Players' parents slam Corneal.

[triniairman]

Players' parents slam Corneal.
By: Lasana Liburd (T&T Express).

T&T U-17 coach defends competence

Three parents of national Under-17 players, who participated in Trinidad and Tobago's unsuccessful showing at the CONCACAF qualifying tournament in Mexico last month, blasted coach Anton Corneal for turning their sons into "scapegoats" and criticised the motivational style of the technical staff, which included assistant coaches Michael McComie and Shawn Cooper.

The parents, who asked to remain anonymous so as to protect their children from any possible backlash, complained that the boys felt disowned and mocked after their opening 7-0 loss to Mexico and were upset that Corneal blamed their performance on the players rather than his own coaching abilities.

The young "Soca Warriors" also lost 3-0 to Costa Rica and Guatemala and finished bottom of the group.

"My son wanted to come home after the first game," said one parent. "Imagine the coaches were throwing words for some boys and saying 'allyuh feel you are big players because you went on trials to England or Portugal'.

"Instead of talking to them and building up their confidence they came and tore them down.

"I was the one trying to lift my son and asked him how many games he felt Dwight (Yorke) and (Russell) Latapy lost."

Another parent felt the technical staff placed too much blame on the shoulders of 16-year-olds.

"After they got seven, Anton told the players 'allyuh would have to live with that for the rest of allyuh life'," said the parent. "I can understand that you have to be tough after a loss but the players were crushed and my son felt like a failure. How come it was only the players to blame and not the coaches?

"It was up to the parents to try to lift players."

The Under-17 players, according to the parents, endured sniping remarks throughout the tournament, particularly from Corneal's assistants, while they were unhappy at allegedly being denied use of their portable musical devices for relaxation and vibes.

In a televised interview after the tournament, Corneal said the young players seemed to care more about their Ipods than the football.

However, Corneal denied that any young men were picked on and suggested that they were trying to avoid personal responsibility.

"When your kids come home from school, they are always doing alright until you go to school and hear for yourself," said Corneal. "Those are young players trying to find excuses. I don't think any player was picked upon. I was saying this is the real world and this is where players your age are at now. That is a ridiculous allegation."

Team manager Christopher Gouveia echoed the head coach's view.

"I don't remember any player being singled out for any kind of treatment," said Gouveia, "but I know the technical staff was at pains to make the fellas know that not because they were stars at college level meant they were world stars. They were not going to fool the players and tell them they were superstars when they are ordinary by world standards.

"On any team, there are so-called top players who are expected to step up to the plate and we expect more from. I cannot see anything wrong with that."

Corneal said that Ipods were outlawed before practice sessions and at the airport but were allowed on the bus before games. Not that he felt his players were justified in copying their global stars by using them.

"Professional players do it, but pay attention to that word," said Corneal. "Those are seasoned players not young players who need to focus on the game. These boys are on the bench before practice with headphones on their ears. We need our priority to be the game."

Corneal, whose team qualified for the 2007 FIFA Under-17 World Championship as the fifth-placed CONCACAF team, said he wanted the players to remember their heavy defeat against Mexico as a lesson.

"They cannot go around thinking this didn't happen," he said. "It is a lesson for them to learn... We want them to look within themselves and say they can work harder.

"What hinders young players is where they are being praised to the extent that they do not think they have to improve again."

Corneal reiterated that the technical staff did everything they could for the Under-17 squad. He pointed out that they were thrashed by a Guadeloupe Under-14 side when he took them over in February 2008 and went on to qualify ahead of Haiti and a well-prepared Jamaican outfit.

"We did everything we could to bridge that gap (in Mexico)," he said. "I thought we covered good ground with them but we were not in the top four teams in CONCACAF I would have loved to get the team a little bit longer."

He claimed that his record as national youth coach, which included three appearances at CONCACAF level and one Under-17 World Cup, showed he was doing something right and dismissed 2008 T&T Pro League Coach of the Year and ex-England World Cup player, Terry Fenwick, for questioning his competence.

Fenwick, in an Express interview, criticised Corneal for supposedly trying to distance himself from their poor showing in Mexico and suggested the results said much about his ability as coach.

