TTFA set to change direction of senior women's program.

[King Deese]

This is not what a professional organization looks like. First, you tried two head coaches to coach a team of soccer players. They were outplayed by a Belizean football team. That didn't work. Second, you bring in one head coach to coach a soccer team that doesn't exist right now. They are doing absolutely nothing right now. Now, you are trying a new thing that you say is going "fine". A part time coach. And to make matters even more jokier. He is coaching half of the team. To do what? To go to a tournament where all the teams in that tournament have full time coaches who happen to take their jobs seriously to embarrass them? When is this bullshit going to stop?

[Football supporter]

This is not what a professional organization looks like. First, you tried two head coaches to coach a team of soccer players. They were outplayed by a Belizean football team. That didn't work. Second, you bring in one head coach to coach a soccer team that doesn't exist right now. They are doing absolutely nothing right now. Now, you are trying a new thing that you say is going "fine". A part time coach. And to make matters even more jokier. He is coaching half of the team. To do what? To go to a tournament where all the teams in that tournament have full time coaches who happen to take their jobs seriously to embarrass them? When is this bullshit going to stop?

While your summation is fairly accurate, the point is, what is the solution?
We can all criticize, but there comes a point when we have to understand the TTFA position and give support.
How can we do the things that you want with no money?
Lord, half the staff working for love as it is.
It's clear that people holding the purse strings are not letting go quick enough.
FIFA money will come through, marketing plans in place.
THEN we can criticize if the plans don't work or the money is not spent wisely.

At the moment TTFA are trying to continue the best they can. If we just keep kicking these guys they will leave, and then what will we have? Who would replace them...the desperate and discarded?

[elan]

This is not what a professional organization looks like. First, you tried two head coaches to coach a team of soccer players. They were outplayed by a Belizean football team. That didn't work. Second, you bring in one head coach to coach a soccer team that doesn't exist right now. They are doing absolutely nothing right now. Now, you are trying a new thing that you say is going "fine". A part time coach. And to make matters even more jokier. He is coaching half of the team. To do what? To go to a tournament where all the teams in that tournament have full time coaches who happen to take their jobs seriously to embarrass them? When is this bullshit going to stop?

While your summation is fairly accurate, the point is, what is the solution?
We can all criticize, but there comes a point when we have to understand the TTFA position and give support.
How can we do the things that you want with no money?
Lord, half the staff working for love as it is.
It's clear that people holding the purse strings are not letting go quick enough.
FIFA money will come through, marketing plans in place.
THEN we can criticize if the plans don't work or the money is not spent wisely.

At the moment TTFA are trying to continue the best they can. If we just keep kicking these guys they will leave, and then what will we have? Who would replace them...the desperate and discarded?

Would the USA accept and understand this?

Would England understand and accept this?

Would Mexico Understand and accept this?

Would Canada understand and accept this?

Would Jamaica understand and accept this?

What is there to support? That they trying? How long will you blame people who are not directly in charge of T&T football, yet understand and give the people who are directly in-charge a pass? How does that work?

Everyone who took up a position with the TTFA knew fully well what they were walking into, so to now say the private companies are not supporting football is  .

Everyone knows that the government cannot be depended on to disburse money, so to say the government sticking shows the current TTFA not serious and is bereft of ideas to generate funds to adequately and professionally run T&T football.

[Football supporter]

This is not what a professional organization looks like. First, you tried two head coaches to coach a team of soccer players. They were outplayed by a Belizean football team. That didn't work. Second, you bring in one head coach to coach a soccer team that doesn't exist right now. They are doing absolutely nothing right now. Now, you are trying a new thing that you say is going "fine". A part time coach. And to make matters even more jokier. He is coaching half of the team. To do what? To go to a tournament where all the teams in that tournament have full time coaches who happen to take their jobs seriously to embarrass them? When is this bullshit going to stop?

