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Topics - Tiresais

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31
Football / Joe Gaetjens - the footballer who disappeared
« on: March 22, 2014, 04:27:54 AM »
Joe Gaetjens - the footballer who disappeared
BBC News


One of the biggest shocks in World Cup history happened in 1950, when the US beat England, thanks to a goal scored by Haitian Joe Gaetjens. After Gaetjens returned to Haiti a hero, he later disappeared and was killed, possibly by the president himself.

Joe Gaetjens made his name on 29 June 1950. "Out of nowhere apparently, my father came and went head first and hit the ball hard enough to change its direction - so the goalie from the England team was going one way and the ball went the other way," says his eldest son Lesly.

The 15,000 football fans in Brazil's Belo Horizonte stadium went wild - moments earlier they thought the US didn't have even the slightest chance of beating England. Even the US coach had described his side as sheep ready to be slaughtered.

While the England players were professionals, the Americans were part-timers - one was a teacher, another drove a hearse for a living and Gaetjens was an accountancy student.

Jo Gaetjens, Paris 1951-52
He was born in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, in 1924 to a relatively well-off family. He loved football and by the age of 14 was signed up to the Etoile Haitienne team where he became known for his goal-scoring headers.

Read More

32
Report here: http://reports.weforum.org/global-gender-gap-report-2013/#

PDF is here: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GenderGap_Report_2013.pdf - we're on page 358/359

We were 43rd. now 36th :) Sadly nowhere near the 21st we used to occupy in 2010 and 2011, but it's an improvement.

T&T scores terribly (130th) on health and survival gap between men and women - only 6 countries in the world score worse than us, and whilst the rank isn't great (51st) the education gap is small. Whilst the rank in political engagement is good (38th) the score itself is poor - a quarter of the top countries from Scandinavia but above the US and Barbados (who ranked in 7 positions above us at 29th).

Overall, we rank 24th among the High-Income countries above the Bahamas and France, sitting a place below Spain and two below Barbados. T&T comes in 9th for Latin America and the Caribbean (Surinam and Guatemala come in worst, Nicaragua and Cuba the best). We rank 35th in terms of improvement from 2006

We come in a poor 84th in female/male labour participation rate ratio (60% for women, 83% for men), 62nd for the wage gap between men and women, 80th for income gap, 33rd for women in parliament (29w v 71m), 27th for years with a female head of state (and this'll only go up),

But... 11th for men-women government legislator ratio, 34th for professional/technical ratio (where there were more women than men), Stone cold last for female healthy life expectancy with only 62 years for women compared to 64 for men (imho related to our terrible pollution-GDP ratio), 51st for women in ministerial positions, and only 33% women teachers in tertiary sector.

Some other interesting things - female participation rate in both secondary school and tertiary (university) higher than males, there's a 1.03 sex-birth ratio (i.e. 3% more girls than boys, whey hey)

Quote
Trinidad and Tobago ascends seven places relative to its 43rd position in the 2012 ranking due to the fall of other countries such as Malawi, Bahamas, Namibia, Guyana and Sri Lanka (p.27)

Any thoughts?

34
General Discussion / Immigration lessons from the first world war
« on: March 08, 2014, 03:42:59 AM »
Immigration lessons from the first world war
UK Guardian


Black labour was welcomed during the great war – but afterwards, black jobseekers were shunned, denied benefits, attacked and even driven out of the country

With the centenary upon us, military historians debate the first world war. Was it a necessary war, is the question that concerns them. But on hols, I gained an interesting perspective on where we have been and where we are now, while leafing through Staying Power, Peter Fryer's classic, scholarly history of black people in Britain, first published in 1984. Fryer, who first encountered diversity as a young reporter in 1948 when he was sent to meet the Empire Windrush, takes the diversity story back 500 years.

But the bit that jumped out at me was the migrant controversy in the aftermath of the great war. Black labour had been welcomed, especially at sea, but "when the armistice was signalled on 11 November 1918, the wartime boom for black labour fizzled out as quickly as it had begun". The cry instead was too many foreigners; British jobs for British workers. Black jobseekers were shunned and the complicit Ministry of Labour resolved not to tell them about benefits to which they were entitled. Destitute, they were targeted. By 1919, there were violent mob attacks in Liverpool, Cardiff and London. Everyone joined in, apparently. "The quiet, apparently inoffensive nigger becomes a demon when armed with revolver or razor," one paper said. Fryer attributes that to the Manchester Guardian.

What to do with these foreign troublemakers? Rid them from our small island, came the still popular reply, especially those with the gumption to organise others. And so a repatriation scheme was established by the Home Office. Some left with a £5 bounty. Some were promised compensation but got nothing, not even adequate food on the voyage. And this seemed a good outcome; irritants removed, the populist rage rewarded. But what goes around comes around. In a memorandum, Lord Milner, the colonial secretary, warned that many under attack had served in the war, done their bit and "bitterly resented the ingratitude".

He "feared the effect their return to the colonies would have on attitudes to white minorities there", says Fryer. "His fears were soon justified." Before long, the brightest and best of those repatriated were leading anti-colonial agitation in Trinidad, Jamaica, Belize and St Kitts, and the British government was warning the US of "Unrest among the negroes". Those campaigns would, in time, end Britain's colonial hegemony. Then as now; sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.

35
Football / Stars hold Army
« on: February 28, 2014, 02:19:12 AM »
Stars hold Army
T&T Guardian


Defending Digicel Pro League champion Defence Force failed to make the best of a rescheduled Round Two Match Day Three fixture against North East Stars on Tuesday, as it was held to a 1-1 draw.
 
With one point each, Defence Force sits seventh with 17 points and five matches in hand, while North East Stars, remain fourth, now with 23 points and a fixture in hand.
 
Ahead of the Stars are Central FC and Point Fortin Civic with 26 points each, in second and third positions, respectively, while W Connection is eight points ahead with 34.
 
Defence Force, playing catch up since coming off a self-imposed suspension a week ago, had a 32nd minute 1-0 lead against the Stars when midfielder Jerwyn Balthazar, from inside the area, directed Devorn Jorsling’s free-kick past goalkeeper Cleon John.
 
But Ross Russell’s side surrendered that advantage four minutes from the break after central defender Devin Jordan failed to control a forward pass by the Stars, allowing forward Lemuel Lyons a free run at goal.
 
Lyons, who joined the Angus Eve-coached San Grande club in the December/January transfer window, capitalised on the opportunity with a low strike past a hapless goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke to tie the score at 1-1.
 
Lyons, who was denied by Clarke in the 17th minute, and headed overbar off a Keron Cummings’ free-kick four minutes later, was replaced by speedy forward Trevin Caesar thirteen minutes inside the second period.
 
By then Defence Force was still adjusting to a sending off of right-back and captain Corey Rivers seconds before the half-time whistle.
 