"Let Gally Cummings or Edgar Vidale or Bertille St Clair question (my competence) but not Terry Fenwick," said Corneal. "Those are people of integrity. Since Fenwick struck that (W. Connection) player and stopped players from training with the national youth and senior teams, I have no respect for him."

Corneal insisted that he wants the Under-17 players to continue to learn and hoped to work with most of them in the future. But, if they do meet again, he made it clear that it is the players and not the coaches who would have to change.

[gothic]

Players' parents slam Corneal
T&T U-17 coach defends competence
Lasana Liburd

Sunday, May 17th 2009


Three parents of national Under-17 players, who participated in Trinidad and Tobago's unsuccessful showing at the CONCACAF qualifying tournament in Mexico last month, blasted coach Anton Corneal for turning their sons into "scapegoats" and criticised the motivational style of the technical staff, which included assistant coaches Michael McComie and Shawn Cooper.

The parents, who asked to remain anonymous so as to protect their children from any possible backlash, complained that the boys felt disowned and mocked after their opening 7-0 loss to Mexico and were upset that Corneal blamed their performance on the players rather than his own coaching abilities.

The young "Soca Warriors" also lost 3-0 to Costa Rica and Guatemala and finished bottom of the group.

"My son wanted to come home after the first game," said one parent. "Imagine the coaches were throwing words for some boys and saying 'allyuh feel you are big players because you went on trials to England or Portugal'.

"Instead of talking to them and building up their confidence they came and tore them down.

"I was the one trying to lift my son and asked him how many games he felt Dwight (Yorke) and (Russell) Latapy lost."

Another parent felt the technical staff placed too much blame on the shoulders of 16-year-olds.

"After they got seven, Anton told the players 'allyuh would have to live with that for the rest of allyuh life'," said the parent. "I can understand that you have to be tough after a loss but the players were crushed and my son felt like a failure. How come it was only the players to blame and not the coaches?

"It was up to the parents to try to lift players."

The Under-17 players, according to the parents, endured sniping remarks throughout the tournament, particularly from Corneal's assistants, while they were unhappy at allegedly being denied use of their portable musical devices for relaxation and vibes.

In a televised interview after the tournament, Corneal said the young players seemed to care more about their Ipods than the football.

However, Corneal denied that any young men were picked on and suggested that they were trying to avoid personal responsibility.

"When your kids come home from school, they are always doing alright until you go to school and hear for yourself," said Corneal. "Those are young players trying to find excuses. I don't think any player was picked upon. I was saying this is the real world and this is where players your age are at now. That is a ridiculous allegation."

Team manager Christopher Gouveia echoed the head coach's view.

"I don't remember any player being singled out for any kind of treatment," said Gouveia, "but I know the technical staff was at pains to make the fellas know that not because they were stars at college level meant they were world stars. They were not going to fool the players and tell them they were superstars when they are ordinary by world standards.

"On any team, there are so-called top players who are expected to step up to the plate and we expect more from. I cannot see anything wrong with that."

Corneal said that Ipods were outlawed before practice sessions and at the airport but were allowed on the bus before games. Not that he felt his players were justified in copying their global stars by using them.

"Professional players do it, but pay attention to that word," said Corneal. "Those are seasoned players not young players who need to focus on the game. These boys are on the bench before practice with headphones on their ears. We need our priority to be the game."

Corneal, whose team qualified for the 2007 FIFA Under-17 World Championship as the fifth-placed CONCACAF team, said he wanted the players to remember their heavy defeat against Mexico as a lesson.

"They cannot go around thinking this didn't happen," he said. "It is a lesson for them to learn... We want them to look within themselves and say they can work harder.

"What hinders young players is where they are being praised to the extent that they do not think they have to improve again."

Corneal reiterated that the technical staff did everything they could for the Under-17 squad. He pointed out that they were thrashed by a Guadeloupe Under-14 side when he took them over in February 2008 and went on to qualify ahead of Haiti and a well-prepared Jamaican outfit.

"We did everything we could to bridge that gap (in Mexico)," he said. "I thought we covered good ground with them but we were not in the top four teams in CONCACAF I would have loved to get the team a little bit longer."

