the Pro League model, these young players play against their peers, and the best of them go on to play at higher levels like U 20 or even Pro League senor teams.  In other words...they playin "big man" football which was always the model used for our better youth players...from Alvin Corneal to Russell Latapy.


Great post!! This paragraph is the key. BUT...the effing Pro-league by its very structure, limiting the player pool and is not very good at what it does. The only good thing that happens is that the games are played. The league needs to be reorganized to try to capture that same competitive spirit and "bragging rights", and community support that the SSFL has(or used to have anyway). We HAVE to have community support and all that follows from it to get the youths interested and move football forward. The SSFL cyar cut it.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Jah Gol on August 27, 2006, 10:52:49 AM
It have decent ballers who didn't play for any club that does come out in SSFL. I agree that the standards not the highest but the fact is the standards in all of TnT football not the highest. Instead of continuing to harp on it somebody need to start improving the standards. Instead of bad talking the league lets try to suggest ways to improve it cause the TTFF not going to pay for men to get to college.

I went Naps in 2000 and the footballers there actually got an education wheteher they wanted it or not. Plenty of them went to college in the States and were able to get an education. The likelihood is some of them would not have gotten to naps based on academics if they wasn't playing ball. Where would they be now? (Sweating in quarry league.)

Who is to guarantee that players in the academy going to get a good education. TTFF not going to pay for teachers. If they do the players will only be doing HSB, history etc etc etc. The senior national team only have 23 spots and some men will maintain they spot for bout 10-12 years. Do the math. What happening to these excess players from the under 23, 20 and 17 team?

With the TTFF track record I would find it very hard to trust them with my future.

Education in Trinidad is getting cheaper and in some instances almost free.What we need to do is develop a scholarship program for the best players to attend UWI, UTT , SAM, SBCS etc.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: palos on August 27, 2006, 10:58:34 AM
Who is to guarantee that players in the academy going to get a good education. TTFF not going to pay for teachers. If they do the players will only be doing HSB, history etc etc etc. Shaka Hislop did Mechanical Engineering. Would the academy's cirrculum be diverse enough for him to get the foundation he would have needed?

The senior national team only have 23 spots and some men will maintain they spot for bout 10-12 years. Do the math. What happening to these excess players from the under 23, 20 and 17 team?

With the TTFF track record I would find it very hard to trust them with my future.

The boycott might not be a bad idea in the short term but I hope is  not the long term plan.

I do not believe TTFF is going to fund anything.  The T&T Government has made noises about investing in sport and football in particular.  TTFF as governing body for football in the country will more than likely be involved in administration (lawd help we)....but the actual funding will more than likely come from Government.

If I am not mistaken...that is one of the primary objectives of the Tarouba complex...not just to be a stadium...but a place where the best of our athletes can be trained and educated in a controlled environment with all the resources and facilities that complex is SUPPOSED to provide.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Youth Baller on August 27, 2006, 11:18:05 AM
I am playing and have been training with Naps for the past two years an prefer to remain annonyoums tho , but i bet alvin corneal or whoever , that I could pick AT LEAST 5 school teams that would beat that Trinidad under-16 teams and even more teams that could beat some of the otheer shit teams like Suriname etc. and i have been to a U-16 game to see the standard of football. Also i cannot speak for much other teams but i knoe at Naparima with those W-Connection coaches that training is not any easy just get by training , they drill you and push you to your breaking point both with the technical and physical side of the game for corneal to say SSFL is a lower standard , look at those shitty teams in U-16 that getting beat 10 - 0 .What Corneal say might be correctt in certain zones like Tobago but not all the teams Personally i find daz shit talk , ne body agree or evrybody guh stuff fight it down that what he say is true?
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: injunchile on August 27, 2006, 11:27:06 AM
Having read some very good posts- this is my two cents contribution. It seems that Anton is biting the hand that feeds him. Instead of depreciating the SSFl, one should from a national perspective try to enhance, elevate. improve the league.
 Surely national players role is to lift the younger players and set examples for the young to emulate. Hence the reason for experience players in the national Senior squad. What did we hear fron Birchill, whitley, et al that the older players inspired them.
 Secondly we are missing the Culture of SSFl football and pride in representing one's school.Anton should be calling all the SSFL coaches and help in their development rather than weaken their team.
 Pray tell me who and what team will the national team engage. We cant even get a friendly after our W/C showing.
 Let us get real fellas.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: MEP on August 27, 2006, 12:32:09 PM
If Corneal's name wasn't Corneal...where would people have first heard of him?...would it not be playing for Fatima in what was then the College's League? whappen to dem fellas is dat they pretend to care bout TnT football.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Tongue on August 27, 2006, 12:46:26 PM
as ah man already say, de delivery ruff.... but the intent is good.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: syd on August 27, 2006, 03:56:01 PM
Could someone enlighten me, who is the player that is called hardest
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Trini _2026 on August 27, 2006, 04:02:12 PM
Could someone enlighten me, who is the player that is called hardest


HERE IS YAH INFO  http://www.socawarriors.net/kerwyn_jemmot.htm
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: truetrini on August 27, 2006, 04:30:22 PM
Could someone enlighten me, who is the player that is called hardest

Ask he wife...she name TrinInfinite
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Mango Chow! on August 27, 2006, 05:56:57 PM
Corneal could talk dat kinda assness because he is a Corneal.  From the perch of opportunities his father's name has given him, he has been able to see for years that T&T football  AT ALL LEVELS has been lacking the proper structure that is necessary to properly develop our footballers to compete at the REAL international level and to come now and lay blame at the feet of the SSFL is, at the very least, quite hypocritical of him.  TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO DOES NOT INVEST IN ITS ATHLETES,  whether it be from a cultural or administrative perspective.  We will "big up" any or all of our players that would achieve anything and accept mediocrity from such players and make them feel like "they reach" even though it is clear that such players made it despite our poor system and have a long way to go to reach true, competitive international standards.The Haiti game showed us how much we are lacking even in our own CONCACAF region..........just like hosting the Under-17 World Cup in 2001 should have showed us........just like the Under-16 tournament showed us waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 1983, was it?  We, as a culture have to start DEMANDING  excellence of our players, coaches and administrators and those of you that are young, upcoming players, you have to demand excellence of YOURSELVES!!  Stop galleryin' yuhself just because yuh could "spanner a man on de line".  Ronaldinho could do dat, too, but he make sure he could trap, pass head and shoot a ball PROPERLY as well.
    With all due respect to one of the posters that mentioned what our "former" TD had reccommended that all of our coaches be properly licenced.  Our former national team coach from Yugoslavia, Mr. Vranes, had put that proposal to TTFF/TTFA when he was at the helm back in 1995.
   Players need to be advised on proper techniques of achieving and maintaining fitness at different periods of the year, on and off season.  They need to be taught the importance of proper diet and nutrition.  I wonder how much of that has Anton Corneal given even to players that played at his father's coaching academy.  I don't know so i'm just wondering.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: trinbago on August 27, 2006, 06:01:04 PM
I wondering which players SSFL "PRODUCES"?

What is the definition of "PRODUCE"?

Because to me.....SSFL doh "PRODUCE" any player....certainly not in the past 10 years or so.

Who "PRODUCE" Stern John?  El Dorado?  The El Dorado coaching staff?

Latapy...Sando Tech?  Their coaching staff?

A case could be made for Dwight Yorke and BSC...yes....but that now is the exception rather than the rule.  Even then...Dwight Yorke was more a product of the St Clair coaching school, a year round initiative, rather than Signal Hill.  BSC just happened to be coach of Signal Hill.

