Women's football workshop to be held by English FA.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]
The Football Association is driving forward its commitment to developing the women’s game by holding a workshop for the CONCACAF region in Trinidad & Tobago this week under the umbrella of The FA-CONCACAF Co-operation Agreement.
The FA’s Football Development Manager, Ros Potts, Regional Football Development Manager Helen Croft and Birmingham County FA Football Development Manager Natalie Justice will give a detailed insight into how the female game has progressed in England.
The advances made by England’s senior women have seen Hope Powell’s team qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in China next year having last featured in the competition back in 1995.
According to the FA.com. as part of the three-day seminar in Port of Spain, the participants will be asked to identify the challenges that they face in developing and running women’s football in the CONCACAF region, sharing good practice from The FA in England.
The United States and Canada women’s teams have traditionally qualified for major tournaments because of a more developed and mature female soccer infrastructure, with Team USA having twice won the Women’s World Cup.
Yet the status of women’s football among the smaller nations which compromise CONCACAF lags behind the men’s game.
England has experienced similar problems but The FA has made concerted efforts for girls’ and women’s football to receive more widespread recognition.
The workshop in Trinidad’s capital Port of Spain is the third of its kind this year, with Botswana and Lesotho – The FA’s partner countries under the UEFA-CAF Meridian Project – also benefiting from the expertise of English football’s governing body.
World cup wants T&T at 2010 finals.
..."We can't let down Mandela and Warner"
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]
Danny Jordaan, CEO of the Local Organising Committee for the South Africa 2010 World Cup has made his hopes clear of seeing Trinidad and Tobago return to South African as a participating country at the Finals.
The “Soca Warriors” have been to that country once before, losing 2-1 to the hosts in a friendly international in 2003 and now Jordaan has confessed that he believes their presence will add to his country’s hosting of the event.
“Hopefully we can see Trinidad and Tobago in South Africa in 2010,” Jordaan told TTFF Media last week while in Zurich for FIFA Executive Committee meeting. “I think that it is important that a nation like Trinidad makes a return to the Finals. I was there in Trinidad gathering support when we were trying to win the bid for 2010 and it will definitely be a pleasure for you to be there at the event. We all saw Trinidad play in the Germany Finals and they showed good spirit and we need that in South Africa,” he added.
The former lecturer was also present at the news conference in which the FIFA Disciplinary Committee announced its verdict on the matter regarding allegations against Jack Warner’s selling of World Cup tickets on the black market. And Jordaan stood firm in support of Warner.
“The FIFA announced its decision and the case is now closed. In fact there was never a case really. I don’t think Warner was ever in a position where he needed to be in fear because he stood his ground and was rightfully proven to be innocent. We are well aware though that his detractors may continue these attacks on him. These detractors need to get the facts and FIFA has rightly revealed these facts today,” Jordaan said.
He continued that he anticipates having Warner’s services available as South Africa prepares for 2010.
“We cannot let Nelson Mandela down. We cannot let Sepp Blatter and we cannot let Warner down,” Jordaan insisted. “Warner works for football and he continues to do that on a wide scale throughout the Globe. He worked hard for others and he worked hard for South Africa 2010. Now we shall continue this trend.”
The former anti-apartheid activist added that the build up towards the 2010 Finals was coming along, despite the obstacles in its way.
“The big question being asked was whether South Africa could afford to host this event and that has been answered. The Government is giving Two Billion US dollars towards the event. We have already put forward our plans and fixtures for the preliminary draw as well as for the Confederations Cup and everything else as it involves the staging of the Finals is on stream.”
Jordaan also confirmed the safety of everyone visiting South Africa in 2010 and they were not only building Stadiums and Roads but also “building a nation” and making it safe for all.
"There is no question that this country has the capability to safeguard every person that comes here for the World Cup. We will safeguard places where the players will stay, the routes, hotels, etc. The country has demonstrated its ability to manage other world cups with no incidence of crime,” Jordaan added.