He claimed that his record as national youth coach, which included three appearances at CONCACAF level and one Under-17 World Cup, showed he was doing something right and dismissed 2008 T&T Pro League Coach of the Year and ex-England World Cup player, Terry Fenwick, for questioning his competence.

Fenwick, in an Express interview, criticised Corneal for supposedly trying to distance himself from their poor showing in Mexico and suggested the results said much about his ability as coach.

"Let Gally Cummings or Edgar Vidale or Bertille St Clair question (my competence) but not Terry Fenwick," said Corneal. "Those are people of integrity. Since Fenwick struck that (W. Connection) player and stopped players from training with the national youth and senior teams, I have no respect for him."

Corneal insisted that he wants the Under-17 players to continue to learn and hoped to work with most of them in the future. But, if they do meet again, he made it clear that it is the players and not the coaches who would have to change.

[makaveli]

stueps...What could i say about this loser that hasn't been said already

them men so could only only pull them thing off with youth men....you could see him telling men like Yorke or John that..we would get one cuss

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

nice...12 page thread

the mad ting about this article is that it have real ting and cacahole ting in equal measures

[fishs]

 Always 3 sides to a story.
Botom line Anton my friend is results, coaching the U17's might be a difficult job because they are young teenagers and require a different type of personal engagement to mature them quicklyfor a tournament against the best in the region.
Bertille and Gally are personable gentlemen and know how to interact with kids and get the best out of them without de-crying them.
You must take the full weight of the results on your shoulders and not pass it on the boys after all you are the leader and it actually does worse for your cause to pass blame. I would never hire a CEO or MD again if after a project fails he blames every factory worker or pipe fitter.

Would have been better to say the opposition was too good and you as coach need to analyse what went wrong and what was good and come with a better program for the team.

[Dinner Mints]

Good coach or bad coach, me eh find he tell de youths nothing wrong. Trinis love to be coddled too much.

[freakazoid]

and thats y i think they are yute team  coaches and senior team coaches. two totally different jobs in my book.

so cool beans u really think it have one anton corneal in the world?

even the dread Siir alex knows when to be cold blooded and when to be warm blooded and mind u he has burnt a few players but those are BIG MEN

[Coop's]

There is really three sides to a storey,after reading this article i understand and feel for Anton,i'm not here to agree or disagree with wheather what he did or say was right or wrong,i'm just judgeing him on his position as Coach of this team.

I've dealt with and still do kids today through my career as a Coach and i can tell you it's a very tough job,i don't have the time and energy to go into any details at this point in time,when i look at the high schools i've worked with,national U16 and U19 teams and at present directs a club with 1,500 kids etc etc i can tell you the biggest pain in the butt in Youth Soccer is parents,what has me puzzled though is why has these parents never slam Corneal in the past,it's the same person coaching these players for the past couple years,the same shyt he did then is what he is doing now,the difference is that he failed miserable this time and has to take the blame for it.

I agree with Cool Beans, he eh tell the Youths nothing wrong because we don't know the context in which those things were said,i'm sure they had meetings before and those same things were said to these Youths but is Youths you dealing with,if you are not like a father to these Youths you going to loose it,big men is the same thing you can't afford to loose control else you in trouble,i see where Latas bringing in someone to help handle the discipline of the senior team,that's a major problem for any Coach,i've always spoken about the starboy mentality of T&T Football,a player's name only have to call once and it goes to their heads it's starts with College ball,notice something is our overseas players running our senior team, no Coach we bring have a chance because if they don't like you you get no respect and players just do their own thing,it's the reason we have problems playing as a unit,guys can't gel,if players don't get selected or called they all up in the newspapers etc etc   

[asylumseeker]

That Ipod scene is ah borderless issue. I can see that being problematic.

[Quags]

So you mean Corneal and staff did nothing wrong ?
Cause thats what he saying .Fenwick wrong the parents wrong the players wrong ,but his record speaks for its self .
Hell even the ipods wrong ,btw why did he not ban them before they left trini ? ,and only after the Merxico game ?
Before that game every thing was in order ,the team was ready .90 mins later after they get slaughtered .Is Britto and Shannon fault.
Well cool beans say that was just a tough love pep talk .........well it didnt work . Cause they get slammed in the other 2 games . A pep talk suppose to rally the troops and light a fire under  them if done properly , not demoralize them .
This Corneal and Mc Comee feel they are without any faults ,I think there wrong .