To me the SSFL is a showcase league.  Players go to school, represent the school, maybe train for 2 months of the year, and then what?  What do they do?  Which SSFL coach then "produces" these players.

Is that the "PRODUCTION" we talkin about?

To me....representing a school and having a school "PRODUCE" players are 2 entirely different things.

Look at Leston Paul or Sean De Silva....CIC and CIC coaching staff "PRODUCIN" dem?

I agree with Anton Corneal on this issue.  The SSFL IS lower standard.  Our players WILL NOT IMPROVE if their focus is on SSFL football.

There is no "coaching staff" to really consult with.  These coaches in most part have these guys for a maximum 3 months of any year.  The pro league clubs already have their infratsructure in place where these same guys who REPRESENT SSFL teams are actually PRODUCED by most of the Pro League teams.  In the Pro League model, these young players play against their peers, and the best of them go on to play at higher levels like U 20 or even Pro League senor teams.  In other words...they playin "big man" football which was always the model used for our better youth players...from Alvin Corneal to Russell Latapy.

The SSFL has an undeniable emotional connect.  It has existing rivalries with tradition, it is heavily marketed in the media etc.  But the SSFL come like carnival in a way.  It seasonal...and not just seasonal....but the season way too short at that.  At the end of the day, is a "gallery" league.  Bragging rights is the main thing.  Yeah...it have a place for that too....but the priorities wrong.  The media priorities wrong.

Right now...the SSFL is a byproduct of the educational system.  Kids go to school PRIMARILY for educational purposes....NOT for SPORTING reasons.  That is how it should be and it's right and correct.  If we want to be SERIOUS about our football, as the Haitian's amply demonstrated with their model....you have to think about SPORT being a priority.  In the current structure with the SSFL...that NOT going to happen.  And I don't see that changing anytime soon.  The TTFF has no jurisdiction over the SSFL as far as I know.

As much as I disagree with a lot of things re: Anton Corneal....he is right on this issue in my opinion.



 :applause: :applause:
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: marcpurcell on August 27, 2006, 06:19:30 PM
Is anyone see the pending train wreck that is T&T football in two years?
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: palos on August 27, 2006, 07:04:24 PM
Is anyone see the pending train wreck that is T&T football in two years?

Other than between say September 2005 to July 2006....when hasn't it been?
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Midknight on August 27, 2006, 07:14:39 PM
Is anyone see the pending train wreck that is T&T football in two years?
Other than between say September 2005 to July 2006....when hasn't it been?

actually,i would say from mars 2006 to July 2006. We had nuff confusion them other months...
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: triniairman on August 27, 2006, 09:44:37 PM
like allure don't know it does have scouts at these ssfl games,a Falkirk scout came and look at Collin Samuell and some of the Mayaro composite school players,a man name Jack organise that and i eh talking about Jack Warner,that is how Collin get some props and don't forget we PFL scouts,how you think some of these youths end up with PFL teams.I for one against it.A little note and something to think about,when the scout came to watch Collin play he also came to watch a player called Sherwin Lee who was at the time training for the national under 20 he plays for Tobago united now, anyway Sherwin end up getting drop cause they had brought in foreign base players from college and Collin well look where he is now.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: truetrini on August 27, 2006, 10:41:24 PM
like allure don't know it does have scouts at these ssfl games,a Falkirk scout came and look at Collin Samuell and some of the Mayaro composite school players,a man name Jack organise that and i eh talking about Jack Warner,that is how Collin get some props and don't forget we PFL scouts,how you think some of these youths end up with PFL teams.I for one against it.A little note and something to think about,when the scout came to watch Collin play he also came to watch a player called Sherwin Lee who was at the time training for the national under 20 he plays for Tobago united now, anyway Sherwin end up getting drop cause they had brought in foreign base players from college and Collin well look where he is now.

so what go stop de scouts now?
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: triniairman on August 27, 2006, 11:18:51 PM
my comments was for those who think our school football is low and to show that by banning these youths from playing ssfl they can risk the chance of being picked up at a young age for a foreign club,it will be nice to see Knox at his age getting overseas contract.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: fishs on August 27, 2006, 11:26:29 PM
 SSFL causing a serious problem with our football now.
This is my take on it.

 Up to the middle 70's was one colleges league no zone really.
So all the teams whether they were from N,S, E or W would play each other twice.
The league was just about 10 or 12 teams so that meant only about 200 boys were involved.
What that meant was fellas who wasn't going to school or were in schools that were not in the competition were playing football for clubs, minor league, regional league and even national league.
So you would find that a club team would four or five men starting that could be as young as 16 or 17. When a youth man have to play football against full grown men they develop a lot faster to survive or they fall on the wayside.
When benedicts had the side of the century Brunner went out and found these fellas an maybe dat is what cause the slide because it gave the colleges league a much bigger profile.

Now with all the schools involved in SSFL the clubs have to wait till dey finish playing at that level, SSFL does actually ban men when dey play for any other organisation.
So men who would have quickly developed into better than average players end up playing SSFL getting a scolarship and migrating and few of them carry on to national for whatever reason. For the individual this is probably good.
For national football is the worse thing that happened to us.
Remember when Gally, Archie, Dilly , David and the rest played for their schools they also were so strong that they were also able to play for South , North etc with the older guys who must have improved their football and matured them.

SSFL should be looked at seriously an this problem solved
I know all the pro teams have youth sides now but what good is that if the players for five months for the year are restricted to playing only for their schools under questionable coaching.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Lightning on August 28, 2006, 07:18:02 AM
Back in "88 the Big seven was cut down to a big 4 to allow for Concacaf under 16 tournament.  A number of the national players on that squad did not play any colleges ball that season. No publicity. No press. It was just done.  It didn't hurt the school league. The competition was still good . In fact the top schools didn't feel it hat much because their key players would have been 17-19 year olds....

Did it hurt our # 19 that he never played colleges ball at 17? Did it limit his scholarship opportunities? We the U 16s in 88 denied opportunities to further their studies because they missed a year of SSFL? Would a college scout ignore a youth international because he never played SSFL?

We have to decide what is our priority.  Do we want to rival the academies of the Dutch, English, Spanish, French ilk in terms of producing quality players and qualifying teams for youth world cups? 
Or
Would we rather have the entertainment value of SSFL ::) override the need to reestablish a strong youth pipeline to the senior ranks?

Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Bianconeri on August 28, 2006, 07:28:16 AM
question..

if they pull dem out of the SSFL....what they gonna do...
would love to know whas the plan for them? and if they have  a LOT of friendlies in place then....

cause ya cah be jus trainin and playin a PFL youth side every now and then...which could be the case and a stupid one at that....

at least playin in the ssfl would be competitive games for them...and if he need them in between...call dem out ..

he move like a A** in that final.....i couldnt believe....how he is a big coach and couldnt see that we needed fresh legs in that final...wait til the 80th min. to bring ona  man..then til the 87th to bring on a next..while Haiti were bringing them on much earlier...

that match report i now read there was total injustice to the Haitian team...i a trini....but hadda give jack he jacket...haiti Schooled us..we eh look good
plain and simple....plain talk bad manners......and to say it was our best game!?!? wayzz...i eh see the others so that mean we play REAL shit b4
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Bianconeri on August 28, 2006, 07:30:39 AM
Mango chow...well said in that long post u put earlier....

The corneals never really impress me..though anton was givin me hope...

Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: fishs on August 28, 2006, 07:33:52 AM
question..

if they pull dem out of the SSFL....what they gonna do...
would love to know whas the plan for them? and if they have  a LOT of friendlies in place then....

cause ya cah be jus trainin and playin a PFL youth side every now and then...which could be the case and a stupid one at that....

at least playin in the ssfl would be competitive games for them...and if he need them in between...call dem out ..

he move like a A** in that final.....i couldnt believe....how he is a big coach and couldnt see that we needed fresh legs in that final...wait til the 80th min. to bring ona  man..then til the 87th to bring on a next..while Haiti were bringing them on much earlier...

that match report i now read there was total injustice to the Haitian team...i a trini....but hadda give jack he jacket...haiti Schooled us..we eh look good
plain and simple....plain talk bad manners......and to say it was our best game!?!? wayzz...i eh see the others so that mean we play REAL shit b4


Dais de problem , what they going to be doing ?
Before it had Eddie Hart league, All kinda different league in de svannha, Central football league, kinda league in South.
Now the leagues limited. Yuh doh here about the amount of minor leagues we used to have in the past where all kind a big name players used to run.
But I still maintain SSFL real harmfull to these boys development and something has to be done.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Bianconeri on August 28, 2006, 07:42:41 AM
i hear ya on that....the SSFL being a hindrance that is...

but WHAT is the other optionSSS?
hadda be more than 1...

cause cah have dem youth men jus trainin for a 3 months..no games....no camps in another country...
cause they go be restless not playin SERIOUS games...hadda organise games against all dem s. american countries..C. america..

ever wonder how from youth level to the senior team....we cah ever get big games against S. american sides and they the closest geographically???
money yes...but they the closest...by time u fly to england to play some shit club sides...u coulda do that and go colombia, uruguay and build up there...

hadda wonder what some a dem tinkin
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: MEP on August 28, 2006, 07:54:51 AM
Is anyone see the pending train wreck that is T&T football in two years?
the train has to be running in order for it to wreck...right now it stuttering
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Lightning on August 28, 2006, 08:00:42 AM
i hear ya on that....the SSFL being a hindrance that is...

but WHAT is the other optionSSS?
hadda be more than 1...

cause cah have dem youth men jus trainin for a 3 months..no games....no camps in another country...
cause they go be restless not playin SERIOUS games...hadda organise games against all dem s. american countries..C. america..

ever wonder how from youth level to the senior team....we cah ever get big games against S. american sides and they the closest geographically???
money yes...but they the closest...by time u fly to england to play some shit club sides...u coulda do that and go colombia, uruguay and build up there...

hadda wonder what some a dem tinkin
No concacaf team will play us so look at south america. If you cant schedule any games there then get creative.

Creative options:
Exhibition Games against senior Pro league teams.  They shouldn't be able to win those but will gain valuable experience.

Closed door training games against the U 20s
Closed door training games against colleges all stars

When preparing for a tournament at youth level, your objective isn't necessary to win every game but to put the elements of your game plan in place along with finding the right combination of players.  The fans can have their show at the tournament. Leading up to the tournament the prep is the focus

Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: fishs on August 28, 2006, 08:12:30 AM
i hear ya on that....the SSFL being a hindrance that is...

but WHAT is the other optionSSS?
hadda be more than 1...

cause cah have dem youth men jus trainin for a 3 months..no games....no camps in another country...
cause they go be restless not playin SERIOUS games...hadda organise games against all dem s. american countries..C. america..

ever wonder how from youth level to the senior team....we cah ever get big games against S. american sides and they the closest geographically???
money yes...but they the closest...by time u fly to england to play some shit club sides...u coulda do that and go colombia, uruguay and build up there...

hadda wonder what some a dem tinkin
No concacaf team will play us so look at south america. If you cant schedule any games there then get creative.

Creative options:
Exhibition Games against senior Pro league teams.  They shouldn't be able to win those but will gain valuable experience.

Closed door training games against the U 20s
Closed door training games against colleges all stars

When preparing for a tournament at youth level, your objective isn't necessary to win every game but to put the elements of your game plan in place along with finding the right combination of players.  The fans can have their show at the tournament. Leading up to the tournament the prep is the focus



 We should be playing regularly against Venezuela. Dey rite next door and playing top class football now.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: dombasil on August 28, 2006, 08:26:56 AM
If we are to show some improvement in our showing. I think Anton's suggestion of them being excused from the colleges league this year and being in full time training with the national setup ,with Wim and the other Dutch coach who is supposed to be a specialist with youth players involved, until november to be sensible.
These boys will still be attending their schools so their education would not negelected. And as someone before said I don't think that a US university would pass on a National player, this will only increase his profile because you can bet that there will be scouts at the tournament when it comes off.
As to the SSFL. The league season is basically 1 month long. You play on Tuesday , Thursday and Sat. Two rounds back to back. Then a week break before your intercol game. There is no  time for coaching and development in the league as it is now. Just play a game, rest and recover the next game then play a game the next day.
So when will they have time to train with the national squad? Do we want them to meet up just before the tournament in after playing something that rarely resembles what they will be doing with the national team.?
 
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Mr Mc on August 28, 2006, 10:46:05 AM
If we are to show some improvement in our showing. I think Anton's suggestion of them being excused from the colleges league this year and being in full time training with the national setup ,with Wim and the other Dutch coach who is supposed to be a specialist with youth players involved, until november to be sensible.
These boys will still be attending their schools so their education would not negelected. And as someone before said I don't think that a US university would pass on a National player, this will only increase his profile because you can bet that there will be scouts at the tournament when it comes off.
As to the SSFL. The league season is basically 1 month long. You play on Tuesday , Thursday and Sat. Two rounds back to back. Then a week break before your intercol game. There is no  time for coaching and development in the league as it is now. Just play a game, rest and recover the next game then play a game the next day.
So when will they have time to train with the national squad? Do we want them to meet up just before the tournament in after playing something that rarely resembles what they will be doing with the national team.?
 
tell them again nah, for those who did not understand the first time tell them again.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: marcpurcell on August 28, 2006, 10:51:03 AM
If we are to show some improvement in our showing. I think Anton's suggestion of them being excused from the colleges league this year and being in full time training with the national setup ,with Wim and the other Dutch coach who is supposed to be a specialist with youth players involved, until november to be sensible.
These boys will still be attending their schools so their education would not negelected. And as someone before said I don't think that a US university would pass on a National player, this will only increase his profile because you can bet that there will be scouts at the tournament when it comes off.
As to the SSFL. The league season is basically 1 month long. You play on Tuesday , Thursday and Sat. Two rounds back to back. Then a week break before your intercol game. There is no time for coaching and development in the league as it is now. Just play a game, rest and recover the next game then play a game the next day.
So when will they have time to train with the national squad? Do we want them to meet up just before the tournament in after playing something that rarely resembles what they will be doing with the national team.?
 

Well said.  :applause:

T&T is in desperate need of a academy
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Coop's on August 28, 2006, 12:54:54 PM
I've been following the reports and views of some of our experts on Football on this forum and it amazes me how people think sometimes,is either we don't know or we does forget.

I can't believe i'm hearing the kind of things being said here about the colleges league,mind you i've never played in that league but had brothers that did and can tell you that league brings so much joy to people across the country,most of our players past or present weather we want to say the league produce them or not came from there,a lot of guys who did not do well academically and making their living through Football came from that league.

If we look at the history of our Footall this league has always been the nursery for Youth Football in the country,i can't agree with banning players from playing in the league,is only three months or so what effect will that have on what Anton wants to do,i remember it had a time the association had a bann on us playing Minor league Football,we still used to take the chance and play because that was what made us who we were,until they gave up.

