A flock of 'friends'

[FireBrand]

A flock of 'friends'
By Fazeer Mohammed
   
Hypocrites, all of us.

You would think that after all of the emotion and national pride associated with making it to the World Cup football finals for the first time ever that we would at last have some appreciation of the value of every senior international game in the build-up to the next qualifying campaign.

Yet, almost in confirmation of our nine-day-memory mentality, Trinidad and Tobago's first fixture since Germany '06 has seen almost everyone-from the fans to the media-revert to the indifference that prevailed before Leo Beenhakker started to make a difference just over a year ago.

It is of course unreasonable to expect that hordes of Trinis would have borne the huge expense of travelling halfway round the world to see the one game against Japan. But in any event, there didn't seem to be any great clamour from the general populace on Wednesday morning to find out how the game in Tokyo was progressing, especially as none of the multitude of media houses, at least as far as I'm aware, saw it necessary to provide any form of "live" coverage, whether on radio or television, or even periodic updates.

The prevailing attitude seemed to be that, with most of the top players missing, the game didn't really matter all that much. A 2-0 loss to the Japanese will be seen by many as confirmation that this was a fixture not to get too worked up about, while the superficial reporting on the game in yesterday's newspapers, never mind the banner headlines, is confirmation of a level of indifference that is worrying in the context of seeking to develop a culture of building a solid foundation rather than just waiting to join the party up in the penthouse.

I know to most people, even football fans who travelled to Germany, this is really no big deal.

Yet put it in the context of West Indies cricket, and the condemnation that would rain down on the media if there was no "live" coverage, at least on radio, of the most meaningless of One-day Internationals against the most insignificant of opponents. You would be forgiven for thinking that the fundamental human rights of fans to follow the regional team had been trampled upon. But in the same breath, we see no obvious need to stay so closely in touch with the progress of our national footballers, or even to insist upon independent reporting of the first game under new head coach Wim Rijsbergen.

Again, budgetary constraints are always a factor for even the most successful of media entities. However we must surely now see the inherent value of lifting the level of football coverage up a few notches and establishing a new standard of reporting, comment and analysis on any full international involving Trinidad and Tobago.

How else are we to judge whether much of the talent exposed in Tokyo two days ago suggests that we have a solid base from which we can build towards the next Gold Cup and then South Africa in 2010? Relying on reports provided by the Football Federation's media officer may save a lot of money, but it cannot be considered an independent assessment.

In the absence of travelling reporters, writers and broadcasters from the local media, Shaun Fuentes has done a good job in the last few years in providing match reports and interviews.

But there is no getting away from the fact that, as a TTFF employee, the analysis of his reporting and the tenor of his interviews would be inevitably compromised by the obvious priority to seek the best interests of the Federation.

That is not his problem though, for he is doing what he is paid to do quite well. The real issue is that, while freedom of the press is enshrined in our Constitution (and we must all be concerned about press freedom in the wake of the tragic slayings of the Kaieteur News pressroom workers in Georgetown) we do not as yet have enough regard for our own profession to appreciate the value of having our own people report on issues and events of national importance in a context that would be relevant to us.

How many times do we complain about so-and-so writer or reporter and such-and-such network from foreign completely misrepresenting us to the outside world? Yet we continue to accept having our opinions influenced and shaped by people who cannot fully appreciate the peculiar circumstances of Trinidad and Tobago society.

With our football having made it onto the big stage, here is the chance to show that we can not only play with the big boys, but are also mature, professional and impartial enough to report on all matters surrounding the national team fairly and comprehensively.

If the hysteria over the World Cup finals appearance went too far to be considered balanced coverage, we have now gone to the other extreme by essentially ignoring the same team altogether in the first reality check on the road to the next major assignment.

It may mean everything to the fans and sponsors whether Dwight Yorke, Stern John and Shaka Hislop are in the final XI, but whoever wears the colours, the team is still Trinidad and Tobago.

Even if the interest is nowhere near fever-pitch, we in the media have a duty to cover their progress with professionalism and integrity or risk being counted again among the ever-increasing flock of fair-weather friends of football.
 