PS  Watch now how Alvin ,go come out with his Article now ,talking about the youths of today .I think they come with this PR stunt to deflect from there terrible showing . What they call it in politics, damage control .

[WestCoast]

well the tail cannot wag the dog
the Coaches HAVE to establish limits/boundaries for the team BEFORE setting out and dont come LATER and say that "This, that and the other is why we failed"
TTFF do the right thing

Always 3 sides to a story.
Botom line Anton my friend is results, coaching the U17's might be a difficult job because they are young teenagers and require a different type of personal engagement to mature them quicklyfor a tournament against the best in the region.
Bertille and Gally are personable gentlemen and know how to interact with kids and get the best out of them without de-crying them.
You must take the full weight of the results on your shoulders and not pass it on the boys after all you are the leader and it actually does worse for your cause to pass blame. I would never hire a CEO or MD again if after a project fails he blames every factory worker or pipe fitter.

Would have been better to say the opposition was too good and you as coach need to analyse what went wrong and what was good and come with a better program for the team.

well said Fishs

[Sam]

The man who could never get fired. And if he do he will be moved to a different position, maybe the under 15 team.

Both him and Michael McComie have a voodoo doll of Jack Warner in they bedrooms.

Imagine a coach took his team after preparing with teams like Brazil to Mexico and collect 13 goals and scored NONE, came dead last in de tournament while it lasted and not taking any blame.

The team played with no organization, no flow and look lost on the field. Wonder who picked the players, who pick the team formation, who makes the changes/subs, who picks the starting line up, who prepare the team, who train the team, who motivate the players... etc etc... who .....I guess Anton shouldn't take blame for that, is de players fault...

As for Michael McComie, he is another droop, he does do all kinda madness.

A bad combination here, two thick heads.

I taught Anton was the technical Director for ALL youth teams, how could he say when he took over Guadeloupe Under-14 beat we.....     he should have been there already...

But Anton right about ONE thing, if de Ipod is priority did he dam well right to cuss they ass.... I know how them youths is now a days, they head gone not to mention de type of music they listen to..

Praying should be your motivator ......not 2-pac.....

[davidephraim]

My problem is why Fenwick cya criticise him. Anton is ah ass and his coaching stats suggest that he cya coach either. Let me not be so emotional...I was there in Korea.  de Team didn't look that bad so he cant be an all out shit coach but to deflect de blame to de youths is childish. Alex woulda pull all de probs on himself and tell his team to get him out of de hole.

[maxg]

Irresponsible reporting. that could stay on a forum, or even questioned directly between parties involved....but to be reported as if is the gospel...No sah, rag paper stuff
Parents and Fans alike cannot question the methods of any coach, either support him or not, remove him or not. but everyone methods different..in the most humblest of scenarios, one or few truant individuals - not necessarily bad boys, jus miserable dat day, could always quote some negative statement the coach made to them, and next thing, is the man method to waste down youths..juss yesterday, as reported to my wife from my daughter(a saint by all other parents) about an incident we had "I cuss her up and 2 strangers too".  Ah long story, but doh an incident occured, not as 1st reported, the one stranger, and she (later) apologized to me, yet the story was already sent.    Sorry parents ah not buying it, very few chirren are saints, ah personally don't know none...As Coops correctly alluded, a lot of minor details involved pre/interim/post facets of the game and in parents situ they are mostly reactive, cause they looking out for 1 or 3. where as the 2/3 coaches have to lookout for a few hundred...Yet I do understand the difficulty for the parent (as one a few times), they can't act like the 3 monkeys, see no evil etc..but the true test is controlling or determining the response, "is meh child for god sake", I over 50 and to this day, if ah had a bad game, meh mom saying cause ah playin with ah sh%$ team.....What is ah parent to do ?  What is support ? Honestly, I don't have the answer, I have been in situation a few times, and I told my kids, well yuh would just have to show him "yuh is ah star den". As an ex-coach of young men, if they acted like stars, I went along with it,(as long as they did not diss any other players", and reminded everyone that much were expected of them, as they were already at such a high level"..Worked for me, but don't mean it would work in Paris or POS.there is rarely a correct plater for an issue everywhere...so what works, I feel, support yuh child and pick them up, and for them if yuh want - doh spoil dem doh, buh to publicly stone the coach, who they may probably be working with for the next few years, then dont expect positive results all around then, as to much damage would have been done to all parties involved...

