FIFA U17 World Cup 2015

[socalion]

Ok Mr Shawn  Cooper  we await your report as to  what you think went wrong.....Can it be that  one of  the shortcomings is that your weaknesses as the coach has been exposed.? it's just a question?  we await  your response Coach cooper ..!! 

[asylumseeker]

...
but were local coaches always this unimaginative and was masked by the talent stock of d 80 and 90s or like the player talent have they simply stagnated......because even Gally seemed unable to work with players dat didn't possess high levels of natural talent and football intelligence

jus seem like we coaches jus doh know how to get someting outa lil bit

The only thing yuh could get out of a lil bit is a lil bit more. Generally, that's typically insufficient to foster favourably consistent results.

[Deeks]

your weaknesses as the coach has been exposed

What are his weaknesses?

[ZANDOLIE]

This team is at least a year behind its regional peers in terms of preparation. Our players particularly benefit from quality international exposure and time together. Those are the consistent pieces in virtually every youth team success and failure in the last 8 years.

Coaching is obviously important. But Vranes and Corneal coach teams to a world cup. I dont think they were the absolute best youth coaches in the country then.

[Sam]

I was really vex with de overall play of the team, they had decent moments, but you can tell they are not coach properly.

1. Continued making the SAME mistakes.

2. Coach did not make the changes to try and plug the holes, wether its moving the players around on the field or bringing on subs.

3. T&T number 10, I think, or the shortest player on the field for T&T in midfield was pissing on he self, give away de ball like 5 times.

4. De curse of T&T coaches, kick and hope, from defence to midfield, they have no other ideas on how or who to pass for. No change of play, nothing.

5. The team played with no plan and they needed to win.

6. Hard to believe these are some of the best players we have, ent have of this team went to Italy with W Connection?

We need to replace Shawn Cooper, once you have a coach who head hard like banga, you cant have him around, he sturbborn and not willing to listen.

Look at the difference Randy Waldrum made in 2 weeks.

So Deeks and others, stop BLAMING DE players alone, de coach is bad to.

This under 17 team just played 3 FULL international games a month ago.

Stephen Hart take de T&T job and took de team to de Gold Cup semi finals with NO preparations, he came here for two weeks before de gold cup tournament.

Shawn Cooper got to go, we don't need coaches who have de Angus Eve and Michael McComie attitudes, like they reach already.

King and Charles might be better youth team coaches.

[lefty]

I doh generally like sam's delivery but, he is right, coaches have come in assessed what they had to work with and have managed to still get someting out of their charges, say what alyuh want, d plan in dat game never changed, the defense was disorganized, u could see d symptoms of the archetypical local coaching .....d hit and hope, zero press, isolated midfield and on and on..... even if u didn't have no time, d easiest tactic in books is sit deep and counter attack and that can be done without hit and hope football..........dis day and age and man still backpedaling cause dey doh want to get "shake" steups........u see it all d youth levels.............our coaches doh seem capable of critical or tactical assessment of situations......because d bad habits remain with our players until foreigners take charge or a trini with "foreign" exposure 
 it clear dat d players can execute proper plans even in a short space of time, our coaches just don't "think" football well enough

[Sando prince]

Haiti was always going to be tough game especially playing them in their own backyard however there is no excuse for TnT not progressing out of the group stage of this tournament. The first game loss was the nail in the coffin. (even if we squeeze out of this group with help from another team this has been disappointing)

If we want to be a nation that is serious about football we have to meet the standard from the youth level to the senior level.

Waiting for the tired same ole excuses

[Rastaman]

Don't remember much of this kinda talk when the same Coach Cooper carried the last u17 to within one game of qualifying for the world cup. That team was well prepared and had the resources available to them to go far.....
This team
They could not even afford to come to Tobago to scout players.
 Not sure if they even had a camp before the tournament.
Not sure if the coaching staff is being paid
Remember this team also missed out on competing at the U15 Tournament

The failure of this team had nothing to do with players, talent, coaches/coaching ability. The change of administration was at the wrong time for this team. While other teams(U20, Senior and Women) have played together before, this team was playing together for the first time so they had nothing to build on or work with. Missing the U15 tournament was probably the biggest downfall.

