Messages

61

Football / Re: John Bostock Thread

« on: September 11, 2017, 02:54:17 PM »

Remember Bostock did show up to play 2 WCQ games for us and guess what....we dropped the ball.
I've seen college coaches in all sports pull out all the stops to recruit high quality HS players. Why? Because that player could take their program to the next level and put the institution on the map. You should see how they treat the parents and the player during a visit. The locker is decorated as if that individual is the only person on the team, the administrators all do there best to ensure everything is in place in terms of room and board, special advisors to help in determining major/classes, during the campus tour everyone greets the family like royalty....full red carpet treatment for a HS kid. Not even the students with perfect ACT/SAT scores experience that.
Watched a program where Klinnsman and the US team pulled out all the stops for Jonathan Greene so he can commit. We had the chance for the guy to buy-in to our national setup and we messed it up so we shouldn't be really blaming him. Sometimes you get one chance to make a good first impression.

Soccerman you sum up everything that I wanted to say. I honestly can't add anymore.

People really don't understand what wooing is.

You have to woo these players.

Pull out all the stops from the airport to the Hotel etc. Make them feel welcomed.

Welcoming a player is not shooting them an email and sending a plane ticket etc. Need to get some sophistication involved.

The players have an option, not to play international ball, not risk major injury and fatigue flying to the caribbean to play football.

Do you really know how the wider world view us and our football programs etc. Our programs are viewed as jokey and third world. Why would anyone risk their career to come here and "fight up"? For What?

Do we even know what is the relationship between these players and the parents who come from Tnt? Were these parents absent from their children's lives growing up? We don't know if there is resentment there towards the "trini" parent. That resentment may extend to the country. All of this needs to be considered. It is not as black and white as some people like to believe. Remember if the parent was absent then the child would be lacking the cultural and national familiarity that may make him feel he has roots here.

62

Football / Re: Jadon Sancho ONE TO WATCH

« on: September 11, 2017, 09:10:33 AM »

It's not about "willing" to deal with dysfunction etc. They may not be able to rationalise dysfunction.

Preach soldya!!!!

Partner we love to try and rationalize insanity in this country

That is why we in the state that we in

TTFA probably don't even know how to host these players when they first arrive.

Why do we think that this is different from a club seeking a new player.

We literally have to roll out all the stops and make a convincing argument.

We have players with no realistic options internationally seeking to forgo international activity because of what we have to offer at the international level. That is very telling.

A lot of it has to do with image. I think the people that are representing the TTFA are not giving a good impression. They did fire a national coach at Ruby Tuesdays or was it TGIF? Steupss

We need to wake up to our deficiencies and work extremely hard to rectify them in the shortest time possible. We spinning too much top in mud.

63

Football / Re: Jadon Sancho ONE TO WATCH

« on: September 11, 2017, 08:51:40 AM »

So why should TTFA go after them anyway. If they good they will never look at TT. So just let them keep their aspirations for England or Scotland.  Just like Bobby.  England was constantly dangling a carrot in front his face yet not giving him a full international game.The invitation from TT was out their long enough for him. Just when it appears we were about qualify, it appeared that he seemed interested. Guys on the team(Stern John was quite vocal) objected. Big Magician was constantly running riot with the idea of him being included.  They can't have it both ways. Is either they committed or not. If they do not have the heart to deal with Trini, forget it. Our priority should always to develop local talent. But we should always, always, always welcome with open arms, daughters and son of TT if they are committed to the RWB(dysfunction et al)

I think some of you all really don't quite understand just how much of a drop it is to play for the National Team coming from a professional environment. Remember, we are not an african country. The powerhouse in the region is the U S of A. That isn't considered a footballing nation by any stretch of the imagination by European countries. It's not about "willing" to deal with dysfunction etc. They may not be able to rationalise dysfunction.

64

Football / Re: Jadon Sancho ONE TO WATCH

« on: September 11, 2017, 08:45:41 AM »

English kids no matter where their roots lie wants to represent the lions in the worst way, it's like being knighted it's such a huge honor.

So what about Birchall and Boucaud?

you're joking right? my good man birchall and boucaud have never played on the highest level of English football and if they had the talent and the where withall to play for england not even a wheel barrow of gold could sway them away from wanting that huge honor of playing for the lions. that honor for an english lad is worth more than anything money could buy. Players like west morgan deon burton jobey mc annuf criss birchall mc clarey and boucaud will never get a call up from England so they jump ship to Beyoncé snap international baller, but make no mistakes if these guys were good enough to p,sy gif England they our have never given us a second glacnce just lie Zamora and bostock who eligible to play for Scotland.