While your summation is fairly accurate, the point is, what is the solution?
We can all criticize, but there comes a point when we have to understand the TTFA position and give support.
How can we do the things that you want with no money?
Lord, half the staff working for love as it is.
It's clear that people holding the purse strings are not letting go quick enough.
FIFA money will come through, marketing plans in place.
THEN we can criticize if the plans don't work or the money is not spent wisely.

At the moment TTFA are trying to continue the best they can. If we just keep kicking these guys they will leave, and then what will we have? Who would replace them...the desperate and discarded?

Would the USA accept and understand this?

Would England understand and accept this?

Would Mexico Understand and accept this?

Would Canada understand and accept this?

Would Jamaica understand and accept this?

What is there to support? That they trying? How long will you blame people who are not directly in charge of T&T football, yet understand and give the people who are directly in-charge a pass? How does that work?

Everyone who took up a position with the TTFA knew fully well what they were walking into, so to now say the private companies are not supporting football is  .

Everyone knows that the government cannot be depended on to disburse money, so to say the government sticking shows the current TTFA not serious and is bereft of ideas to generate funds to adequately and professionally run T&T football.

Elan, nobody is suggesting this is a good situation. But if you were Sheldon Phillips, where would you get the money from? Of course he knew it would be difficult when he took the job. But somewhere along the way, he has to trust the govt for funding, otherwise he could not even get past the planning stage. Then you would accuse him of doing nothing at all.

A new TTFA regime came in and hoped that corporate T&T would turn around and respect them. It hasn't happened yet, but they have to keep trying.

Phillips has tried to be creative with limited resources and he's been let down. But if we continue to stone him he will, eventually, walk away. Then what? There is a big difference between allowing things like LifeSport to go unpunished and giving some leeway to TTFA who are trying to move forwards while the ghost of TTFF is dragging along behind them.
I still believe that they should go after Jack for their money, but apparently that's not possible either, so what can they do?

[AB.Trini]

Yeah it all fine and good until St kitts Guyana Turks and Caicos pound we arse.  Then we go see how good the PLAN is .POOR PLANNING and PREPARATION = POOR PERFORMANCE

Simple fact of life lessons from growing up- before uh go for the bull yuh have tuh make sure  yuh have all the right preparation and tactics of  making the big SNATCH lol

[Flex]

Women footballers struggles continue.
By Ian Prescott (Express).

THE struggle of women's football to gain equality in Trinidad and Tobago is never more evident that the current plight of the T&T women's national team which is generally considered as having its best ever chance of qualifying for a FIFA Women's World Cup.

But with World Cup qualifying set to begin in three weeks, preparation is less than ideal. Half the team is in a Houston camp under the guidance of recently-appointed American head-coach Randy Waldrum, while the other half is stranded here, because the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) at one point did not even have enough money to pay for tickets or even visa applications.

Among the players still in Trinidad are sisters Kamika and Karen Forbes, Anique Walker, the Debesette twins (Khadidra & Khadisha), Rhea Belgrave, Patrice Campbell and Natasha St Louis. National assistant coach Marlon Charles is hoping that some of the players would leave today. But, he is only hoping.

"It not the ideal situation any team will like to have and I not too happy with the situation right now. It is a situation that is not really suitable for a tournament that is coming. But we have no control over it. We have to deal with it," Charles stated.

"We still have about ten days, which is a good preseason."

Apart from Government, the staff and the players themselves, it seems the only one backing the team is former USA Under-23 coach Waldrum, who is offering his service free of charge, in a bid to qualify the Caribbean team for its first Women's World Cup. Not a single sponsor has come forward.

Not that its anything new to the under funded women's team which often goes into World Cup qualifying without international warm-up matches. "This group has never gotten what it deserved," Charles said of the national team. "But this group will fight. When it comes to a competition setting they will battle on."
 
A month ago, the TTFA announced plans to get T&T to the World Cup in 2015. Waldrum was hired and a one-month camp in Houston, Texas, was announced. They were to play the Mexican national team twice before going into competition.