Rivers had picked up his second yellow card of the afternoon for a foul on Kennedy Hinkson and was shown no mercy by the relatively unknown (to the Pro League level) referee Marvin Pierre.
 
Pierre’s assignment from then on was a cool trot on the artificial turf.
 
While the Stars, with an extra man, failed to take advantage of the situation, and only forced a save out of Clarke in the 64th minute.
 
It was from an attempted cross by Chike Sullivan on the right, that turned out an attempt on goal, and Clarke had to cleverly tip the ball overbar.
 
The Stars however, were also lucky not to concede in the second half after Jemel Sebro struck the side netting in the 51st minute following a positive string of passes by Army.
 
And in the 74th minute a 23-yard free-kick by Jorsling crashed off the upright.
 
 
Tuesday’s result
 

North East Stars 1 (Lemuel Lyons 41st) vs Defence Force 1 (Jerwyn Balthazar 32nd)
Standings
 
Teams Pld W D L F A Pts
 
W Connection 18 10 4 1 30 9 34
 
Point Fortin 15 8 2 5 23 16 26
 
Central FC 16 6 8 2 28 15 26
 
N/E Stars 15 6 5 4 14 10 23
 
Police FC 14 6 3 5 19 20 21
 
Caledonia 15 5 6 4 22 16 21
 
Defence Force 11 5 2 4 19 17 17
 
Jabloteh 16 3 2 11 19 37 11
 
Rangers 15 1 0 14 11 45 3

36
Sochi 2014: Three-way photo after ski cross finish-line chaos
BBC News

A huge crash on the final jump wipes out the field and causes a three-way photo finish in one of the quarter-finals of the Olympic men's ski cross competition in Sochi.

Switzerland's Armin Niederer was the only rider to go through on his skis, with Russia's Egor Korotkov, in the yellow bib, grabbing the second qualifying spot.

Sweden's Victor Oehling Norberg (red) and Finland's Jouni Pellinen (blue), narrowly missed out.

BBC Video of it happening

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/q17lenCc6bI" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/q17lenCc6bI</a>

37
Football / Premier League 'B' proposed by Scudamore
« on: February 15, 2014, 06:52:45 AM »
Premier League chief Richard Scudamore’s crusade to lift England football
Telegraph UK


Richard Scudamore, the Premier League’s chief executive, has challenged the FA and the Government to do more to help England. Scudamore wants more investment in grass-roots facilities, particularly in urban areas where the likes of Raheem Sterling and Wilfried Zaha benefited from Premier League-backed schemes.
He also plans a Premier League B league, involving 16 of the elite clubs and six from the Football League to play a season-long Under-23 competition (with four older players allowed), helping bridge the gap between Academies and first teams, a boon for experience-hunting English hopefuls.

It would reward and involve those clubs with Category 1 Academy status: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle, Norwich, Southampton, Stoke, Sunderland, Tottenham, West Brom and West Ham would be joined by Bolton, Blackburn, Leicester, Middlesbrough, Reading and Wolves. (Crystal Palace of the Premier League are working hard to achieve Cat 1).
Replacing the current underwhelming Under-21 version, this league would be played at the clubs’ main stadiums, be broadcast globally, be given the full marketing push of Scudamore’s organisation and command substantial prize-money. It would not affect the usual promotion and relegation between the Championship and the Premier League.

The need for a deeper reservoir of home-grown talent in the foreigner-filled Premier League has been a familiar lament over the past decade, emanating most recently from the England manager Roy Hodgson and the FA Chairman Greg Dyke. Scudamore declined the chance to sit on the Commission organised by Dyke to address the problems limiting the flow of high-calibre players for the England team. Scudamore preferred to focus his energies on the Elite Player Performance Plan, the youth-development scheme which gives leading clubs more contact time with the best youngsters from all over the country.

He knows that if – when – England bow out early from this summer’s World Cup that the Premier League will be heavily criticised. “Always,’’ shrugged Scudamore, talking in central London on Thursday. “And if England win it we won’t get any plaudits. But we think we are doing our bit. The night (in 2007) we lost to Croatia 2-3, poor old Steve McClaren under the umbrella, I flipped. I said: ‘This can’t go on, we aren’t taking this reputational damage any more.’ It took a while to get this EPPP into place.

“It is incongruous that we have the (successful) league that we have and aren’t seen to be doing better on the international stage. The last eight of the World Cup is where we naturally should be. The last four is bloody good. To get to a final would be absolutely fantastic. It will happen in my lifetime, that England will get to a final.’’

Now 54, Scudamore has such a belief because of the work his clubs are doing, like Southampton with their crop of promising youngsters, and Liverpool with their plethora of English players. “I know the Commission will be taking a very good look at EPPP and will be pleasantly surprised as to what is in place already,’’ said Scudamore. “All our clubs are searching for that local boy who can make it, the Steven Gerrard, the Jamie Carragher, born within the environs of that club. That’s the holy grail. Fans will love any player who is good for their club but there is a special place that fans reserve for the local boy made good.

“I hope the Commission spend some considerable time in their report addressing the biggest issue we’ve got which is the propensity of people to want to play at grass-roots level. But it’s fragile. Grass roots is always fragile. We mustn’t kill the willing amateur. Are we sure that young people have access to the facilities, to play regular football, in this winter of all winters, when you hear of teams who haven’t played since November? Put in a decent 3G facility and you could play a whole league over the weekend.’’

The Premier League currently puts £130m annually into grass-roots. It has also joined with Government and the FA Facilities Fund to inject £102m into facilities, including 150 new or refurbished 3G pitches. “The money we are putting into grass roots is never enough but it wouldn’t be beyond the wit of the FA to find some more of their resources and then Government funding again,’’ said Scudamore.

He would like Dyke to challenge David Cameron and relevant Government ministers to invest more in facilities. “That would be a good thing for the FA chairman to do,’’ said Scudamore. “The key objective for the FA chairman is to get that sorted. The urban areas of Britain aren’t well served. There are lots of young people living in high-density accommodation without an escape through football which is why our clubs are trying to do their bit through their community schemes.

“We can only do so much. What we are doing could be scaled (up) with input from the FA and more input from Government. It is happening. Sport England have now come along part-funding Kickz programme; they see the power of using our club brands and expertise to grow this engagement.

“Raheem Sterling and Wilfried Zaha came through a Kickz programme in a pretty challenging area in this country (London) and there must be loads of kids like them. I can’t believe there aren’t some more kids of 13, 14, 15, 16, living in these huge tower blocks, who if they had the facilities and a safe coaching environment would become footballers.’’

Scudamore also wants Dyke’s Commission to scrutinise the FA’s Club England set-up, ensuring it maximises the potential of the players. “They have got to look at that and see what they can do to make that Team England experience as good as it can be. I don’t believe for one minute all this nonsense of ‘players don’t like playing for England’.’’