Boucaud and birchall had the talent to play in the epl ....

You think every player in the top leagues deserve to be there?

Ummmmmm no

It's not about what they "deserve". It's about what they can do at that level. 

65

Football / Re: John Bostock Thread

« on: September 09, 2017, 09:46:14 PM »

It is going to be hard to attract them individually. We would have to attract them all together so that there would be familiarity with each other and trust with the quality around them. That is what we should be aiming at. Not just attracting one. Attracting as many as possible. Young(21 etc) and older(28-32) etc. This can be done if TTFA serious.

66

Football / Re: John Bostock Thread

« on: September 09, 2017, 03:18:58 PM »

Not his country

No foreign born gonna come here just so. We need to attract all the foreign born to come here to play with each other

We do that by offering them major competition experience. Starting with Olympics and possibly u20

We need to be honest with ourselves. Our locals are not up to standard

SSFL going on right now and them boys around the same age as Kylian Mbappe

That alone should put things into perspective

Our long term goal should be improving development etc....

Our short term goals should be qualifying and getting butts in the stands for games

We do that by offering quality football and the only way we gonna offer quality football is by having quality footballers on the team.

It is not rocket science.

67

Football / Re: Carlyle Mitchell Thread

« on: September 08, 2017, 01:35:51 AM »

Can someone who plies their trade in India ever bring quality to our team? Why are we so shocked at these results when our personnel are not capable? LMAO

68

Football / Re: How can a player walk out on a club and he under contract?

« on: September 07, 2017, 05:54:22 PM »

If this goes in front of a tribunal there is a strong chance that they would rule in Costa's favour.

He was excluded from taking part in first team training and having any contact with the first team etc.

That could count as a change in working conditions that could vary the terms of contract. Remember people have assured playing time etc when they sign these contracts.

Also, most contracts of this nature have clauses where if you are forced to train and play with the u23's then you suffer sometimes up to 75% in lost wages etc.

No club is gonna make a player train with the u23 and pay your full salary for weeks and months etc.

69

Football / Re: Lawrence: I’m still searching for striker; T&T coach blames individual errors

« on: September 07, 2017, 12:48:32 PM »

Wrong approach. If he isn't cultivated throuh an organized local youth system, he is not a solution.

Who? Hallam Hope?

70

Football / Re: Foreign Based U-21 T&T Prospects.

« on: September 06, 2017, 03:01:52 PM »

Obviously we not gonna entice them if we only trying to attract one by one. It would be different if they see more people at their level on the NT then we have a better argument for them joining. That's why it's key that we attract as much as possible. Let them realise that teammates are at a similar level to them. That is how we convince them. We may even find it easier to attract a big coach if we show him a teamsheet comprising players from europe's first division rather than guava fc

71

Football / Re: Foreign Based U-21 T&T Prospects.

« on: September 05, 2017, 11:03:42 PM »

These players need to make up the nucleus of our teams going forward. We should only be working with "finished products" at the national level. Let others develop and we utilise. Let's get them together for the next Olympics first.

A majority foreign born/based team as well as a good/big name coach or manager should be a step in the right direction.

Imagine a team with Sancho and Bostock, Rohan Ince?, Tom Ince? and other foreign born with a the additonal mls players and Levi Garcia.

The reality is the foreign born players not gonna get a run out for england unless they are really talented. I think we don't even have a chance at getting Sancho cause he is at a very competitive level and is already earmarked for a future role in England squad. I am sure we can convince those in lower end of pl, championship and league 1. League 2 I believe is a stretch and should only be encouraged if the player is young or is a star of the league. Zamora was capped twice for England and discarded. We need to begin the conversation with these players at a much earlier age. We took Jake Thompson to the World Cup at age 19.

We should attract them with prospect of playing in the olympics or even under 20 world cup.

72

Football / Re: How can a player walk out on a club and he under contract?

« on: September 03, 2017, 10:46:57 PM »

Employment contracts have both express and implied terms in them. Express terms would be the ones that are agreed to on paper such as wage and working time etc. Implied terms would be stuff like mutual respect etc. So if Conte did send a text telling Costa that he is not in his future plans then that would be a breach of contract and Costa can sue for constructive dismissal due to being unlawfully demoted (having to train with the u23s or alone) etc.