"It is believed by many in the CONCACAF region that the present women's national team is facing its most promising chance to qualify for the Women's World Cup, which will be held in Canada in August 2015," the TTFA said in a release, when announcing the recruitment of American Randy Waldrum to head the women's programme a month ago.

It added: "Earlier this month, the TTFA unveiled plans to send the team to a residential training camp in Houston, Texas for one month in preparation for the upcoming CFU Championship, which the TTFA will host from August 16-27.

This move will mark the first time in TTFA history such an investment is being made in the Senior Women’s programme."

Big plans indeed. But once funding was delivered late by its lone beneficiary, Government, plans by the almost bankrupt TTFA fell flat. The camp was cut almost in half, with the first group of players leaving just over a week ago. Once the first group left , the other stopped training in anticipation of leaving close behind.

"I might start to do training again with the group that here. The reason we stopped training is because the group was supposed to be going out, " Charles added. "The girls had been doing their fitness work, but we had not been training as a group."

Following the Houston camp, Trinidad and Tobago hosts the Caribbean Football Union Championship from August 19-26 which doubles as World Cup qualifying. The top four teams will qualify for the CONCACAF Championship taking place in the US between October 16-26 where three automatic qualifying spots and a play-off berth for the 2015 Women’s World Cup will be up for grabs.

Trinidad and Tobago’s chances of qualifying out of the CFU Championship is good having been drawn in a relatively easy group consisting of Antigua and Barbuda, Martinique and St Kitts & Nevis. But the Soca Princesses need financial and other help to come their way before taking a spot in the field next year in Canada.

[SWF Reporter]

For me, having half your team in Houston and half in Trinidad is not a financial issue. It is a managerial issue.
Somewhere along the line, someone made a bizarre decision.
A man who cannot handle $5,000 cannot handle $5 million in my opinion.
If the present TTFA executive survives long enough to get its hand on some serious dough, I fear I will be proven right on that score.
There comes a point when everyone has to consider that: maybe i have not been struggling because everyone else is an idiot; maybe I should look at myself.
I'm still waiting for that eureka moment from certain hotshot football execs.

So, they don't have money to pay for Visa but they have money to send them to Houston.

Real good planing.

Ent Sheldon say all de US base getting call up?

So why they did not call them to the US camp.

Lauren Schmidt, Jonelle Warrick, Liana Hinds, Kayla Taylor, Jessica DeLeon and Victoria Swift should be there.

[Bakes]

For me, having half your team in Houston and half in Trinidad is not a financial issue. It is a managerial issue.
Somewhere along the line, someone made a bizarre decision.
A man who cannot handle $5,000 cannot handle $5 million in my opinion.
If the present TTFA executive survives long enough to get its hand on some serious dough, I fear I will be proven right on that score.
There comes a point when everyone has to consider that: maybe i have not been struggling because everyone else is an idiot; maybe I should look at myself.
I'm still waiting for that eureka moment from certain hotshot football execs.

You on shit.  You just looking for every perceived opportunity to throw stones and cast aspersions.

Waldron is the coach and HE is the one who made the decision to hold the camp in Houston.  He has only been on board since the first week of July, which naturally implies that the decision to hold the camp in Houston was made after he was hired.  It therefore stands to reason that the Administration had to scramble last-minute to find funds over the course of the past month (since the decision to move camp to Houston was made).  They have been able to find only enough money to fund the visas and tickets for 'half' the team.  This reflects exigency, not poor management as you spuriously claim. 

The only real question revolves around the decision to host the camp in Houston, and that is a fair question.  Considering the fact that Waldrum is coaching the team for free, it would make sense that "free" came at a cost, that likely being his preference to have the team come to him (in Houston) rather than disrupt the rest of his life, say nothing of his day (and paying) job coaching of the Houston Dash.  So the proper questions then would be:

1) "Given the disjointed nature of preparations and funding issues, was/is it worthwhile to hire Waldrum?"; or alternatively

2) "Given the opportunity to hire a proven winner in Waldrum, was/is it worthwhile to accede to his terms and move camp to Houston, with the hope and prayer that eventually the entire squad will be united in training before the tournament begins?"

