Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
Sports => Football => Topic started by: Flex on November 20, 2015, 05:53:16 AM
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Three footballers lead Hall of Fame inductees tonight.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Eleven former sporting personalities will be inducted in the First Citizens Sports Foundation Sports Hall Of Fame later today at a gala ceremony from 6.15 pm at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain, and among them will be the man who has scored the most goals for T&T in football Stern John.
John, who has scored 70 goals for T&T and has been credited as the main man in the 2006 ‘Soca Warriors’ team qualifying for the World Cup in Germany, will join the elites in sports in T&T. Apart from John, the others to join this elite group are former national cricketer Louise Browne-Jackson, athletics administrator Douglas Barzey, who will receive his award posthumously, ex-cricket captain and opening batsman Daren Ganga, Bryan Davis, 1898 “Strike Squad” defender Clayton Morris, Angus Eve, Mr race horse Brian Harding, Stephanie Power and former national spinner Ranji Nanan.
Yesterday John said he was happy to have been chosen to be among the best sportsmen ans women in T&T. “It’s a fantastic feeling to be recognised for your achievement. And to add to this, the hall of fame represents the best sportsmen and women in T&T” John said.
John began his career at the Arouca Government Primary School as a multi-talented sportsman in cricket and football before moving to Five Rivers and then El Dorado Secondary where he focussed on football, particularly because of his goalscoring ability. He helped El Dorado, nicknamed ‘The Blue Thunder’ to the East Zone Intercol title before he was elevated to the national team where he grew in prominence.
He scored a number of goals for T&T, Columbus Crew, Nottingham Forest and other clubs in the English First Division to be recognised as a deadly goalscorer.
The closest scorer to him for T&T was Angus Eve who was a distant second with some 30 goals to his name. Dave Lamy, a member of the foundation said specific attention has been paid to relatively young sport achievers. He explained that a number of people have received recognition for their achievements in sport when they are old and others when they have died.
To be considered for induction in the hall of fame athletes are required to submit information on their achievements and must not be actively involved in the sport. The foundation will also conduct their investigation to verify the info, by speaking to people and doing google search among others.
Meanwhile there are concerns of bias within the selection of athletes for this year’s induction process. Top hockey queen Stacy Sui Butt is claiming that her application to be among the group of inductees in January was not considered because officials told her that she cannot be actively involved in sports presently. Sui Butt who has for years now, called it quits on her career, now plays for recreation in the T&T Hockey Board tournament.
However she noted that while her application was not considered, one of tonight’s inductees is a current player with a team in the Super League Football Tournament. She is claiming bias, saying that she pointed it out officials of the sports foundation but her plight was ignored.
She called for the foundation to be honest, fair and transparent in its selection process so that other local athletes do not suffer as she has.
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Sporting greats inducted into Hall of Fame.
By Sean Nero (Guardian).
Clayton Morris, former captain of the T&T senior men’s football team from the 1989 era, on Friday joined his coach of that year, Everald “Gally” Cummings, as an inductee in the First Citizens Sports Foundation Hall of Fame. Cummings was inducted back in 1987.
Morris was among 11 of the nation’s sporting elite honoured at the ceremony held at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad on Dock Road, Port-of-Spain. Cummings was present to cheer him on.
On November 19, two-and-a-half decades ago, Morris led the Strike Squad—the name the national team was fondly called then—in a World Cup qualifying match against the United States at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo. When the final whistle was blown, the match went in favour of the visitors. But that defeat spurred future athletes to work even harder and qualify for the World Cup, which was realised in an away game against Bahrain for FIFA World Cup Germany 2006.
However, Morris was not the only footballer taking the spotlight on the night. Former national captain Angus Eve, as well as celebrated striker Stern John was also in line for kudos. Inductees in the Hall of Fame were nominated on five categories: cricket, football, horse racing, netball and track and field.
Douglas L Barzey was honoured posthumously for his contribution to track and field in T&T, while Bridget Adams got the nod for netball. Having won close to $17 million worth of prizes for the owners of the horses he rode, Brian Harding naturally deserved a place in the annals of horse racing.
Cricket, however, boasted the largest field of candidates for honours—five in total. The recipients were former T&T captain Daren Ganga, former West Indies Women’s captain Stephanie Power, ex-president of the T&T Cricket Board Louise Browne-Jackson, Rangy Nanan and Bryan Davis.
Eve, 43, said being inducted into the Hall of Fame, was the furthest thing from his mind, citing that when it came to being in receipt of many “man-made” honours, he was no favourite. Having bowed out of the national spotlight, he remained vibrant in sport in his community of Carenge. He had a Foundation and worked specifically with the districts youths, while serving as president of the football, netball and cricket clubs.