Chelsea back back when they realised how sticky it could get. That text from Costa could be everything.

73

Football / Re: Jamaica pulls off 2-1 win as T&T made to rue missed efforts.

« on: September 02, 2017, 06:03:34 PM »

Oh and btw.....everybody is a "coach" in in tnt but do we really know if anyone of them is actually good. Where have they been tested? Have they been in demand outside etc. Just having the badges and going through the motions doesn't mean that they actually know what they doing. Is time we separate wolf from sheep. Time we start putting the right people in the correct positions. We keep recycling the same bs and expecting different results...Madness

74

Football / Re: Jamaica pulls off 2-1 win as T&T made to rue missed efforts.

« on: September 02, 2017, 05:55:01 PM »

This is why our next focus should be qualifying and competing in the Olympics. We can't for the next round to wc qualification to start to reinvent the wheel again...That is just too far....Time we get prospective players together to begin preparation for Olympics 2020

75

Football / Re: Jamaica pulls off 2-1 win as T&T made to rue missed efforts.

« on: August 30, 2017, 05:18:27 PM »

We will always find it difficult to provide elite football for u20 footballers in trinidad. Remember the better players would try to migrate as quickly as possible whether that is to a pro league or college for scholarship. I don't think it's something that we can change to be honest. If they are good at that age then they simply end up playing for a pro league team etc.

This is a good model to follow here https://www.premierleague.com/news/58764 but even the players here are not guranteed a space on their first team. Players playing here could easily be playing in conference in 2 years time. That's the reality of the game today.

76

Football / Re: Jamaica pulls off 2-1 win as T&T made to rue missed efforts.

« on: August 30, 2017, 03:38:43 PM »

You mean at a national level for your players to go to under 20 WC etc?

It's not good. Remember those other countries have clubs etc that developing their next generation of players so the cream will rise to the top and the national team will have a capable pool of players to choose from. It's different for us. These tournaments such as fifa u17 and u20 represent the only real competition that our youth face and it's for a really brief time if they just play 3 group games etc. The level of competition that they need to be exposed to just doesn't exist in our region. It would be ok if we have 20 levi garcias to choose from but that isn't our reality. other countries have 60 levi garcias to choose from. They have excess players at that level. Clubs releasing academy/u23 players every season.

Asylum, remember our motives for those tournaments are different. Those tournaments represent a scouting opportunity for our players to get a look at a club in Europe etc. For the other countries, most of their players already settled at a club and this just allows for added competition experience for the player. It basically boost the cv.

We more need these tournaments to test our players and also validate our methods. In the long run, I don't think our attendence at these tournaments play a significant role in our national team development. You still going to have to find somewhere for these u17 and u20 players to play 30+ games a season in a competitive environment before we can even think about national team selection in the future.

77

Football / Re: Jamaica pulls off 2-1 win as T&T made to rue missed efforts.

« on: August 30, 2017, 12:35:26 PM »

The only model I could see working out with the younger age groups is something like Clairefontaine in France. SSFL can't develop players and those clubs wouldn't develop players at a level that allow them to compete internationally. So we still stuck with teaching them the basics at u17 and u20 etc. If we reengineer the u23 team then maybe we could get luckier.

In most countries, they qualify for the world cup consecutively so qualifying for the olympics would never be given much thought or even priority. Also, remember that their players at that age group are seasoned professionals with 4-7 years of playing at the highest level at both club and international. We don't have that luxury.

At the olympic level, we would already have a good core of players to choose. from. We have to admit that those players that you mentioned may not have been mature at the time to handle that level. Lionel Messi, the year hewon his olympic gold scored 38 goals for Barca that season. Neymar just won gold for Brazil last year. We may just need to focus more on this level to see if it gives us an advantage.

78

Football / Re: Jamaica pulls off 2-1 win as T&T made to rue missed efforts.

« on: August 29, 2017, 09:02:18 PM »

My thing with the younger ones like u20 and u17, you have to devote more resources and time with these players cause the majority of them would not be pros etc based on our developmental structure so the maturity and mentality would be missing. So you have to take years to select and sift out players etc then place in camp and probably coach the fundamentals etc.

The olympic team would be different. These are players you just bringing in and given them tactics etc. They already playing at a decent level(first team, reserve team, college) so it's less about coaching and more about getting a winning formation and tactics etc. So about a year or 2 before qualification you can have an idea of who would be on this team. There would be no need for tryouts and selections as the players and their performances will pick themselves.

