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1
Gols Galore Trinbago Style / Tyrese Spicer
« on: March 25, 2024, 07:21:55 AM »
Toronto FC vs Atlanta United (March 23, 2024)

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2
Football / Thread for T&T vs Jamaica Games (1 & 3 of March-2024)
« on: March 01, 2024, 09:30:50 PM »
First Blood: Reggae Boyz edge Soca Warriors 1-0 in friendly at Hasely Crawford Stadium
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)


JAMAICA’S Reggae Boyz took first run from their two-match friendly international series against Trinidad and Tobago’s senior men’s team, with a 1-0 win yesterday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium (HCS), Mucurapo.

Nineteen-year-old Kahiem Dixon, on debut, scored in the 55th minute, following an evenly-contested first half and a second half dominated by Reggae Boyz.

Both coaches used mainly locally-based players. T&T head-coach Angus Eve did not use the strongest combination available to him, and instead gave debuts to Liam Burns, Coventry City striker Justin Obikwu, USA-born Kai Moos, Shervohnez Hamilton, Michael Chaves and Rhondel Gibson.

“I wasn’t disappointed at all,” stated Eve. “Actually, we had a lot of players out there playing at this level for the very first time and I thought they acquitted themselves well. We were in the game for the most part and we gave away a sloppy goal and that was the difference in the game.”

The expectation is that Eve will use a stronger local side for the second match tomorrow at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, kick off from 4 p.m. Eve has Michel Poon-Angeron, Nathaniel James, Duane Muckette, John-Paul Rochford, Kevin Goddard, Ross Russell Jr, and goalkeeper Denzil Smith still looking for some action, while Alvin Jones and Kaile Auvray only saw limited playing time yesterday.

“We have to give people exposure,” explained Eve. “We made minimal amount of changes because we wanted to expose the guys as much as possible. Young Burns and those guys would have never played at this level before. So, this is a good exercise for them to understand the pace of the game, and then to give the guys who are more established a run out (tomorrow), going into the playoff tournament.”

The closed-door game gave both Jamaica’s Icelandic head coach Heirmar Hallgrimsson and Eve the chance to make unlimited changes, as Eve handed 17-year-old Fatima College striker Chaves his senior debut, in the second half.

Jamaica will face USA in a CONCACAF Nations League semi-final on March 22 and Hallgrimsson is using the five-day T&T camps to have a final look at local and fringe players. Likewise, Eve used yesterday’s match ahead of selecting his final squad for a March 23 Copa America qualifier.

Played without fans due to preparation work for the Carifta Games, the first half saw both teams having periods in control. Defence Force winger Kahim Thomas had the first real chance, forcing Jamaican goalkeeper Kemar Foster to touch the ball away.

Jamaica had better of the opening 20 minutes, with wide players Kahiem Dixon and Alex Marshall both penetrating dangerously, with Marshall getting past Shervohnez Hamilton a couple of times down the right.

Eve was forced into the early change, bringing in Rondell Gibson to replace veteran Nathaniel Garcia midway through the first half, and Gibson made an immediate impact.

T&T began to grow into the half and for the first time Foster was called upon to work. Gibson and Thomas both threatened from free kicks, Thomas especially coming close, his set piece deflected dangerously wide with the Jamaican keeper wrong footed. Obikwu came close to scoring on his T&T debut, meeting a corner kick and just guiding a header over the crossbar. Jamaica also began the second half well. After gliding past Hamilton again, Arnett Gardens winger Dickson forced in a low shot at the far post for the game winner, exposing goalkeeper Adrian Foncette and beating several defenders on the T&T goalline. And substitute Devonte Campbell did enough to create a second goal, but no-one got a touch as his low cross whizzed across the goalmouth.

Dickson had a chance of getting a second goal, when meeting a cutback inside T&T’s penalty area but having his shot deflected for a corner in the 75th minute. Coming on as a second half substitute, Defence Force custodian Christopher Biggette produced a spectacular dive to his left, denying Campbell, who had broken clear of defenders and was bearing down on the T&T goal in added-on time.

TEAMS

Trinidad and Tobago (4-2-3-1): 21.Adrian Foncette (GK, captain) (1.Christopher Biggette GK  62); 2.Liam Burns (16.Alvin Jones 90+3), 4.Josiah Trimmingham, 12.Robert Primus (5.Jamaal Jack 80), 18.Shervohnez Hamilton; 19.Kai Moos, 7.Nathaniel Garcia (15.Rhondel Gibson 22); 17.Kaihim Thomas, 23.Justin Sadoo, 13.Kai Garvey (20.Kaile Auvray 80); 11.Justin Obikwu (24.Michael Chaves 80)

Unused substitutes: 22.Denzil Smith (GK), 2.Ross Russell Jr, 6.Kevon Goddard, 8.Michel Poon-Angeron, 9.Nathaniel James, 10.Duane Muckette, 14.John-Paul Rochford.

Coach: Angus Eve

Jamaica (4-4-2): 13.Kemar Foster (GK, captain) (1.Jaiden Hibbert GK 61); 14.Sue-Lae Mc Calla (22.Emelio Rousseau 80), 17.Garth Stewart (5.Richard King 73), 19.Stephen Young (2.Joel Cunningham), 15.Ricardo Thomas (3.Kyle Ming 85); 8.Alex Marshall (7.Andre Fletcher 68), 16.Jamone Shepherd, 6.Jashaun Anglin (18.Shamour Smith 80), 21.Kaheim Dixon (11.Shaniel Thomas 85); 9.Fabian Reid; 12.Devonte Campbell 68), 10.Justin Dunn.

Unused substitutes: 4.Romario Guthrie, 20.Jason Wright, 23.Shaquan Davis.

Coach: Heimir Hallgrimsson

Referee: Nikolai Nyron

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3
Football / Denzil Smith Thread
« on: November 17, 2023, 03:33:56 PM »
Warriors keeper Denzil Smith transfers to Point Fortin Civic in TTPFL
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)


Trinidad and Tobago men's football team goalkeeper Denzil "Peng" Smith has transferred from Tiger Tanks Club Sando to Heritage Petroleum Point Fortin Civic ahead of the second T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) season which starts on November 24. The move was confirmed on Thursday by the TTPFL and representatives from Civic.

Smith, 24, played with W Connection in the inaugural TTPFL season which ran from March to June 2023. He then transferred to the third-placed Club Sando who competed in the Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield tournament in August. Smith was a member of the Sando team which finished third in the Caribbean Shield tournament. Sando were unable to book their spot in the Concacaf Caribbean tournament which saw TTPFL representation from the league's top two teams – Defence Force and AC Port of Spain.

The agile Smith was a standout at the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) level with Shiva Boys Hindu College, helping the South school to the premier division and national intercol titles in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Smith has shown his ability on the international scene this year since making his Soca Warriors debut back in March in friendly action versus Jamaica. Smith has made six appearances for T&T, and he has now emerged as coach Angus Eve's number one option between the sticks after being an unused substitute at the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup. Smith was the starting goalkeeper in T&T's four group matches in the ongoing 2023/24 cycle of the Concacaf Nations League (CNL) A tournament. He pulled off a number of fine saves in T&T's dramatic 3-2 win away to El Salvador at the Nacional Jorge Magico Gonzalez Stadium in the CNL group stages on September 10.

Smith is a member of the 23-man T&T team which is in the midst of a home-and-away quarter-final tie with CNL defending champions US. The second leg of the quarter-final will be held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo on Monday night.

Smith's new club, Civic, finished seventh on the 12-team TTFPL table last season and were ousted at the semi-final stage of the TTPFL knockout cup by eventual champions Defence Force. The Point Fortin club will begin the upcoming TTPFL season on November 26 when they host Terminix La Horquetta Rangers at the Mahaica Sporting Complex.