Hard decision either way and neither of which choice is per se unreasonable.

[Tiresais]

Rather than being the TTFA's fault in entirety, I thought this situation was caused by, yet again, late payment by the government?

[elan]

Rather than being the TTFA's fault in entirety, I thought this situation was caused by, yet again, late payment by the government?

You cannot ask the government for money a month in advanced. By now the TTFA knows this. When working with the governement you need to see the check before finalizing plans.

[Bakes]

You cannot ask the government for money a month in advanced. By now the TTFA knows this. When working with the governement you need to see the check before finalizing plans.

Is it really that hard for you and Lasana to say something positive about the TTFA?  Bottom line is that there was no advance plan in place to hold the camp in Houston.  This was done by the newly-hired coach.  They are doing the best they can to manage the situation as it's been unfolding.  The players apparently recognize and appreciate the steps that are being taken forward, what's so hard for you to do the same?

[elan]

For me, having half your team in Houston and half in Trinidad is not a financial issue. It is a managerial issue.
Somewhere along the line, someone made a bizarre decision.
A man who cannot handle $5,000 cannot handle $5 million in my opinion.
If the present TTFA executive survives long enough to get its hand on some serious dough, I fear I will be proven right on that score.
There comes a point when everyone has to consider that: maybe i have not been struggling because everyone else is an idiot; maybe I should look at myself.
I'm still waiting for that eureka moment from certain hotshot football execs.

You on shit.  You just looking for every perceived opportunity to throw stones and cast aspersions.

Waldron is the coach and HE is the one who made the decision to hold the camp in Houston.  He has only been on board since the first week of July, which naturally implies that the decision to hold the camp in Houston was made after he was hired.  It therefore stands to reason that the Administration had to scramble last-minute to find funds over the course of the past month (since the decision to move camp to Houston was made).  They have been able to find only enough money to fund the visas and tickets for 'half' the team.  This reflects exigency, not poor management as you spuriously claim. 

The only real question revolves around the decision to host the camp in Houston, and that is a fair question.  Considering the fact that Waldrum is coaching the team for free, it would make sense that "free" came at a cost, that likely being his preference to have the team come to him (in Houston) rather than disrupt the rest of his life, say nothing of his day (and paying) job coaching of the Houston Dash.  So the proper questions then would be:

1) "Given the disjointed nature of preparations and funding issues, was/is it worthwhile to hire Waldrum?"; or alternatively

2) "Given the opportunity to hire a proven winner in Waldrum, was/is it worthwhile to accede to his terms and move camp to Houston, with the hope and prayer that eventually the entire squad will be united in training before the tournament begins?"

Hard decision either way and neither of which choice is per se unreasonable.

So where does the blame lies?
Where does the buck stop?
Who runs T&T football?
The Government?
Is the Government obligated to support the TTFA?

Can't see why so much blame is being directed to the Government. The TTFA is responsible for the successes and the failures of football in T&T.

What is the purpose of the TTFA if funding and organization is not their fault? Who cares where they get their money, their job is to source funds. I don't want to hear "well the government was............" no that's a cop-out.

[Tiresais]

You cannot ask the government for money a month in advanced. By now the TTFA knows this. When working with the governement you need to see the check before finalizing plans.

Is it really that hard for you and Lasana to say something positive about the TTFA?  Bottom line is that there was no advance plan in place to hold the camp in Houston.  This was done by the newly-hired coach.  They are doing the best they can to manage the situation as it's been unfolding.  The players apparently recognize and appreciate the steps that are being taken forward, what's so hard for you to do the same?