It's an honour for players to represent their school why deprive them of that,we done have a Pro league that nobody watches now they want to stop the best players from playing in the Colleges league,i've always called for improving the quality of the Coaches in the league,Anton have to realize he alone can't do it,we always following somebody why can't we set our own standards,not because something work for Haiti it going to work for us,culturally we are different people,they have been doing their thing with these kids since they were 10 yrs.

I'm really tired of people putting down Football in T&T,it hurts especially when you know you were once a part of it,a sport we admired so much is struggleing today,is it because we are exposed to to foreign Football that we don't see ours as equivilant?it seems to like every other country supports their Football to the Max win/loose,when it's up or down,what's happening to us?our Football needs our support if it is to improve,everything is the Government,we went to the WC without them what's the problem?

Any how i going to stop here,but i'll still say stopping these guys from playing School Football will not make any difference.     
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Youth Baller on August 28, 2006, 01:42:28 PM
HAAAA , well as of today school football in a mess , rel men RESULTS POOR , and talented players hav no where 2 play now , excpet super leaugue an Under-18 pro league etc. which d season done things hard yes
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: injunchile on August 28, 2006, 02:28:46 PM
TEll them COOPS and by the way- Tell me if you are playing for a team and all the pretty girls coming out to cheer and adore you as oppose to playing in an empty stadium. Which will you choose ?. we are forgetting we were once 16/ 18 years old. It is a whole lot more than being on the field. Ask Latapy/ Yorke and Stern.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Mr Mc on August 28, 2006, 02:47:59 PM
I've been following the reports and views of some of our experts on Football on this forum and it amazes me how people think sometimes,is either we don't know or we does forget.

I can't believe i'm hearing the kind of things being said here about the colleges league,mind you i've never played in that league but had brothers that did and can tell you that league brings so much joy to people across the country,most of our players past or present weather we want to say the league produce them or not came from there,a lot of guys who did not do well academically and making their living through Football came from that league.

If we look at the history of our Footall this league has always been the nursery for Youth Football in the country,i can't agree with banning players from playing in the league,is only three months or so what effect will that have on what Anton wants to do,i remember it had a time the association had a bann on us playing Minor league Football,we still used to take the chance and play because that was what made us who we were,until they gave up.

It's an honour for players to represent their school why deprive them of that,we done have a Pro league that nobody watches now they want to stop the best players from playing in the Colleges league,i've always called for improving the quality of the Coaches in the league,Anton have to realize he alone can't do it,we always following somebody why can't we set our own standards,not because something work for Haiti it going to work for us,culturally we are different people,they have been doing their thing with these kids since they were 10 yrs.

I'm really tired of people putting down Football in T&T,it hurts especially when you know you were once a part of it,a sport we admired so much is struggleing today,is it because we are exposed to to foreign Football that we don't see ours as equivilant?it seems to like every other country supports their Football to the Max win/loose,when it's up or down,what's happening to us?our Football needs our support if it is to improve,everything is the Government,we went to the WC without them what's the problem?

Any how i going to stop here,but i'll still say stopping these guys from playing School Football will not make any difference.     

Nobody saying do away with Colleges League, just that the best youth ballers need to be working and training together as a squad, the league wont die if those select players doh sweat, and as other players shine in the league new players will be promoted into and demoted out of that select squad.
Ask Ato if he ever run Track for FATIMA back in the day, not when i was on the team.
Ask the Roberts Brothers (Shastri and Anil) if they used to swim and compete for FATIMA.
All them US youth ballers who does be up in Bredonton FL, yuh think them worrying bout sweating for their High Schools?
All them world class athletes, gymnists and tennis players etc, yuh think they coming out of High School programs?
There are very few high school programs that can be credited with producing world class athletes.

The flip side though, if these youths going to give up college ball, then Anton dam well better make sure, they are facing high level competition on a regular basis, and getting high level training, (books, nutrition, tactics, fitness, team work, mental prepardnes,etc...) on a regular basis
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: KND2 on August 28, 2006, 02:53:32 PM
It makes no sense to stop players from playing SSFL unless you have something in place to make up the difference.

yes you can say that we need to not play SSFL and do weight and endurance training but what do you mean "exactly"

What is the program?

What is most likely to happen is that they will not play SSFL and they will just train as a group and maybe join a gym or something.

People in TnT does talk big but things does never materialize.

If we talking about live in camps and consistient games against world class competition and  traveling and thing then fine

but some how I feel we go be struggling to find opposition and funding for all these preparations.

The SSFL is an important league in Trinidad.
In fact it is the biggest league in Trinidad

Yes we can say that the standard has droped and the players is real crap compared to in the past

but we can say that about everything.

Sport is a about competing in front of spectators

The only league in the country that has spectators is the SSFL

It is one thing to train hard and prepare
It is a whole other thing to have your friend and family and gul and parthner watching you play football and the Tv and papers present.

It provides a whole other level of pressure that cannot be simulated.

This is the Benefit of SSFL
It brings a level of competitiveness that is not present in any other part of trinidad and tobago football.

Yes the standard of olay is lower than national level, but national players have to know how to play at all levels.

They have to know when to step up and step down their game.
They have to know when to control a ball when you play against slow opposition and lay it off one time when they rush you hard.

They have to know how to be individualistic and when to get team mates involved to make them better.


If we have right coaching and the right program we will know what the players have to do.

back in 1992 For Secondary schools league a member in my team get Ban for a few games because he played for his club team in the TTFF U16 Finals.


Here we are in 2006 and there is talk about banning nationals from playing in the SSFL.

Corneal and them should spend some time developing a national program process because we are sending mixed messages to the young footballers in the country.

Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: fatimarima on August 28, 2006, 03:20:37 PM
I don't know if removing the players from the SSFL is such a good idea.  Maybe a better idea would be to supplement their SSFL games with international friendlies and practice games against local pro teams.  Another suggestion would be to focus on improving the quality of the SSFL.  Remember how good SSFL was when teams like John D. and Sando Tech played in the league.   Its the same league that developed players like Latapy, Marvin Faustin, Kerry Jamerson, etc.  Why not include the technial  schools along with local universities in the league?  Just a suggestion that might benifit Trinidad and Tobago football in the long run.   Anyway, I really like Anton as a coach and a player, so Im sure he will prepare the team well.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: palos on August 28, 2006, 03:34:45 PM
I don't know if removing the players from the SSFL is such a good idea.  Maybe a better idea would be to supplement their SSFL games with international friendlies and practice games against local pro teams.  Another suggestion would be to focus on improving the quality of the SSFL.  Remember how good SSFL was when teams like John D. and Sando Tech played in the league.   Its the same league that developed players like Latapy, Marvin Faustin, Kerry Jamerson, etc.  Why not include the technial  schools along with local universities in the league?  Just a suggestion that might benifit Trinidad and Tobago football in the long run.   Anyway, I really like Anton as a coach and a player, so Im sure he will prepare the team well.

No disrespect to anybody....but SSFL (with the odd exception) IN GENERAL NEVER develop de players yuh call dey.  That is a myth.  Because dem players PLAY in de SSFL...doh translate into de SSFL DEVELOP dem players.