4
Football / 2023/24 TTPFL Thread
« on: October 22, 2023, 06:32:07 PM »
Defence Force remains hungry for success
T&T Guardian


Defence Force FC has earned a reputation as the dominant force in Trinidad and Tobago’s football since its formation in 1974. The Regiment/Coast Guard unit won seven straight league titles from 1974 to 1978, today, they have 23 championships to brag about. The Army/coastguard team has also captured league and FA Cup doubles in ‘74, ‘81, ‘85, ‘89 and ‘96.

After a lengthy absence from national football competition, the gold and blue-clad football legacy reminded T&T just who they are with another remarkable achievement; winning the inaugural T&T Premier League Football League and Cup double.

Guardian Media Sports senior Sports reporter/producer Jovan Ravello, who visited the team’s training session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Training Ground on Wednesday morning, and spoke to captain Jamali Garcia, and former skipper Curtis Gonzales, together with midfielder Justin Sadoo and coach Lloyd Andrews about the success of the team so far for 2023.

Q: How does it feel to be the champions going into the new season of the TTPFLTier 1 League?

Jamali Garcia, Captain Defence Force FC: Well, it’s always good to be a champion going into any tournament, but we know it will be a difficult season because everybody always wants to be the champion. So we just have to prepare ourselves going into this tournament so that we can come back out as champions once again.

You’re one of the leaders of this team. How have you been able to keep your teammates focused throughout the season, and how do you keep them focused on the task at hand?

Curtis Gonzales, Midfielder: Well, last season my main focus was to keep the youngsters together and show them the right way. Make them have a perfect attitude, and go out and play good football.

Now you’re smiling, and I know the team had a great season in the Premier League. Can you describe it for me as a coach?

Lloyd Andrews: Well, it was nice to qualify for the Caribbean Club Championship. We had a long-term goal. We fell short but we expect to achieve it in the coming years.

Justin Sadoo: It wasn’t an easy road but we grind through most games as all teams do in a title-winning season. For me personally, it wasn’t the best of times, but we came out with a victory, and that’s the most important thing.

What were some of the challenges that you had to overcome as a team towards achieving your goal?

Sadoo: As you see in leagues on TV, the team that is second on the table most of the time like how we were, we always knew, the fight and the grit that was needed as it came down to the last game.

How does it feel to lead such a storied successful team?

Jamali: Well, it feels great because coming into the season, I wasn’t the skipper of the team. It was a great responsibility on my shoulders and I had to adjust to it and deal with the boys it was good because they accepted me as their captain. It was just for me to continue to lead them to glory because we all wanted the same goal.

What were some of the key moments for you in last season?

Sadoo: There were many against Police we came back to secure a draw in the 90th minute, like against La Horquetta Rangers we won 1-0, and most important was the last game against AC which we won 2-1.

What was the mood like before that final league game?

Gonzales: Well, during the training sessions leading up to the game, the most important game is always the next game. So we were just like boys, we need to come up with a victory. It was like, let’s just put in the work on the training park and leave the rest on the field, and everything was history after that.

Talk to me about that final night atmosphere.

Jamali: Well, I’m from Diego Martin, so it was good for me to be home playing in front of people that I grew up among, people who knew me coming up. So it was good for me to see that everybody came out to support us, and we were able to come out with the victory.

You had a chance to do the treble this season. How do you feel about your team’s performance?

Gonzales: Well, in the Caribbean tournament it had games where we played up and down, but as you can see, it was a very young team. It was a learning experience for the future, but when we get our title this year, and we go back to the Caribbean Cup, we’ll have a more experienced bunch of players, and I’m sure, we’ll reach further.

How do you feel about next year and potentially going there again?

Andrews: Well, this was the first time for me as a coach in the Caribbean Club Championship. We thought we had it, and we gave it away by not converting our chances, we are looking forward to putting these things together and being a championship team next season.

Sadoo: The team grew from the Caribbean club experience, and everybody was disappointed. So, I think that hurts everybody, I know. But I think we grew as a team.

Is there a particular plan for this next season or anything to improve on from last season?

Gonzales: We need to work on being more together as a team, getting closer as a unit, and most importantly getting another title.

What are your personal goals?

Garcia: My personal goal is to get back into the national team and become a mainstay on that team.

Sadoo: Last season, I had a few assists but not many goals. So, I think goals are what I want this season. I’ve improved, and that can add more to our team.

Andrews: I have two great assistant coaches, and a very, very excellent ancillary staff, the masseuses, the medics, etc. We all work together as a team.

Do you see anybody else taking you guys off your perch?

Andrews: Everyone is challenging the Defence Force, and everybody comes to play and win against us. So, we’re always on our A game.

He concluded: I want to thank the staff and the players for their commitment, and for everything they have done to bring the team to where it is. And hopefully, we can go further.

Thanks to my assistant coaches, Hutson “Barber” Charles, an outstanding former national midfielder, and Devin Elcock, the Chief of Defense Staff, the managers, Colonel Charles, and the entire management group that continues to be behind the team. I cannot forget the fans who come out to support us game after game.

5
Football / 2024 Concacaf U-20 Qualifiers Thread
« on: October 11, 2023, 03:32:34 PM »
U-20 Soca Warriors in Group D of 2024 Concacaf qualifiers
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)


TRINIDAD and Tobago's men's under-20 football team have been drawn alongside Canada and fellow Caribbean nations Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in group D for the 2024 Concacaf under-20 qualifiers which take place between February and March 2024.

In total, 27 Concacaf member nations will contest the qualifying tournament, with the six group winners advancing to the 12-team Concacaf under-20 championship to be played in the summer of 2024. Those six group winners will join Concacaf's highest-ranked men's under-20 teams: US, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

As of June 2023, T&T's under-20 team were ranked 13th among Concacaf teams – placing them in pot two ahead of Wednesday's draw at the Concacaf headquarters in Miami, Florida. Canada, ranked 12th best in Concacaf, were placed in pot one before the draw. The 25th-ranked SVG and the 29th-ranked Dominica were placed in pots two and three respectively.

T&T will be one of the countries to host matches during next year's qualifiers. The other Concacaf nations to serve as hosts during the qualifiers are Antigua and Barbuda, Guatemala, Nicaragua and St Kitts and Nevis.

In a brief chat with Newsday, T&T Football Association (TTFA) technical director Anton Corneal said he hopes T&T will be able to make home advantage count in the qualifiers.

"Canada will probably be the seeded team (in the group), " Corneal said. "We have had mixed results in the past with Canada in youth football. Being at home, hopefully, it's a group that we can possibly win. I'm not counting out Dominica or St Vincent because all of those programmes are growing."

At the last edition of the Concacaf under-20 showpiece event in 2022, T&T finished third in their group behind Mexico and Haiti. They then fell to a 4-1 loss to Costa Rica at the round of 16 stage.

Then coached by T&T men's team coach Angus Eve, the young Soca Warriors did have bright individual performances. Nathaniel James scored four goals in the tournament and netted a pair of goals versus Haiti and Suriname in group play. Team captain Molik Jesse Khan scored two goals in the tournament. There were also exciting displays from the midfield pair of Real Gill and Kaihim Thomas.

Three of the aforementioned players have since represented T&T at senior level. Both Gill and James are currently in Eve's T&T squad for their upcoming Concacaf Nations League A games against Guatemala (October 13) and Curacao (October 17). James, 19, scored his first senior international goal last month as he came off the bench to grant T&T a 1-0 win over Curacao in their opening match of the ongoing Nations League campaign.

The four semi-finalists at the 2024 Concacaf under-20 championship will qualify for the 2025 Fifa men's under-20 World Cup. The US are the defending Concacaf under-20 champions.