This.

elan there's a limit to how much we can blame the TTFA for this - organisations should be able to rely on others doing their damn job, or living up to the commitments they've set forward. That you have to make that statement is more an indictment of the governments lack of support than the TTFA - what are they supposed to do? They're an organisation mostly predicated on funding form FIFA and local government, both have been unreliable sources for differing reasons.

[elan]

You cannot ask the government for money a month in advanced. By now the TTFA knows this. When working with the governement you need to see the check before finalizing plans.

Is it really that hard for you and Lasana to say something positive about the TTFA?  Bottom line is that there was no advance plan in place to hold the camp in Houston.  This was done by the newly-hired coach.  They are doing the best they can to manage the situation as it's been unfolding.  The players apparently recognize and appreciate the steps that are being taken forward, what's so hard for you to do the same?

Bakes it rel funny how in one breath you castigate Trinbagonians for the "gimme" mentality, but yet you can give the TTFA a pass for the same behavior. You talk about how in T&T the people does accept whatever the leaders dish out and that cyah happen in the promise land. Now people trying to challenge leaders to do better, be better and you have a problem with that. Rapid cycle much.

Hiring a coach cannot be the measuring stick for the TTFA. That is absolutely ridiculous. If you think they are doing enough then good for you. I have seen youth clubs better organized and more professionally run than the TTFA. Look WConnection going to Italy. A lil team from Central just came back from England. SKHY does go to Dallas like is Carenage they travelling to, yet the TTFF cyah go to Tobago.

You have to be having a laugh.

The TTFA needs to step up their game and stop with we trying, and get things done one way or the other. Athletes cannot be held to a high standard if the TTFA is given a pass. How do we expect the players to perform when they getting "we trying, give we a bligh nah".

Hard luck not, good enough.

[elan]

You cannot ask the government for money a month in advanced. By now the TTFA knows this. When working with the governement you need to see the check before finalizing plans.

Is it really that hard for you and Lasana to say something positive about the TTFA?  Bottom line is that there was no advance plan in place to hold the camp in Houston.  This was done by the newly-hired coach.  They are doing the best they can to manage the situation as it's been unfolding.  The players apparently recognize and appreciate the steps that are being taken forward, what's so hard for you to do the same?

This.

elan there's a limit to how much we can blame the TTFA for this - organisations should be able to rely on others doing their damn job, or living up to the commitments they've set forward. That you have to make that statement is more an indictment of the governments lack of support than the TTFA - what are they supposed to do? They're an organisation mostly predicated on funding form FIFA and local government, both have been unreliable sources for differing reasons.

Is that the reason England cannot perform at the WC, the Government does not support the FA well?

[Tiresais]

You cannot ask the government for money a month in advanced. By now the TTFA knows this. When working with the governement you need to see the check before finalizing plans.

Is it really that hard for you and Lasana to say something positive about the TTFA?  Bottom line is that there was no advance plan in place to hold the camp in Houston.  This was done by the newly-hired coach.  They are doing the best they can to manage the situation as it's been unfolding.  The players apparently recognize and appreciate the steps that are being taken forward, what's so hard for you to do the same?

This.

elan there's a limit to how much we can blame the TTFA for this - organisations should be able to rely on others doing their damn job, or living up to the commitments they've set forward. That you have to make that statement is more an indictment of the governments lack of support than the TTFA - what are they supposed to do? They're an organisation mostly predicated on funding form FIFA and local government, both have been unreliable sources for differing reasons.

Is that the reason England cannot perform at the WC, the Government does not support the FA well?

Not sure how that's pertinent to the point I made, I was specifically talking about your comment about how the TTFA should basically factor in government incompetence

[elan]

You cannot ask the government for money a month in advanced. By now the TTFA knows this. When working with the governement you need to see the check before finalizing plans.