[ZANDOLIE]

Don't remember much of this kinda talk when the same Coach Cooper carried the last u17 to within one game of qualifying for the world cup. That team was well prepared and had the resources available to them to go far.....
This team
They could not even afford to come to Tobago to scout players.
 Not sure if they even had a camp before the tournament.
Not sure if the coaching staff is being paid
Remember this team also missed out on competing at the U15 Tournament

The failure of this team had nothing to do with players, talent, coaches/coaching ability. The change of administration was at the wrong time for this team. While other teams(U20, Senior and Women) have played together before, this team was playing together for the first time so they had nothing to build on or work with. Missing the U15 tournament was probably the biggest downfall.

Correct. Some key players in the previou U-17s have been representing the country since 2010, starting as U-14s at the Zonal Copa in Buenos Aires. That is four years of international experience starting at age 14. Its no coincidence this age group is now the Caribbean champions.

Cooper is a decent coach. But his selection process is very poor. He has to address that shortcoming or leave.

[palos]

Cooper is a decent coach. But his selection process is very poor. He has to address that shortcoming or leave.

Is this his team or was this team originally selected by others?

[Tobago28]

The selection process is one of the root causes of the problem, how can you go to Haiti with 3 players born in 1999 and 2 players born in 2000 while everyone else is playing boys born in 1998. One year makes a huge difference at this age. I agree some boys physically develop early but for international tournaments you need maturity, tactical awareness and proper technical development. Cooper changed 4 players from the team that won the group in St. Lucia, that may have had an impact but I don't know.  Furthermore, Cooper (TTFA) had access to at least 3 USA/Trinidad and Tobago players that could have played holding midfield or along the back four but opted to not select players that are currently in the starting 11 on MLS Academy rosters. Coincendently, another 2 players one a forward and another a midfielder are also eligible for TNT and are part of the United States Soccer Development Academy system.  Last point on selection, not one player from Tobago. A highly talented Tobago midfield player was in Trinidad during trials but was sent home before final selection after being told that he will not be part of the team. Is it a wonder that we produced nothing in the midfield. Let me clear, I am not saying that any of those USA/ Trinidad and Tobago or Tobago players are better than those selected but I am saying the TTFA and coaching staff should give them a serious evaluation considering the gaps in the current team. One thing we all have to respect that its kids we talking about and we do not want to tear down any of the current players, we are asking the coaches and TTFA to do a better job of screening and selection.

The sad part of the TTFA's ability to recruit the foreign talent is that its damn easy. The US Development Academy has a website with all their games nationally, they have a Winter Showcase in Florida every year at the end of November, they hold a Adidas Next Generation Tournament with all dates and locations on website. The irony is that Honduras, Mexico, El Salvador and other coaches are at all these tournaments trying to lure players to play for the land of their parents while TnT is rejecting these players. Mexico just lured the US under 17 starting wing back, where he has changed the country he is representing.

Another major problem is the lack of adequate preparation due to the funding by SportTT and TTFA; this is a larger problem that can't be addressed here. I am confident that the coaches have not been paid, that uniforms were late to arrive and hotels/meals confirmed very late. The size of this problem can not be understated, it is disgraceful that the wealthiest country in the Caribbean cant support its men and women athletes.

If Martinque and Quadeloupe provide a miracle, this MUST be a time for TTFA to look at the coaching, team selection process and financing before forming a team to send to Honduras in Febraury.

[palos]

Good points Tobago28

The reluctance to recruit overseas based players is symptomatic of "Ricky Shakes" syndrome.

We are too small not to maximize our limited (compared to out competition) player resources.

But is TTFA we talkin bout where organization isn't exactly a forte.

Beyond that, there are also those around the football with agendas that run counter to the National team
Effort. In short, we are our own worst enemies.

[ZANDOLIE]

Cooper is a decent coach. But his selection process is very poor. He has to address that shortcoming or leave.

Is this his team or was this team originally selected by others?

As coach for the last 3 years knows the lay of the land with respect to the selection process. He attends screenings, holds training sessions, eliminates players, and has the final say on who he includes in his squad. This is his team. If a coach has a team picked for him he still bears responsibility for their performance.