ps: fish, BsC was one of the most Caustic coaches I have ever observed (only 1 session) in my life. I never read he was personable at all. doh his results we good, and I never hear parents complain, or read a REPORT about such..so maybe what I observed was or was not true, I not puttin in the news who he really is.

[Richard G.]

From what I could tell there are about 5 sides to this story.

(1) I think the parents should bite their tongue and say nothing. It's not their place to say anything about the Coaches' tactics since the technical staff got them, and worked with them from nothing to where they ended.

(2) The 7-0 beatdown to Mexico can be attributed to many issues, one being the technical savy of the opposition compared to their opponents. Those players live, breathe, eat and sleep football. I can guarantee most of our players believe being on the National team is 'big time'. They should ask Latapy, Yorke and Hislop what big time is.

(3) The Ipod thing can be/has become an issue for many coaches. It's a hell of ah ting when you're trying to get players to focus and their main focus is the music on a device they cannot take with them on the pitch. Many players use music as an excuse to 'show off' their electronics. At 15 and 16 years old, sometimes, the coach knows what is better for you than YOU, the player.

(4) Let's not kid ourselves. If the technical abilities and tactical knowledge of our players are below that of Mexico, US and Costa Rica, should we really expect our coaches to be any closer to coaches in those countries? I'm not knocking Mr. Anton Corneal, but let's not kid ourselves. T&T coaches are working uphill as much as are the players they're trying to get up to standard for a tournaments like these.

(5) The Coach has every right to call out 'big trialists' because they figure they've done something to earn the respect of the players and fans around them. YOU'VE EARNED NOTHING.  Mr. Anton Corneal has every right to call them out. It's this Pri-Madonna rubbish that has plagued our football for years. A good tongue lashing is what young people need every once in a while. Dey growin up to be big, hard back man. Let de real world hit dem like ah ton ah brick, then have dem get up, dust themselves off and go again. Life's lessons not meant to be a bed ah roses all de time yuh know.

Ah gone
Bless
Richard G.

[davidephraim]

From what I could tell there are about 5 sides to this story.

(1) I think the parents should bite their tongue and say nothing. It's not their place to say anything about the Coaches' tactics since the technical staff got them, and worked with them from nothing to where they ended.

(2) The 7-0 beatdown to Mexico can be attributed to many issues, one being the technical savy of the opposition compared to their opponents. Those players live, breathe, eat and sleep football. I can guarantee most of our players believe being on the National team is 'big time'. They should ask Latapy, Yorke and Hislop what big time is.

(3) The Ipod thing can be/has become an issue for many coaches. It's a hell of ah ting when you're trying to get players to focus and their main focus is the music on a device they cannot take with them on the pitch. Many players use music as an excuse to 'show off' their electronics. At 15 and 16 years old, sometimes, the coach knows what is better for you than YOU, the player.

(4) Let's not kid ourselves. If the technical abilities and tactical knowledge of our players are below that of Mexico, US and Costa Rica, should we really expect our coaches to be any closer to coaches in those countries? I'm not knocking Mr. Anton Corneal, but let's not kid ourselves. T&T coaches are working uphill as much as are the players they're trying to get up to standard for a tournaments like these.

(5) The Coach has every right to call out 'big trialists' because they figure they've done something to earn the respect of the players and fans around them. YOU'VE EARNED NOTHING.  Mr. Anton Corneal has every right to call them out. It's this Pri-Madonna rubbish that has plagued our football for years. A good tongue lashing is what young people need every once in a while. Dey growin up to be big, hard back man. Let de real world hit dem like ah ton ah brick, then have dem get up, dust themselves off and go again. Life's lessons not meant to be a bed ah roses all de time yuh know.