“I have never been recognised like this, not even from the TTFA (T&T Football Association). I am the most capped (national) player. I never had a plaque or anything to show. I remember they had a 100-year dinner almost three years ago, and I wasn’t even invited to that as the most capped player.
There are no free tickets to a game or anything like that. So for me to have this award was a total surprise. I think God give people what they deserve at the end. My joy is seeing players move on. Seven of the players who played in the game (T&T vs USA), this week, I coached them from Jabloteh…the youth level. That is the reward for me really…to see the impact that you have made. This award was a total surprise to me,” Eve said.
“Credit to the FC Sports Foundation for honouring us. Ato Boldon, Daren Ganga: all of us are around the same age. So, it shows you don’t have to die to be recognised. It’s a good thing for the kids to see, and the kids to see from my neighbourhood.
Carengae is designated one of the ‘hot-spots’ and for me to come out of that area and make something of myself, it shows that other people can do it. I am supposed to go back and use what I learnt, give back, so that they could come forward and emulate the things that I continue to do. I am inducted as a player now, but I want to be inducted as a coach, too.”
Interviewed, former national netballer Bridget Adams expressed delight that the sport was still bringing joy to T&T, although it had been some time since this country won a world championship title.
“It means that all the efforts, my accolades, and all that I have earned in netball did not go unnoticed. The ultimate was this award–being inducted into the FC Sports Foundation Hall of Fame. I know that I have done a lot for netball, but I am not the one to tap myself on the ,shoulder and say, yes, you have done a lot! I am happy that others were able to recognise it and hence the reason I am awarded today. I’m really, really, grateful for that,” she said.
“What gratifies me is that there are a lot of young people now gravitating to the sport but still there is not enough. What aches me though, is that sponsors are not coming on board to assist with the development of the sports and not enough funding is pumped into netball.
And, it is the only sport–team sport that is–that has put T&T on the map and that has won a world tournament, yet still netball is treated so slightly. But it gratifies me to see that a lot of young people still gravitate towards the sport and that UTT (University of T&T) is now able to offer scholarships for netballers and they can earn a degree or diploma as the case may be.”
Honour Roll
Cricket: Bryan Davis, Daren Ganga, Louise Browne-Jackson, Rangy Nanan CMT, Stephanie Power
Football: Stern John, Angus Eve, Clayton Morris
Horse Racing: Brian Harding
Netball: Bridget Adams
Track and Field: Douglas L Barzey (Posthumous)
RELATED NEWS
Ex-athletes humbled by Hall of Fame induction
T&T Newsday Reports.
HUMBLED WAS the feeling that virtually all of the 11 inductees had, as they entered the First Citizens Sports Foundation Hall of Fame on Friday evening in a gala ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port-of-Spain.
The inductees were Stern John, Angus Eve, Clayton Morris (football), Daren Ganga, Bryan Davis, Rangy Nanan, Stephanie Power, Louise Browne-Jackson (cricket), Brian Harding (horse racing), Bridget Adams (netball) and the late Douglas Barzey (administration).
Another Hall of Famer, Ato Boldon, delivered the feature address in which he spoke about his post-track and field career, and his development of ace teenaged sprinter Kalifa St Fort.
But the spotlight was on the greats who joined Boldon, and 180 others in the Hall of Fame.
John, in terms of goal-scoring, is TT’s most successful footballer, having netted 70 goals in 115 internationals – remarkably joint- 10th among all international players.
About his award, John said after the ceremony, “it’s a fantastic feeling to be honoured in Trinidad and Tobago.
“You’ve done a lot for Trinidad and Tobago and there are a lot of people who came before you and who are going to come after you.
It’s a great feeling for my family.
I wish my mom was alive to be here.” Referring to his mother Janet, as well as the influence from his family, John noted, “my mom was my number one supporter. Every time I scored she used to take a drink of brandy. She wasn’t a big drinker but that special occasion she used to drink. She played a major part in my upbringing and in the way I am today.” He added, “I come from a sporting background, because Marc Burns is my cousin and my uncle played cricket for Trinidad and Tobago – Alec Burns.”
As far as the Hall of Fame award is concerned, John said, “it’s very nice to know that people appreciate what you do for your country and in the world. People recognise you when you’re passed and, to get this recognition now, it’s really great for me.” He continued, “I’m in the twilight of my career.
I’ve retired (from internationals) but I just play some games (with Saddle Hill Hotspur in the Super League). I’m now coaching the younger kids in Trinidad and it’s an honour for the younger kids to see what I’ve done and I can pass on my experience.” John’s former TT teammate Eve holds the record for the most international appearances for the twin-island republic with 118.
“It’s an honour,” Eve said. “It’s one of the greatest achievements for me. No money could compare to (this), to know that you’ve been recognised for the work you have done, and continue to do.”