Dat come like sayin de Petit Valley League wit it's 5 a side no offisde football plus a goalie DEVELOP dem players too and dey play in dah league fuh more matches dan any SSFL season.  All a dem players did play dey.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Trini _2026 on August 28, 2006, 03:35:29 PM
I don't know if removing the players from the SSFL is such a good idea.  Maybe a better idea would be to supplement their SSFL games with international friendlies and practice games against local pro teams.  Another suggestion would be to focus on improving the quality of the SSFL.  Remember how good SSFL was when teams like John D. and Sando Tech played in the league.   Its the same league that developed players like Latapy, Marvin Faustin, Kerry Jamerson, etc.  Why not include the technial  schools along with local universities in the league?  Just a suggestion that might benifit Trinidad and Tobago football in the long run.   Anyway, I really like Anton as a coach and a player, so Im sure he will prepare the team well.

doh bring that up A man hit meh ah talk long time  that John d and sando tech used to build bomb squads back in the day . They used to be like Mourinho at chelsea
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Bally on August 28, 2006, 04:07:03 PM
Life funny back in the 60’s and 70’s you couldn’t make the national if you didn’t in SSFL know they saying to hell with that league   
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: palos on August 28, 2006, 04:12:34 PM
Life funny back in the 60’s and 70’s you couldn’t make the national if you didn’t in SSFL know they saying to hell with that league   

Times change
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Youth Baller on August 28, 2006, 04:15:54 PM
buh wah d ass is dis ras? for the past 5 years at least ii culd say for sure that the majority if not all not players on the under-17 and under-15, and under-20 side were pick from the SSFL! teh SSFL! i rmeber see loads of players on the national teams with no PRO LEAUGE NAME by them , but instead they only had the SSFL to show that they had playeed for and most likely picked because of thier performances there . who say dat not tru lie because i hav nuf padna dat i good with up till now that i culd give you examples of!
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Mango Chow! on August 28, 2006, 06:37:53 PM
Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Maradonna, Cruyff, Barthez, Valderamma, Wanchope,Petr Cech, Buffon, Cristiano Ronaldo, Osvaldo Sanchez, Hugo Sanchez, (and the list goes on and on, of course) are ALL players that were in a position to RECEIVE WORLD CLASS INSTRUCTION from some WORLD CLASS ACADEMY or another, IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES where they were taught from as early an age as they were able to understand: the fundamentals of football.......short and long passing, trapping, shooting, heading, team tactics, spatial awareness, defensive discipline, proper goalkeeper training, fitness, movement with the ball and without it, proper nutritional habits, PROPER SHIELDING WHEN YOU HAVE POSSESSION OF THE BALL, where to shoot the ball when you are in a 1-on-1 with the keeper at various angles, etc and the list goes on!!! Where in T&T are ANY  of our young players really receiving this kind of training? At which Junior PFL team, at which national youth team training camp are our youths receiving this kind of knowledge and technical breeding at the level that the aforementioned superstars were/are receiving in their respective countries.  How many WORLD CLASS former professionals that received the same training as youths, and then played at the highest levels are running these same academies in T&T that can impart their knowledge upon our youths?   Even the Jamaican youth team that played in the youth World Cup in Argentina 2001 played at a level that we would salivate to attain, never mind that Saviola and Company mash dem up.  Is Anton Corneal himself even qualified ebough to raise the level of the youths that he is tsasked with?  Corneal only startin' the blame-game, pointing a finger now because he is FULLY aware of the task at hand, given our lack of investment in our football programs and he knows that he ain't the one to bring about the necessary changes, so why not blame the SSFL from all now?!?
 
   Until we have a PROPER  sytem in place to turn our youths into world class footballers, Corneal just need to hush he arse and do the best he can with what is afforded him.  Show Trinidad and Tobago that you can take these players and lead them to the Under-17 World Cup next year!!
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: morvant on August 28, 2006, 07:55:24 PM
Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Maradonna, Cruyff, Barthez, Valderamma, Wanchope,Petr Cech, Buffon, Cristiano Ronaldo, Osvaldo Sanchez, Hugo Sanchez, (and the list goes on and on, of course) are ALL players that were in a position to RECEIVE WORLD CLASS INSTRUCTION from some WORLD CLASS ACADEMY or another, IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES where they were taught from as early an age as they were able to understand: the fundamentals of football.......short and long passing, trapping, shooting, heading, team tactics, spatial awareness, defensive discipline, proper goalkeeper training, fitness, movement with the ball and without it, proper nutritional habits, PROPER SHIELDING WHEN YOU HAVE POSSESSION OF THE BALL, where to shoot the ball when you are in a 1-on-1 with the keeper at various angles, etc and the list goes on!!! Where in T&T are ANY  of our young players really receiving this kind of training? At which Junior PFL team, at which national youth team training camp are our youths receiving this kind of knowledge and technical breeding at the level that the aforementioned superstars were/are receiving in their respective countries.  How many WORLD CLASS former professionals that received the same training as youths, and then played at the highest levels are running these same academies in T&T that can impart their knowledge upon our youths?   Even the Jamaican youth team that played in the youth World Cup in Argentina 2001 played at a level that we would salivate to attain, never mind that Saviola and Company mash dem up.  Is Anton Corneal himself even qualified ebough to raise the level of the youths that he is tsasked with?  Corneal only startin' the blame-game, pointing a finger now because he is FULLY aware of the task at hand, given our lack of investment in our football programs and he knows that he ain't the one to bring about the necessary changes, so why not blame the SSFL from all now?!?
 
   Until we have a PROPER  sytem in place to turn our youths into world class footballers, Corneal just need to hush he arse and do the best he can with what is afforded him.  Show Trinidad and Tobago that you can take these players and lead them to the Under-17 World Cup next year!!

nice point but yuh doh need that to produce ah player eh bredda. yorke didnt have it and he is class too
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: rippin on August 28, 2006, 07:57:07 PM
Why can't they produce a program that will improve the level of all the SSFL teams? Apparently Corneal and Wim have something they looking for. Why not let all the coaches in Trinidad know what it is? The larger the pool to choose from the better. People need to remeber we not only preparing for the U-17 World Cup.

It is my understanding that these academies that we talking bout doh only house 20 odd students. Their pool is much larger and they have different feeder levels.To get to the academy you have to prove you worth.

Another thing nobody noticed what  went on with Canada they brought different players for new men to get exposure. They balancing the long term with the short term.

Producing large quantities of talented ballers will also the country recognitiion. If the man playing pick up sweat running decent ball Trini will get a good rep.
Right now even the $hittiest Hispanic in a sweat does be at a decent level. You have to respect that.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Lightning on August 29, 2006, 07:46:47 AM
Why can't they produce a program that will improve the level of all the SSFL teams? Apparently Corneal and Wim have something they looking for. Why not let all the coaches in Trinidad know what it is? The larger the pool to choose from the better. People need to remeber we not only preparing for the U-17 World Cup.

It is my understanding that these academies that we talking bout doh only house 20 odd students. Their pool is much larger and they have different feeder levels.To get to the academy you have to prove you worth.

Another thing nobody noticed what  went on with Canada they brought different players for new men to get exposure. They balancing the long term with the short term.

Producing large quantities of talented ballers will also the country recognitiion. If the man playing pick up sweat running decent ball Trini will get a good rep.
Right now even the $hittiest Hispanic in a sweat does be at a decent level. You have to respect that.


The objective of a secondary school is education. i.e., to prepare all students academically for life after school. This pursuit requires multi-year plans which drive students towards a particular goal.  Sports while important in school life, are considered extra curricular activities and as such do not take priority in a schools multi-year planning.

Now take that same paragraph and flip it.

The objective of a sports academy is athletic development. i.e., to prepare athletes  for life in sport. This pursuit requires multi-year plans which drive athletes towards a particular goal.(WC qualification, Olympic participation, development of coaches, professional play)  Academics, while important, are considered a requirement but do not take priority in an academy's multi-year planning.