Corneal said an official announcement on the under-20 men's team technical staff will be made next week.

6
Gols Galore Trinbago Style / Dantaye Gilbert
« on: October 06, 2023, 05:33:43 PM »
Jong PSV vs MVV Maastricht (October 6, 2023)

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7
Football / Real Gill Thread
« on: October 05, 2023, 12:16:37 PM »
Warrior Profile: Real Gill, 20, motivated to play abroad
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)


WINGER Real Gill, 20, has dreams of one day stepping out onto a plush-green European football field, donned in colours of a top-flight club. Gill had a trial in July in Belgium with SK Beveren.

The talented right-footer has already notched four senior caps and anticipates a return to the national setup, under head coach Angus Eve, when the Concacaf Nations League A resumes next Friday, at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, against Guatemala.

He last represented T&T at the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup with appearances against St Kitts and Nevis (3-0) and USA (0-6).

The skilful midfielder shone domestically with Terminix La Horquetta Rangers in the Ascension tournaments, and started the inaugural T&T Premier Football League 2023 season with the club, before transferring to Club Sando midway through the competition. He helped the south team finish third, to qualify for the Concacaf Club Shield.

Club Sando played unbeaten until the semi-final round, where Martinique club Golden Lion edged them 2-1 for a spot in the final. Club Sando went on to place third after drubbing Metropolitan 6-1 in the third-place playoff.

During this tournament, Gill sustained a torn hamstring which ruled him out of T&T's Concacaf Nations League A matches against Curacao and El Salvador last month. Both results went in favour of T&T, which has Gill champing at the bit to make a contribution.

He said, “Coming off the injury, it’s very important for me to break back into the squad. There’s no football going on right now and there’s no other way at the moment to show yourself, to get recognised for selection. Now is the time.

“It’s crucial that we get maximum points from both (Guatemala and Curacao) matches. We need to cement our spot to qualify for the next round,” he said.

Since his recovery, Gill has been putting in the work behind the scenes.

“Between now and Nations League matches, I’ve been doing a lot of personal training and doing some work in between, until national training resumes. I feel very sharp and my technical skills are on point right now.”

The East Dry River, Port of Spain resident is happy where he’s at right now, but like any young, rising footballer, playing on the highest level in Europe is his goal.

He grew up watching his uncles play the beautiful game, and began playing with the ball on the sideline during their matches.

He later went under the tutelage of Anthony “Dada” Wickham at Trendsetter Hawks. Gill credited Dada for playing a key role in keeping him motivated from a young age.

He had a short stint with San Juan Jabloteh, then charted off to Rangers for two years, before settling in at Club Sando.

During his Secondary Schools’ Football League (SSFL) days, Gill played for St Anthony’s College but was unable to feature in his final year there, because of covid19. There, he won the 2018 north zone title with their senior team, but lifted more silverware when he played U16 football for the Tigers.

Growing up in East Dry River, he said, was tough, but a circle of inspirational people kept him on the right course, and out of trouble.

“It’s hard sometimes, growing up there, but I have friends who have confidence in me and did not want me to go down the wrong path. They wanted to make sure I made it for the ones that couldn’t. It was helpful from some of those people I had around, but it was tough.”

Gill believes he has what it takes to be snapped up by a top European club. All in all, he just wants to make his mother happy.

“Coming up through the ranks and seeing what I have an can achieve, I believe that I see myself competing in England competing at the highest level like Marcus Rashford (Manchester United striker) and players like that.

“I really want to give my mother things she always wanted and never had. I want to make sure she gets those things. I would really like to sign my first professional overseas contract.”

8
Football / Steffen Yeates Thread
« on: September 19, 2023, 06:20:51 PM »
Steffen Yeates slips past Luke Singh before smashing the ball under the crossbar to earn Pacific FC a 1-1 draw against Atlético Ottawa.

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9
Football / 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup Thread
« on: August 22, 2023, 06:24:04 PM »
Defence Force tackle 'strong' Cavalier FC in Caribbean Cup
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)


Inaugural TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) champions Defence Force will begin their quest to conquer the Caribbean Thursday night, when they tackle Jamaican outfit Cavalier FC from 8 pm in their Concacaf Caribbean Cup opener at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

Defence Force, who completed a TTPFL double by defeating Terminix La Horquetta Rangers in the knockout final last month, are optimistic of carrying that momentum into the Concacaf tournament. Defence Force assistant coach Hutson "Baba" Charles said his team will be going after three points in each of their four group matches, but he is aware of the threat posed by their Jamaican rival.

"(Cavalier) seem like a strong team and they have to be doing something good to get to this level," Charles told Newsday. "They have some decent players. They have one or two technically gifted players and we will not be taking them for granted."

Defence Force have reinforced their squad since their exploits in the TTPFL campaign, with cousins Isaiah Garcia and Nathaniel Garcia joining, alongside defender Darnell Hospedales and goalkeeper Jabari St Hillaire. The Garcias have made a handful of caps for TT's senior men's team and Charles is expecting the duo to bring their wealth of experience to the Defence Force setup.

Nathaniel and St Hillaire were members of the Rangers team who lost in the TTPFL knockout final. On Thursday though, Defence Force's new recruits will have a different mission.

"Even before the TTPFL started, we set our sights on qualifying for the Concacaf Champions Cup," Charles said. "And to do that, we first have to qualify from the Concacaf Caribbean Cup group stage."

Defence Force are in Group A of the 10-team Caribbean Cup, with Cavalier, Moca FC (Dominican Republic), Golden Lion (Martinique) and fellow TTPFL outfit AC Port of Spain rounding out the group. Each team will play each other once in round-robin play, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the knockout stage.

The knockout stage comprises of home-and-away semifinals, a third-place playoff and the final which will be contested in the later in the year. The Caribbean Cup winner qualifies for the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16, while the runners-up and third-place team will qualify for round one of the competition.

Defence Force have been training assiduously at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima and the Hasely Crawford Stadium training field in the build-up, and Charles said the mood in the camp is excellent.

He said all his players are healthy.

"The boys are all excited and raring to go," Charles said of the final 32-man roster. "This is the perfect opportunity for us to start the tournament on the right foot. It's a good opportunity for the crowd to come out as well and we are expecting a bumper crowd."

"We put the tickets at just $25 (uncovered stands) and $50 (covered) with that in mind. Those prices are very reasonable so we are expecting a good turnout on Thursday," Charles said, urging supporters to paint the stadium with their blue and yellow.

According to TTPFL officials, just under 2,000 spectators turned out to witness the knockout final at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex last month. Tomorrow night, Defence Force would hope for similar backing at the national stadium.

"Right now, our whole focus is Cavalier FC from Jamaica," Charles said. "We are just taking it one game at a time. Every game Defence Force plays for a win and we will be going for three points."

After their tussle with Cavalier, Defence Force have an away game to Golden Lion on August 30, followed by games on local soil vs AC Port of Spain and Moca on September 28 and October 4 respectively.

10
Football / 2023 SSFL Thread
« on: August 18, 2023, 09:47:51 AM »
SSFL kicks off with St Benedict’s, Fatima clash
T&T Guardian


The thought of a Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and even a Neymar Jr being among us in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) is not too far-fetched, said Lisa Morris-Julien, Junior Minister in the Ministry of Education.

Morris-Julien’s comment came at the launch of the SSFL season at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port-of-Spain on Thursday before a large appreciative crowd that comprised members of the SSFL executive, sponsors and several other dignitaries.

The league is set to kick off on September 8 with a clash of last year’s Coca-Cola and Premiership finalists St Benedict’s College and Fatima College at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 4 pm.

And to ensure that all get the opportunity to see the matches this season, either via television or via an App, SportsMax, the regional sports cable network announced through its chief executive officer (CEO) Nicholas Matthews that it has renewed its three-year contract with the schools’ league.

