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Offline Flex

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TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« on: February 03, 2023, 12:42:06 AM »
Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League launches January 6.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).


The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) will launch the new TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain on Monday.

TTPFL CEO Colin Wharfe believes the development of this league is moving in a positive and structured manner that should create excitement for fans, players and stakeholders alike.

“The TT Premier Football League team and I have been working to ensure that the foundation of this new enterprise is thorough and robust.

“We met with the clubs on Wednesday and provided updates and engaged in productive dialogue to ensure everyone’s readiness to kick off on this new adventure.

“These details will be announced to the public next week.”

The TTPFL will announce the clubs that have been successfully licensed under the club licensing system for the top division, competition structure, the kick off date of the top division and other details at the launch.

« Last Edit: July 07, 2023, 03:18:25 PM by Tallman »
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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2023, 01:57:54 AM »
Govt, TTFA, FIFA to assist TTPFL clubs with $2.64 million.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).


The 12 clubs who will form the new T&T Premier Football League will each stand to benefit from a cash injection of a total of TT$2.64 million or TT$220,000 each which will be distributed over a four-month period from March to June 2023.

This proposal and the finalisation of the T&T Football Association’s (TTFA) constitutional reform are among a number of details to be finalised at an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) which is carded for next Saturday at the Home of Football in Balmain, Couva, by the TTFA members.

According to the source, at the EGM, the proposal of the $220,000 which will come from the combination of the T&T government via the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, the TTFA, and FIFA will see the clubs being provided with an initial sum of $70,000 to help offset their cost of preparing for the start of the season at the end of March followed by three injections of $50,000 for the months of April, May, and June.

The new league which is slated to begin on March 10, is expected to comprise local powerhouses and former multiple T&T Pro League winners W Connection, San Juan Jabloteh, T&T Defence Force, and Central FC as well as recent Ascension Tournament Football champions Terminix La Horquetta Rangers FC, Caledonia AIA, T&T Police, Point Fortin Civic Centre, Cunupia FC, AC Port-of-Spain, Club Sando and one newcomer in T&T Prisons, the winners of the T&T Super League Premier Division, the last time the tournament was held in 2019.

The FIFA-Normalisation-led TTFA will launch the long-awaited new T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain on Monday.

In a release from the TTFA, newly appointed TTPFL Chief Executive Officer Colin Wharfe stated he believes that the development of the League is moving in a positive and structured manner that should create excitement for fans, players, and stakeholders alike.

The release added: “The T&T Premier Football League team and I have been working to ensure that the foundation of this new enterprise is thorough and robust. We met with the clubs on Wednesday (February 1, 2023) and provided updates and engaged in productive dialogue to ensure everyone’s readiness to kick off on this new adventure, and these details will be announced to the public next week.”

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2023, 02:18:43 AM »
WATCH TT PREMIER FOOTBALL LEAGUE LAUNCH LIVE

All stakeholders interested in joining a live viewing of today’s official launch of the TT Premier Football League which starts at 6pm at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain can log on using the below link.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89679212000?pwd=blM1YUJoWGNTN1lYdmJ0QWtESXkrUT09

Meeting ID: 896 7921 2000
Passcode: 536838

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2023, 08:22:32 AM »
Government commits $9M to new Trinidad and Tobago football league.
Be Jelani Beckles (T&T Guardian).


THE wait is finally over for local footballers as the TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) will kick off on March 10 for tier-one teams. The Government is backing the league as the Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe confirmed that $3 million per year will be distributed for the first three years.

Local football has been at a standstill since the start of the covid19 pandemic in March 2020 with the exception of the Ascension Football League. The launch of the TTPFL was held at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain on Monday.

The league has been 18 months in the making and the league for 12 tier-one teams will begin on March 10 and end in May. The teams are La Horquetta Rangers, Club Sando, Police, W Connection Couva, Pt Fortin Civic FC, AC Port of Spain, Central FC, San Juan Jabloteh, Caledonia AIA, Prisons FC, Cunupia FC and Defence Force.

The league for tier two teams will start at the end of April, but it is uncertain how many teams will compete.

COO of the TTPFL Colin Wharfe said there will be no promotion and relegation in the first season as it will only be played over two months. In June, a knock-out competition will be held featuring teams in both tier one and tier two. The second season of the league will run from September/October 2023 to May 2024.

“We at Government are asking to support to the tune of $3 million per year for three years in the first instance,” Cudjoe said.