Ah gone
Bless
Richard G.

well Richard, your 5 sides seem a one sided story. You completely kept Anton out of de mix. Yuh blame de parents, de Ipod, De players, De tnt Primadonna attitude  what about the "I am de coach and cant do no wrong attitude? How come you left that one out. Can Anton do no wrong? A serious question and if so did he do any wrong in this case and if so did he highlight it as he made sure to highlight all de other wrongs you so rightfully mentioned? 

[Socafan]

The difference between THIS U17 team and the LAST U17 team (which is the current U20), IS THE ATTITUDE OF THE PLAYERS. You could see the psyche of the last team in their aggression, attitude, purpose, even when fight start is all man running in to be involved. Frankly a very untrini like PURPOSEFUL TEAM attitude.

Those 3 parents need to check their whining "kids", and tell them to leave that primadonna attitide at home. They supporting failure.

[Richard G.]

From what I could tell there are about 5 sides to this story.

(1) I think the parents should bite their tongue and say nothing. It's not their place to say anything about the Coaches' tactics since the technical staff got them, and worked with them from nothing to where they ended.

(2) The 7-0 beatdown to Mexico can be attributed to many issues, one being the technical savy of the opposition compared to their opponents. Those players live, breathe, eat and sleep football. I can guarantee most of our players believe being on the National team is 'big time'. They should ask Latapy, Yorke and Hislop what big time is.

(3) The Ipod thing can be/has become an issue for many coaches. It's a hell of ah ting when you're trying to get players to focus and their main focus is the music on a device they cannot take with them on the pitch. Many players use music as an excuse to 'show off' their electronics. At 15 and 16 years old, sometimes, the coach knows what is better for you than YOU, the player.

(4) Let's not kid ourselves. If the technical abilities and tactical knowledge of our players are below that of Mexico, US and Costa Rica, should we really expect our coaches to be any closer to coaches in those countries? I'm not knocking Mr. Anton Corneal, but let's not kid ourselves. T&T coaches are working uphill as much as are the players they're trying to get up to standard for a tournaments like these.

(5) The Coach has every right to call out 'big trialists' because they figure they've done something to earn the respect of the players and fans around them. YOU'VE EARNED NOTHING.  Mr. Anton Corneal has every right to call them out. It's this Pri-Madonna rubbish that has plagued our football for years. A good tongue lashing is what young people need every once in a while. Dey growin up to be big, hard back man. Let de real world hit dem like ah ton ah brick, then have dem get up, dust themselves off and go again. Life's lessons not meant to be a bed ah roses all de time yuh know.

Ah gone
Bless
Richard G.

well Richard, your 5 sides seem a one sided story. You completely kept Anton out of de mix. Yuh blame de parents, de Ipod, De players, De tnt Primadonna attitude  what about the "I am de coach and cant do no wrong attitude? How come you left that one out. Can Anton do no wrong? A serious question and if so did he do any wrong in this case and if so did he highlight it as he made sure to highlight all de other wrongs you so rightfully mentioned? 

Oh I'm sure Mr. Corneal should take some responsibility. If he doesn't then he's lying to himself and everyone around him. My take is looking at the entire situation from a coach's standpoint. While every region of the world is different, young players tend to have the same mentality. There's a lot of learning that has to take place and this idea of "I know it all" tends to rear its ugly head during these times.

As for Mr. Corneal, what I know of him is the one time I actually played under his supervision, and that was during the 2002 Olympic qualifying tournament in T&T (took place in 2000 I believe). We blew the tournament and I dare say it was because of costly player errors AND coaching. BTW we ended that tournament 1-1-1, W-D-L all in that order.

I didn't have a problem with him then and I don't know him well enough to voice an opinion on him. What I can say is that our standard of coaches MUST improve as the standard of PLAYERS in all facets of the game. It cannot just be one-sided and incredibly biased. We have no clue what he has said or have done. We have hear-say, just like the news report which BTW is incredibly shallow and unprefessional. But since I've been on both sides of the equation especially now as a coach, I have an opportunity to disect information presented to me, knowing fully well there are two sides to a story.