SportsMax is one of two sponsors renewing its contract with the SSFL, with the other being Coca-Cola, the title sponsor of the league InterCol play-offs.

This year the league will also boast of retaining longstanding sponsors Shell as well as the National Gas Company (NGC) who through its head of Communication and Brand Nicola Ghouralal, said they want to invest in human energy.

Ghouralal said her company’s sponsorship of the league is an indication that they believe in the youth.

In 2022, St Benedict’s defeated Fatima 3-1 to claim the Premier Division title, but the Fatima boys returned to gain sweet revenge in the National Coca-Cola InterCol final by winning 1-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

The league represented the future of T&T on and off the field. Yesterday, Morris-Julien said, as a former footballer herself she knows of the efforts and benefits of the league and didn’t doubt the fact that a future star footballer can be in the league.

“The Secondary School Football League has a legacy of fierce competition and friendly rivalry. I grew up in a time with the Blue Thunder (El Dorado East) and the Green Machine (St Augustine Senior) and it has maintained a strong following from not only the students but also from the communities of these schools. To this day, everyone can say their favourite football team,” Morris-Julien said.

“In all areas of youth development, you know the African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child. The Secondary Schools Football League is indeed a village that the Ministry of Education is proud to be part of.”

Following on the heels of the Commonwealth Youth Games, which Morris-Julien said provided an opportunity for young athletes to showcase their talent, she noted also that the SSFL presents yet another opportunity for our young athletes to shine and show their skills in sports.

“I grew up with Stern John, Dwight Yorke, Jason Scotland, Kenwyne Jones, and it’s not impossible that one day, Messi, Ronaldo, and or Neymar could be among us today,” Morris Julien said.

“Sports as we know it, is not merely a physical activity but it’s a powerful tool for character building and discipline. It’s a platform that fosters lifelong skills that extends far beyond the playing field. Through sports, we learn the importance of dedication, we learn discipline, time management, and the pursuit of excellence.”

This year the league will feature some 6,000 players from 100 registered schools in 398 teams. And among these figures will be 10 teams from a new 13 and Under girls’ division that will come on stream, come September.

11
Football / NLCL Concept Coaching Community Summer Cup Thread
« on: August 17, 2023, 07:49:41 AM »
Creek Sports & Cultural Club beat QPCC on penalties to take inaugural NLCL Concept Coaching Community Summer Cup!!
NLCL Media


Over the weekend, football fans came out in their numbers and were treated to a festival of football at Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella. Under glorious sunny skies, the curtain came down on the NLCL Concept Coaching Community Summer Cup for Under 11 boys.  The tournament was co-hosted by NLCL Community Cup Chairman, Brian K. Jordan, and Concept Coaching President and Director, Roger Smith.

Arima’s Creek Sport & Cultural Club, coached by Lincoln Augustus, were crowned Champions of the first ever NLCL Concept Coaching Community Summer Cup.

After the quarterfinal round robin playoff on Saturday, Trincity Nationals found themselves the lone team out of the semi-finals, leaving four semifinalist qualifiers: Point Fortin Youth Football Academy, Trendsetter Hawks, QPCC, and Creek Sport & Cultural Club to go forward to the seeded matchups on Sunday.

On Sunday, following an opening goal by Creek’s Jelani Marchan, first seed Point Fortin Youth Football Academy equalized via an own goal by the fourth seeded Creek Sport & Cultural Club defense. After a 1-1 fulltime score, during the resulting penalty shootout, and after all 15 penalties had exhausted sudden death kicks, the teams agreed to a coin toss, and fourth seeded Creek emerged victorious. In the second semi-final game, third seeded QPCC were 1-0 winners over Northern rivals and second seed, Trendsetter Hawks. Skipper Callum Trestrail scored the lone item for QPCC in the keenly contested affair.

Later in the day, in the third place game, Point Fortin Youth Football Academy ran out 3-1 winners over Trendsetter Hawks, with a Jamali St Hilaire double along with a Trinity Swift item. Judea Phillip scored for Trendsetter Hawks.

Whilst in the very competitive Championship game, Creek used a staunch defense to hold QPCC to a 0-0 draw at full-time. In the resulting penalty shootout, big saves by Creek goalkeeper, Daniel Ramlal allowed them to win the Championship 3-2 on penalties.

Started in July of this year, the tournament has featured the biggest and best youth clubs and academies across Trinidad & Tobago in the Under 11 boys age category. The inaugural youth football tournament was sponsored in large part by Next Level Consulting Limited, Next Level Foundation, Concept Coaching, as well as, Ramsingh’s Sports World. 

Concept Coaching is a youth football academy based in Arima, with years of experience in youth competitions and tournaments for youths between the ages of 7 and 17. President and Director, Roger Smith stated, “We have delivered a wonderful development opportunity by partnering with NLCL Community Cup. We want to thank all of our teams, coaches and supporters for believing in this tournament. Congratulations to our first ever Champions from Arima, Creek Sport & Cultural Club.”

The Next Level Foundation is a registered non-profit charity. Originally started in 2019, for Under 19 footballers, the NLCL Community Cup has become the nation’s largest private charitable youth tournaments. Currently, more than one thousand young footballers are able to benefit nationwide from the youth development opportunities and nutritional hampers being provided under the umbrella organization.

NLCL Community Cup Chair, Brian K. Jordan explained, “This partnership has been extremely gratifying. Both of the entities partnering to host this tournament are strong believers in the potential of our young talented footballers nationwide. As community and grassroots charitable organizations, we hope and anticipate more and more private youth tournaments like this will be coming on stream to aid in improving our national teams and their global ranking.”

Congratulations to tournament Award Winners

Best Coach – Lincoln Augustus (Creek Sport & Cultural Club)

Most Goals - Andel Khan - 9 goals (Trendsetter Hawks)

Best Midfielder – Kayden Rosalis (QPCC)

Best Defender – Shahzaad Springer (Creek Sport & Cultural Club)

Best Goalkeeper – Trinity Swift (Point Fortin Youth Football Academy)

Most Valuable Player – Kayden Rosalis (QPCC)

The Tournament Organizers wish to thank the extremely generous sponsors and partners, namely, Next Level Consulting Limited, Next Level Foundation, Concept Coaching, Holiday Snacks, S.M. Jaleel and Ramsingh’s Sports World. 

 

For More Information: Mr. Brian K. Jordan, NLCL (868) 389-0516 | Mr. Roger Smith, Concept Coaching (868) 292-3618

12
Football / Kédie Johnson Thread
« on: July 27, 2023, 04:55:59 AM »
Kédie Johnson joins French D1 Féminine club, Lille OSC, on a two-year contract
losc.fr


LOSC Féminines is delighted to announce the signing of Kedie Johnson until 2025. The 22-year-old Trinidadian international arrives from the United States from the University of Louisiana Monroe.

INTERNATIONAL AT 17
Born November 19, 2000 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Kédie Johnson occupies the left-back position but can play in a more attacking position. She has represented her country since the age of 11 with the national U-15 team, then the U-17 and U-20 teams. She made her debut with the Trinidad and Tobago women's senior team at the age of 17, playing in the 2018 Concacaf Women's Championship, as well as the Central American and Caribbean Games. She has two goals at senior level. On the school circuit, she started at St. Augustine Secondary School in Trinidad and Tobago. She then joined the Florida International University Panthers in 2018 where she remained until the summer of 2022, even winning the team's MVP award, the second youngest in the history of the program.

Kédie  said "I am really excited to come to France and join LOSC. Coming from Trinidad and Tobago, the opportunities are limited. I feel really lucky and grateful to be part of this team and to be able to show what I am capable of. I hope the fans will support us in this season to finish as high as possible."