[maxg]

 

[Quags]

Flex,Tallman ques,can Shaun Fuentes get a copy of the games while there and give it to the site,then we could see it..... .Shaun can you 

[Rastaman]

You can guess from the first half of this article that Fazeer does not visit this web site or he would have known that there are people who are intrested,(oconnorg) and who did make calls to the media houses and asked the questions.

But he is right the public as a whole was not really intrested. This as he pointed out is due to Media coverage. Same thing Bally brought up earlier anout coverage of the Pro League. It is the same thing people have been saying for years, but until somebody stand up and fight for it we will all keep waiting.

Untill somebody like Duprey deside that he have some money to throw away and decise to invest in the marketing of TnT football we will suffer for any sort of media coverage.

[Patterson]

I thought Fazeer was in the employ of the CCN group.....he writes in the Express and also hosts Morning Edition on TV6 when the guests are from the sporting field. I think he should speak to his employers unless he's some kinda freelancer or some special contract

[oconnorg]

You can guess from the first half of this article that Fazeer does not visit this web site or he would have known that there are people who are intrested,(oconnorg) and who did make calls to the media houses and asked the questions.

But he is right the public as a whole was not really intrested. This as he pointed out is due to Media coverage. Same thing Bally brought up earlier anout coverage of the Pro League. It is the same thing people have been saying for years, but until somebody stand up and fight for it we will all keep waiting.

Untill somebody like Duprey deside that he have some money to throw away and decise to invest in the marketing of TnT football we will suffer for any sort of media coverage.

Boy.. Is really ah shame.. people dont know the extent to which we go.. If we had the means we would havee bought de damn rights to de game and broadcast it.. I call all dem media houses, TTFF and the friggin LOC..

Another thing we have to look at is how these people shedule games, like the upcommin U16 tournament.. would you imagine they have games at friggin 4 pm in de evening.. In Larry Gomes.. How de f**k people leaving work in time to see dem matches..

I did it plenty times already for that U21 CAC quals and get in level trouble in work.. Asked TTFF about the schedulin and they tellin me bull kaka about they have no control of it...

I done complaining, i going to start tuh write letter, embarass people and plain ole Cuss till these things are fixed ASAP..

Warrior Nation Power.!

[Rastaman]

You can guess from the first half of this article that Fazeer does not visit this web site or he would have known that there are people who are intrested,(oconnorg) and who did make calls to the media houses and asked the questions.

But he is right the public as a whole was not really intrested. This as he pointed out is due to Media coverage. Same thing Bally brought up earlier anout coverage of the Pro League. It is the same thing people have been saying for years, but until somebody stand up and fight for it we will all keep waiting.

Untill somebody like Duprey deside that he have some money to throw away and decise to invest in the marketing of TnT football we will suffer for any sort of media coverage.

Boy.. Is really ah shame.. people dont know the extent to which we go.. If we had the means we would havee bought de damn rights to de game and broadcast it.. I call all dem media houses, TTFF and the friggin LOC..

Another thing we have to look at is how these people shedule games, like the upcommin U16 tournament.. would you imagine they have games at friggin 4 pm in de evening.. In Larry Gomes.. How de f**k people leaving work in time to see dem matches..

I did it plenty times already for that U21 CAC quals and get in level trouble in work.. Asked TTFF about the schedulin and they tellin me bull kaka about they have no control of it...

I done complaining, i going to start tuh write letter, embarass people and plain ole Cuss till these things are fixed ASAP..

Warrior Nation Power.!

Ah backing you with that bro.  Wish I could lend some physical support.

[trinbago]

   A flock of 'friends'
Fazeer Mohammed


Friday, August 11th 2006
 

Hypocrites, all of us.

You would think that after all of the emotion and national pride associated with making it to the World Cup football finals for the first time ever that we would at last have some appreciation of the value of every senior international game in the build-up to the next qualifying campaign.

Yet, almost in confirmation of our nine-day-memory mentality, Trinidad and Tobago's first fixture since Germany '06 has seen almost everyone-from the fans to the media-revert to the indifference that prevailed before Leo Beenhakker started to make a difference just over a year ago.

