I was planning something special for mih 4000th post, but I guess this rant will have to do.
I spend most of the last six months being very quiet, just observing what going on around me, watching how people moving. I notice how blatant the politics in our football come to the fore and how as a group we let it divide us.
Wim get fire. All de men who was convince is he was a shitpot from the start jump up and say hooray. Who de hell he feel he is to go and cuff down we beloved technical director? They glad de grumpy racist wimp gone so we could continue with business as usual under the coconut trees...Months afterwards, the TTFF admit that the "assault" wasn't a physical one. Months after that, one of the self same ones who was leading the charge with the bucket of tar and the bag full of feathers come out bold bold bold and say that is the beloved TD who buss a cuff in Wim ass for being a shitpot... The self same TD we ent hear a word from since the events in question and you does be wondering if he still have a work...
I see frustration build up and overflow with the blacklist issue. Men (and women) make suggestions, other men fight them down. Some say dat sink or float, we stuck with the JackAus federation and the way it run things. Some say that without we sugar daddy crapaud go smoke we pipe. Some say is disrespectful to the young fellas out there to say they're not real Warriors, and we discouraging them before they even kick a ball. Some say Jack is Big Brother and he will retaliate expeditiously on who ever try to stand up to him, fans included. Some just know what side they bread butter on, and some just interested in being entertained. I hear all kinda spin but who too old, too young, too shitty, too injured, too unfit, to confrontational, too foreign (too white) to play for we again, how we building for the future and we cyah keep looking in the past.
Now we ketching we tail to beat Bermuda, and the same men who hiding with they throat in they mouth go come back after we get through and say we was worrying for nothing...
Hunt come out to beat Jackula at his own game - moving like a amateur sometimes cos you cyah play truth or dare with de devil and win, but being brave about it all de same. I see men eating up Warner chain up and blaming the government for not supporting football, for being confrontational, for being on kicks. I see men eating whole anchor and thing and glad that T&T might play its home game overseas because they go see more games. That is de same men who didn't care bout blacklist when they boys was getting sweat, but now ready to criticise team selection...
I hear men with all kinda positive vibes with we new coach. Say how he is a big time coach, ent he take Colombia to the WC in 1994, doh mind Costa Rica run him they country a couple years ago. Man cyah understand why you go hire a man to start from scratch for a 6 month job, when the 6th month is the one where the World Cup jouney is supposed to begin. Man say how we have a problem with him because he black...Man glad he "bleeding" the youths and go make us play a attractive south american brand. We beat up on a couple small side without they stars and men swelling they chest. Simoes feel sorry for us in the office and let us back in the match after we thoroughly outplayed, and we applaud de youths spunk. All dem youths gone back to do they CAPE, or lying bloodless somewhere in the dressing room, now and we attractive South American brand like you swear we learn it in Bolivia first we struggling to play a full 90 minutes of football. All dem players who too old and the ones that Wim play with reluctantly like they lost in the Bermuda triangle, and now our World Cup aspirations threatening to take the same road. Men calling for the head of the puppet that the say being controlled by Alvin and the chipmunk...
But yesterday is yesterday and today is today
Today is the most important day in Trinidad and Tobago football. Not for the result; in fact the result is completely secondary, but it might just determine if we go ahead and "continue to do what we normally does" - fire and hire coaches at the drop of a hat with no consultation, choose teams based on friends, personal advantages, favours and other non sporting criteria, lack long term vision and planning, continuously bend over to pay the one piper in T&T football, support a federation that always intellectually and financially bankrupt, bankrole non transparent buiness practices, refuse to stand up for what is right, or sell we soul for rum and a Rooney.
I have no illusions about what will happen if we don't progress. In a couple of months time, the same waggonists who was at the England match will want to come asking you for ticket when we playing the US, completely oblivious to the fact that we already eliminated. Jack will blame Hunt because we didn't get the biggest support for the first leg, say the government doh like poor black men, and he go pick up he ball(ers) and go wherever he feel he could make more money with it. A lot of teams go be glad to play friendlies with us since we no longer a potential opponent so Jack will make he money all the same and we boys will go back to what they normally do in their clubs, and 3/4 of us will go back to supporting Arsenal, Liverpool, ManUre, Chelsea, Real, Barca, Inter, Milan and whatever else). Maturana go get fire and Anton go get a salary raise, and you won't hear bout Soca Warriors until the next Gold Cup. or later.
But if we do and things continue to be done "as we normally does it" crapaud smoke we pipe. Whether Maturana stay on or not, whether we get we tail blaze from the US guat and cuba or not, whether Jack make money playing we home games in NY or not, if it continue this way, we dogs dead...Not only will we never see a world cup again, but imo, football will become a third or fourth rate sport in this country. It hard enough to support as it is, but we getting plenty reasons to give it up altogether, and become all waggonists...cause this "T&T football thing" way too stressful and decisive to be healthy. And once the fans gone, that is it.
Today is the day as a fan base, and as a people we need to decide what we want.
Because, if better isn't done, the worse WILL continue. No doubt about that. And if we think losing a match is the worst that can happen, we really ent see nothing yet...