By recruiting Kédie, LOSC is ensuring the presence of a talented young player, who will have to acclimatize to a new culture and a new football program. She can count on the presence of North American players to help her with her integration. Welcome to Lille Kedie!


13
Gols Galore Trinbago Style / Molik Khan
« on: May 09, 2023, 11:39:04 AM »

14
Football / NLCL U-15 Community Cup Thread
« on: March 21, 2023, 04:24:04 PM »
Brand new NLCL U-15 Community Cup season kicking off this weekend
NLCL Media


The NLCL Community Cup Organizing Committee hosted its media launch for the inaugural 2023 season of the NLCL U15 Community Cup at the VIP Room of the Larry Gomes Stadium this past Sunday.

The brand-new youth football tournament announced it’s being sponsored in part by Next Level Consulting Limited, Next Level Foundation, the National Gas Company of Trinidad & Tobago, the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, as well as Ramsingh’s Sports World.

Starting this weekend, it will feature ten teams from the length and breadth of Trinidad, with a further four anticipated participating in Tobago. The highly competitive Group A kicks of this Saturday, March 25th, and will feature five teams from the North and East zones (Trendsetter Hawks, F.C. Ginga, Queens Park Cricket Club Youth Academy, Santa Rosa F.C. and Creek Sports & Cultural Club). A very balanced Group B will start their group matches on Sunday, March 26th, and will have five teams from the South and Central zones (Waterloo Institute of Soccer Players, Gasparillo Youths, Moruga F.C., Cox Football Academy and Point Fortin Youth Football Academy). When finally constituted, it is anticipated that Group C will feature four of the top youth teams from Tobago, and will kick off at a later date.

Tournament Chairman, Brian K. Jordan advised the media launch audience of the importance of youth development for our young footballers. He stated, “In doing the analysis, the NLCL Community Cup Tournament Organizing Committee found that the recently completed Under 19 tournament had approximately eighty percent of the players being between the ages of fifteen and seventeen. Effectively, as that platform is helping those older age groups, the next step would be to work with helping the development of the very important Under 15 age group.”

The NLCL Community Cup tournament, originally started in 2019 for Under 19 footballers, has become one of the nation’s largest private charitable youth tournaments with the strong assistance of a public-private partnership with the Ministry of Sport and Community Development. Inclusive of the newly added Under 15 tournament, more than seven hundred young footballers will be able to benefit nationwide from the youth development opportunities being provided under the umbrella organization.

Representing the Honourable Minister, Shamfa Cudjoe at the weekend Media Launch were both Mr. Justin Latapy-George (Sport Company of Trinidad & Tobago) and Mr. Patrice Charles (Deputy Director of Sports Division within the Ministry of Sport and Community Development). Both gentlemen spoke to the invited guests about the importance of public-private partnerships and focusing on youth development as a way to positively impact communities, as well as, enrich the calibre of talent available to national coaches and the national football system.

In addition to the representatives from the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, Keynote Speaker, Attorney Joash Huggins, recounted his Secondary School football days at Naparima College, San Fernando. He advised the young footballers in the audience that they had an opportunity to give their best effort not only on the football field but also in the classroom so that the best possible outcomes could be achieved in life. Mr. Huggins also counselled the youngsters about taking advantage of every opportunity provided to them, such as in the NLCL tournament, and about making good choices, especially in who they would choose to surround themselves with.

The NLCL U15 Community Cup tournament kicks of this Saturday with a dynamic double header at Eddie Hart Recreation Ground. At 2pm, perennial powerhouse, Trendsetter Hawks will play against a strong F.C. Ginga team. Later at 3:45pm, well known and storied academies, Santa Rosa F.C. will match up against Queens Park Cricket Club youth academy.  Meanwhile this Sunday, the action shifts to the South with Group B games being played at Beach Camp, Palo Seco. In the first game at 2pm on Sunday, serial tournament winners, Cox Football Academy will host upstarts Point Fortin Youth Football Academy. In the second game at 3:45pm, a tough Gasparillo Youths outift will play against an exciting Moruga F.C. Group C will kick off at a later date in the sister isle of Tobago.

Mr. Jordan added, “This is super exciting for us and hopefully for the country. Everyone should know there will be no cover charge to attend the games this weekend. We want everyone to come out to enjoy the football, and support their young sons, grandsons, cousins, nephews, neighbours and friends.”

The Tournament Organizers wish to thank the generous sponsors and partners, Next Level Consulting Limited, Next Level Foundation, Ministry of Sport and Community Development, National Gas Company of Trinidad & Tobago, and Ramsingh’s Sports World.

The tournament organizers wish to also advise the general public that these extremely well organized youth tournaments and annual Holiday Hamper Drive are all held under the auspices of the Next Level Foundation, which is a registered non-profit charitable organization. All are welcome to support and companies (or organizations) are able to take advantage of the tax benefits as a result of their financial support.

15
Football / 2023 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship Thread
« on: March 08, 2023, 10:04:10 PM »
Mascall appointed Women's U-20 Head Coach
TTFA Media


The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association is today confirming the appointment of Dernelle Mascall as Head Coach of the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s Under 20 Team.

Mascall, a former Senior and Youth Team Women’s player takes up responsibilities with immediate effect. She was also part of the staff overseeing the screening sessions which commenced in January towards the selection of a training squad for the 2023 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Qualifiers.

Mascall has in the past served as an assistant coach at Senior and Youth Women National Teams between 2018 -2022. She is participating in the TTFA A License Coaching Course.

The rest of the support staff appointed for the U-20 Women’s Team includes –

Rajesh Latchoo (Assistant Coach)
Ayana Russell (Assistant Coach)
Kern Meloney (Sport Physiotherapist)
Raquel Russell (Equipment)
Declan Squires (Goalkeeper Coach)
Sgt Simone Edwards (Team Manager)

Mascall’s indicated in her initial reactions to the appointment that she was ready to serve her country once again.

“I’ve been in the program as a player and an assistant coach for both senior and junior teams, and it’s always an honour to represent and serve Trinidad and Tobago.

“Preparations began in late January and we’ve had the Tobago players join us in February. The next phase will see the introduction of the overseas-based players to complete the package. Hopefully that overall picture will be completed within some fair time prior to the tournament,” Mascall told TTFA Media.

She did admit that currently, emphasis is being placed on the developmental aspects of the players.

“It’s blaring that this group of players have missed such stages in their development but they are a coachable and an exciting bunch to work with,” she added.

Commenting on her backroom staff, she noted, “It’s a very competent staff. We are fortunate to have the head of TTFA Coach Education Rajesh Latchoo, an ex-national player and teammate in Ayana Russell and another ex-national player in Jinelle James as Director of Women’s football all involved. We also intend to make full use of the technical director Anton Corneal who is no stranger to both the men and women teams and the Girls High Performance lead Marlon Charles. Wd are really looking to capitalise on these resources with the aim of having the best representation for Trinidad and Tobago at the U-20 level,” Mascall concluded.

T&T are in Group D of the Concacaf qualifiers scheduled for April 15-23 at Rignaal Jean Francisca Stadium, Willemstad, Curaçao; alongside Puerto Rico, Cayman Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and Guadeloupe.

Following round-robin play, the six group winners will advance to the 2023 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship, joining the confederation’s top two ranked nations, United States and Mexico.

The 2023 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship is scheduled to take place May 24 – June 3, 2023, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The eight team competition will qualify its top three finishers (finalists and third place match winner) to next year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

16
Football / TTFA Girls U-14 League
« on: February 14, 2023, 04:50:24 PM »
TTFA to launch Girls U-14 League
TTFA Media


The TTFA will be set to launch another initiative through the support of the FIFA Women’s Development Programme. This initiative will be a Girls U14 League (TTFA G14 League). For this inaugural league, twelve teams are registered. Eight teams from Trinidad and 4 Teams from Tobago and is scheduled to start with a League Opening on Sunday 5 March 2023.