Cudjoe urged the football clubs to be transparent in their operations. “In this day and age especially with the experience you have in football, you should be able to conduct yourself in such a way to attract private sector funding. That is important.”

Cudjoe said FIFA is supporting the TTPFL saying the world governing body is giving between US $300,000 and $400,000 per year to the TTPFL. The Sport Minister said to ensure the league is being run properly a review will be held at the end of each year.

Cudjoe urged the stakeholders to run the league with the future in mind. “We hope that we would grow stronger, closer and united. Not for me, not for Mr (Robert) Hadad (Normalisation Committee chairman) not for chairman (of the Sport Company of TT) Douglas Camacho, but for these youngsters who depend on us for their growth and that is where the investment should be.”

Cudjoe said this is a new beginning for football, saying let’s “restore it to its former glory.”

Hadad agreed with Cudjoe that the clubs must run their clubs honestly. Hadad was hired by FIFA to run the Normalisation Committee mainly to reduce the massive debt facing the TT Football Association. Hadad ensured everyone he is trying his best to reduce the debt and pay off all creditors.

Hadad said, “We are listening to you (Cudjoe) and we are trying our very best to reshape the TT Football Association with the guidance of your good self and your ministry and your sport company together with FIFA and CONCACAF.

“I want to openly thank FIFA for all their work,” Hadad said.

RELATED NEWS

New TT Premier League to kick off March 10.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).


Local football is finally ready to roll. In just over a month's time, the T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL), which will feature 11 teams - Caledonia AIA, Central FC, Club Sando, Cunupia FC, La Horquetta Rangers, Point Fortin Civic Centre, Police FC, Prisons Services, San Juan Jabloteh, Defence Force and W Connection, will begin action on March 10. It will run until May, in what is expected to be a shortened season.

In June, the teams will engage in a knock-out playoff.

At a launch of the League at a gala function at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port-of-Spain Monday evening, it was revealed that the season will be a shortened one if they are to fall in line with the CONCACAF season that will enable the top two teams to be registered in time for the CONCACAF playoffs.

TTPFL's chief executive officer (CEO) Colin Wharfe said there will be no promotion or relegation due to a truncated season which will mean that matches will be played at the weekends and during the week.

Wharfe said: "The league has been approximately 18 months in the making. It has been the result of the support of a FIFA initiative on our behalf with respect to looking at the TT Professional League development. During the last couple of months, the organising team with full support of the Normalisation Committee, the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, FIFA, CONCACAF and the Sport Company of T&T has worked diligently to make this possible.

"The TTPFL is the new elite football league that has been sanctioned and run by the TTFA. It comprises of two divisions, a top tier and a second tier. To be clear, professional and semi-professional football and their attendant benefit are not new to T&T, but the association has deemed it necessary at this stage in the evolution of the professional game to assume direct responsibility and oversight for professional football."

Following the shortened season that will end in June, the players and teams will resume action for a second time in September and in October for the first official full season with matches at the Moruga Sports Complex, the Mahaica Sports Complex, La Horquetta Recreation Ground and the St James Barracks.

Wharfe said success for them would look like; "taking the lead in rebuilding stakeholder trust in the administration of the game; the re-engaging of players, current and aspiring; as well as the public-getting the public back involved in the game and creating a platform for a high level of competition to assist in the development of our talent".

He noted further that the end game of the above as well as other initiatives of the TTFA is to get our players and teams back to their pride of place in regional football.

The clubs will each stand to benefit from a cash injection courtesy of the FIFA Forward Programme and the government. It is understood that a total of TT$2.64 million or TT$220,000 each will be distributed over four months from March to June 2023.

Minister of Sports Shamfa Cudjoe said the government is fully in support of the league but it will look forward to see organisers of the league and the clubs pull themselves together to become self-sustainable soon.

"It has been a long, long arduous road ahead of us with a lot of bumps. This is coming at a really opportune time and I am happy that there are so many stakeholders, you have at least 10 teams and another two suppose to come on board."

She noted: "I really wanted to show that the government is supporting football and the development of football in T&T and the development through football. We, as government, are being asked to support to the tune of $3 million per year for three years in the first instance, and my response to that was that FIFA has to put something in. And you have to market and promote yourself and conduct yourself in such a way to attract private sector support.

"That has happened for a really long time in a number of sporting disciplines, but in this day and age, especially with the experience you have in football, you should be able to conduct yourself in such a way to attract private sector funding."