[Trini _2026]

we will  qualify even if martinique wins by 2 goals .... not any more


                        PLD   W     D      L     GF    GA      GD  PTS
 Cuba         2   2   0   6   0   0       +6   6
 Jamaica      2   2   0   7   2   2       +5   6
 Martinique   2   0   0   2   0   5   −5   0
 Guadeloupe   2   0   0   2   2   8   −6   0


                                PLD   W     D      L     GF    GA      GD  PTS
 Haiti                      3   3   0   0   11   1   +10   9
 Saint Lucia            3   1   1   1   4   7   −3   4
 Trinidad and Tobago   3   1   0   2   3   5   −2   3
 Barbados                   3   0   1   2   1   6   −5   1

[ZANDOLIE]

 One thing we all have to respect that its kids we talking about and we do not want to tear down any of the current players, we are asking the coaches and TTFA to do a better job of screening and selection.

If Martinque and Quadeloupe provide a miracle, this MUST be a time for TTFA to look at the coaching, team selection process and financing before forming a team to send to Honduras in Febraury.

Well spoken. National team selection at every level has been a disgrace, starting with the blacklist of 2006 right down the line to u-15. Clearly the TTFA faces serious financial constraints. But the selection process is not prohibitively expensive. A reworking of the process for Tobago alone will bring benefits that exponentially outweigh its costs.

I hope the new TTFA constitution grants Tobago fair power over its own development and allows stand alone exposure to other CFU/CONCACAF rivals. They could advance their football to the levels Guadelope, Martinique, and Antigua have attained. A strong Tobago squad incorporated into a T&T team would see us seriously contend for that 3rd spot in CONCACAF.

[Deeks]

First of all, I am not blaming the players. I just telling it like it is. They were not ready for prime time(yesterday). They looked lackadasical. Haiti was 2 steps ahead of them. Yes Cooper should take responsibility for the performance. He is the man at the helm.

 As far as recruiting overseas players, I think allyuh blowing allyuh cool on this. TrinbagoFA has recruited quite a few foreign-born players. I think most have been successful. But the onus is on TT to find locals FIRST. I am not saying we should not recruit foreign born. But the TTFF needs to spend more resources to scout the locals. And when they find a diamond in the rough, they should do everything in their power to have she/he develop into a gem.

Yes our local coaches need more knowledge in every aspect of the game. But look at the structure of Trinbago football for the past 30 years. Allyuh think local coaches could have functioned effectively in that past environment. There are local coaches who go abroad on their own and acquire knowledge but refuse to have anything to do with TTFF. They stayed strictly with schools, community and clubs. Hopefully when Tim Kee sort out the new direction of the TTFA, we will have a new TD, who will implement changes in coaching for the local coaches. By the way,  all of this takes money. So if allyuh know very rich Trinis who are willing to dispense some of their discretionary income, please direct them to the TTFA.

[Deeks]

 One thing we all have to respect that its kids we talking about and we do not want to tear down any of the current players, we are asking the coaches and TTFA to do a better job of screening and selection.

If Martinque and Quadeloupe provide a miracle, this MUST be a time for TTFA to look at the coaching, team selection process and financing before forming a team to send to Honduras in Febraury.

Well spoken. National team selection at every level has been a disgrace, starting with the blacklist of 2006 right down the line to u-15. Clearly the TTFA faces serious financial constraints. But the selection process is not prohibitively expensive. A reworking of the process for Tobago alone will bring benefits that exponentially outweigh its costs.

I hope the new TTFA constitution grants Tobago fair power over its own development and allows stand alone exposure to other CFU/CONCACAF rivals. They could advance their football to the levels Guadelope, Martinique, and Antigua have attained. A strong Tobago squad incorporated into a T&T team would see us seriously contend for that 3rd spot in CONCACAF.

I want allyuh to know that martinique and Quad. have always had good football teams. Ever since they use to tour and when TT go there, the results were always close. They are no johnny-come-lately in football.  Antigua is improving. That is good for Caribbean football. I don't think Tobago need to wait on Trinidaad for direction to develop their football. It have adequate men who have been abroad and know the ropes of coaching. This main issue is financing. Where are they going to get the money. THA??. Where does THA get their money from?? Gov't. Put 2 and 2 together. So if any rich Toabagonians ready to dispense with some of their money, contact them. The issue is plain and simple. Black people in Trinbago don't have no businesses to rely on. That is the friggin problem!