The main objectives for the league are:

– Opportunity for younger girls to play outside of school

– Opportunity for female coaches to lead teams

– Opportunity to recruit players for the new cycle of the TTFA High Performance Programme

– Growing participation of girls that play football

– Creating club culture 

Teams are welcoming girls born between Jan 1 2009 – Dec 31 2011. The participating teams and their locations are as follows.

Athletic International Academy ( Tacarigua) –  319-2374
Combined Ballerz Academy (Tobago) – 722- 9460
Cox Coaching Academy (Palo Seco) – 322-6298/ 384-1144
Crowne Trace (Chaguanas) – 358-6898/ 277-5344
Eastern Counties Region Team – 680-6499
Jewels Sports Club (Tobago) – 751-9885
Pt Fortin Women’s Football Club (Pt. Fortin) – 498-3878
Real Dimension Women’s Football Club (POS & Environs) –
RSS Phoenix 1964 FC (Tobago) – 689-2304/ 317-2104
Skill Skool Girls Football Academy (San Juan) – 772-0464
South Stars Sports (PrincesTown) – 778-4413
Tobago Chicas Football Club (Tobago) – 358-0928/ 333-6694
Girls interested in playing can contact the teams to get more information.

CLICK to download attachment for more Info on the League

17
Football / 2023 Concacaf Men's U-17 Championship Thread
« on: August 29, 2022, 03:32:50 PM »
Guatemala named host for 2023 Concacaf U-17 Championship
Concacaf.com


Concacaf has announced that Guatemala will host the 2023 Concacaf U-17 Championship (CU17C). The qualifying competition for the FIFA U-17 World Cup will take place February 11 - 26, 2023, in Guatemala City and Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala.

“The Concacaf Men’s Under-17 Championship is an important competition which allows some of the best young players in our region to showcase their talent, and to compete to qualify for a place on the international stage,” said Concacaf General Secretary Philippe Moggio. “We are very excited to work alongside the Guatemalan Football Federation and local stakeholders to deliver an outstanding competition for participating teams and their fans,” added Moggio.

The 2023 CU17C will begin with a 16-team group stage played between the top ranked participating nations (according to Concacaf’s Men’s U-17 ranking). These nations are (in alphabetical order): Barbados, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and USA.

After round robin play, the best three teams in each group will advance to the knockout stage, where they will be joined by the four group winners from the Qualifiers (additional information regarding the 2022 CU17Q is available here).

The knockout stage play will include a round of 16, followed by quarterfinals, semifinals, and final. All knockout stage matches will be played in a single match elimination format and the semifinalists (four teams) will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2023.

The competition’s 39 matches will be divided across two venues, Estadio Nacional Doroteo Guamuch Flores in Guatemala City and Estadio Pensativo in Antigua.

Details regarding the official draw will be confirmed at a later date.

In the previous edition of the Concacaf U-17 Championship, played in Bradenton, FL, in 2019, Mexico won its eighth title at this age level, with a 2-1 extra time win over the United States in the final.

Concacaf announced this news at its “Concacaf Access” event, taking place in Guatemala City on Tuesday, August 16. The event saw the Confederation bring together football stakeholders, including the federation, leagues, and clubs to discuss the ongoing growth and development of the game in Guatemala and across Central America.

Tournament details

Dates: February 11 - 26, 2023

Host Cities and stadiums (2):  Estadio Nacional Doroteo Guamuch Flores (Guatemala City. Guatemala) and Estadio Pensativo (Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala)

Nations participating in the group stage (16 and in raking order): Mexico, USA, Costa Rica, Honduras, Canada, Panama, Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala, Curacao, Suriname, Barbados, and Guadeloupe

Nations participating in the knockout stage (16): Four 2022 CU17Q winners and the top three teams in each of the 2023 CU17C group stage groups (12 teams).

Number of teams qualifying for the 2023 FU17WC: Semifinalist (four teams)

18
Football / 2022 SSFL Thread
« on: August 15, 2022, 09:46:16 AM »
In anticipation of 2022 SSFL season
By Shaun Fuentes (T&T Guardian)


With another Secondary school Football League season on the horizon in September, the first return to play since 2019, the various members of the competing schools will no doubt be anticipating a competition that provides exciting opportunities to showcase abilities and are important learning opportunities for the young student-athletes in our country.

Every player who ends up on the final roster of his school team should be ready to give his all for so many reasons. The young player’s responsibilities relate to doing what is necessary to maximise the opportunities that will come their way this season. These responsibilities include giving their best effort, being responsible and disciplined, listening to coaches, being good at sports, being prepared, being respectful, and, importantly, being grateful for the opportunity to play and represent their schools and communities.

To each player, some other practical responsibilities will include participating in all training sessions, getting the most out of coaching, being cooperative and expressing appreciation to your parents, school staff, team coaches, and everyone else that will help you strive toward your goals.

But while players and coaches will be anxious to take the field, they should also be prepared to expect the unexpected. Things never go exactly as planned. Something unexpected or unusual will inevitably happen. Players, coaches and managers need to maintain a sense of humour or achieve a level of perspective when things out of the ordinary occur. At these times it will be useful to utilise preplanned refocusing strategies. Further, some crises or setbacks could also arise. During those times, it will be important to problem solve and find alternate ways to push through the issue. Open communication between the League and teams will be important at this point. Lessons need to be drawn and adjustments made to maintain and regain mental readiness and optimal focus.

The total experience for me means having fun, developing essential life skills and achieving their goals. This is what the main benefits of the SSFL will be for everyone taking part.

Practical responsibilities of management teams include ensuring that your players have the necessary equipment, proper coaching, and transportation, among other logistical concerns. Psychological and emotional support includes providing love, guidance, encouragement, and perspective in their efforts must also be on the cards

To parents, coaches, managers and school staff who will be involved, it may be necessary to make a listing of what you, in your particular roles, can do to help your players succeed. Ask your players what you can do to help them and what you should avoid doing. Next, have the player also make a list of what their responsibilities should be. If you feel your players have missed some important responsibilities, suggest them. Then, identify other individuals who will have responsibilities within the team and list what responsibilities they should have.

There should also be consequences for not fulfilling responsibilities. The best consequences are those that remove something of importance to the players and give them the control to get it back by acting appropriately, for instance, reaching late to practice or not showing at all. Find a way to make the player not want to make this mistake again for the rest of the season.

If those in charge along with the players are in agreement on their respective responsibilities, all should run quite smoothly. On the other hand, if there is conflict related to each of your responsibilities, trouble likely lies ahead. To prevent problems from arising once the new season arrives, you’ll want to discuss before the season starts how you can all get on the same page about who is responsible for what.

As teams enter the final stages of preparation for the SSFL over the coming few days, it is important to adhere to the “less is more” attitude. The tendency is to want to over-prepare for the event by squeezing in a number of sessions and warm-up games as the season opener approaches, Your players need to be well rested and mentally relaxed in order to perform optimally. Small refinements may be necessary but the key is to stick with the elements that have been working. Often this minimalisation is achieved with a simple tapering plan, but it is important that both coaches and players are aware of the concept and mindful of its implementation.

There is a significant difference between having a competition “Performance” and a competition “Experience.” A competition “Performance” implies a clear focus on the task at hand and a commitment to choices that will give the best possible chance for optimal performance to occur. Conversely, a competition “Experience” implies taking in the sights and sounds of the competition without a clear goal or focus. Ultimately, it will be important to find a balance between the two and allow an opportunity to be absorbed in the league atmosphere. Remember the league has seen no action for over two years, so there will be rough areas and good quality may take time. But hey, enjoy the Season as if there’s “no tomorrow.”