Is it really that hard for you and Lasana to say something positive about the TTFA?  Bottom line is that there was no advance plan in place to hold the camp in Houston.  This was done by the newly-hired coach.  They are doing the best they can to manage the situation as it's been unfolding.  The players apparently recognize and appreciate the steps that are being taken forward, what's so hard for you to do the same?

This.

elan there's a limit to how much we can blame the TTFA for this - organisations should be able to rely on others doing their damn job, or living up to the commitments they've set forward. That you have to make that statement is more an indictment of the governments lack of support than the TTFA - what are they supposed to do? They're an organisation mostly predicated on funding form FIFA and local government, both have been unreliable sources for differing reasons.

Is that the reason England cannot perform at the WC, the Government does not support the FA well?

Not sure how that's pertinent to the point I made, I was specifically talking about your comment about how the TTFA should basically factor in government incompetence

That the TTFA should not be depending wholesale on the Government for support and funding. If you see it as an indictment on the Government that's all well and good. What then does that say about the TTFA?

[Bakes]

So where does the blame lies?
Where does the buck stop?
Who runs T&T football?
The Government?
Is the Government obligated to support the TTFA?

Can't see why so much blame is being directed to the Government. The TTFA is responsible for the successes and the failures of football in T&T.

What is the purpose of the TTFA if funding and organization is not their fault? Who cares where they get their money, their job is to source funds. I don't want to hear "well the government was............" no that's a cop-out.

Where did I say anything about "the government..."??

Bakes it rel funny how in one breath you castigate Trinbagonians for the "gimme" mentality, but yet you can give the TTFA a pass for the same behavior. You talk about how in T&T the people does accept whatever the leaders dish out and that cyah happen in the promise land. Now people trying to challenge leaders to do better, be better and you have a problem with that. Rapid cycle much.

I have no idea what the hell you're talking about.  I haven't given the TTFA any pass for any "gimme mentality."  The fact is that all national Federations/Associations rely on FIFA for funding to a certain degree.... few are the ones that are truly self-sufficient.  The TTFA is no different.  Besides, you make it seem as though it's the present administration's fault that they are in the situation they're in.  Talk shit much?

Hiring a coach cannot be the measuring stick for the TTFA. That is absolutely ridiculous. If you think they are doing enough then good for you. I have seen youth clubs better organized and more professionally run than the TTFA. Look WConnection going to Italy. A lil team from Central just came back from England. SKHY does go to Dallas like is Carenage they travelling to, yet the TTFF cyah go to Tobago.

You have to be having a laugh.

The TTFA needs to step up their game and stop with we trying, and get things done one way or the other. Athletes cannot be held to a high standard if the TTFA is given a pass. How do we expect the players to perform when they getting "we trying, give we a bligh nah".

Hard luck not, good enough.

I know you not serious enough to suggest running the TTFA is comparable to running a youth club... let alone running it from a deficit which resulted from mismanagement under the previous regime.  If the present administration were to up and leave tomorrow whomever steps into the breach will be faced with no less of a challenge and will likely encounter the same missteps, failures and lessons-learned.

Central is being funded by money from Krishna Lalla and SIS, who in turn have gotten nearly half a billion dollars in questionable contracts from the gov't.  I don't know about W Connection or SKHY, but I'm sure neither of them are faced with as much debt as the present TTFA has. The lack of funding is not for lack of effort, which you seem to assume is the case.  Where have the efforts fallen short?  How could they be doing a better job at sourcing funds? 


------------

EDIT:  To my point about your unwillingness/inability to say anything good about the TTFA, you asked in another thread about "three ways in which the TTFA has been resourceful or transparent".  I answered yuh and yuh couldn't even bring yuhself to respond.

[Tiresais]

You cannot ask the government for money a month in advanced. By now the TTFA knows this. When working with the governement you need to see the check before finalizing plans.

Is it really that hard for you and Lasana to say something positive about the TTFA?  Bottom line is that there was no advance plan in place to hold the camp in Houston.  This was done by the newly-hired coach.  They are doing the best they can to manage the situation as it's been unfolding.  The players apparently recognize and appreciate the steps that are being taken forward, what's so hard for you to do the same?