As the Commission goes about its interviewing and information-gathering, Scudamore will be busy working on another pathway for home-grown players towards the first team via Premier League B. “We understand the challenge of developing English talent good enough to play in the Premier League first team is how do you get them to transition from Under-18s into first-team squads? It is such a huge leap. You have to have the transition phase, the ‘professional development phase’ we call it.

“The Under-21 League is technically very good but not where it needs to be in terms of meaningful competition for these youngsters. The minute you call it ‘Under-21’ people think it is no use. It needs a better name and a better focus. All clubs recognise that. We need proper kick-off times, using main stadiums, anything to create an experience that is more competitive and more like the first team so it doesn’t come as such a shock. And those players in that group should be interchangeable with the first team.

“They should be Category 1 clubs and we are happy for them to be in that league with 16 of ours, and six of the Championship. If more Cat 1 clubs come along you structure it accordingly. It should be in all our interests that people have more Cat 1 academies because that’s the best it can be.’’

Scudamore emphasised that this new league would be outside the pyramid structure. “Having been chief executive of the Football League, I believe in the pyramid. If you set up a club behind the Dog and Duck, make your way up through those 44,000 others, and climb over enough to get to us – brilliant, we’d love to have you.’’

He can understand the desire to ascend to such a wealthy division, a league currently experiencing one of the greatest seasons ever. “It’s all going on at the top and, my word, it’s all going on in the bottom. Seven points separate the top five. The team in 10th is only eight points away from bottom. In terms of competitiveness, it’s brilliant: goals flying in, Liverpool going 4-0 up in 19 minutes (against Arsenal) and Fulham coming back from 2-1 (against United). I was watching thinking: ‘this is unbelievable’.

“The minute Sir Alex Ferguson left United everyone of us thought ‘this changes the dynamic’ of the Premier League. With change comes new stories. Jose Mourinho’s back. Is he going to do well or not? It’s a story either way. Man City changed Roberto Mancini for Manuel Pellegrini. I was privileged to spend quite a bit of time with Pellegrini at the Asia Trophy and thought that’s going to be a story either way.’’

And United in seventh? “It feels odd. No disrespect to Manchester United or any club, but I sit here wanting change. We want the smaller clubs to beat the bigger clubs. When Norwich can hold out against Man City, that suits us.

When the big clubs play each other, we want change. We’ve had 19 changes of leaders this season. I like that! Sometimes it’s changed three times a weekend.”

As for fans’ legitimate grievances over Premier League ticket prices, particularly the Category A cost of £62 at Arsenal for some visiting supporters, Scudamore countered: “People always quote the highest pricing. We’ve just done a survey of ticket pricing and you can buy adult tickets from £20 to £41 across the league or the kids’ discount stuff. I’m not saying it’s inexpensive but it’s not all at the high end that every one wants to quote. We have always said clubs should stretch their prices. There should be affordable ticketing at one end.’’ He paused, then added: “We are heading for record attendance; we are currently tracking at 95.8 per cent attendance.’’

But what of the frequently subdued atmospheres. “I go to lots of games where it is excellent, and lots of games where it is quite quiet but that is often to do with expectancy. Games can explode at any point. We have got false memories. If you think they were singing and shouting from start to finish every game in the past – it never was. If you go back 10 or 20 years ago, it wasn’t. I go back to the mid-60s attending games and there have always been periods of quiet during games. There is a slight trade-off. There has been a slight gentrification but there’s less hooliganism, less violence, less coin-throwing.’’

He dismissed the possibility of standing returning to the elite division, despite some clubs like Aston Villa wanting a debate. “There is no constitutional majority of Premier League clubs that want to revisit the idea of not having all-seater stadiums. We don’t sense that the Government, the most important people in all this, have any appetite at our level to go back on the all-seater legislation.

“We haven’t discussed it around our table. Have I discussed it unilaterally with individual clubs? Yes. It is a difficult issue. I am a huge supporter and sympathiser with the Hillsborough families’ position. Even if it (standing) was deemed desirable, as we approach the 25th anniversary of Hillsborough and the families feel so strongly about it, is it really appropriate?’’

Scudamore also addressed the “very emotive” issue of owners meddling with the traditions of their clubs. “Cardiff City changing shirt colour is less of an issue than (Hull City) changing names. What do I think about Cardiff playing in red? It would be preferable if they played in blue but I don’t think it’s the end of civilisation as we know it. I have spoken to him (Cardiff owner Vincent Tan) just as I have spoken to Hull (owner Assem Allam) about their name-change.

“Sometimes it is hard to understand why somebody would want to do something; clearly in Vincent’s case it is recognised that red is a very, very significant colour in Asian culture. But he hasn’t been universally criticised by all his own fan-base. If the fan-base was asked we’ll play in red or blue, Premier League or non Premier League, they would probably play in yellow in the Premier League. We have made our feelings known to Hull. At some point, when there’s that many people think it (Tigers) is a bad idea, you really have to start to listen. They are listening but it is an unshakeable belief and when people have an unshakeable belief there isn’t a lot you can do to shake that. But it’s an FA decision, not ours. We are not going to be handing back club ownership to the local communities. It is not going to happen.”

The threat of match-fixing, a real issue elsewhere, features in Scudamore’s daily thoughts. “One cannot categorically ever say it is not an issue at our level. But we have all the things in place with the 300 markets we monitor, with the early-earning systems, the player education programmes we’ve got. There is not a player at our level who doesn’t know that doing something artificial, within the match context in exchange for some reward, is clearly wrong. You don’t need a PHD to know this is wrong.

“But we are not complacent. We think about it every day. There is always that nagging thought: have we done enough. You can’t ever stop worrying about it. It would be much simpler if players couldn’t bet on any football. It’s simple for me: my contract with the Premier League is I can’t bet on football.’’

Inevitably, any conversation about the Premier League involved talking about money. “Do I worry about players’ wages?’’ reflected Scudamore. “You can’t justify their wages; you can only explain them. The really talented people are hard to find and the market decides what they’re going to be paid.” Was Rooney worth £300,000 a week? “Worth it? Somebody has made the calculation that in their model, their world, he is worth paying that money to stay at the club and play for the club and that’s the end of it.”

Scudamore is not an admirer of Michel Platini’s FFP rules. “It has set club against club. They are all looking at each other and policing each other; it’s another thing to have a snipe at each other about. But it’s here to stay. You can write whatever rules you want but implementing them and coming up with the appropriate remedial action is the hardest part – and we are not at that phase yet. The lawyers will be doing well.’’

38
Cricket Anyone / ICC board passes proposals favouring "Big Three"
« on: February 08, 2014, 03:16:02 AM »
ICC board passes proposals favouring "Big Three"
by Reuters UK


(Reuters) - The International Cricket Council (ICC) board passed key structural and financial reforms on Saturday, effectively placing India, England and Australia in charge of the game.