« Last Edit: February 07, 2023, 08:32:50 AM by Flex »
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Offline Tallman

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2023, 12:19:24 PM »
Eve: New Trinidad and Tobago Premier League a good day for football
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)

TRINIDAD and Tobago men's senior football coach Angus Eve is anticipating the start of the T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) calling it a “good day” for football as it will allow the local-based players to play regularly in an effort to earn selection on the national team.

“Most of all (this is) an opportunity for the players to play,” Eve said during the launch of the league at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain on Monday.

“Derek (King) and I are here today because we are happy that there is a league. We have been advocating for the local players to be part of the (national) team, but they need to be playing and they need to be match fit, so today is a good day.” King is one of Eve’s assistant coaches on the national senior team.

Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe, normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad and the TTPFL COO Colin Wharfe were among those who attended the launch.

“(This is) good. It is really good to hear the minister vow the support of the Government,” Eve said. “The dignitaries were here. You heard Robert Hadad speak, the new COO Mr (Colin) Wharfe. I think he is an excellent guy, a really good guy, a guy of integrity. That is the kind of people we need in sport.”

Coaches and representatives of local club teams attended the league’s launch.

Eve knows the national team will not benefit from the league overnight as players must play regularly for a year or two to improve their standard of play.

“It would not be overnight, but we have been doing our part. The normalisation committee has been supporting us. We just played St Martin in a game and that was an effort to keep the locally-based players engaged and we see how that went. We have a couple more matches for them. We want to go to Jamaica with them and we also want to play Guatemala in the (United) States with the locally-based players.”

Eve said his staff on the national team will be attending the TTPFL matches to scout players for the T&T men’s senior team.

“We will get to see every team play obviously…we have a staff (and) we will send people to different places. We have the opportunity once the fixtures are stable that we can go different venues and watch the different teams.”

The league has been 18 months in the making and the league for 12 tier-one teams will begin on March 10 and end in May. The teams are La Horquetta Rangers, Club Sando, Police, W Connection Couva, Pt Fortin Civic FC, AC Port of Spain, Central FC, San Juan Jabloteh, Caledonia AIA, Prisons FC, Cunupia FC and Defence Force.

The league for tier-two teams will start at the end of April, but it is uncertain how many teams will compete.

There will be no promotion and relegation in the first season as it will only be played over two months. In June, a knock-out competition will be held featuring teams in both tier one and tier two. The second season of the league will run from September/October 2023 to May 2024.

At the launch on Monday, Cudjoe said the Government will commit $3 million per year for the first three years. The league is also getting support from FIFA and corporate T&T.
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Offline Tallman

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2023, 07:40:45 AM »
Something to work with: Edwards, Shabazz hopeful about Premier League
By Garth Wattley (T&T Express)


A workable structure and a good challenge.

Kieron Edwards, general manager of Terminix La Horquetta Rangers and Caldenonia AIA Morvant president Jamaal Shabazz both saw opportunities for football to capitalise on the latest incarnation of a professional league.

On Monday, the TT Premier League (TTPL) was launched at the Hyatt Regency hotel, with the first season in Tier 1 of the competition set to kick off on March 10.

In her address to the audience, Minister of Sport, Shamfa Cudjoe said Government’s investment in the TTPL would be $3 million per year for the next three years in the first instance, with world governing body FIFA contributing approximately US$300,000-US$400,000.

The Minister acknowledged that Government was giving less than it had done in the past to the TT Pro League but she insisted that clubs had to “come up with something” themselves.

“We will support you as long as you are willing to support yourself, to conduct yourself to attract funding,” Cudjoe added.

Representatives of the Ministry of Sport and the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago will be part of the league’s oversight body, and league operations will be reviewed annually.

Despite the reduced allocation, however, Edwards said the structure can work, “once we stick to the plan.”

The Rangers GM pointed out that the previous Pro League also had a structure that included checks and balances and that, “the first four years of the league, the league was totally funded by the clubs.”

And noting that his club puts out, “almost $2m a year,” he stressed: “We need to give respect where respect is due and kudos where kudos are due to the clubs that continue to support the professional football in Trinidad and Tobago.

And Edwards was keen for the TTPL to be proactive about revenue generation.

“The issue is how can the powers that be generate sustainable measures within the sport,” he told the Express. “We talking about revenue from gates; we talking ‘bout revenue from image rights. That is not really a club (responsibility), is more a league direction; if the league is going to go in that direction in terms of ensuring that the clubs that make the investment can gain revenue from playing in the tournament.”