This.

elan there's a limit to how much we can blame the TTFA for this - organisations should be able to rely on others doing their damn job, or living up to the commitments they've set forward. That you have to make that statement is more an indictment of the governments lack of support than the TTFA - what are they supposed to do? They're an organisation mostly predicated on funding form FIFA and local government, both have been unreliable sources for differing reasons.

Is that the reason England cannot perform at the WC, the Government does not support the FA well?

Not sure how that's pertinent to the point I made, I was specifically talking about your comment about how the TTFA should basically factor in government incompetence

That the TTFA should not be depending wholesale on the Government for support and funding. If you see it as an indictment on the Government that's all well and good. What then does that say about the TTFA?

Ah I see my bad. So context is important if we're going to compare T&T to England - the English FA benefits from the marketability of the Premier League (a split-off faction in the early 90's not under their direct control) and the prominent place football holds in the English mentality - football is part of the national culture in a way that it isn't in T&T ("Liming" is the national sport I've heard it be said). In this respect, they haven't relied on the government since their inception - they came to prominence with the genesis of the sport, born of the Sunday rest day laws brought in at the end of the 1800's that allowed the working class a guaranteed day off work, opening the doors to leisure time in a relatively highly urbanised setting previously not know to British society. In this respect, football hasn't ever been reliant on the government - initial football associations were the product of clubs meeting together with no FIFA in existence, and clubs were mostly made from factory/working men's clubs and elite institutions such as private schools.

In contrast, Trinibagonian football has never been as profitable and the nation has had other leisure activities to divert their attention and efforts. Thus, the TTFA's funding sources are much more concentrated in the hands of the government and FIFA, whom make am uch larger proportion of their funding than the English FA's. In this climate, you work with what you have - there aren't any sponsors tripping over themselves to fund the women's football team.

So, on this mater, I suggested that the TTFA is quite limited on it's options here - it sends the women it can afford to in order to facilitate their coach's request the best they can - there's no point appointing him if you aren't going to support their decisions in any way you can. Thus, I'd be directing my anger towards the government ministries/bodies repsonsible, who have shown themselves to consistently act in an unreliable and inconsistent (consistently inconsistent, hah :p) manner relating to the funding of the TTFA

[Football supporter]

If the discussion is turning to sponsorship, that's a whole different subject from government and FIFA support which will come through eventually.

I'm sure TTFA are working hard to attract sponsorship. Maybe the TTFA is still tainted by Jack's memory?

But there are many companies willing to help, both financially and with product, but there has to be some return for the sponsors.

Yes, SIS is our main sponsor. Initially they just wanted to help with community projects, but as they saw the team evolve we eventually put their logo on our jersey. They have been very supportive, not just financially. Of course we are aware that there have been questions raised about their business, most notably by Jack Warner's paper who feature an SIS story every week.

But SIS is not our only sponsor. Phoenix Park Gas Processors Ltd, Gatorade, Oscar Francois Ltd, Happi Foods, Rainbow Foods, NLCB, Adidas, Presidente, JZZ's, Toyota and Carib have all assisted in various ways.

We are constantly talking to prospective sponsors, and will continue, even once we receive a subvention.

I think that TTFA have Darren Millien as their marketing man, so perhaps we'll start to see some deals come through. In my opinion, they need to comparmentalise so that they target specific companies for specific projects i.e. the U20's, the women's U15's, womens senior team etc with manageable requests.

We target sponsors for u14's,u16's, u18's reserves, womens team and senior team as well as individual community projects. It's time consuming, but it seems to work.

We even offer website sponsorship from $100 per month for youth players up to $5,000 per month for marquee players!

[Flex]

Randy Waldrum out as national coach
T&T Express Reports.

