What can we learn from Costa Rica?

[Trini]

Costa Rica is the perfect case study for our football program to try to emulate - similar scale small-population (<5 mil) and regional relevance history. They qualified for the first time in 1990 when we should have been accompanying them. Since then, they missed the next 2 WC's in the 90's but got back on track and qualified for 3 of the next 4. This all culminated with their quarter final run in this WC.

So as a nation, what has CR done that we can learn from?

They could have easily turned out into one of the one hit wonders like Jamaica, Canada, Cuba, and hell even T&T it seems...

But what is the reason that they got back on track and have now established themselves as the bonafide number 3 team in the region? Is it down to the raw talent pool that is born there, or more down to the administration? 


In my field of work, success-failure analyses are critical to keep improving, do we have an effort focused on studies like this?

I would imagine it falls in the Technical Director's shop. Do we know what these guys do in fine detail in terms of their everyday running of their football?

Or do we simply rely on our "own way" of doing something? Are we too proud to establish links with the likes of CR, Mexico, Honduras etc to learn from them...

If we fail to qualify for 2018, we can officially be regarded as a one hit team, or a one-generation team
to put it more positively, ie wait once every generation for a golden crop and simultaneous opponents dip in form to make a real run at the WC.

Since I know myself, I know CR beating us very badly in youth matches. My only memory of us ever beating them at senior level is the Gold Cup extra time win in 2000 I think. They are one of the few teams ever to have beaten Mexico in Mexico City. And they usually split their series with the US.

This is the team we need to train our guns on to emulate.

If we are to ever return to a World Cup, it is their spot we need to take.

[Errol]

Hire their federation.

 

[Tiresais]

it mirrors their development as a nation really - one of the happiest populations in the world relative to their development, and quite ecologically sound compared to some of their fellow Americans.

[Tallman]

The thing is, Costa Rica have long been ahead of us. To me, a much more relevant example is Panama. We used tuh cut dey ass coming and going. Then all of ah sudden dey buckle down. Since 2005 they've always made it out of the Gold Cup Group Stage. They made it to the Gold Cup Finals twice (2005, 2013), and the Semis once in 2011. Unfortunately, they had their equivalent of November 19th 1989 last year, when they let a 2-0 lead against the USA slip away in the late stages of the match, and saw Mexico pip them for the play-off spot. They've qualified for the last two U-17 World Cups, and have participated in four U-20 World Cups.

[100% Barataria]

The thing is, Costa Rica have long been ahead of us. To me, a much more relevant example is Panama. We used tuh cut dey ass coming and going. Then all of ah sudden dey buckle down. Since 2005 they've always made it out of the Gold Cup Group Stage. They made it to the Gold Cup Finals twice (2005, 2013), and the Semis once in 2011. Unfortunately, they had their equivalent of November 19th 1989 last year, when they let a 2-0 lead against the USA slip away in the late stages of the match, and saw Mexico pip them for the play-off spot. They've qualified for the last two U-17 World Cups, and have participated in four U-20 World Cups.

Sense and spot on 

Who could remember the 2002 campaign when we beat both them and Canada soundly in the group stages

[Sando prince]

The thing is, Costa Rica have long been ahead of us. To me, a much more relevant example is Panama. We used tuh cut dey ass coming and going. Then all of ah sudden dey buckle down. Since 2005 they've always made it out of the Gold Cup Group Stage. They made it to the Gold Cup Finals twice (2005, 2013), and the Semis once in 2011. Unfortunately, they had their equivalent of November 19th 1989 last year, when they let a 2-0 lead against the USA slip away in the late stages of the match, and saw Mexico pip them for the play-off spot. They've qualified for the last two U-17 World Cups, and have participated in four U-20 World Cups.

Good post. Unlike the Panama of recent years, the Soca Warriors lack consistency at youth and senior level. Panama improvement at youth level carried on to senior level. Some T&T fans and I'm sure some in the federation have the the wrong solution. A solution of just pulling together some locals with some foreign based players to form a T&T team and hope individual skill and coaching decisions is the recipe for being a serious footballing threat in CONCACAF. The only way for us to achieve consistent successful results at Gold Cup and WC qualifications has to start with developing a winning mentality for our players from the youth level. All the problems we see from our national team on the field on game day are the same problems we see at the youth level when our youths take the field. Also I won't be surprised if Panama domestic league clubs do a better job than TT Pro League of developing their young players.

Right now we have some who think we go jus get de bess set ah players in the TT pro league with the players based in Europe and we go jus have a bomb squad in three months and will be ready for any team in CONCACAF.   

[ragga]

They seem to have a long term plan in regards to coaching for their mens national team.

It looks like Paulo Wanchope (UEFA A License) is being groomed for the job - he was assistant coach working alongside the more experienced Colombian Luis Pinto at WC 2014.

As a former standout player, his committment to the sport and his country is demonstarted by the fact that he bought and now owns a 2nd division team in CR.

[AB.Trini]

What can we learn?  Like we learning going backwards because at one time we were ahead of countries like Costa Rica Panama and Honduras.

Part of the issue is what I see as exploitation of our young talent- some clubs  rush them into the professional mode yet proper development is sacrifice for selling them off to places like Vietnam and now Belgium. When we want these players to come back, it is sometimes difficult to get the best of all those players.

Clubs investment in players is not entirely on the players' expertise but as commodities to be bought and sold for transfer fees to be infused into the clubs or owners ' pockets- that is how they are treated pure assets- so foreign man come here and say we eh consistent enough yet what support is given to the national program from the local teams?