It is of course unreasonable to expect that hordes of Trinis would have borne the huge expense of travelling halfway round the world to see the one game against Japan. But in any event, there didn't seem to be any great clamour from the general populace on Wednesday morning to find out how the game in Tokyo was progressing, especially as none of the multitude of media houses, at least as far as I'm aware, saw it necessary to provide any form of "live" coverage, whether on radio or television, or even periodic updates.

The prevailing attitude seemed to be that, with most of the top players missing, the game didn't really matter all that much. A 2-0 loss to the Japanese will be seen by many as confirmation that this was a fixture not to get too worked up about, while the superficial reporting on the game in yesterday's newspapers, never mind the banner headlines, is confirmation of a level of indifference that is worrying in the context of seeking to develop a culture of building a solid foundation rather than just waiting to join the party up in the penthouse.

I know to most people, even football fans who travelled to Germany, this is really no big deal.

Yet put it in the context of West Indies cricket, and the condemnation that would rain down on the media if there was no "live" coverage, at least on radio, of the most meaningless of One-day Internationals against the most insignificant of opponents. You would be forgiven for thinking that the fundamental human rights of fans to follow the regional team had been trampled upon. But in the same breath, we see no obvious need to stay so closely in touch with the progress of our national footballers, or even to insist upon independent reporting of the first game under new head coach Wim Rijsbergen.

Again, budgetary constraints are always a factor for even the most successful of media entities. However we must surely now see the inherent value of lifting the level of football coverage up a few notches and establishing a new standard of reporting, comment and analysis on any full international involving Trinidad and Tobago.

How else are we to judge whether much of the talent exposed in Tokyo two days ago suggests that we have a solid base from which we can build towards the next Gold Cup and then South Africa in 2010? Relying on reports provided by the Football Federation's media officer may save a lot of money, but it cannot be considered an independent assessment.
In the absence of travelling reporters, writers and broadcasters from the local media, Shaun Fuentes has done a good job in the last few years in providing match reports and interviews.

But there is no getting away from the fact that, as a TTFF employee, the analysis of his reporting and the tenor of his interviews would be inevitably compromised by the obvious priority to seek the best interests of the Federation.

That is not his problem though, for he is doing what he is paid to do quite well. The real issue is that, while freedom of the press is enshrined in our Constitution (and we must all be concerned about press freedom in the wake of the tragic slayings of the Kaieteur News pressroom workers in Georgetown) we do not as yet have enough regard for our own profession to appreciate the value of having our own people report on issues and events of national importance in a context that would be relevant to us.

How many times do we complain about so-and-so writer or reporter and such-and-such network from foreign completely misrepresenting us to the outside world? Yet we continue to accept having our opinions influenced and shaped by people who cannot fully appreciate the peculiar circumstances of Trinidad and Tobago society.

With our football having made it onto the big stage, here is the chance to show that we can not only play with the big boys, but are also mature, professional and impartial enough to report on all matters surrounding the national team fairly and comprehensively.

If the hysteria over the World Cup finals appearance went too far to be considered balanced coverage, we have now gone to the other extreme by essentially ignoring the same team altogether in the first reality check on the road to the next major assignment.

It may mean everything to the fans and sponsors whether Dwight Yorke, Stern John and Shaka Hislop are in the final XI, but whoever wears the colours, the team is still Trinidad and Tobago.

Even if the interest is nowhere near fever-pitch, we in the media have a duty to cover their progress with professionalism and integrity or risk being counted again among the ever-increasing flock of fair-weather friends of football.
 

[ON DE BLOCK]

Right now trini's mind on de build up to the general elections, football will run 2nd place and next year 3rd place behind cricket and politics, PNM busy looking for place in their marginal seats to put supporters, like east west corridor, and if yuh see the massive plannins Manning put at the side of San Fernando Hill, well he eh losing that seat for sure, and since PNM take over Tobago them bago people saying ,'ah fine it ha real trini here all ah sudden, like they does come fuh great race an doh go back', but football will be in the headlines for de opening of the 800 million stadium in turuba and dat is about politics too.....

[weary1969]

Fazeer should know because he is one of them. He only jump up when we qualified.

[palos]

Fazeer should know because he is one of them. He only jump up when we qualified.

Correctamundo.  He self did write and say he never was interested in football and den all of a sudden..Nov 16,2005 come and we qualify.  He further went on to say he expected we to get 6 a game and den subsequently write a article havin to apologise.