RANDY WALDRUM will remain with the Houston Dash, his American women’s professional team, and will not be in charge of Trinidad and Tobago’s senior national women football team for the upcoming Pan Am Games competition to be held next month in Canada. The T&T women will face Colombia, Brazil and Ecuador in the group phase.

American Waldrum was in charge of the Women Soca Warriors last year when they were edged 1-0 on aggregate by Ecuador in a two-leg playoff for the final spot in the 2015 FIFA Women World Cup, to be played in Canada this June.

Waldrum though is contracted by the Dash. Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Raymond Tim Kee confirmed Waldrum’s omission. Tim Kee also announced that the TTFA had rejected Waldrum’s offer to provide a foreign staff, insisting there must be local input on the coaching staff.

Meanwhile, St Ann’s Rangers women head coach Jason Spence is preparing the women’s team until a permanent replacement is found.

[elan]

So Spence who have no idea who was picked on the team for the Pan Am Games now has been put in charge after Waldrum walked away (Stevie Wonder could have seen that coming).

Sweet.

[Flex]

Waldrum to arrive early October.
By Nigel Simon (Guardian).

US-born coach Randy Waldrum is expected to arrive in T&T in the first week of October to pick up coaching duties with the T&T Women Soca Warriors ahead of their Group Two Caribbean Football Union Women’s Olympic Qualifiers and Final Round series in November.

Providing the necessary financial support from corporate T&T comes forward, the T&T Football Association is very likely to host the  Group Two qualifiers in November featuring host T&T, St Lucia, Antigua & Barbuda and Cayman Islands.

After that round-robin series, the group winner will advance to the final round four-team series which the T&TFA is hopeful of hosting as well, and from which the top three teams will advance to the eight-team Concacaf final round event from February 10-21 in Houston, USA next year.

Speaking on the weekend, T&TFA general secretary Sheldon Phillips noted that the T&TFA has been in contact with Waldrum and is awaiting confirmation of the dates when the Group Two qualifiers will be played. “We expect to confirm with CFU the final dates to host both sets of qualifiers, but coach Waldrum should be here to pick up duties by the end of the first week of October.”

Waldrum, who coaches the Houston Dash in the US Women’s Professional League, was last in charge of the women’s team which came within a win of appearing at a first ever Fifa Women’s World Cup in Canada earlier this year, but fell at the last hurdle, 1-0 on aggregate to Ecuador in a continental playoff.

Asked what kind of player personnel Waldrum, who has recently completed his season with Dash, is expected to meet on return to T&T, Phillips said all the local players called up for training and who are not nursing any injuries should be present.

Commenting on recent criticism from national player Ahkeela Mollon over the lack of attention being given to the team, low player turn out and lack of financial support, Phillips said everything was being sorted out.

“We have met with Mollon and discussed the issues she has highlighted and she has since returned to training on Thursday last and is expected to be a major player in the team once more.”

During the preliminary Group One series, Puerto Rico earned nine points from three games, Haiti six , Grenada three and Aruba nil.

Puerto Rico blasted Grenada 12-0; Aruba 9-0 and edged Haiti 3-2. Haiti hammered Aruba 14-0 and Grenada 13-0 in their other matches, while Grenada blanked Aruba 2-0

In Group Three, Jamaica gained six points from two games, trouncing Dominican Republic 6-0 and Dominica 12-0 while in the other match, Dominican Republic clobbered Dominica 11-0.

And in Group Four, Guyana and Cuba ended up with four points each after they both swept aside St Kitts/Nevis (8-0) and (6-0) respectively, but Guyana had a better goal-difference than Cuba hence they advance to the final round while St Kitts/Nevis ended without a point.

The eight-team Concacaf final round event takes place from February 10-21 in Houston, USA next year and the top two finishers will qualify for the 2016 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament that will run from Aug. 3-20 in six Brazilian cities including the host city of Rio de Janeiro.

[trini_stallion]

Happy to hear Mollon back in the squad...such a wonderful talent! Arin King too!