He reflected, “when I first started to play football, I never thought it would have (led) to something like this. I was just playing for the fun, the joy and the passion of the sport. To be actually honoured for it and to be recognised in (this) way, I thank God for blessing me with the ability and talent, to be a part of this whole thing.”
Eve, who is currently the coach of both St Ann’s Rangers and Naparima College teams, pointed out, “my mom, my dad, to have them here to witness this moment with me, my kids and my wife, it just makes it a bit more special.”
About the roles his relatives played in his development, Eve noted, “my dad (Patrick) used to take me to the field, my mom Bernadette Eve was always the one who used to support and be the driving force behind me. Now my wife Carla and my kids Kevin, Kelsee, Shania and Seth, they have been very instrumental in making me the person that I am today.”
Harding, whose career as a jockey from 1982-2012 saw him capture 10 local Champion Jockey awards, as well as become the first TT rider to race 1,000 winners locally, commented, “I feel very happy. I never thought about it, I never had that on my mind but when it came, I felt very elated.”
About the notification, he stated, “I got a call that I was inducted into the Hall of Fame and I was like ‘oh my God’. I couldn’t believe it.”
Harding went on to state, “this is a very big achievement. I don’t know if I’ll ever get any more awards from any other place, but I thank God (that) I achieved that.”
Harding is currently an assistant trainer to Harriram Gobin.“It’s still coming along,” he said.
“It’s a different procedure. Riding, as a jockey, you just ride and you go home. Being a trainer, you have to be 24/7.”
Asked if this achievement spur him on to greater things, he replied, “you’ll never know what happens down the road. Probably, you never know.”
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T&T Warrior Fan Zone is here again!!! How many SWO forumites can you spot in this funny and entertaining episode?
https://vimeo.com/146624476
Mods, please leave for a few days before merging.
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Nice video, ah glad Andre Samuel decide to jump on de bandwaggon.
But why allyuh change up de name?
Warrior Fan Zone, Warrior Nation, Warriors time is now, etc, etc....
If T&T fail to qualify for de world cup yuh go see how fast Fan Zone and de others go disappear.
So much different dam groups.
Allyuh build on one, allyuh eh feel it go be better?
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good job again Warrior nation. real nice and keep them coming. :beermug:
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T&T Warrior Fan Zone is here again!!! How many SWO forumites can you spot in this funny and entertaining episode?
https://vimeo.com/146624476
Mods, please leave for a few days before merging.
Nice job getting on with the fans. :) :)
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Nice video, ah glad Andre Samuel decide to jump on de bandwaggon.
But why allyuh change up de name?
Warrior Fan Zone, Warrior Nation, Warriors time is now, etc, etc....
If T&T fail to qualify for de world cup yuh go see how fast Fan Zone and de others go disappear.
So much different dam groups.
Allyuh build on one, allyuh eh feel it go be better?
I appreciate the comments.............
1. What bandwagon did i jump on?
2. What name did we change?
3. Socawarriors.net didnt disappear after failing to qualify
4. Its not about being better Sam, TnT Fan Zone is a new entity created to bring the atmosphere and vibe of the fans to the viewing audience. It is not competing with anything.
Just enjoy the video, feel the vibes and appreciate the work of the team.
ah love it!!
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Nice video, ah glad Andre Samuel decide to jump on de bandwaggon.
But why allyuh change up de name?
Warrior Fan Zone, Warrior Nation, Warriors time is now, etc, etc....
If T&T fail to qualify for de world cup yuh go see how fast Fan Zone and de others go disappear.
So much different dam groups.
Allyuh build on one, allyuh eh feel it go be better?
I appreciate the comments.............
1. What bandwagon did i jump on?
2. What name did we change?
3. Socawarriors.net didnt disappear after failing to qualify
4. Its not about being better Sam, TnT Fan Zone is a new entity created to bring the atmosphere and vibe of the fans to the viewing audience. It is not competing with anything.
Just enjoy the video, feel the vibes and appreciate the work of the team.
ah love it!!
Good job soldya! I only wish I was there to be part of the scenes. Keep it up!!
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Hos d soldier dat jus walk and stare down d cyamera when u was talkin to d Darkie.... :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Trini have rel characaters we!
Excellent Job fellas... Lovin d vibes...
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Andre did a good job ,my only comment is that I think the microphone a little to close to ppl faces especially without a form wind cover.
Btw who was the twoo ppl in episode 2?
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:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Yo the camera stalkers had me in stitches. Good job fellas keep up the good work :beermug:
I get what Sam's saying in terms of is Warrior Fan Zone different from Warrior Nation?
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Nice video, ah glad Andre Samuel decide to jump on de bandwaggon.
But why allyuh change up de name?
Warrior Fan Zone, Warrior Nation, Warriors time is now, etc, etc....