My post was never meant to completely ignore the failings of Mr. Anton Corneal so kindly don't take it to mean such.

Blessings
Richard G.

[fishs]

 Everybody missing the point.
Corneal should not be so petty that he have to talk about examples of indiscipline like ipods etc, leave that for yuh tourny report to TTFF.
If the parents want to come out an say the boys get buff then that is expected because none of them will ever say their son behave badly and deserved the buff.

The thing is the coach cannot absolve himself from the results, it is inconcievable to me that he has not said what was wrong with the team on the field.
Were the other teams fitter ?
Does our defence need bolstering ?
Was the goalkeeper trained sufficiently ?
Did they suffer from acclimatisation?
Was the stage too big for them?
He could have even said the quality he had just could not match the opposition in terms of all of the above and that more work needs to be done with the kids to bring them to that standard because the quality is raw and needs to be disciplined.
Football talk .

[maxg]

 Everybody missing the point.
Corneal should not be so petty that he have to talk about examples of indiscipline like ipods etc, leave that for yuh tourny report to TTFF.
If the parents want to come out an say the boys get buff then that is expected because none of them will ever say their son behave badly and deserved the buff.

The thing is the coach cannot absolve himself from the results, it is inconcievable to me that he has not said what was wrong with the team on the field.
Were the other teams fitter ?
Does our defence need bolstering ?
Was the goalkeeper trained sufficiently ?
Did they suffer from acclimatisation?
Was the stage too big for them?
He could have even said the quality he had just could not match the opposition in terms of all of the above and that more work needs to be done with the kids to bring them to that standard because the quality is raw and needs to be disciplined.
Football talk .

totally agree, and he went and foolishly open the door with his in the papers "players attitude" comment (properly cross-examined in that thread), yet going with the 2 wrongs don't make a right concept, I think most of the comments here, reflecting this post...doh I also agree, it quite difficult to comment on one inspite/without regard to the other...

[Quags]

The Corneals are teflon and really good at not getting in trouble ,they good they good

[najee]

LOOK... CORNMEAL  SUCK IN GENERAL...END OF STORY..YET HE STILL RUNING THE YOUTH PROGRAMM.....

[elan]

Players' parents slam Corneal.
By: Lasana Liburd (T&T Express).

T&T U-17 coach defends competence


Corneal insisted that he wants the Under-17 players to continue to learn and hoped to work with most of them in the future. But, if they do meet again, he made it clear that it is the players and not the coaches who would have to change.

All the talk alyuh talking this show how Corneal and them eh know what the hell they doing. That statement speak volumes. I not on about who get buff and who eh get buff, but coaching itself. Corneal and them is only poser coaches.

That last statement expose how Corneal and them eh have a clue.

[sub1]

The difference between THIS U17 team and the LAST U17 team (which is the current U20), IS THE ATTITUDE OF THE PLAYERS. You could see the psyche of the last team in their aggression, attitude, purpose, even when fight start is all man running in to be involved. Frankly a very untrini like PURPOSEFUL TEAM attitude.

Those 3 .arents need to check their whining "kids", and tell them to leave that primadonna attitide at home. They supporting failure.

Wrong again socafan. The difference is one Wim Rijsbergen. Anton has been exposed and found wanting like so many of our local coaches. Is it hard to admit that the standard of our coaching is piss poor. Listen I played colleges and nfl ball at home and am yet  to comeacross a good " coach". There is a reason for that. Standards are not set in T&T and most everything is not taken seriously. Look at the list of local coaches that were appointed over the years and you would see that a national appt is so worthless that it would only impress outsiders on anyone's resume. Trinbagonians would laugh you away if you come to them with a national appt on your resume. at least Trinbagonians in the know

[weary1969]

My problem is why Fenwick cya criticise him. Anton is ah ass and his coaching stats suggest that he cya coach either. Let me not be so emotional...I was there in Korea.  de Team didn't look that bad so he cant be an all out shit coach but to deflect de blame to de youths is childish. Alex woulda pull all de probs on himself and tell his team to get him out of de hole.