Indian cricket board president N. Srinivasan will consequentially chair the ICC board from July while Cricket Australia chief Wally Edwards will head a newly-formed executive committee.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka abstained from voting, citing need for more time to discuss the proposals, while other eight full members backed the reforms, the ICC said in a statement after the meeting in Singapore.

"The Board has made some significant decisions today which provide us with long-term certainty in relation to the future governance, competition and financial models of the ICC," the governing body's president Alan Isaac said.

The proposals had invited widespread criticism with some suggesting that the 'Big Three', who will get a major share of the revenue, will take over the sport at the expense of the other cricketing nations.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Giles Clarke will continue to head the finance and commercial affairs committee in the new structure.

"These roles will be for an initial two-year transitional period to 2016 only," the ICC said.

The existing Future Tours Programme paved way for "contractually binding" bilateral agreements between countries to play test matches until 2023.

The financial restructuring will see India, cricket's biggest fund generator, as well as England and Australia pocketing greater share of the ICC revenue.

"Full members will gain greater financial recognition based on the contribution they have made to the game, particularly in terms of finance, their ICC history and their on-field performances in the three formats," the governing body said.

The ICC said a test cricket fund would be introduced to help its members sustain the health of the five-day format.

"The structure of the model will ensure that none of the full members will be worse off than they are at present and - if forecasts of revenue generation prove to be correct - all will be significantly better off," the ICC added.

The proposed world test championship has been scrapped and replaced by the 50-overs Champions Trophy tournament in 2017 and 2021.

"It proved impossible to come up with a format for a four-team finals event in test cricket that fits the culture of test cricket and preserves the integrity of the format," the ICC said.

"The most recent ICC Champions Trophy event proved to be very popular with supporters around the world and the future events will build on this success."

The associate members will now get a chance to play test cricket with the champions of a lower-tier tournament taking on the lowest-ranked full member in a play-off for a shot at test status.

39
Football / Spurs, WASA claim vital Super League points
« on: January 28, 2014, 02:53:38 PM »
Spurs, WASA claim vital Super League points
T&T Guardian

A strike on the hour-mark from prolific teenaged forward Shackiel Henry doubled with a first-half effort from Andre Quashie handed Siparia Spurs a comfortable 2-0 win over Westside Superstarz to further distance the South-based club from a heated blink/bmobile National Super League relegation battle.
 
The fixture was one of three played on Sunday, together with a win for second-from-bottom and reigning champion WASA FC’s and a 2-2 draw between third-from-bottom Bethel and 1976 FC Phoenix. Bethel salvaged a late point thanks to an added-time goal from former T&T defender Makan Hislop.
 
Spurs’ win kept it four points ahead of the three-team relegation zone. WASA, meanwhile, claimed a 2-0 win over rock-bottom FC Santa Rosa, via late goals from Jabari Raphael (79th) and veteran striker and former T&T standout Gary Glasgow (89th). The victory was WASA’s second in succession, in what appears to be a last grasp at survival with few matches remaining in this season’s competition.
 
On Friday, Guaya United completed the double over former long-standing league leader Club Sando, with a 2-1 win. Guaya, with two matches in hand, will have the opportunity to win the league outright if it can take maximum points from the next seven matches.
 
Malabar FC, which leads the standings on goal-difference over Club Sando, was on a bye for the weekend.
 
At the conclusion of the league, three teams will be relegated while two will be promoted from the Champions of Champions Super League qualification tournament.
 
 
results, fixtures & standings
 

Results

Friday


Guaya United 2 (Jody Allsop 42nd, 73rd) vs Club Sando 1 (Kerron Smith 30th)
Sunday
Siparia Spurs 2 (Andre Quashie 39th, Shackiel Henry 60th) vs Westside Superstarz FC 0
1976 FC Phoenix 2 (Andel Browne 12th, Dominique Kerr 57th) vs Bethel United 2 (Duane Marcelle 32nd, Makan Hislop 90th)
WASA FC 2 (Jabari Raphael 79th, Gary Glasgow 89th) vs FC Santa Rosa 0
Real Maracas vs Stokely Vale - Did not play (Real Maracas won 3-0 by default)
Joe Public vs T&T Defence Force—Postponed
 
 
Rescheduled Fixtures
Tomorrow

WASA FC vs Guaya United, WASA Ground, St Joseph, 4 pm
1976 FC Phoenix vs Stokely Vale, Canaan, Bon Acccord, 4 pm
FC Santa Rosa vs Real Maracas, YTC Ground, Arouca, 4 pm
Bethel United vs Joe Public, Montgomery Rec Ground, 4 pm
Club Sando vs Westside Superstarz, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, 6 pm
 
  Standings
Teams    Pld    W    D    L    F    A    Pts
Malabar FC    19    14    3    2    69    27    45
Club Sando    19    14    3    2    49    17    45
Guaya United    17    13    1    3    44    21    40
1976 Phoenix    20    7    8    5    29    35    29
Real Maracas    19    7    4    8    32    26    25
Stokely Vale    18    8    1    9    30    39    25
Westside    20    7    1    12    31    44    22
Joe Public    17    5    6    6    27    26    21
Siparia Spurs    19    5    6    8    36    36    21
Defence Force    16    5    3    8    23    44    18
Bethel Utd    19    4    5    10    24    49    17
WASA FC    19    3    6    10    21    28    15
FC Santa Rosa    18    2    5    11    18    43    11

Guaya gain ground on leaders
T&T Express


 Guaya United turned the tables on Club Sando 2-1 to keep previous leaders Sando in second spot when the blink/bmobile National Super League continued Sunday.

With new leaders Malabar FC (on goal difference) on a bye, Sando needed merely a draw to take sole possession at  the top of the standings.

And Club Sando’s Kerron Smith’s 30th minute effort seemed to have put them on the path to a victory.
But a double from Jody Allsop in the 42nd and 73rd minutes snatched the victory for Ron La Forest’s Guaya United, who gained three points and jumped to 40. Guaya are now the team to watch because they have two games in hand on the top two.

In another unexpected result, 11th placed Bethel United held fourth placed 1976 FC Phoenix to a 2-2 draw.
Makan Hislop proved the saviour as he scored a 90th minute equaliser to ensure a share of the points in the Tobago derby.

Andel Browne sent Phoenix to the front in the 12th minute before Duane Marcelle neutralised that strike for Bethel in the 32nd. Phoenix’s Dominique Kerr struck a 57th minute goal.

In other results, Siparia Spurs claimed a 2-0 victory over Westside Superstarz through goals from Andre Quashie (39th) and Shakiel Henry (60th), while WASA FC earned an identical result against FC Santa Rosa. Jabari Raphael (79th) and Gary Glasgow (89th) were the scoerers for WASA.

Meanwhile, Real Maracas earned a default 3-0 win over Stokely Vale FC.