If T&T fail to qualify for de world cup yuh go see how fast Fan Zone and de others go disappear.
So much different dam groups.
Allyuh build on one, allyuh eh feel it go be better?
I appreciate the comments.............
1. What bandwagon did i jump on?
2. What name did we change?
3. Socawarriors.net didnt disappear after failing to qualify
4. Its not about being better Sam, TnT Fan Zone is a new entity created to bring the atmosphere and vibe of the fans to the viewing audience. It is not competing with anything.
Just enjoy the video, feel the vibes and appreciate the work of the team.
ah love it!!
I wasn't referring to a website disappearing, I meant the group you are trying to build when we already have one.
And yes, de video was pure class.
Touches sound like a man I know name lack lack.
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Excellent work Andre and the crew.
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Great video Andre and crew. Very entertaining. There should be a sponsorship drive from all now to ensure you guys get to go to away games too. That would bring some great perspectives.
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Very good job Andre and team :beermug: Soldier with the fog horn look like FF for a minute
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too many limers and not enough true supporters. i guess it's safe to say that the wagon train is back, but this time loaded with whiners and limers.
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Fantastic Andre and crew!!
Ah love it!! (c) Andre Samuel ;D
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The spirit of the fans on both teams was the way it should be ... finally get to put a face to touches lol ....... Would have liked the win but its ok just mean we'll get the win on their soil lol
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Great Job. This is the type of off-the-field vibes we need. That is T&T football. When we win Sunday will definitely put in a word for a role for you'll. ;D
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The spirit of the fans on both teams was the way it should be ... finally get to put a face to touches lol ....... Would have liked the win but its ok just mean we'll get the win on their soil lol
My boy Ngozi, de f00cker come back....
:rotfl:
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Beard in fashion..
Mr 3000 and Touches sporting a woodsman... Good to see them involved..
Dre you did a good job...
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Good stuff Andre and crew.
p.s. Alviana sweet boy... lawd.
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Dat Candice segment win. Highly entertaining.
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Spongie Darlin on point wit de 0-0 prediction
Great job Andre & Krew. Ah Love It!
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Excellent work Fellas. Keep up de nice work. Great job getting de fans involved.
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Good job Andre and crew, keep up the good work!!
We are ontrack to build some serious Warrior Fan vibes to help motivate our team for this world cup qualification campaign both home and away. :beermug:
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Gally sings praise to former standouts John, Eve.
By Sean Nero (Guardian).
…hails Morris as a coach’s leader
Former national football coach Everald “Gally” Cummings has hailed retired T&T striker Stern John as one of the best goal scorers in local football, while Angus Eve got props for being one of the best right-wing players.
Meanwhile, ex-Strike Squad skipper and defender Clayton Morris was saluted as being a leader par excellence and being Cummings’ voice and ears on the field. All three were inducted into the First Citizens Sports Foundation Hall of Fame on Friday at a gala ceremony held at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad on Dock Road, Port-of-Spain.
Cummings said while listening to their respective biographies, viewing their video commentary and admiring them as they took the stage in their sartorial elegance to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, he felt proud.
“I felt elated. I always set the example for those players. I was the first one to play professionally. I was the only footballer to have won the Sports Personality of The Year Award since 1974. No other footballer has won it, which is a great achievement to my career and I’m happy now to see that we have three footballers inducted into the Hall of Fame. I was inducted 26 years ago, with the Strike Squad and to see the captain at that time now inducted makes me feel very proud,” he said.
He remembered Eve representing T&T at the Youth World Cup under former coach Bertille St Clair and was pleased that he has maintained his skill and now used them in his duties as a coach.
Apart from working with the youth in the Carenage community, Eve was president of the district’s football, cricket and netball clubs. He also served as head coach for Naparima College, which retained victory in the Premiership Division of the Secondary School Football League 2015 season.
Cummings said: “He is coming into his own as a young man. He likes coaching and whoever he has been around, whether it was me or other coaches, he seemed to have enjoyed himself and see it (coaching) as a way to charter a course for his future. I think he is also working with Sky Sports as a commentator. So he is a footballer, coach and reporter.”
Commenting on the state of local football, Cummings said, “I think we need to play like Trinbagonians, number one. Trinbagonians play attractive football. Any part of the world a Trinidadian could take on a foreigner and go past him. Our strength is our individuality. Once that is combined with the element of team play, I think no team could stop us.
“I think what we need to do is focus on attack and not depend on defending, but at times take chances with the attacking part of the game. I think we need a philosophy for our team, like the Strike Squad had.”
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Is Mr Cummings serious? ..and he is the first to play professional?...well yes..and our football is too defensive?
That's the real reason why we didn't qualify in '89.. Mr Cummings was a great player but he is incapable of being realistic.