Time for the TTFF Spring.
By: Lasana Libuard (wired868).Hutson "Barber" Charles, a former "Strike Squad" stand-out and Defence Force legend, was having a hard time curbing his enthusiasm on Sunday night. Shaun Fuentes, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) press officer, did his best to help.
The national football team had just lost 3-2 to the visiting Finland national outfit at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain.
Finnish coach Mixu Paatelainen brought an inexperienced squad to Trinidad primarily as a bonding exercise. It is minus nine degrees celcius in Helsinki at the moment and their domestic competition is on its winter break.
Still, Finland triumphed against a local outfit ranked seven places higher by FIFA.
Despite that cold data, though, the sense of optimism was not confined to Charles. Eight players used by the hosts on Sunday were under-23 while three more were debutantes.
The relative order and cohesion on display was also heartwarming after a dispiriting and short-lived 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign. The fact that this glimmer of hope was offered by a coaching staff comprising two respected former local internationals—Charles was assisted by T&T's most capped player, Angus Eve—added to the appreciation of Sunday's work.
Until, that is, Fuentes introduced Charles with the word "interim".
Charles might have tactically prepared the players and set the tone for the new-look "Soca Warriors". But he was not really the coach.
The TTFF has not gotten around to selecting one yet.
Maybe it will be Charles in the end; perhaps not. Who can tell what the likes of TTFF General Secretary Richard Groden are thinking?
At a recent High Court hearing of sobering significance—it could lead to the TTFF's bankruptcy—not a single representative from the football body bothered to turn up. And, by way of excuse, TTFF lawyer Om Lalla suggested that Groden might be wandering around the building, unable to find the right room.
It might prompt a chuckle at first but think harder. Can we be certain that the TTFF Executive Committee member can find its way up a flight of stairs without MP and ex-TTFF Special Advisor Jack Warner there to hold its hand?
Gross incompetence and unfathomable stupidity is actually the kindest thing that one can say about former TTFF President Oliver Camps and his entourage. Because if Camps and Groden did not quit school at the same standard as the "Three Stooges", then something more sinister may be amiss regarding the disappearance of millions of taxpayers' dollars. -
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