NO.   TEAMS   P   W   D   L   F   A   GD   PTS
1   Malabar Football Club   19   14   3   2   69   27   42   45
2   Club Sando   19   14   3   2   49   17   32   45
3   Guaya United   17   13   1   3   44   21   23   40
4   1976 F.C. Phoenix    20   7   8   5   29   35   -6   29
5   Real Maracas   19   7   4   8   32   26   6   25
6   Stokely Vale Football Club   18   8   1   9   30   39   -9   25
7   Westside Superstarz F.C.   20   7   1   12   31   44   -13   22
8   Joe Public Football Club   17   5   6   6   27   26   1   21
9   Siparia Spurs   19   5   6   8   36   36   0   21
10   T&T Defence Force Football Club   16   5   3   8   23   44   -21   18
11   Bethel United   19   4   5   10   24   49   -25   17
12   WASA Football Club   19   3   6   10   21   28   -7   15
13   F.C. Santa Rosa   18   2   5   11   18   43   -25   11

Tomorrow’s matches

WASA F.C.             vs     Guaya United     WASA,         St Joseph                4.00 PM   
Club Sando            vs     Westside Superstarz F.C.        Ato Boldon Stadium    6.00 PM   
Defence Force F.C. vs    Malabar F.C.                   Postponed until further notice      
1976 F.C. Phoenix  vs    Stokely Vale F.C.       Canaan, Bon Accord      4.00 PM   
F.C. Santa Rosa     vs     Real Maracas F.C.          YTC, Arouca             4.00 PM   
Bethel United         vs      Joe Public F.C.                       Mt Gomery Rec Grd.   4.00 PM   
 

40
Football / North East Stars screening this weekend
« on: January 23, 2014, 02:37:44 PM »
North East Stars screening this weekend
T&T Newsday


NORTH EAST Stars will be conducting screening sessions this weekend at the Ojoe Road Recreation Ground in Sangre Grande.

The sessions will take place on Saturday from 3 pm and on Sunday from 9 am.

Stars, the former Pro League and FA Trophy champions, are seeking new recruits for their football teams, preferably for aspiring players in the Eastern parts of Trinidad.

The club are looking at potential footballers from Toco, Manzanilla, Rio Claro and its home base of Sangre Grande.

41
General Discussion / Power out in Diego Martin
« on: January 22, 2014, 04:56:23 PM »
Heard from the lady that Diego's power is out due to a fire at the power station. Anyone else affected (I obviously don't expect an immediate response :p)

42
Football / Police trashed by spirited Point Fortin Civic
« on: January 20, 2014, 05:04:10 AM »
Police trashed by spirited Point Fortin Civic
T&T Newsday


ONE DAY after fallen Trinidad and Tobago Warrior, Akeem Adams, was laid to rest, Point Fortin Civic FC welcomed Police FC at the Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin and defeated the “Lawmen” with a convincing 5-0 score in Round Two Match Day Two of the Digicel Pro League.

Point Fortin Civic, who held a six match winless streak in the league prior to Saturday’s match, clearly had the spirit of hometown boy Akeem Adams on coach Reynold Carrington’s side.

Akeem, brother of Point Fortin Civic goalie Akini Adams, last represented Hungary’s top division club Ferencvaros TC, the club he joined in August, before a massive heart attack on September 25.

Akeem was hospitalised at the Varosmajor Heart Clinic in Budapest, Hungary, and had to be fitted with a mechanical heart in a life-saving surgery as doctors hoped for the former TT Under-17 and Under-20 World Cup player and ex-TT “senior” team player to regain enough strength for undergo the procedure for a heart transplant. But on December 30 the 22-year-old former W Connection, United Petrotrin, TTEC FC and Central FC footballer passed away in Hungary, two days after suffering a critical coma.

And on Saturday, at the venue of Akeem’s funeral, which saw hundreds turn out to bid farewell to a national hero, Bevon Bass opened the scoring in only the second minute of play against the visiting Police, who managed to keep the score that way until the break.

But in the second half, Marcus Joseph, who represented TT at the 2007 Under-17 World Cup in Korea and the 2009 Under-20 World Cup in Egypt alongside Akeem Adams, produced a hat-trick with goals in the 59th, 76th and 89th minutes, and was interrupted by an 82nd minute item by Andre Toussaint.

The result pushed Point Fortin two spots up the ladder into sixth position, joining third positioned Caledonia AIA, fourth positioned Central FC, fifth positioned Defence Force and seventh positioned Police with 13 points.

Ahead of them are second positioned North East Stars with 17 points in second and unbeaten leaders DIRECTV W Connection well ahead with 26 points. Behind Point Fortin are eighth-positioned San Juan Jabloteh with 10 points and at the bottom of the table remain St Ann’s Rangers with just three points.

Point Fortin will return to action tomorrow in Round Two Match Day Three against Rangers from 6 pm at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya, and that contest will be followed by an 8 pm clash between Jabloteh and W Connection.

While at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Police will host Caledonia from 6 pm. (TT Pro League)

Joseph makes Point with a hat-trick
T&T Guardian


One day after fallen Soca Warrior Akeem Adams was laid to rest, Point Fortin Civic FC battled Police FC at the Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin and handed the Lawmen a resounding 5-0 defeat to close Round Two Match Day Two in Digicel Pro League action, on Saturday.
 
Point Fortin Civic, which held a six-match winless streak in the league prior to Saturday’s match, clearly had the spirit of hometown boy Adams on coach Reynold Carrington’s side.
 
At Mahaica Oval, the venue of Adams’ funeral, which saw hundreds turn out to bid farewell to a national hero, Bevon Bass opened the scoring in only the second minute of play against the visiting Police, who managed to keep the score that way until the break.
 
But, in the second half, Marcus Joseph, who represented T&T at the 2007 Under-17 World Cup in Korea and the 2009 Under-20 World Cup in Egypt alongside Adams, produced a hat-trick with goals in the 59th, 76th and 89th minutes, and was interrupted by an 82nd minute item by Andre Toussaint.
 
The result pushed Point Fortin two spots up the ladder into sixth position, joining third positioned Caledonia AIA, fourth positioned Central FC, fifth positioned Defence Force and seventh positioned Police, all with 13 points.
 
Ahead the third to sixth-placed teams are second positioned North East Stars with 17 points in second and unbeaten leader DirecTV W Connection well ahead with 26 points. Behind PFC are eigth-positioned San Juan Jabloteh with 10 points and at the bottom of the table remains St Ann’s Rangers with just 3 points.
 
Point Fortin Civic will return to action on Tuesday in Round Two Match Day Three against Rangers from 6 pm at the Marvin Lee Stadium, followed by an 8 pm clash between Jabloteh and W Connection.
 
