Guava Season in T&T.
By: Hannibal Najjar.
Football’s New Pundit
Let us take Dr. Ewart Williams’ economic message and translate it into our football meltdown. Read his message of Friday April 24th, 2008 and compare notes. Or, if you have read it, make the mental comparison.
More Game Losses
The Governor says: “Expect more job losses, zero economic growth”. For us in the football fraternity, it translates to, “expect more game losses, little points’ growth”.
This is the translation for Trinidad & Tobago as the regional competition heats up.
Dr. Williams unleashed his football pundit prowess as he painted his grim economic picture and tough times for T&T. In his Guava Season release, he stressed that in the months ahead, as the country continues to struggle with the effects of waning confidence, inexperienced leadership, and high-altitude and right-attitude competition, T&T has to brace itself for the worse.
Deceleration of Growth
Williams pointed out, "The indicators are that the rate of deceleration (of growth) is happening faster than was first thought". Deciphering his words and applying his thoughts, it translates to a significant reduction in player output, game productivity, a sharp decline in the attitudes of new and “used” players, and that “there have been various episodes in many areas" that do not bode well for the future.
Data and trends indicate that player, and supporter, confidence were down with most diehards expecting conditions to worsen. Points’ retention has plummeted to 22 % (2 from 9) from 100% just prior to the end of our first field exchange in El Salvador. A noteworthy trend is that, new players’ performances have dropped significantly, and old players are too rundown to be repaired or too set in their ways to expect more from. Exacerbating the point, consider that T&T is the only country in the hex not involved in this July’s Gold Cup. This further affects our growth and new-player development while enhancing theirs.
Credibility Falling
Credibility ratings of the Federation have fallen sharply, and an already tottering decision-making panel seems helpless. There is even evidence that some of the “brains” behind the scenes are resisting offering advice in this meltdown stage, with projections and prognoses altogether, being dim. The optimism climate is decelerating sharply.
Light at the End
But, in spite of the gloomy aura of the guava season, and that “the worst was yet to come”, there is the encouragement that we are still significantly higher in our current world ranking - 75 of 202 countries of the world. This is more in keeping with the rebuttal views of Ministers, Mariano Browne, and Conrad Enhill on Williams’ guava days’ pandemic caution.
