Romany confident that local based can rise to the occasion.
By: Joel Villafana (ttproleague).[/color]
Chairman of the TT Pro League Larry Romany calls it an opportunity lost as he expressed a measure of disappointment after hearing this country’s friendly international games against Mexico and Colombia scheduled for September 2nd and 6th were cancelled, due to the unavailability of the overseas-based players.
“It is a bit unfortunate,” said the Pro League Chairman, “I would have loved to see the local players given a further opportunity to gain some much needed experience at the international level.”
“Following our experience in Germany at the 2006 world cup, the use of the locally based professionals for those games would have provided the prospect of exposing more players and assisting in the long term development of our football, as we work our way to South Africa 2010.”
Noting that the games were scheduled in the FIFA window the Pro League chairman expressed strong concern that the national teams scheduled matches ought not to be hampered by foreign clubs that refuse to honour the FIFA window.
Mr. Romany suggested, “A consideration going forward is to ensure that once games are scheduled in the FIFA window the national team is not held to ransom.”
“England and the other big countries do not have that issue. The unavailability of foreign based players is a problem that must be mitigated and the best way to mitigate such an occurrence is to develop a cadre of motivated and inspired locally based footballers.”
He went on, “I have total confidence in the commitment and dedication of the local based players. The decision to put off the game is not a reflection on their ability and talent, but is more a mirror image of shortsightedness, lack of self esteem and self-confidence on the part of those who made the decision."
“I am flabbergasted that given the way a well coached and drilled national team performed in Germany, we still do not have confidence in that concept and paradigm shift going forward."
"While the decision does not appear on the surface to have been made cognizant of the medium to long term sustainable development of the National team, in any event I do not have all the facts, so I just have to trust the judgment of the powers that be that the decisions made is in the best interest of T&T football,” ended Romany.