The thing about this is that qualification for the olympics would be the main goal and that would occur in october but remember qualifications for world cup would begin in November. In the event that they qualify for the olympics then you have players in a competitive environment the next year at the olympics gaining this experience. Some of these players would also be available for the national team the following month for the wc qualifiers. Another possibility is that we would be able to attract the foreign born players earlier than the senior level and get them familiar with team TnT. Everyone wants a chance to go to the Olympics

If they don't qualify then we still take what's best and rest the clock. Remember, the good thing about this is that we are able to plan for the future based on the birthdate of players. This is not the same as getting ya first cap at 29 because ya bloom late. We would always have a snapshot of what is available at that level based on the birth date of the group of players.

TTFA would just have to add to its strategy. This is something that could really get sponsors on board. TnT likes Olympics and olympics related activity to be honest. We could possibly even bid to stage the qualifying tournament and all. I think this team if successful could easily rival and bypass the national team in terms of popularity. After the World Cup, the biggest tournament is Olympics.

79

Football / Re: Jamaica pulls off 2-1 win as T&T made to rue missed efforts.

« on: August 29, 2017, 07:48:56 PM »

What if our entire national team development model wrong? We keep trying to focus on the lower levels such as u15,17,u20 but what if in order to build a proper national team that can qualify for the hex we should aim to improve the Olympic team.

Think about it for a second.
Everyone at that age group(u23?), everyone on the team would be in some sort of professional environment, you shouldn't have to focus so much on the basic like you would have to at the lower levels.

If they not professionals then they could be "US college players", a lower level but still a decent level.

The olympics happens two years before the world cup. Qualifications for the olympics occur in the month of october the previous year. Our national team begin WC qualification in November.

At that point, we should be able to have players who have been playing together in a competitive environment for quite some time so they are able to gel better. In the event that we actually reach the world cup, we can have a group of players that were together for over 4 years.

If they do qualify for the Olympics then they get big tournament experience as well, add that to the Gold cup and caribbean Cup. I think qualifying for the Olympics or atleast coming close is a good benchmark that we can work with.

Remember, qualifying for the World Cup is a 3-4 year process. I think that gauging where we at with the olympic team would help us make adjustments sooner that can benefit our national team that aiming for world cup qualification. Also, as it's an olympic team, the government may quicker release funds and sponsors should get on board easier. This program might even fund itself.

Remember.....qualifying for the Olympics could be a goal that is completely separate from the National Team development and even the TTFF developmental goals. We could develop a program at that level that is strictly concerned with seriously attempting to qualify and even medal at the olympics. The added benefit ofcourse would be the experience that would be added to the national team from this experience. Qualifying for the olympics is no easy feat so if qualification occurs then we have plenty to work with. If not, then we reset. This team would allow for quicker adjustments and even experimental tinkering.

What do you guys think?

80

Football / Re: Jamaica pulls off 2-1 win as T&T made to rue missed efforts.

« on: August 26, 2017, 04:52:52 PM »

I think that at this point in time, our best hope for the future would be a clean slate and start over from scratch. Like West Indies cricket, we seriously need to pause and evaluate what it is we really doing. My solution would be for us to start to bleed youngsters. After this qualifying period over and WC2018 finish, we should seriously think about putting together a core under 23 team that would make up the squad for wc22.

It honestly not making sense so there would be no need for players over 25 years old because they not at any level to bring much significance to the program. Any overseas players should be in a first division or top 5 second division team seeking promotion. Those teams should also be vying for atleast Europa league competition. I honestly don't believe that these benchmarks too high for national team selection.

We could also have multiple teams, a, b and possibly c. These teams could play in various tournaments. Local Based could play caribbean cup only etc, foreign based could play gold cup and qualifiers. The C team could be local based, b team could be foreign based who don't meet the criteria I outlined above and the A team could be the under 23-25 that play the bulk of our qualifiers. Hopefully they would be seasoned professionals containing players like Levi Garcia etc...>Hopefully.

We have had players unattached playing world cup qualifiers and then complaining about players being unfit etc. How is this possible when we have an entire professional league with players in those same positions? Sighhhhh

81

Football / Re: John Bostock Thread

« on: August 25, 2017, 08:18:51 PM »

I think we need to accept the fact that 5 caps for England etc is worth more than a career playing for TTMNT for some players. We honestly can't keep begging dual citizens who accustom to a certain level of professionalism and administrative comfort to come play for TNT off of patriotism or some other misguided ideals. We seriously need to get our house in order and command the respect that would make these players rush to play for us. Easier said than done I know.