Let meh cosign u 1st line. Fenick in my book is a thug but a thug who bout 10 players he coach was on dat squad. So Anton I know Alvin is a goat I suspected dat u were a goat thanks 4 d confirmation.

[weary1969]

Players' parents slam Corneal.
By: Lasana Liburd (T&T Express).

T&T U-17 coach defends competence


Corneal insisted that he wants the Under-17 players to continue to learn and hoped to work with most of them in the future. But, if they do meet again, he made it clear that it is the players and not the coaches who would have to change.

All the talk alyuh talking this show how Corneal and them eh know what the hell they doing. That statement speak volumes. I not on about who get buff and who eh get buff, but coaching itself. Corneal and them is only poser coaches.

That last statement expose how Corneal and them eh have a clue.

Cosign x10. All d problems was d yutes and dem.

[weary1969]

That Ipod scene is ah borderless issue. I can see that being problematic.

Unless d buy d Ipod in duty free on d way 2 Mexico y was it not addressed. Simple what 2 bring and not bring list would have dealt wit dat.

[weary1969]

The difference between THIS U17 team and the LAST U17 team (which is the current U20), IS THE ATTITUDE OF THE PLAYERS. You could see the psyche of the last team in their aggression, attitude, purpose, even when fight start is all man running in to be involved. Frankly a very untrini like PURPOSEFUL TEAM attitude.

Those 3 .arents need to check their whining "kids", and tell them to leave that primadonna attitide at home. They supporting failure.

Wrong again socafan. The difference is one Wim Rijsbergen. Anton has been exposed and found wanting like so many of our local coaches. Is it hard to admit that the standard of our coaching is piss poor. Listen I played colleges and nfl ball at home and am yet  to comeacross a good " coach". There is a reason for that. Standards are not set in T&T and most everything is not taken seriously. Look at the list of local coaches that were appointed over the years and you would see that a national appt is so worthless that it would only impress outsiders on anyone's resume. Trinbagonians would laugh you away if you come to them with a national appt on your resume. at least Trinbagonians in the know

Cosign u 1st line. imagine d Special Advisor did say dat d players did fraid Wim we never get no confirmation but 3 parents confirm 4 me dat Anoton like he fadder is a GOATTTTTTTTT

[sub1]

My problem is why Fenwick cya criticise him. Anton is ah ass and his coaching stats suggest that he cya coach either. Let me not be so emotional...I was there in Korea.  de Team didn't look that bad so he cant be an all out shit coach but to deflect de blame to de youths is childish. Alex woulda pull all de probs on himself and tell his team to get him out of de hole.

Let meh cosign u 1st line. Fenick in my book is a thug but a thug who bout 10 players he coach was on dat squad. So Anton I know Alvin is a goat I suspected dat u were a goat thanks 4 d confirmation.

You keep repeating that nonsense care to explain. I consider you to be a bigger thug than Fenwick but i never repeat that. And I have the evidence right here. Where is your evidence besides listening to what people say. And people who have achieved nothing in life. I would like to hear your definition of a thug and how that applies to Fenwick.

[weary1969]

My problem is why Fenwick cya criticise him. Anton is ah ass and his coaching stats suggest that he cya coach either. Let me not be so emotional...I was there in Korea.  de Team didn't look that bad so he cant be an all out shit coach but to deflect de blame to de youths is childish. Alex woulda pull all de probs on himself and tell his team to get him out of de hole.

Let meh cosign u 1st line. Fenick in my book is a thug but a thug who bout 10 players he coach was on dat squad. So Anton I know Alvin is a goat I suspected dat u were a goat thanks 4 d confirmation.

You keep repeating that nonsense care to explain. I consider you to be a bigger thug than Fenwick but i never repeat that. And I have the evidence right here. Where is your evidence besides listening to what people say. And people who have achieved nothing in life. I would like to hear your definition of a thug and how that applies to Fenwick.

In addition 2 his antics dat Anton spoke about HE HAS NO BEHAVIOUR AND THIS IS DESPITE HIS RECORD. According to d oxford dictionary a thug is defined as a violent and uncouth man, especially a criminal. So with your xray vision in d US and c how Fenick does behave.