 
TT Pro League Results

 
Friday
 
North East Stars 2 (Trevin Caesar 14th, 88th) v Caledonia AIA 0
 
W Connection 2 (Kurt Frederick 15th, Jomol Williams 59th) v St Ann’s Rangers 0
 
Saturday
 
Point Fortin Civic 5 (Bevon Bass 2nd. Marcus Joseph 59th, 65th, 89th, Andre Toussaint 82nd)
 
Tomorrow’s Fixtures

St Ann’s Rangers v Point Fortin Civic, Marvin Lee Stadium, 6 pm
 
San Juan Jabloteh v W Connection, Marvin Lee Stadium, 8 pm
 
Police v Caledonia AIA, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, 6 pm
 
Standings
 
Teams Pld W D L F A Pts
W Connection 10 8 2 0 21 4 26
North East Stars 10 5 2 3 11 6 17
Defence Force 8 4 1 3 15 14 13
Central FC 9 3 4 2 13 11 13
Caledonia AIA 10 3 4 3 16 13 13
Point Fortin Civic 10 4 1 5 14 14 13
Police FC 10 4 1 5 15 18 10
Jabloteh 9 3 1 5 16 21 10
Rangers 10 1 0 9 11 31 3


43
As crime wave rises in east PoS - Panmen running scared
T&T Guardian


Pan players from steelbands based in east Port-of-Spain are on the run as the country’s crime wave continues to escalate, says Gerard Mendez, chairman of Pan Trinbago’s northern region.
 
Up to late yesterday, six bands—Nostrand Symphony, City Sun Valley, Freelancers, Blue Diamonds, Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars and Witco Desperadoes—were reported to have been directly affected by issues related to gun violence in this part of the capital.
 
Mendez said Nostrand Symphony had to abandon its base on St Paul Street, Port-of-Spain, for safer grounds near Queen’s Park East, while his band City Sun Valley based on Nelson Street was now making alternative practice arrangements because security concerns for its players.
 
Last year, the band had to flee the area when gun violence erupted. Its management found refuge at a car park at the corner of Duke and Henry Streets. While there, a proprietor opposite agreed to assist the band, providing storage facilities for the instruments and even extended washroom facilities to the pan players.
 
Freelancers Steel Orchestra which hails from Duncan Street has been unable to commence rehearsals for competition. Mendez said word reaching his office suggested that the band was contemplating bowing out of this year’s competition.
 
One week ago, officials of eight-time National Panorama champion Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra on Duke Street were forced to abruptly end Panorama rehearsals when loud explosions were heard in its catchment area.
 
Meanwhile, ten-time National Panorama champion Witco Desperadoes, commonly referred to as the “pride of the hill,” had again left its Laventille home, for the National Infrastructure and Property Development Company (Nipdec) car park on Cadiz Road, Belmont.
 
However, the T&T Guardian has learnt that this would be the last year the property would be used as Desperadoes’ alternate Carnival home.
 
Its use of the property for 2014 was originally denied, Mendez said, but an intervention by Pan Trinbago’s executive caused officials at the state agency to reconsider its position for this year only.
 
The legendary Blue Diamond on lower George Street has not been spared. The band was also feeling the squeeze as the East Dry River community remains under siege, the steelband official said.
 
“All the bands in that community are under pressure...It (crime) is taking a heavy toll on us,” Mendez said.
 
“Some of the people who would normally come out and listen to different bands are not doing it, because they are afraid. So we are under terrible stress in the northern region. The bands in the East Dry River area are under a lot of stress.
 
“Bullets have no eyes. We have to take precautions. Gunshots! We have to call off the practice. We not comfortable! Players who want to play with the band not coming to that community. So we are at a disadvantage. We don’t have 25 players practising as yet and the minimum that you can go to the Panorama preliminaries with is 45.”
 
Contacted, secretary of the central executive of Pan Trinbago and manager of Courts Sounds Specialists of Laventille Richard Forteau said the steelband body was concerned with the communiqués being issued by member bands on the issue of security.
 
The executive, he said, was paying close attention to the uncomfortable developments that threaten not only the welfare of the pan players that constitute these bands, but their fan base, too.
 
“Nationally, we at Pan Trinbago are calling on our steelbands to get together with the community police,” Forteau said.
 
“An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure...whatever we can do to prevent a situation. The law is the law and like anything else if something happens we have to go them and report the situation.
 
“So, let’s harbour that kind of relationship with our officers within the community so that we can ensure that our practice is safe. We know that we are making music and if we are coming together to make music, music is the food of love, (and) there shouldn’t be any killings where love is concern.
 
“I can tell you that for the (past) year, we have giving the T&T Police Service and the policemen who are actually working in the Laventille area, a certain amount of support. Our panyard is open, so they can access our washroom facilities because we recognise that in this fight, we all have to come together. We have to come together if we have to arrest this situation. We are talking about innocent lives.”
 
He added: “We would not like to know that a young girl or young boy, a young man or a young woman left their home to come and do some rehearsals and to participate with Panorama and Carnival with Sound Specialist (and) anything happen to them.”



Carnival about to be ruined?

44
Football / W Connection and NE Stars win by 2
« on: January 19, 2014, 12:41:43 PM »
‘Mouse’ steals the cheese
By Ian Prescott, T&T Express


Strong defence, edges strong offence most times.

So, there was every likelihood defensively-moulded North East Stars would defend doggedly, after taking an early lead from their top-three Pro League football match against Neal and Massy Caledonia AIA at Hasely Crawford Stadium on Friday night.

Nicknamed “Mouse”, 24 year-old Tobago striker Trevin Caesar twice sneaked through the Caledonia AIA backline to score on either side of half time, as “Stars” got a 2-0 victory over his former team. Victory kept them in second spot, while Caledonia stayed third despite the defeat. Ironically, around the same time last season, Caesar scored the lone goal when Caledonia edged Stars 1-0.

Caesar’s low shot from just inside the penalty area in the 14th minute provided the only goal of the first half. Afterward, Caledonia pressed for much of the match, with Stars playing on the counter-attack, and securing full points when Caesar got a second goal two minutes from the end of regulation time.

Earlier, Lambeau-born Caesar also had a shot cleared off the goal line at the last second, and had a penalty shout turned down as well.

Once in front , the Angus Eve-coached Stars put up their trade mark pressing defence, which has seem them concede just six goals in ten matches this season. Caesar is all hustle and bustle and in typical fashion, he was fully-stretched but still got off a shot as the tackles came.

The ball went low and hard, surprising Caledonia’s Jamaican keeper Kevin Graham for the opening goal. 
Caesar’s goal apart, the first half had very few chances, but good football nevertheless.

Keryn Navarro’s run from midfield into the penalty box almost gave Stars a second on the half hour, but he did not get good power when heading Aquil Selby’s long ball into the box.

The high profile Caledonia attack, including Jamal Gay, Densill Theobald, Nathan Lewis, Akim Armstrong and overlapping Noel Williams at right-back, was stifled for long periods.