82

Football / Re: Joevin Jones Thread

« on: August 25, 2017, 08:14:46 PM »

Moving on from the reporter trying to stir s**t up, it seems like SV Darmstadt 98 are trying to engineer a faster route for Joevin to join up with them. Seattle clearly knows what's happening and are playing coy. Darmstadt's aim is an immediate return to the Bundesliga and they're 1st in the Bundesliga-2 at present so they need him now rather than year end to set the pace in the league and for him to get acclimatise.

I don't think he as important to Damstadt 98 as you are trying to make out. If they wanted him in August etc then they would have just paid the fee and gotten the transfer done.

83

Football / Re: Here is another white elephant

« on: August 24, 2017, 08:24:00 PM »

I still don't get why we never placed focus on multipurpose stadiums for various sporting, cultural and also community events. We are too small a country to have all these stadiums fitted for a singular purpose. Each stadium should have had a membership club with gym facilities and indoor squash etc. I mean proper gym facilities, not just a treadmill and weights room.

84

Football / Re: Here is another white elephant

« on: August 24, 2017, 06:30:50 PM »

congo, the man or woman exercising at that facility going to say, " my tax money paying for the upkeep of these facilities. Why can't I use it"

Hardluck there, barely read your response. They are right in saying that and that's why I fully believe that these things need to have some sort of corporate input. Why shouldn't the average tax paying citizen use a facility that was built and being maintained with public funds? Same goes for the Hyatt?

We really need to rethink our governance model in this country.

85

Football / Re: Here is another white elephant

« on: August 24, 2017, 06:28:47 PM »

congo, the man or woman exercising at that facility going to say, " my tax money paying for the upkeep of these facilities. Why can't I use it"

And then the politicians become involved and the Ian Alleynes...Sigh

Imagine people "bathing" in a National Aquatic Center as though is a community pool. The problem probably stems from the huge fanfare that the gov't like to have when opening these things. Really make the community believe that it is there for their purpose and use. Those facilities should only be used for "competition" purposes. I'm sure the average athletic club can't saunter up to Wembley and blade its grass. We really need to grow up here.

Sad state of affairs in this place at all levels yes.

86

Football / Re: Joevin Jones Thread

« on: August 24, 2017, 04:04:46 PM »

I seriously think that it's time that FIFA reign in the MLS and their weird transfer fee and contract structures etc to put them more in line with the rest of the world. Not sure how the draft etc works but it just seems  more complicated than it should be. Just attached fees to people and buy/sell as normal based on market expectations and contract value. It's not rocket science.

87

Football / Re: The Sharks: Central FC Thread

« on: August 24, 2017, 03:52:49 PM »

"I would like to remind all players that non payment of your salary does not excuse you from training or playing in games, where selected."

Someone seriously needs to give Sancho a quick briefing on the basics of employment law and his obligations as an employer. Non payment of salaries is a breach of contract.

88

Football / Re: Here is another white elephant

« on: August 24, 2017, 03:41:16 PM »

I see no reason why the general public should have access to our elite sporting facilities that have been built to develop elite athletes. These are not community centers. Trinis really have no clue what going on yes.

89

Football / Re: We takin lixx at every level sah

« on: August 15, 2017, 07:00:08 PM »

Stupid question...Do we have "scouts" in Trinidad and Tobago...and by scouts I mean people who can really analyse a player and put together a detailed dossier on a player etc. Most clubs nowadays have "observation departments" and from there the personnel and individual would go further and obtain coaching qualifications etc. That's how people like Mourinho etc started. It seems here everyone here wants to jump straight into coaching and managing, maybe we need to develop that side of their education first. A good scout is an invaluable asset to any team. They can also start in their early twenties etc.

90

Football / Re: Levi Garcia Thread

« on: August 15, 2017, 06:52:29 PM »

I wish Levi well this season.  I think that he is in the final year of his inital 3 year deal.........so it's make or break for him, or else we might be seeing him in the colours of Central FC next year

He's 19, not 29...This isn't a "make or break" year for him. Most likely his contract would be renewed. If not then I'm sure that offers would be incoming. He's not playing in the MLS either so that talk about central fc is rubbish. Push come to shove I am sure he can find a place in Belgium or France. His initial 3 year contract is likely to be extended if not for footballing reasons but to allow for a gain to be made on a future sale.