[Tallman]

Is not so much that we have to learn from anybody. What we have to learn is the value of vision, planning, execution etc. We want and expect good results, but we're not willing to do the things which lead to good results. We fixate too much on the senior team, the players, coach and so on. The real problem as alluded to by others, is NO STRUCTURED DEVELOPMENT FROM YOUTH TO SENIOR. Our football culture is a microcosm of our general culture. It needs to be revamped. We treading water for years now. We have successes here and there, but we could do much better with a holistic approach.

[Dumplingdinho]

costa rica miles ahead of us long time yet we always talking about how much talent we have so we should be better than them.  They have played against several top teams over the years unlike us (i.e. friendlies, copa america, world cup etc.).  Also they are a regular participant in the gold cup. except for recent times we havent played any serious opposition so how on earth can we keep up with them?  As Tallman said, we need to worry about Panama first...add Honduras to that list before we look to challenge the big 3...US, Mexico and Costa Rica. 

[Deeks]

we were ahead of countries like Costa Rica Panama and Honduras.

No sir. Panama, yes. Since the mid 60s when TT started Concacaf football, we have always, always had problems beating CR, Hon. Guat. and El Sal. These countries had pro-leagues, if not more organized national league than TT. We have at times beaten all these teams, only when the TTFA put a serious effort, mostly when WC comes around. But we always never keep up that consistency. We fall right back down and the 6 yrs we back up again.

CR is not the typical Central American team. They may be poor, but pride themselves on behind an organized national. They have this strong sense of nationalism. But not the crazy type of nationalism. They have a kind of cool rational. They call themselves the Ticos(whatever that means).

We don't have that kind of pride. We are a divided nation. One part of the nation going one way. The other part going the other way. That affect our sports. Well cricket may be an exception.

Plus CR no 1 sport is football, followed by football, followed by football. I know the play baseball and basketball, I don't know how big they are.

[Trini]

Sill think Panama is not ambitious enough. For all their youth accomplishments they still have not produced the history of pedigree players as us and gone to a wc. And we still seem to match up well against them. For some reason they are very competitive in concacaf but we still seem to have their number. They looked awful against Brazil too recently, much worse than us against Argentina.

If we are to use the UEFA Champions League as analogy for Concacaf,

Mexico wld be Real Madrid/Barca
usa wld be Bayern Munich or Man UtD
Costa Rica wld be Milan
Honduras wld be PSG or Chelsea

Trinidad will be Porto.

Panama in my opinion  is Atletico or man city.
Jamaica is Celtic.

How do we win the champions league again??

[Deeks]

Trinidad will be Porto.

Jamaica is Celtic.

We never beat CR and JA in WC football.


How do we win the champions league again??

At club level. Each club must have the best players and a lot of money.

At nation level. The TTFF must have plenty money. The clubs must assist Hart, but allowing their selected players the time to train with Hart. TTFF and Hart must come up with a strategy on how to get the best out of the foreign-based players. More friendlies with African, South American teams, Asian teams(if possible) and "lower tier" Euro teams.

[Controversial]

What can we learn?  Like we learning going backwards because at one time we were ahead of countries like Costa Rica Panama and Honduras.

Part of the issue is what I see as exploitation of our young talent- some clubs  rush them into the professional mode yet proper development is sacrifice for selling them off to places like Vietnam and now Belgium. When we want these players to come back, it is sometimes difficult to get the best of all those players.

Clubs investment in players is not entirely on the players' expertise but as commodities to be bought and sold for transfer fees to be infused into the clubs or owners ' pockets- that is how they are treated pure assets- so foreign man come here and say we eh consistent enough yet what support is given to the national program from the local teams?

good talk

costa rica have coaching, money and players that love to play for their country... tt dont invest in their sport... a bunch a selfish people locally

[Tenorsaw]

it mirrors their development as a nation really - one of the happiest populations in the world relative to their development, and quite ecologically sound compared to some of their fellow Americans.

Agreed...went there in May and was amazed at how happy these people are.  They place a bit emphasis on preservation of their environment, as that is how they make their money. 

[fari]

it mirrors their development as a nation really - one of the happiest populations in the world relative to their development, and quite ecologically sound compared to some of their fellow Americans.

Agreed...went there in May and was amazed at how happy these people are.  They place a bit emphasis on preservation of their environment, as that is how they make their money. 

plus they don't have an army...every costa rican i have met has been a real cool customer...lovely people.   i think that we need to learn from Panama though, i have mentioned a few times already that they are looking towards the future (see how their youth side deal with ours in a clinical, efficient manner)...the dely valdez brothers are in charge of the youth and the senior sides so that is some serious football brains right there. 

with respect to costa rica we need to ask what clubs like saprissa and alajuelense are doing...the majority of that side that went far in the wc either played for or are playing from one of those teams iirc...do they have an academy?  how do they groom players?  what is the training like?  for that matter what is the average attendance at a league match in the costa rican primera?  hmmm

[Deeks]

Like I have said before, All of us who are complaining about how "dumb" the clubs in TT are for their lack of foresight, should go home and form their own club. I honestly mean that. Go England, France, Germany, Holland, CR, Brazil, Mex, and get all the knowledge about their organizational structure and go back TT and do some serious wuk.

[elan]

Sporting Club plans to build U.S. national soccer training center in KCK

 

Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman says Kansas City is on its way to becoming the soccer capital of America. This may help his case.

In conjunction with Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and Wyandotte County officials, Heineman unveiled plans Wednesday night to construct a $75 million-plus National Training and Coaching Development Center that will serve as a home base for the U.S. Soccer Federation and its national teams. The project is pending city approval, Heineman said.

The 190-acre soccer village would be located at the southeast corner of 98th Street and Parallel Parkway in Kansas City, Kan., about a 10-minute drive across Interstate 435 from Sporting Kansas City’s home stadium. The plans call for 16 fields — eight youth fields and eight lighted professional “smart” fields — and include a state-of-the-art indoor complex with a practice field.

Read more here...........