Caledonia had their fair share of the ball, but everything they did was challenged. So the passes were too quick, and not always falling as anticipated. One chance came their way as the first half ended, when Lewis’ shot was charged down, but spun close to a post before going for a corner.

Gay was also on the end of Williams’ cross in the 59th, but was taken wide enough by Stars central defender Glenton Wolfe, and later the Stars right back Kennedy Hinkson stopped Lewis heading in Williams’ cross at the back post by getting his body between attacker and ball. It was otherwise a routine night for Stars keeper Cleon John.

Stars played exclusively on the counter-attack, with Caesar being the main attacking threat. Caesar almost got a second on the hour when a great piece of improvisation saw him flick the ball past the AIA keeper, but central defender Nuru Muhammad ran back to clear at the last second.

Caesar also seemed to have won a penalty three minutes into the second half, when Aubrey David appeared to clip him from behind as the “mouse” dangerously weaved between the last two defenders. However, the referee was uninterested. But attacking the same two players late in the match, Caesar successfully split them to score his second goal.
 
DIGICEL PRO LEAGUE RESULTS
 
Friday
W Connection 2 (Kurt Fredrick 15’, Jomol Williams 59’) St Ann’s Rangers 0
North East Stars 2 (Trevin Caesar 14’, 88’) Caledonia AIA 0
 
UPCOMING DIGICEL PRO LEAGUE MATCHES:

Tuesday
6 (p.m.) - St Ann’s Rangers vs Point Fortin Civic, Marvin Lee Stadium
8 (p.m.) - San Juan Jabloteh vs W Connection , Marvin Lee Stadium
6 (p.m.) - Police FC vs Caledonia AIA , Ato Boldon Stadium
 
PRO LEAGUE STANDINGS
            P   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD   Points
W Connection      10   8   2   0   21   4   17   26
North East Stars      10   5   2   3   11   6   5   17
Caledonia AIA      10   3   4   3   16   13   3   13
Police FC         9   4   1   4   15   13   2   13
Central FC          9   3   4   2   13   11   2   13
Defence Force      8   4   1   3   15   14   1   13
San Juan Jabloteh   9   3   1   5   16   21   -5   10
Point Fortin Civic FC   9   3   1   5   9   14   -5   10
St Ann’s Rangers   10   1   0   9   11   31   -20   3

45
Football / Police play on amid hike in murders
« on: January 18, 2014, 08:11:58 AM »
Police play on amid hike in murders
STEPHON NICHOLAS (T&T Newsday)


DESPITE being the primary body responsible for solving crime in Trinidad and Tobago, the Police Service has not followed the move by the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force to suspend all sporting activities as a result of the escalation in murders to start 2014.

On January 10, Major Al Alexander, Civil Military Affairs Officer, announced the cessation of Defence Force’s sporting activities, effectively pulling them out of the Digicel Pro League, UWI T20 Tournament, All Sectors Netball league, bmobile National Super League and Mackeson Super10 Basketball League.

Police, however, remain competing in the various leagues throughout the country despite rumours that a similar withdrawal of teams is imminent.

Peter Hood, coach of Police’s Pro League team, recently explained that his team is continuing to operate like normal even with the cloud of uncertainty hovering over them.

“There has been no word from the (Acting) Commissioner (Stephen Williams) but the rumour is that Police will have to pull out but I hope not,” he said.

Asked whether the halting of sporting activities by Defence Force forces their hand to do similarly, Hood said, “I don’t know (maybe) it puts pressure on the administrators but I don’t see how that will assist in (fighting) crime. We play our sport and do our job at the same time,” he added.

Hood noted that his players are all committed to their jobs while also maintaining a passion for the sport they love.

“It’s difficult but this is what we do. We train in the morning...it’s difficult but manageable,” he continued.

He explained that players don’t necessarily get time off for playing games as football is considered a tour of duty just as policing is a tour of duty.

The Police coach was adamant though that allowing the athletes in the service the opportunity to compete in the various leagues is a good thing.

“I think it’s very important. There are a lot of Special Reserve Police that were brought in due to their prowess in the game. It’s because they have ability, that’s why they are there,” he continued,

Commenting on Police’s season, Hood expressed great pride with his players where they are currently fourth in the standings and contending for a spot in the CFU Club Championship. Police are on 13 points from nine games, trailing second placed North East Stars by a point.

“The team has been playing some good football. If you look at the games we lost, the scores have been generally really close. We are competing and improving. We feel a measure of pride and want to do well,” he declared.

Meanwhile, a police officer who wished to remain anonymous concurred with Hood, stating that pulling out the various services involved in national security will do nothing to curb the crime rate.

“You have to understand the situation in the country right now. Pulling out the Defence Force does not help. Sport keeps the players’ minds occupied as they are accustomed doing something that keeps them motivated.

“By pulling them out, their minds may not be in the right place and they can become lackadaisical,” the source opined.


46
Football / 2014 MLS Superdraft (16/1 - today!)
« on: January 16, 2014, 10:37:02 AM »
Hey guys, wondered if anyone else is interested in seeing this? The only representitive from Trini is a Suriname player! Starts 12pm ET today.

The three Caribbean players involved;
Quinton Christina (CRKSV Jong Holland-Curacao),
Andrew Lewis (Jamaica Under-20s),
Stefano Rjissel (W Connection-Trinidad & Tobago)

Main website;
http://www.mlssoccer.com/superdraft/2014

267 Eligible players;
http://www.mlssoccer.com/superdraft/2014/news/article/2014/01/16/superdraft-here-are-267-players-who-are-eligible-selection-2014-mls-superdra

Live tracker;
http://www.mlssoccer.com/superdraft/2014/tracker



47
General Discussion / Guests - Welcome to Soca Warriors!
« on: January 13, 2014, 06:15:44 PM »
Just notice 110 guests to the forum and 9 users currently online, so to all you guests, welcome to the site! Please consider registering and contributing to the discussions - we'd love to have you.

48
Technical Support / Search function on website
« on: January 12, 2014, 04:23:12 AM »
Hi :)

Been using/abusing this for my FM2014 database, and I've noticed two things;

1) search doesn't work from the home page - I usually click on "league" to get the search working

2) Searching for a player name doesn't bring up their player page

49
Football / Article from 1997/98 on T&T Pro League
« on: January 06, 2014, 06:14:22 PM »
Makes for an interesting read - http://mpurcell.tripod.com/spfl.htm

Large crowds, numbering up to 5,000 in some instances, had been common throughout the 1997 season.

Ahhh if only now! Came across it when trying to find out what Marc Borde's birthday was for the Football Manager database - the database is so old that him and Keon Edwards were still at St. Ann's rangers!