Fazeer could write but he does come across as if he kinda self important.  He does put down we cricketers every chance he get.  Many times he have a good message but den spoil it by his own subsequent  writings and commentary.

In dis case, he make a good point.  But forgive meh...comin from Faz...as good a point as it is...it seem kinda self serving.

[weary1969]

Palos

Meh boy you eh talk you preach. Fazeer is a capital K clown. He and Andre the so call fearless one feel that they have to be confrontational. So they just like to oppose for opposing sake. I doh listen to them fellas because is pure hate and acting normal.

[Jah Gol]

Fazeer should know because he is one of them. He only jump up when we qualified.

Correctamundo.  He self did write and say he never was interested in football and den all of a sudden..Nov 16,2005 come and we qualify.  He further went on to say he expected we to get 6 a game and den subsequently write a article havin to apologise.

Fazeer could write but he does come across as if he kinda self important.  He does put down we cricketers every chance he get.  Many times he have a good message but den spoil it by his own subsequent  writings and commentary.

In dis case, he make a good point.  But forgive meh...comin from Faz...as good a point as it is...it seem kinda self serving.

FM is more of a social commentator than a sports journalist. All of his comments are laced with imagery and and draws perspective from the happenings on the field of play with what obtains on the field of life. I think he's a bit too pessimistic and I tend to disagree with most of his opinions. I do however find his articles to be entertaining.

[Jah Gol]

Palos

Meh boy you eh talk you preach. Fazeer is a capital K clown. He and Andre the so call fearless one feel that they have to be confrontational. So they just like to oppose for opposing sake. I doh listen to them fellas because is pure hate and acting normal.

I have more respect for Faz than Baptiste. Baptiste is a rank shithound in my books. He just dotish and doesn't even no more than the dedicated fans of any sport he pronouces on- except maybe horseracing. And its not as if our lives depend on horseracing. So I think we could do without Baptiste.

[AB.Trini]

Another media article from TNT Newsday

Football future is here, now
PETER O CONNOR Sunday, August 13 2006

THE SOCA Warriors played against Japan, in Tokyo on Wednesday. Reports state there were 50,000 fans cheering on the home team. On Wednesday night, in the lead-up to the sports news on CNC Channel Three, News Anchor Carla Foderingham asked Sportscaster Roger Sant how the Warriors had fared.

Sant, who is an experienced sportscaster, smilingly replied: “Oh, they were soundly whipped.” What do you think of that comment? Frankly, I consider the comment, when compared to the result, insulting.

A 2-0 loss away to any team, far less a team more highly rated than the visitors, is a loss. A 4-0 loss may be described as a “whipping”, and a 6-0 loss can be called a “sound whipping”. Why then did Sant, who did not witness the match, where our performance was described as competitive, say we were “soundly whipped”? And what effect did this comment have upon you, the viewer, as you waited to hear the result on CNC3 News? Did you “steups” and tell your partners “You see! Them ain’t good at all!”

What effect does that sort of comment have on a potential sponsor, just considering the possibility (dream on O’Connor) of investing in this team before November 2009?

Well, let me tell you that Sant was not being malicious, nor vindictive nor deliberately insulting. He was just being (no this is not Spalk writing here!) a typical Trini news announcer who does not understand the meaning of the cliches that jump out of his mouth.

Our news and sports announcers particularly on television, know all of the standard cliches used by their British and American counterparts. They just don’t know where and how to use them.

With the Caribbean Football Union Under-16 Youth starting here tomorrow, I plead with you all, and indeed with your station’s writers and editors, try to do a little better.

Language is your profession folks, try to be a little more professional. And when you use derogatory terms to describe our teams and our athletes’ performances, you set our programmes back, moreso when you did not mean to be in the first place.

Anyway, please take heart. We gave a good performance, considering only five members of the squad had played in Germany and only two, Avery John and Cyd Gray, were starters in Germany.

There was no Hislop, Jack, Ince, Sancho, Lawrence, Andrews, Stern John, Theobald, Birchall, Edwards, Whitley, Jones, Glenn, Samuel, Scotland, Yorke or Latapy.