19
Football / 2022 King's Cup Thread
« on: August 11, 2022, 12:34:45 PM »
Trinidad and Tobago to play in 2022 King's Cup in Thailand
TTFA Media


Trinidad and Tobago Senior Men’s Team will join host nation Thailand at the King’ Cup 2022 in Chiang Mai province, Thailand from September 22-25.

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association accepted the invitation from the Thailand FA this week. This will be T&T’s third visit to Thailand for international friendlies, having visited in 2004 and 2018, losing to the hosts 3-2 and 1-0 respectively. Current head coach Angus Eve was the captain of the 2004 squad under then head coach Bertille St Clair.

The King’s Cup 2022 has confirmed three other teams taking part in the competition including hosts Thailand, Malaysia and Tajikistan.

The matches will be played on September 22nd and 25th, within the FIFA Window and a draw will take place to determine the fixtures.

In the last King’s Cup held in 2019, the Curacao team was invited to participate with the Vietnamese and Indian teams. In that tournament, Curacao won the championship with a victory over the Vietnamese team in the final.

In a response to the fixtures, head coach Eve told TTFA Media, “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to get two international fixtures away from home during the FIFA Window. Again, this is a continuation of our process towards getting the best possible team for the future which includes not just the Gold Cup 2023 and the next phase of Nations League matches but also the 2026 World Cup qualification.

“We are coming off a good run in the Concacaf Nations League with three consecutive victories and we will be looking to build on this in these upcoming matches during the September window. I’d like to say thank you the Thailand FA for reaching out to us to offer this invitation and to the Normalisation Committee and the TTFA for accepting and confirming all arrangements to ensure we are active in this upcoming FIFA Window” Eve said.

The Senior Men’s Team preparations for these matches will commence within the next few weeks before Eve announces a Final Squad to travel to Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai is approximately 90 minutes by flight from Bangkok and while it is on the warm side, it’s considerably cooler than Bangkok. It’s situated in the mountains at a high altitude, so temperatures are much more bearable than other Thai cities on the southern end of the country.

Thailand lost to Uzbekistan 2-0 in its last international match, an Asian Cup qualifier in June. Among its wins this year were a 2-1 win over Bahrain in a friendly in May and a 1-0 win over Suriname in March.

Chiang Mai is known for its rich history as the principal city of the ancient Lanna Kingdom. The Lanna Kingdom, which was especially prevalent between the 1200s all the way up until the mid-1800s, was spread across northern Thailand, and Chiang Mai is host to countless ancient relics of this kingdom and the Karen Hill tribes Temples, most of which are in a unique Burmese style of architecture, speckle the city, and there are countless other attractions to visit and behold from this once-great empire.

20
Gols Galore Trinbago Style / Shannon Gomez
« on: August 01, 2022, 09:41:29 AM »
San Antonio FC vs LA Galaxy II (July 30, 2022)

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/OZTaT66Ye6A?start=120" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/OZTaT66Ye6A?start=120</a>

21
Football / Ascension Caribbean Cup Thread
« on: July 20, 2022, 11:27:12 AM »
Ascension to stage $2.6m Caribbean Cup
T&T Express


ORGANISERS of the Ascension football competition have applied to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association’s normalisation committee (NC) for permission to operate an Ascension Caribbean Cup Tournament.

The competition will comprise six teams; the top three teams from the Ascension Tournament of Trinidad and Tobago 2022 (most likely Defence Force, Police FC and Rangers), as well as the top clubs from Jamaica, Barbados and Grenada. The tournament is scheduled to run over a period of eight days, commencing on Friday October 21, 2022.

The budgeted cost of the tournament is $2.6 million, with the winner earning US$20,000, the second-placed team US$10,000 and US$5,000 going to the third-place finisher.

Terminix La Horquetta Rangers managing director Richard Ferguson has written normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad seeking permission to stage the tournament.

To this end, Ferguson cited his organisation’s staging of the Ascension tournament.

“Kindly note that we ran a very successful Ascension Tournament for the period Friday 25th March, 2022, to Sunday 31st July, 2022, which was broadcast live on SportsMax, local television, viewed regionally, internationally, and live streamed worldwide via our website,” Ferguson’s communication stated.

Participating teams are not required to pay any registration fees to play in the tournament and organisers will also pay air travel and accommodation for the clubs from Jamaica, Barbados and Grenada.

The tournament will have television production of five match-days and is tabbed to be telecast on Sportsmax, TV6, CNC3 and streamed on the internet.

“This Tournament will not replace, restrict or substitute any sanctioned and existing leagues under the TTFA or any CONCACAF tournament,” Ferguson added.

22
Football / FIFAe Nations Series
« on: May 20, 2022, 03:31:11 PM »
TTFA enters eSports world
TTFA Media


The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association has entered the world of Online Gaming competition.

The TTFA will host the The Trinidad and Tobago FIFAe Nations Invitational which is a pilot scouting initiative to gauge the interest and skill level in FIFA esports domestically.

The TTFA has signed onto this initiative in order to create a competitive and self-sustaining domestic and international esports ecosystem that is capable of competing against other countries in friendly and non-friendly environments.

Initially, persons invited are to compete online in a competition hosted by GOAL eSports and sanctioned by the TTFA to source our initial top four players that would be the starting point of our domestic pool. After this initial invitational, the TTFA will begin rolling out frequent scouting tournaments for the general public, our member clubs as well as friendlies against other participating MAs.

In the future this would hopefully lead to our member clubs taking part in eSports as well as semi pro and pro league level domestic tournaments. The TTFA would seek to provide the necessary space and facilities for our national players as necessary.

Participants must be registered on FIFA.GG to be eligible. While this invitational takes place on ps4 and ps5 systems, moving forward FIFAe Nations is only to be played on the PS5 system as per FIFA regulations.

For the qualifiers, T&T have been drawn in Group B alongside Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and Dominican Republic.

Every great nation has its true heroes. With national pride and global glory at stake, FIFA’s official competition for nations features the world’s best players representing their country in EA SPORTS FIFA 22. The FIFAe Nations Cup 2022™ presented by EA SPORTS™ gives players the opportunity to play alongside their national teammates in a 2v2 format, adding a different, competitive dynamic with national pride on the line. The event will take place from 27 to 30 July in Denmark, Copenhagen.

About the competition

The FIFAe Nations Series™ kicks off at a domestic level, with FIFAs member associations offering their communities to compete amongst each other and find the most competitive athletes within the country. Once at the top, the national team might be calling, giving athletes the chance to show their value for the team during FIFAe Friendlies. In addition, the communities might see activations that are tailored for the less competitive audience during, for example, grassroots and exhibition events. All these activations can be used to help the national coach determine which players will represent the national team in the FIFAe Nations Series™.

All participating member associations from the 2021 season are invited to take part in the FIFAe Nations Series™ via the FIFAe Nations Online Qualifier 2022™ Play-Ins. The participating nations around the world are split into different zones for the online tournament. Top teams will qualify directly to the FIFAe Nations Playoffs, skipping the FIFAe Nations Online Qualifiers™ Main stage.

Those that don’t qualify directly for the Playoffs via the Play-Ins will have another chance during the FIFAe Nations Online Qualifiers Main Stage, where they will be joined by newly onboarding member associations for the FIFAe Nations Series 2022™ . During the main stage, the nations battle it out within their respective zones in a 2v2 format in May 2022, playing for a chance to compete for the remaining spots in the FIFAe Nations Playoffs 2022™.

The FIFAe Nations Playoffs 2022™ will either be played online or offline depending on the final number of participating member associations, during which the 23 nations will be found that will join the host at the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022™ .