[FF]

The U-17 team has qualified for the final round as the best third place finisher.
Guadeloupe has beaten Martinique 1-0.

[asylumseeker]

The U-17 team has qualified for the final round as the best third place finisher.
Guadeloupe has beaten Martinique 1-0.

Excellent news  ... hopefully to be duplicated with news of the women qualifying for the WC.

[frico]

Please,please don't let teams beat yuh,teams that we know,we are quite capable of beating.We should have learnt our lesson.

[ZANDOLIE]

 One thing we all have to respect that its kids we talking about and we do not want to tear down any of the current players, we are asking the coaches and TTFA to do a better job of screening and selection.

If Martinque and Quadeloupe provide a miracle, this MUST be a time for TTFA to look at the coaching, team selection process and financing before forming a team to send to Honduras in Febraury.

Well spoken. National team selection at every level has been a disgrace, starting with the blacklist of 2006 right down the line to u-15. Clearly the TTFA faces serious financial constraints. But the selection process is not prohibitively expensive. A reworking of the process for Tobago alone will bring benefits that exponentially outweigh its costs.

I hope the new TTFA constitution grants Tobago fair power over its own development and allows stand alone exposure to other CFU/CONCACAF rivals. They could advance their football to the levels Guadelope, Martinique, and Antigua have attained. A strong Tobago squad incorporated into a T&T team would see us seriously contend for that 3rd spot in CONCACAF.

I want allyuh to know that martinique and Quad. have always had good football teams. Ever since they use to tour and when TT go there, the results were always close. They are no johnny-come-lately in football.  Antigua is improving. That is good for Caribbean football. I don't think Tobago need to wait on Trinidaad for direction to develop their football. It have adequate men who have been abroad and know the ropes of coaching. This main issue is financing. Where are they going to get the money. THA??. Where does THA get their money from?? Gov't. Put 2 and 2 together. So if any rich Toabagonians ready to dispense with some of their money, contact them. The issue is plain and simple. Black people in Trinbago don't have no businesses to rely on. That is the friggin problem!

A well run TTFA should have more than enough financing to elevate Tobago football to at least mid-tier CFU. I don't know if the constitutional overhaul contains provisions toward that. A more autonomous Tobago that can hold its own against the likes of Antigua, Gaud and JA is long overdue.

[ZANDOLIE]

The U-17 team has qualified for the final round as the best third place finisher.
Guadeloupe has beaten Martinique 1-0.

Great news.

[Spursy]

These boys need better coaching.. they all over the place.

[Tobago28]

I am thrilled that we got 3rd place, I know its not the option we hoped but we are in. I want to make a comment to Deeks because he said we make a good attempt to attract foreign players. I disagree with this, I will compare our attempts to Klinsmann who not only has challenged US Soccer Federation but also challenged MLS Commissioner Garber by dropping Donavan and bringing 3 USA/Germans to the club, albeit German black boys which pisses Americans off even more. But Klinsmann has been willing to challenge the Federation that employs him as well as tell MLS that they are not helping. I point this out because I wonder if our coaches have the same courage, even though they don't have Klinsmann stature in global football.

If MLS is a better league than our Pro league, then why wouldn't we want to attract our own within MLS Academy systems? By attracting the foreign based players we will actually improve the local talent because the standard will improve for us as a nation. The failure to bring in foreign players is a huge mistake being consistently made by local coaches.

I made an observation that I think we all need to consider when looking at the U17 team, it seem to be dominated by W Connection players. I am not accusing anyone of favoritism but other than Barcelona most clubs at any level do not field a high percentage of national team players. Look at the data:

The U 17 Team that went to St. Lucia had the following number of players from the respective Club:

W Connection           9
St. Ann's Rangers   4
San Juan Jabloteh   5

The U 17 Team that went to Haiti had the following number of players from the respective Club:

W Connection           8
St. Ann's Rangers   3
San Juan Jabloteh   3


My Haiti numbers need help because the Federation changed naming Clubs to secondary schools because of complaints of bias to certain clubs and schools. I don't know enough about the background of the coaches, manager and selectors to say that bias exists but I think the question needs to be answered by some of you on this forum that know better than I.

