Forumites,
I had a little time to kill so for nostalgia sake I say lemme go and rekindle some memories and see what Fatima vs St. Marys had to offer.
Lemme tell alyuh something...what was on display and nuttin is the same ting.. which translates to the under 17 getting cutarse which further...moves to under 20...which goes onto Pro League and finally by extension the senior side.
I really feeling like an old man as I type this....but Intercol football wasn't so in my time.
In my time there was a pep rally...school assembly and then the whole school used to march down to the stadium in unison. School overs early.
We used to have t-shirts with the squad on it. All kinda print screen ting. Every man wearing a fatima kit or colours, people had headband, face paint up...we had flags, we had banners, we had steel pan, riddim section, iron and tassa side, we used to have fight too...but good longtime hand fight with big stone and bottle...and we had GIRLS...we had supporters...convent, providence, holy name, bishops. Them girls were dey in the riddim section, walking up and down like they wukking taxi, they screaming and bawling and we had chants and ting.
Also stadium used to be RAM out...we were in grounds...trying to setup on the space above the tunnel when the team walked out.
Boy yesterday I just couldn't believe what intercol come to.
Imagine big double header...with the big 4 colleges in North Zone...is QRC, St. Anthonys, Fatima and CIC and about 2000 people if so much in covered stands.
Car park empty...nobody around, no vibes, no atmosphere NUTTIN.
Imagine QRC playing a intercol semi final...no flag...no riddim section, no horn , no brass..no drum...NUTTIN.
It wasnt the same not hearing...da .da dah dah da da da da da daaaahhhhhh...trumpet blare from QRC.
St Anthonys didnt have no kinda vibes nuttin...and again...NO Girls for them small men to check.
Watch meh...there was no line to get into the stadium...ONE turnstile in operation and is $30 to get in.
Place dead it quiet...and is just like students nowadays lacking something.
Also too the demographic...long time form 1-2-3 was mandatory you attend yuh school games...now its mainly the older students.
You not seeing the vocal parents encouraging their sons...you not seeing the teachers and deans in the stands keeping a eye out.
Boy it was a shame...a damn shame...penalty kicks come and gone and no kinda big hurrah...the stadium screen not on...no kinda security or police of note as students all over the track and field with no kinda order.
Imagine half time in the fatima vs cic game students playing small goal on the field and children running wild on the track.
In my day it was dem big tactical police with baton hitting man level blows if they only climb the fence...and if yuh manage to climb it...he sending down in the trench around the track with blows too.
So now on the Fatima vs CIC game....no riddim section...both schools assemble on their respective sides on the bottom part of covered stands......NO GIRLS.
Not a parent, big sister or cousin to gape at....only a setta youths with mohawk, smedium jersey with a skull and wings print and they wearing a setta woman pedal pushers tight tight ketching them round they knee.
I cyar understand how looking like a bullerman is style.
Anyhow...besides the final score...CIC did better than Fatima in the cheering and riddim section. They had they lil arazmatataz chant going. They had one broken small drum, one cowbell, two out of time precussionists, one flag and college pride.
Fatima...I ent know what to say, game start and men ent assemble good yet...some scrambling tru the gate.
No flag, no yellow and blue, no riddim section, no noise, no chant besides a jokey ole ole...and yes it hurts to type this....NO GIRLS.
The action on the field was poor as well......imagine a intercol semi-final and I only see 7 beat...7...whole game. 5 from Fatima and 2 from CIC....and the CIC beat was dreader.
A number 10# hit a man a spanner on the line infront the bench...and loss the ball after and another man hit a Fatima player a roly-poly in the middle and had the man on the ground.
Other than that is some jokey cut back and lucky pull back crowd going orf on...I mean dem fellas like they forget how to beat.
The game lack excitment...no kinda near misses or finishes, no kinda spark, no running, no urgency and all the players were BUN by 30 min in the first half.
It might be unfair to the lil fellas who were on the field yesterday...but them fellas couldn't of make a class league PE side in my time in Fatima far less a first XI...maybe on a good day, they could be a sub for midday league in the quadrangle.
It is just so sad how youngsters these days do not have the opportunity to experience SSFL how it used to be....shit I sounding real old.
The best part of yesterdays proceedings were the penalty kicks....perfectly executed and you could see the technique and training from both teams. Congrats to CIC...outplayed in the 2nd half by Fatima but goals win games.
Forumites, I feel football dead in TT. The evidence is all around us and I ent think it will revive anytime soon.
Hold fast to all your favourite football memories...cause yuh ent getting any more in a hurry.