No money, no love in SPFL
By TERENCE HILTON-CLARKE


THE SEMI PROFESSIONAL Football League has made a major impact on the local footballing landscape since its inception two years ago. The marked improvement in the standard of play has been noted by many, including national team manager Richard Braithwaite and San Juan Jabloteh president Jerry Hospedales. Large crowds, numbering up to 5,000 in some instances, had been common throughout the 1997 season.

Unlike the popular but outlawed Premier Soccer League (1981-88), this country's second experiment with semi-pro status has been embraced by all and sundry. It is a motley ensemble which includes hard-core football fans, top-ranking football officials and influential business executives. The presence of legions of teenagers at fixtures - decked out in the latest products of Adidas, Nike, Puma and Tommy Hilfiger - suggests that SPFL games are climbing the charts of popular places to be seen, so far as adolescents are concerned.

However, beneath this veneer lies the coarse reality of operating a team in the SPFL. The ineluctable fact that now, more than ever before, clubs have to spend money, real money. Money to pay one's players and keep them happy; money to even keep one's top players and hence remain competitive; money to purchase uniforms and other equipment and, finally, money to maintain some of the other basic amenities expected of a semi-pro club - youth teams, ground maintenance etc.

The advent of a fully professional league in 1999 is sure to increase this list of considerations. And, of course, the magnitude of headaches frequently suffered by club chairmen! For now it seems that teams, more or less, are coming to terms with the present demands. An inquiry conducted among six of the clubs that competed in the 1997 Carib "150" Semi-Professional Football League revealed a few basic differences when it came to the policies the club's exhibited when it came to expenditure.

To start with perhaps the most basic example, Rangers spent $250,000 this past season and, according to manager Richard Fakoory a lot of this money was budgeted with the welfare of the players in mind: "To be able to keep your players, you have to treat them better." He stated, however that he is uncertain as to how he is going to deal with things once the pro league comes around.

One club that did experience the agony of losing its top players was National Flour Mills, which saw strikers Warren Butler and Marc Borde defect to San Juan Jabloteh this year. Of the $240,000 estimate put out by the NFM Sports Club, 60% is intended to pay the salaries of the technical staff and players who received approximately $250 per game. However, according to team manager Elvis Charles, not everything has been covered as yet. Right now the Sports Club is hoping to derive some fund's from the company's marketing drive for a new, Tobago-based product called Andy's Nectar.

Citing NFM's relegation from the SPFL, and subsequent failure in the Champion of Champions series, Charles admitted that, "Had things been financed differently, we still might be up." Another company-based team, United Petrotrin, received $80,000 from the company itself with the rest of funds coming from other sources.

Like four of the five other club representatives interviewed, Rudolph Thomas was surreptitious when it came to discussing player salaries. All he revealed was that one player, forward Peter Prosper, received a basic monthly salary on the basis of his professional experience with Al Ansar in Lebanon, while the other players received specific fees for each match with incentives provided depending on the result - regulation time victory, penalty shootout triumph etc.

Caledonia AIA, winner of the Mt D'or "Big Four" tournament is indebted to its main sponsor Courts, which supplied a lot of the $250,000 which was used to pay salaries to the playing and technical staffs, maintain security and to advertise. An additional $25,000 was spent on uniforms and other footballing gear for the semi-professional team. Club representative Stephen Lucas, said that the second team, which plays in the Eastern Football Association (EFA) championship division, was provided with some of the first team's older uniforms as well as boots. Caledonia also had a women's team which cost $20,000 to run, along with under-19 and under-13 teams which cost $15,000.

This is why some clubs made out their budgets with all their selections in mind. San Juan Jabloteh, through the San Juan Sports and Cultural Organisation, raised $420,000 for the 1997 season. With two netball teams to mind as well, the club spent $130,000 on transportation ($41,000), equipment ($43,000), refreshments for teams and opponents for home games at San Juan Senior Comprehensive ($28,000) and medical care ($13,000).

Vijay Bhaggan, the club's first vice-president revealed that salaries for players on the semi-pro squad varied according to experience and talent. Like Thomas at Petrotrin, Bhaggan feels that salaries will "obviously increase" in the next few years as the stakes become higher and the players demand more.
 
Joe Public's expenditure exceeded all. The Arouca-based "Eastern Lions" spent $1.1 million in 1997 in order to accommodate its four teams - semi-pro, EFA, under-20 and under-17 - in the areas of salaries, uniforms and transportation. Funds were also appropriated for maintenance of the club's facilities at the Centre of Excellence in Tunapuna, as well as the payment of the ground staff.

With two more teams - under-15 and women's - to be added next year, and with more big things in store, club manager Richard Abraham revealed that Joe Public's budget for 1998 will be just under $2 million.

At this point, one is inclined to inquire as to how clubs are going to survive, especially after 1999. Fakoory is already skeptical about the chances of some of the newly promoted teams such as Fire Services. Bhaggan held the view that Point Fortin Civic Centre, at least, has the capabilities to hold its own in the top flight.

The question as to whether pure football/sports clubs like Joe Public, Caledonia AIA and Rangers had the advantage over service/company based teams such as Defence Force, United Petrotrin and Fire Services brought mixed responses from both sides.

Joe Public's Abraham held the opinion that the company teams held the advantage since their players had the benefit being employed with the firms, while his players derive most of their incomes through the club: "When you are in a position to offer employment, you are in a much more advantageous position."

However, Thomas took the opposite view, the one that team's such as Joe Public enjoy the benefits of being a straight business venture, while others such as his Petrotrin are dependent on their companies, whatever the financial situation. Nevertheless, there is one thing on which all are likely to agree - the promising future of Trinidad and Tobago football for which the SPFL is serving as a basis. Fakoory encapsulated the sentiments of Bhaggan, Thomas et al when he stated that the SPFL, "Is going to make the standard of the football higher."



Here is an article published by the Independent newspaper on the current state of the domestic league. Permission has been granted to TTFOL for the republishing of this article. Special thanks has to go to the sports staff of the Independent, in particular Terence Hilton-Clarke and his mother  for making this venture available.  Photos used in this article are from the Trinidad Express and Trinidad Guardian.


50
Football / Anyone play Football Manager (suggest T&T legends!)
« on: October 16, 2013, 07:42:53 AM »
Hi all,

Long-time lurker from London here. I made the Caribbean leagues for Football Manager 2013 last year (http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/330989-FM13-Caribbean-Leagues-Megaback-v.5.2-(final-build)) and looking to do it for 2014 (http://store.steampowered.com/app/231670/?snr=1_7_15__13) and just wondered if there were any Trinis who play the game? My main focus is Trinidad (the missus is from Diego Martin), so thought I'd come and check the scene here.

Last year I included pretty much all formal leagues I could - TT Pro, Super League, NFA, SFA, EFA, ECFA, TFA and CFA, plus the School league (as the missus told me it was so important), but struggled sometimes to find the best info, especially in terms of player positions in the lower leagues and their birthdays.

Also, just a thanks for whoever maintains the website 'cause it's pretty awesome.

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