It can be argued that certain gifted youngsters may be able to be part of both the secondary school system and an academy system. However the reality is once you decide to go down a particular path (sport or academics) you are likely to stay focused on the path you have chosen.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: fishs on August 29, 2006, 07:53:51 AM
buh wah d ass is dis ras? for the past 5 years at least ii culd say for sure that the majority if not all not players on the under-17 and under-15, and under-20 side were pick from the SSFL! teh SSFL! i rmeber see loads of players on the national teams with no PRO LEAUGE NAME by them , but instead they only had the SSFL to show that they had playeed for and most likely picked because of thier performances there . who say dat not tru lie because i hav nuf padna dat i good with up till now that i culd give you examples of!

The sad thing is that you are correct.
The quality of the youth teams are poor to say the least and what I'm saying is before the SSFL the youths were better.
We can't provide much proof because back in the day there was not much international youth football played.

 But check the age that Gally, Archie Michael Grayson etc made the senior national team. the only man in recent memory to play on the senior team as a teenager was Yorke.
Get the drift.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: dombasil on August 29, 2006, 08:06:25 AM
When is the next tournament for the U16 team? Is it in November this year? If it is then the team needs to be training together now. Not getting together  just before the tournament. If it is next year then I think that hey could be allowed to play this month of football.
 No one is wining on the SSFL. It has its purpose and good players are spotted and 1st noticed in the league. But the quality has dropped off dramatically from the mid 80's on. True there have been good teams but the level has been consistently low. Coops man you have to see it to believe the level. It generally looks like what u16  football used to look like.
But gone are the days when we could  just select a bunch of SSFL stars and beat side in the Caribbean just so. The US does not do like that. Haiti does not do that and thay have said themselves. wE have tried to do it the old way with Grovesnor and Ron and the teams get dey ass buss.
As I said before  the boys will still go to school their respective schools and train with the national team and I am sure their will be an attempt to get them competitive games against foreign opposition which is what they need to try tactics and evaluate themselves.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Coop's on August 29, 2006, 10:34:56 AM
It makes no sense to stop players from playing SSFL unless you have something in place to make up the difference.

yes you can say that we need to not play SSFL and do weight and endurance training but what do you mean "exactly"

What is the program?

What is most likely to happen is that they will not play SSFL and they will just train as a group and maybe join a gym or something.

People in TnT does talk big but things does never materialize.

If we talking about live in camps and consistient games against world class competition and  traveling and thing then fine

but some how I feel we go be struggling to find opposition and funding for all these preparations.

The SSFL is an important league in Trinidad.
In fact it is the biggest league in Trinidad

Yes we can say that the standard has droped and the players is real crap compared to in the past

but we can say that about everything.

Sport is a about competing in front of spectators

The only league in the country that has spectators is the SSFL

It is one thing to train hard and prepare
It is a whole other thing to have your friend and family and gul and parthner watching you play football and the Tv and papers present.

It provides a whole other level of pressure that cannot be simulated.

This is the Benefit of SSFL
It brings a level of competitiveness that is not present in any other part of trinidad and tobago football.

Yes the standard of olay is lower than national level, but national players have to know how to play at all levels.

They have to know when to step up and step down their game.
They have to know when to control a ball when you play against slow opposition and lay it off one time when they rush you hard.

They have to know how to be individualistic and when to get team mates involved to make them better.


If we have right coaching and the right program we will know what the players have to do.

back in 1992 For Secondary schools league a member in my team get Ban for a few games because he played for his club team in the TTFF U16 Finals.


Here we are in 2006 and there is talk about banning nationals from playing in the SSFL.

Corneal and them should spend some time developing a national program process because we are sending mixed messages to the young footballers in the country.


             :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:
                  It's the best i've heard on this issue so far. 
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Coop's on August 29, 2006, 10:54:48 AM
Life funny back in the 60’s and 70’s you couldn’t make the national if you didn’t in SSFL know they saying to hell with that league   

Times change
         I don't think time has changed at all because every one of our players is a product of the Colleges League.
         If the Colleges League does not develope or improve our Youth players,then where or how do they develope,all the Coaching schools and Academys it have in the country how many national team players come from there.
         It never had no real system in T&T for developing players,it was always and still is you have to develope yourself,laziness is what's keeping us back,no one wants to work hard but they all want big money,Minor league and all gone through because those players and all want to be paid,too much big boy mentality in our Football that's why we struggleing to improve.
         
         
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Coop's on August 29, 2006, 11:11:33 AM
This is just a thought,what about these guys continueing to train as a team with Coaneal but release them for their school games.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Trini _2026 on August 29, 2006, 11:21:44 AM
This is just a thought,what about these guys continueing to train as a team with Coaneal but release them for their school games.

naw the SSFL coaches may want some chemistry  . they may prefer them to train with the school team since they will most likely be the star players..
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: dombasil on August 29, 2006, 11:23:23 AM
Yes, while in the long term what probably needs to be fixed is the league and the powers that be must get together with the SSFL and try to see a way forward with improved coaching and certification of coaches at the SSFL level and maybe a change in the struture of the league if possble keeping in mind that it is a high school league. In the short term, with the qualifying competition just around the corner. I think it is in either Oct or Nov.(will some one give me the info). This seems to be a the prudent coach or action. If of course it is just for strengh training and conditioning without competitive matches against other national teams there seems little point in banning the players from playing.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: dombasil on August 29, 2006, 11:27:15 AM
The games in the 1st round generally are Mon, Wed and Sat. then at the end of the 1st round without a break Tuesday, Thursday and Sat.
So there does not seem to be much space in there to do both. The League starts next week.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: palos on August 29, 2006, 02:58:18 PM
Life funny back in the 60’s and 70’s you couldn’t make the national if you didn’t in SSFL know they saying to hell with that league   

Times change
         I don't think time has changed at all because every one of our players is a product of the Colleges League.
         If the Colleges League does not develope or improve our Youth players,then where or how do they develope,all the Coaching schools and Academys it have in the country how many national team players come from there.
         It never had no real system in T&T for developing players,it was always and still is you have to develope yourself,laziness is what's keeping us back,no one wants to work hard but they all want big money,Minor league and all gone through because those players and all want to be paid,too much big boy mentality in our Football that's why we struggleing to improve.
         
         

For the umpteenth time....the College's League doh produce nobody.  It might showcase dem...but PRODUCE?  NOPE.  Not since Benedict's days...DEM DID PRODUCE PLAYERS.  All de production takes place de other 10 months of the year Colleges League inactive.

Matter of fact...I will go on to say....IF yuh dependin on SSFL for development of we youth players....the SSFL...AS IT STANDS....is DETRIMENTAL TO FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT IN T&T.

Yuh doubt meh.....check wha dombasil say in he post above...

Quote
The games in the 1st round generally are Mon, Wed and Sat. then at the end of the 1st round without a break Tuesday, Thursday and Sat.
So there does not seem to be much space in there to do both. The League starts next week.

What possible DEVELOPMENT could take place when u playin 2 to 3 competitive matches a week in a 2 month season?  Wha kinda recovery time we youngsters have?

You self Coop's.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: rippin on August 29, 2006, 10:15:11 PM
Ask any man who play for Naps under Steadman from 94 to 2000 who develop them. When I was in 1st form  Naps was demoted. Steadman take men in Form 2 get that back in the SSFL and the core of that team won the triple and in 99 and then win intercol and something else in 2000. Men like Joel Bailey, Leon "Police Brown", Mcknight, Erasto Neptune, Jayce Peters, Clint Diveteuil, Fabien Lewis, Jerrol Forbes. Yes they had talent before but they didn't win in 95 it take them 4 years to win. I think that is development.
Now any body who saw these players play will admit they had skill.