The search for the ultimate National Team comes to an exciting close in the most prestigious event of the year, where one nation will be awarded the title of FIFAe Nations Cup 2022™ champions.

T&T Invitational for FIFAe Nations Cup 2022 (1v1 and 2v2)

Start time: 7pm, Monday 16th May 2022
Platform: PS4/PS5 version of FIFA
Mode: Online

Persons seeking further information can contact ttfaesports@gmail.com or (868) 364-0489, 751-0874.

23
Gols Galore Trinbago Style / Nickel Orr
« on: May 14, 2022, 05:10:32 PM »
PAEEK FC vs Omonia FC (May 14, 2022)

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/Y2GjXOHw6Cw?start=290" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/Y2GjXOHw6Cw?start=290</a>

24
Football / 2022 Concacaf Women's Championship Thread
« on: April 20, 2022, 04:54:25 PM »
T&T women drawn in group with Canada, Panama and Costa Rica
T&T Express


Trinidad and Tobago’s senior women’s football team has been drawn in Group B after CONCACAF yesterday conducted the official draw for the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship (CWC).

The tournament is scheduled to be played in Monterrey, Mexico, between July 4-18 and will serve as the qualification tournament to the FIFA Women’s World Cup (FWWC) 2023 while the champions will qualify directly to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The region’s best eight participating national teams were divided into four pots based on the FIFA Women’s Ranking of June 2021. The T&T women are in group alongside Canada, Costa Rica and Panama while Group A consists of the United States, Mexico, Jamaica and Haiti.

After the round-robin group stage play, the top two teams in each group will move on to the semi-finals and will qualify directly to the Women’s World Cup (four teams). Meanwhile, the third-placed teams in each group will qualify for a Women’s World Cup Intercontinental playoff (two teams).

The semi-finals, final and third-place match will be played in a single elimination format, with the champions qualifying for both the 2024 Paris Olympics and the inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup, to be held in 2024. The runners-up and third-place teams will also square off in a CONCACAF Olympic play-in series, scheduled for September 2023. The winners of that play-in series will also qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup.

The complete match schedule will be announced by CONCACAF in the coming days. T&T reached this stage of the Championship after a late equaliser by Lauryn Hutchinson gave them a 2-2 draw against Guyana last WEEK Tuesday at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago, which was good enough to guarantee that they topped the group and qualified for the next phase.


25
Football / Ride on doc, sleep well!
« on: March 02, 2022, 11:53:00 AM »
Regrettably, longtime forum member David Reid aka doc passed away suddenly this morning.

26
Football / Tiger Tanks U-20 Tournament Thread
« on: January 29, 2022, 02:15:30 PM »
Tiger Tanks U-20 tourney in line for approval
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)


The Ascension Football Tournament's scheduled start in March may not happen after all. At least so it seems.

The tournament, despite receiving the go-ahead by the return-to-sport order by Minister of Health Terrance Deyalsingh and his colleague Shamfa Cudjoe, the Minister of Sports and Community Development on Monday, did not receive endorsement from the T&T Football Association.

Guardian Media Sports was reliably informed on Thursday that only the Tiger Tanks Under-20 National Football Tournament which will be put on by businessman Denis Latiff, was given the go-ahead to have a competition to date. However, this can change in the coming days or weeks.

The Tiger Tanks tourney is scheduled to kick off on March 3 and will feature 10 teams from Trinidad and another five from the sister isle of Tobago over an eight-week period.

It is understood the Tiger Tanks under-20 competition received the green light in June last year, after the Normalisation Committee of the TTFA which is led by businessman Robert Hadad, sent an official request to the sports' governing body - the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and received it.

However, attempts yesterday to contact both Hadad and Amiel Mohammed, the acting General Secretary of the T&TFA for a comment on the approval via Whatsapp, proved futile as both did not respond to the question: 'which tournaments have been sanctioned or which tournaments will receive sanction for the reopening of football.'

Both Richard Ferguson, the La Horquetta owner and his manager Kieron Edwards admitted last year that approval was granted for the tournament in 2020, but Hadad allegedly indicated during a radio interview last year, that he was no longer willing to sanction the Ascension tournament.

Colin Wharfe, Chairman, Competition Steering Committee Tiger Tanks Under-20 Men's Football Tournament said the normalisation committee will confirm in writing to all desirous of staging competitions soon.

According to Wharfe: "Things are fluid at the moment, the primary thing is that now that the regulations are in place, the operational and implementational reality of those need to be put in place and applications need to be submitted.

It's a whole bunch of operations that need to be executed upon and either somewhere between the start and the end of that process.

It is my understanding that the NC will provide written confirmation of their approval to engage in the qualifying sporting activity.

So there are a number of individuals who have either already started organising competitions, and there are people who are also interesting in starting competitions What they will have to do is go through the protocols to get approval from the NC, especially if you want it to be held under the auspices of the TTFA."

Quizzed further on whether the Tiger Tanks tourney will be held under the auspices of the TTFA, Wharfe said: "Until we get confirmation that it is going to be held, and we do not have confirmation from the NC to proceed to hold competitive matches. Because as I said, the process to do so is predicated on the operationalization of the healthcare return-to-play protocols promulgated by the minister and they need to know what those are in substance and operationally."

Wharfe noted also that he will not be able to offer an answer if the tournament will not be held under the auspices of the TTFA.

27
Football / Jesse Williams Thread
« on: January 18, 2022, 01:17:57 PM »
Pittsburgh Riverhounds signs defender Jesse Williams
By Riverhounds Staff


Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has signed two more players for the upcoming season, forward William Eyang and defender Jesse Williams. Both players are signed to one-year contracts with a team option for the 2023 season, pending USL and U.S. Soccer Federation approval.

Williams, 20, is a young defensive player hailing from Trinidad and Tobago who most recently was with the Coleraine FC U-20s in Northern Ireland.

Last summer, Williams made his senior international debut less than a month after his 20th birthday, playing 90 minutes at right back in a 2-0 World Cup Qualifying win over St. Kitts and Nevis. He made two more appearances for the Soca Warriors at last summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, where he played alongside his new Hounds teammates, Jelani Peters and Mekeil Williams.

“Jesse is a young player with a high ceiling who we want to develop here in Pittsburgh,” Lilley said. “He can play as an outside back or defensive midfielder and brings strong ball-winning qualities to our group.”

Jesse Williams currently is back in camp with the T&T National Team — alongside Mekeil Williams — as they prepare for the team’s next match, a friendly against Bolivia this Friday in Sucre, Bolivia.

28
Football / Thread for Bolivia vs T&T (21-Jan-2022)
« on: January 12, 2022, 07:18:44 PM »
As usual, any updates/scores, shout-outs, reports, predictions, views, etc, on the International Friendly between T&T and Bolivia at the Estadio Olimpico Patrio in Sucre, Bolivia from 5pm on the 21st of January 2022 will be posted here, this way, we can maintain the message board and not make it look too scrappy with un-necessary or related headlines and postings on game day.

For the internet users, you can follow the game at:

To be updated.

Possible Online Streams.
WESN

Possible TV Station.
WESN

Trinidad & Tobago Squad

Coach - Angus Eve (TRI).

Bolivia Squad


Coach - César Farías (VEN).


29
Gols Galore Trinbago Style / Leland Archer
« on: September 23, 2021, 07:11:57 AM »
Charleston Battery vs New York Red Bulls II (September 22, 2021)

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/vzSurLGrlj4?start=122" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/vzSurLGrlj4?start=122</a>

30
Gols Galore Trinbago Style / Malcolm Shaw
« on: September 01, 2021, 08:26:49 PM »
Landskrona BoIS vs Assyriska Turabdin IK (May 30, 2019) (Two goals)

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/KxXworf1VPo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/KxXworf1VPo</a>

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