Please tell me whether you think part of the selection problem is that someone or a group of people have too much influence on the FINAL decision. Klinsmann can tell them to go to HELL but maybe Cooper cant.

[dreamer]

Wow, great news that we qualified despite that performance. Many posters made good points.
1. Every chance to get more international exposure especially at youth level is a big big bonus for the T&T football teams in general.
2. Cooper will need to eat some humble pie and become assistant to a newly inserted coach or Technical director / coach like BraveHart
3. More scouting of foreign based for more talent to give the team a boost.
Dey damn lucky to get away with this. That shake up in Haiti was a good wake up call after probably feeling too good in the stunted cocoon of T&T schools' football. Young warriors, doh fret, we support you. T&T needs you for healing of the troubled national psyche.
Onwards to Concacaf.

[socalion]

Well Well well ..... God must really be a Trini as the saying goes, but that aside  i'm happy for the youths and coaching staff   getting a chance opportunity to redeem themselves.. much work  need to be done no doubt about that before the tournament in honduras..... So to the coach  and his staff ,  mr shawn cooper  first up eat some humble pie  it's time to do some introspection   and make a serious analysis as to what ought to be done to prepare these youths for competition  come next year... you have ample time . put ego aside  and get the help needed as you see best fit . goodluck 

[Deeks]

To say that the TTFA don,t try to recruit outside is disingenuous. Isn't Fortune US born. Like I said, I don,t have a problem with recruiting foreign born. I was trying to get my son to try out but it clash with school. it have players who only choose TT when their options run out. so allyuh don't come with this local vs foreign crap. We have to find that balance. And why allyuh always referring to local coaches ego. That is part of any  man's woman's character. Again, I am not saying that local coaches should not get help. All I am saying is that when they are given the chance, give them the resources that is given the foreign coach.

this tem needs help. and yes, I believe coach Hart should assist in preparing this team for Honduras. if this team wants to go to the WC, they should be in a camp with serious preparation.

[elan]

To say that the TTFA don,t try to recruit outside is disingenuous. Isn't Fortune US born. Like I said, I don,t have a problem with recruiting foreign born. I was trying to get my son to try out but it clash with school. it have players who only choose TT when their options run out. so allyuh don't come with this local vs foreign crap. We have to find that balance. And why allyuh always referring to local coaches ego. That is part of any  man's woman's character. Again, I am not saying that local coaches should not get help. All I am saying is that when they are given the chance, give them the resources that is given the foreign coach.

this tem needs help. and yes, I believe coach Hart should assist in preparing this team for Honduras. if this team wants to go to the WC, they should be in a camp with serious preparation.

Why should there be a balance though? The best 11 Trinbagonians should play regardless or where yuh live or how you are a Trinbagonian. Not so?

[amwood]

I just don't think that there is enough talent on this team...I've seen most of them in the colleges league and there isn't anything that they are doing at that level to suggest that they can produce big performances internationally, I hv spoken to Cooper and I don't believe he went there believing that they were going to overwhelm the opposition...if anything I think he was hoping to produce a group that would outwork the opposition - a pragmatic approach.

[dreamer]

I just don't think that there is enough talent on this team...I've seen most of them in the colleges league and there isn't anything that they are doing at that level to suggests that they can produce big performances internationally, I hv spoken to Cooper and I don't believe he went there believing that they were going to overwhelm the opposition...if anything I think he was hoping to produce a group that would outwork the opposition - a pragmatic approach.

Amwood. Thanks for your contribution. Clearly something is seriously wrong throughout the under 17 team, on and off the field and Cooper as the chosen leader might not have the leverage like Hart to insist what must be done a bit more right. Daiz thumbs dong right dey for him even if not all his fault. Sorry. The report you gave is a very scary failure of leadership and whether it is fair to him or not, he cyah handle it. In due course we will hear who else is contributing for sending a suboptimal team after poor scouting, selection, financing and training of youths. Maybe the TTFA was totally broke and they just said to themselves, " Let Cooper, send a caretaker team to Haiti and just scrape through, hope de socawarrior gyuls go qualify and save we with a windfall of money that will bail out all the other teams". Cooper, probably unpaid and hungry decided to keep quiet, toe the line and fake optimism hoping he could get a victory down de road some day and hit it big. Sigh.