And men feel training does only start when school start. That might be true at some schools but it wasn't so at Naps. Training used to start in Summer and by the time league start men clicking and fit while other players struggling. Naps beat Malick in 99 on sheer fitness. That was a tight game and Malick loose it in the last 15 minutes when they run out of steam.

John Williams and Jan Steadman did a lot with Naps players and for their football program.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: fatimarima on August 29, 2006, 11:21:34 PM
I don't know if removing the players from the SSFL is such a good idea.  Maybe a better idea would be to supplement their SSFL games with international friendlies and practice games against local pro teams.  Another suggestion would be to focus on improving the quality of the SSFL.  Remember how good SSFL was when teams like John D. and Sando Tech played in the league.   Its the same league that developed players like Latapy, Marvin Faustin, Kerry Jamerson, etc.  Why not include the technial  schools along with local universities in the league?  Just a suggestion that might benifit Trinidad and Tobago football in the long run.   Anyway, I really like Anton as a coach and a player, so Im sure he will prepare the team well.

No disrespect to anybody....but SSFL (with the odd exception) IN GENERAL NEVER develop de players yuh call dey.  That is a myth.  Because dem players PLAY in de SSFL...doh translate into de SSFL DEVELOP dem players.

Dat come like sayin de Petit Valley League wit it's 5 a side no offisde football plus a goalie DEVELOP dem players too and dey play in dah league fuh more matches dan any SSFL season.  All a dem players did play dey.
   

OK while the Colleges league was not solely responsbile for developing players like latapy, it certainly played a role in his development and others like him.  I think every experience in the game of football plays a role in the development of a player.  So the real question is, how much of a role does the SSFL play in the development of our young players?  In my opinion The SSFL plays a significant role in the development of our young players.
Therefore I think that it is worth it to seek ways to improve the SSFL.   I think someone said something like "SSFL dos not develop players it showcases the players".  My thoughts on that is that the SSFL is both developing and showcasing.  The experience of playing in the SSFL is contributing to the players development.
Remember the coaches in the SSFL teams are also a major influence on player dvelopment. 
With that said, do you guys think that the majority of our top players would be were they are today if they never played in SSFL / colleges league?
 
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: truetrini on August 30, 2006, 01:04:25 AM
everybody talking about we SSFL and how it does produce players...shit talk dat!

What have we accomplished as a footballing nation except tuh win de Caribbean Cup and jes recently making it tuh de WC by de skin ah we teeth on de very last day of qualifying?

NUTTEN!

Dat league too short and dese days it shitty too!

Now if Corneal going tuh jes have dem fellas playing together and not against international competition den is best we leave dem in dey schools.

But odderwise...de SSFL is shit!
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Jah Gol on August 30, 2006, 06:12:59 AM
The Lincoln Phillips suggestion about standardisation of coaching is the way to go. The point made earlier about sport being deemed extra-curricular in secondary school is a good one, however it is also important to evaluate the strength of our physical education programmes in the first place.  A few questions emerge from this :

1) Does PE reach the widest possible pool of students ?
2) Does PE occur regularly enough ?
3) Is PE considered a tool in academic learning ?

Recent research in the US proved that 30 minutes of exercise per day was not only healthy for children but boosted academic learning.

Was it Aristotle who said that 2 most important things in education are Art and Sport ? Correct me if I'm wrong.

I think what is required in our education system is a paradigm shift towards focussing on Human Development - mind, body and soul. This is where sport and ethics can play a greater role in the curricula. In order for us the use all of our talent resouces i.e. widen our player pool, firstly P.E. must play a greater role in Primary and Secondary education. Football can be just a component of that program in primary school. Later in Secondary school each student should choose a sport to play where they can be expose to professional coaches. With advance in entertainment technology children have more options for diversion than ever before and many have chosen thess less active Televsion and Video Games as entertainment. Attracting children back out unto the field of play must be done in a systematica way. The best way to do that is through schools. Through increased physical activity we will not just just devlop better players but better athletes.

Corneal should consider ways to improve the standard of the college's league rather than just dismissing it. Simeos had an idea to make the league twice as long and allow only 1 game per week. I agree with that.  This would be good for the players both academically and from a football perspective as well.

The league must improve from an organisational level first. The administrators of the league ought to consider who are its stakeholders and engineer ways to add value to each of its stakeholders but mainly fans and even more importantly coaches and players.Then we can talk about creating a decent product- good football players.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: fishs on August 30, 2006, 06:36:04 AM
 Most everybody here saying the same thing.

 The SSFL in its present format does nothing to improve youth football as we know it and something has to be done about it.

 In the short term I would remove the U16 players from playing in this league and arrange games for them against the clubs youth teams (u19)
In fact if there is a club U19 league I would let them play in this league.

In the future I would cut the SSFL championship teams to 10 ( the 10 best schools in T&T.)
The coachs of all schools should come from a pool of coachs that have attained a particular level of certification
These salaries should be paid for by the Min of Education (say a teacher II salary, about 9,000.00 a mth)

 The rest of the plan is simple.

Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Lightning on August 30, 2006, 07:11:09 AM
It should also be noted that national teams (especially not the senior team) are not the place where players should be developed.  Ideally clubs/community based organisations would have year-round youth programs with qualified coaches to prepare individual players at each stage of their development for the next level, whatever that might be. The goal of these programs would be to develop the individual player sometimes at the expense of collecting meaningless trophies.....
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Trini _2026 on August 30, 2006, 08:00:39 AM
Schools vs country
SSFL vow to keep players
Lasana Liburd Â
 


Wednesday, August 30th 2006
 
 
Azaad Khan, Secondary Schools' Football League (SSFL) general secretary, yesterday vowed to resist any move by Trinidad and Tobago national youth team coach Anton Corneal to withdraw players from the schoolboy competition.

Corneal, an assistant senior coach and head coach of the national youth teams, told the Express that he felt his team had a better chance of qualifying for the 2007 Korea Under-17 World Cup if his players stayed away from this year's schools league.

Corneal led the under-16 team to third place at the recently concluded 2006 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Youth Tournament, held in Trinidad and Tobago, and should coach the team into the final qualifying round next April.

Corneal referred to the SSFL competition as a "big, bad wolf" and claimed that it was having a negative impact on recent national youth teams. He pointed to the failures of former under-17 coaches like Nigel Grosvenor and Ron La Forest in the Caribbean qualifying rounds over the last six years.

"I am thinking of withdrawing our players this year so we can have proper preparation without being hindered," said Corneal. "I am not against the colleges' league but, when we are talking about qualifying for a World Cup, we have to put things into perspective."

However Khan, who is also CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh Sports Club CEO, warned that school principals would refuse any demand to stop players from playing.

He insisted that Corneal's claims were baseless, particularly because the schools' league will finish six months before the final Under-17 World Cup qualifying phase.

"Nowhere in the world, including the US where Corneal came from, do you take players and ban them from a league," said Khan. "According to FIFA rules, national teams take players away five days before a game. So how can he justify taking students (eight months before a tournament)?

"We have already spoken to principals in the league and no way are they going to release them like Corneal wants. The (national qualifying) tournament is in April and any coach who is capable and competent will not see that as an obstacle."

St Anthony's College coach and ex-national youth coach Grosvenor also disagreed with the idea of withdrawing schoolboys.

Corneal used Grosvenor's failure to take the national under-17 squad into the Concacaf phase, two years ago, to highlight the problems posed by the schools' league. But Grosvenor insisted that his circumstances were different.

"In my case, the tournament was in October-November so that was much closer to the schools competition," said the St Anthony's College coach. "If the tournament was during the year, I would go along with what he was saying because I had a problem since the guys were physically tired.

"But when secondary schools finishes in October and their next tournament is in April, they have time to recuperate and they will not be short of match practice because they will be playing in a competition."