The match was arranged to begin to “blood” new players into the international arena. In fairness, Japan only used five of their World Cup squad as well.

Tomorrow the Under-16 team kicks off the CFU Championships against Aruba. How important is this event, and what does it mean for the future of our football?

Well, when we were all hot and excited after Bahrain and during Germany, most commentators spoke about the future, patronisingly advising the TTFF “to get their act together” and develop young players for the future. Well, now that young players are taking the field in our country’s colours, will the team get the support they need?

You all asked for this to be done, and as you were calling, the youngsters were in training. The TTFF is doing their part. Are you, supporter, sponsor, government, media, doing yours?

The tournament will provide the CFU qualifiers, to go forward in their quest to play in the FIFA Under-17 Championships next year.

You may ask why then do we have non CFU countries — like Canada and Mexico (current World Under-17 Champions), taking part?

Well Mexico and others are here to raise the bar and set the standard against which the CFU countries will compete outside of the Caribbean.

So even if Mexico and Canada finish first and second and, say Jamaica and TT were third and fourth, the two Caribbean countries will still move on to the next round towards the FIFA Under-17 Championship.

In the recent past, Caribbean countries, flush with success in the CFU, have failed badly when they moved on outside the Caribbean. Having played in this tournament, they will know the standard required.

This is called development folks. And the match against Japan was arranged to develop new players to meet international standards.

Had we taken the whole of the Soca Warriors squad to Japan, and won the match, it would have done less for our South Africa mission than the loss we suffered with the team which played.

In this country we talk of preparing for the future, but we only talk. We do nothing to prepare for the future, and when something is done, we ask why are we wasting time on the future, when we could be feteing now.

In the 1980s Trinidad and Tobago ran a Youth Development Programme that built the Strike Squad 1989, saw our Under 20s qualify for FIFA’s Portugal ’91, and developed some of the finest international players the Caribbean ever produced. What happened to that programme?

Well, in 1991, following our third place in a CONCACAF Under-17 tournament hosted here (second place would have taken us to the World Championships), there was an outcry against the continued development of youth football.

The Guardian, in its lead editorial following the tournament, stated that the TTFF was “wasting money” on youth football, and should concentrate on qualifying for the World Cup (USA ’94) instead!

Did they think that the Strike Squad — the World Cup team of the times — just landed from Mars in 1989?

And today, oblivious their past opinions, the Guardian and others are calling for youth development to ensure we qualify for 2010 and 2014.

Well the development is here and now! Let us see editorials calling on people, fans, companies, the media, to turn out and support these young Warriors, and indeed the whole tournament, at venues throughout TT.

The stars of tomorrow’s world football will be seen, right here, right now.

Let us see the media and the public get behind our young team, waving our flags, and wearing our colours, and singing our anthem — just like we did in Germany.

You remember how proud you were in Germany? And when the Soca Warriors return to play their first home match against Mexico on Independence weekend, our Young Warriors can walk out on the field, to be saluted by us as the Caribbean Youth Champions.

I know that it is short notice for this but can supporters of the youth tournament get first access to tickets for the Mexico match? Just in case fans, hold on to your ticket stubs but first you have to buy those tickets!

Go out and support the future at all venues, for the future is here, and now!

[Jah Gol]

The sports writers in this country don't know much about the sports they write about. Here is a sports writer agreeing with me.

[Rastaman]

I know that it is short notice for this but can supporters of the youth tournament get first access to tickets for the Mexico match? Just in case fans, hold on to your ticket stubs but first you have to buy those tickets!

This is the part of the article that I like. It is called initiative. So you telling me that we don't have any forward thinking people working in the TTFF. Are they all brain dead ?

[Cantona007]

Alberta, thanks for bringing out that article. One of the things I took from it is the penchant for our commentators/journalists to just use the easiest cliche to describe what is usually a complex situation. If you weren't there, you can't say that we were "whipped". Basing your opinion just on the scoreline is not enough. This really irks me because it DOES remind me of the no-talent British/American commentators whose entire commentary is not based on sound technical analysis of what is going on on the field, but hastily strung together catch-phrases. I watched the Charity Shield on FSC and not once did the commentator describe events on the field; all he talked about was transfer rumours, past World Cup events yadda yadda...