George Hislop, a retired magistrate and former chairman of the SSFL disciplinary committee, urged the TTFF to reconsider and argued that schools competition was an important part of the students' holistic development.

"In terms of education, they have no right to go in any school and to take any boy out of his classes," said Hislop, "and I see classes to extend to extra curricular activities as well. The Ministry of Education should take a stand and not permit anybody to interfere with a boy's life in school."

Hislop, father of national World Cup goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, said the majority of the Soca Warriors represented their schools and many referred to their SSFL days as the happiest in their career.

He also noted that the Portugal 1991 Under-20 squad, which was the first English-speaking Caribbean team to qualify for a Fifa tournament, relied heavily on the schools' league for resources.

"It is one time in the boys' life that stays with them forever," he said. "(Alvin and Anton) Corneal played school football and enjoyed it and I think it is damn foolishness to stop these boys from experiencing that. I think they are just playing up to (Fifa vice-president Jack) Warner to have people believing that playing international football is more important than anything else."

Khan said the SSFL were trying to improve their standards by shrinking the number of competing teams as well as improving the level of coaching. He countered that Corneal's problems were largely of his own making and slammed the coach for selecting an under-par team and not paying enough attention to the various youth competitions.

"The aim of the school league is to project talent," said Khan. "We show you the talent and it is your job to harness that. We have accepted that there are flaws in the league but sometimes people like to use the league as a scapegoat for their own deficiencies. Corneal is with the national senior team and wants to coach all the youth teams himself too. That is not done anywhere in the world. His track record and what he was doing in the States to me does not qualify him for that job."
 
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: vb on August 30, 2006, 09:34:48 AM
I doh have de tıme to read all de posts on dıs thread. but my 2 cents is

divide the youths in zones and have them play in the super league in their zones.

Second option have just the national youth team and put dem in the pro league, but ı doh know ıf dey could handle dat kinda jamming.

VB
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Mr Mc on August 30, 2006, 11:49:03 AM
Schools vs country
SSFL vow to keep players
Lasana Liburd Â
 


Wednesday, August 30th 2006
 
"The aim of the school league is to project talent," said Khan. "We show you the talent and it is your job to harness that. We have accepted that there are flaws in the league but sometimes people like to use the league as a scapegoat for their own deficiencies. Corneal is with the national senior team and wants to coach all the youth teams himself too. That is not done anywhere in the world. His track record and what he was doing in the States to me does not qualify him for that job."
 


wheeeey sah!!!
say what you really feel Mr Khan, no need to mince words  ;)
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: dombasil on August 30, 2006, 12:09:01 PM
Whey boy.,Khan real lash Anton. 
But he also need to explain how it is good for the student athletes in his league to be playing 3 games a week over a period of a month.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: DeSoWa on August 30, 2006, 12:09:30 PM
Schools vs country
SSFL vow to keep players
Lasana Liburd Â
 


Wednesday, August 30th 2006
 


He also noted that the Portugal 1991 Under-20 squad, which was the first English-speaking Caribbean team to qualify for a Fifa tournament, relied heavily on the schools' league for resources.
 


could someone explain this for me please? I am a little confused by that staement. Am I missing something here?  ???

Big Up!
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: takenoprisoners on August 30, 2006, 12:29:12 PM
Schools vs country
SSFL vow to keep players
Lasana Liburd Â
 


Wednesday, August 30th 2006
 


He also noted that the Portugal 1991 Under-20 squad, which was the first English-speaking Caribbean team to qualify for a Fifa tournament, relied heavily on the schools' league for resources.
 


could someone explain this for me please? I am a little confused by that staement. Am I missing something here?  ???

Big Up!

My guess is that it should read the T&T under-20 at Portugal in 1991......
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Bourbon on August 30, 2006, 12:34:16 PM
Intercol is probably the closest thing that we have here to EPL or La Liga due to the passion that it thrives on.  ;D I'll agree that the league in its current format is poor for development. I was wondering, what about stretching out the league over two terms,(in effect one game per week,) and using most of the remaining time for training. It would be less pressure on the players, more time for development (when correctly supervised) and still the academic focus would be allowed. given that exams would be held in the third term and most players might be preparing for CXC/CAPE exams, this could develop their football while not forsaking their academic standing. I dunno how well a football academy would fit into the current structure as the general attitude that may be developed, they may give up on their education which could be to their detriment in the future. I remember reading this article earlier this year on this site.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/england/5148730.stm

Quote
Over four years between the ages of 12 and 16 a French boy would receive 2,304 hours of training. That is twice as much as England - where you would be given 1,152 hours.
"Those four years are crucial - they are the most important years in youth football - both physically and technically. It is difficult to catch up when you are 17 or 18.

"It is like a musician, it doesn't matter whether he is English or French, the one who works more becomes better."


Dat far more than anything any of our youths getting here. We have to step up. Either by implementation of academies to work along with schools or by streaming them from early into the academy and having them develop both football and academics. The academies would have to be placed in their own tier of the league due to the obvious advantage they would have, and probably the only play normal schools for intercol. This however, virtually sends the message to all outside of the academy system that the door is closed. I still iffy on the idea, i thinking along the lines of secondary school working in conjunction with PFL youth teams etc, but i not too sure how to merge them without sacrificing one. Just throwing out my thoughts on it, and maybe with the different opinions here we might be able to plot a sensible course of action  :beermug:

Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: doc on August 30, 2006, 12:40:08 PM
The school are staying true to their mission. The league is all about competition period. There is also a cricket season as well. :angel:
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: weary1969 on September 01, 2006, 01:01:23 AM
Man does forever talkin here bout the need for the ProLeague Teams to be associated with villages etc. That is the benefit of the SSFL people who went to schools when the plaque was laid does come out to support their school.

Why Corneal eh come up with a plan to improve the SSFL? He keepin them together to do what? When I hear that I will say keep them out.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Tallman on November 17, 2006, 07:01:32 PM
"The SSFL does not prepare youth players for CONCACAF play. It is a recreational league which enjoys huge popularity and that's all."

Keith Lookloy made the above statement in 1999, just after returning from El Salvador with the U-17 team who took part in the second round of CONCACAF U-17 qualification. We lost 6-1 to El Salvador, 6-0 to Canada and 6-1 to Mexico.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: palos on November 17, 2006, 07:14:36 PM
"The SSFL does not prepare youth players for CONCACAF play. It is a recreational league which enjoys huge popularity and that's all."

Keith Lookloy made the above statement in 1999, just after returning from El Salvador with the U-17 team who took part in the second round of CONCACAF U-17 qualification. We lost 6-1 to El Salvador, 6-0 to Canada and 6-1 to Mexico.

SHOT!!!  Dey still lookin fuh de ball.

It might upset some people but it doh make it any less true today as it was in 1999 or it was when Yorke and dem was playin.

Come to think about it.....I believe a lot of the myth of the "rell talented T&T footballer jed" comes mainly from viewing it from a SSFL perspective.

Dat "rell talented" like many other pursuits has to be viewed in context.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Mango Chow! on November 18, 2006, 12:44:16 AM
Man does forever talkin here bout the need for the ProLeague Teams to be associated with villages etc. That is the benefit of the SSFL people who went to schools when the plaque was laid does come out to support their school.

Why Corneal eh come up with a plan to improve the SSFL? He keepin them together to do what? When I hear that I will say keep them out.

    No further questions need be asked.
Title: Re: Anton Corneal ponders SSFL boycott.
Post by: Trini _2026 on September 25, 2014, 02:17:55 PM
remember this article people !!
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