Shabazz saw the birth of the TTPL as the beginning of something promising.

“We’ve not had enough focus on the football on the field; we’ve had focus on who should be president, who should be this, who should be that, but I think this is the start of something special, I am excited,” he said.

Shabazz acknowledged though, that clubs will have some hard work to do.

“The fact that FIFA and Government are part of the funders of the programme, it puts out a challenge to the clubs to come up with their part, which would be some funding and also the performance to gain the interest of the fans; the community engagement.”

But he said it was, “a good challenge.”

He explained: “Outside of the economic aspect, we have the social aspect. What will this do for a community like Caledonia/Laventille? If we could employ 15 to 18 players and pay them $3,000 to $4,000, it gives them food for thought in terms of the choices they make on the street.” Under the TTPL arrangement, players will be paid through the TTFA.

Shabazz said this was, “good for transparency.”

He noted: “We’ve had instances in the past where clubs allegedly received funding and it didn’t reach the players, so this is a good step.”

Coming back to the funding issue however, Shabazz said that the subventions being given, “would not be enough to carry a team for four months.”

But he remained optimistic that clubs would be able to work with what they will receive.

“Even teams working with the tightest of budgets, it is a big start, especially for a team like Caledonia to have a certain amount of funding to guarantee us to employ X amount of players.”

However, he said of his club: “For us, we want to be ambitious. We have some corporate partners that we accustomed dealing with, COURTS, Massy, couple others, so we want to go to them with a proposal and we want to get the community involved again with the team, because with that little buffer we have, we could now really go full speed ahead into the training.”
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Offline Tallman

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2023, 07:54:05 AM »
The return of competitive football in T&T - phew!
By Colin Murray (T&T Guardian)


At long last, local football appears ready to get started again.

In many countries around the world, competitive football for the top players is being played and has been playing for several months, so why has it taken T&T such a long time?

We are being told that this new TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) has been approximately 18 months in the making. Wow, 18 months! It should be the best-planned football league in the history of world football.

Please forgive me, but I recall there was a committee formed a few years ago with Lindsay Gillette as the chairman and they set about with a formula for a new league to develop the Pro League and have a sustainable second division with promotion and relegation. My understanding was that a proposal was presented to the powers that be at the time, but the usual politics stepped in and it was just left hanging because it supposedly did not fit the criteria that some of the ‘big boys’ had in mind and it was just left to fall by the wayside.

Interestingly enough, the Ascension League had quite a successful tournament and then the Secondary Schools Football League also had a very successful 2022 season with large crowds attending the games, especially the finals in both the League and Intercol. It is therefore beyond me to understand why this TTPFL did not get off the ground at least 12 months ago.

I know there will be 101 reasons why it took 18 months of planning to get a ball kicked but in the meanwhile, and perhaps the most destructive fact is that T&T’s footballers have suffered from a huge lack of playing time. How come the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) started at least a year ago? Is the JPL different? The answer to that is yes, they seem to be more structured and while I am sure there is politics involved, it has not kept them back from organising their players in good, top-class competition.

T&T’s men’s head coach Angus Eve has been begging and pleading for competitive football to resume at the top level as he has been at a serious disadvantage in terms of assessing the ability of his players in a competitive setting. Hopefully, we can see the Soca Warriors finally benefiting from this league with many more young players holding their hands up and trying to make the breakthrough at the international level.

The start of the league happens on March 10 and runs for just about two months then they go into a knockout playoff. Thankfully, because of the Ascension League, most of these clubs would have been ready for the start of this league having at least been exposed to some level of competition.

When one goes through the list of the teams/clubs, a fan mentioned to me he would have liked to have seen more community teams involved and I could not argue with his point. The community teams in T&T now seem to gather the majority of support in games simply because one is able to identify with the team. Wouldn’t I support Cunupia FC if I was living in Cunupia and its environs? Having said that, better marketing from the league administrators is desperately needed. Football fans want to come and see exciting football but also players who have style, flair and panache but these players have to be sold to the public for them to come out and see who are the various stars of the teams.

This league has a lot of work to do. If you recall, at most Pro League matches, crowds did not come out as the football played by some of the clubs was sub-standard. After you go once to a game and it is drab and lacking in basic skills, you will not go back. Even if the scoreline suggests a competitive game, if the ability shown by players is lacking, the public will be very unlikely to support consistently.

The administration of football in T&T is perceived by many to be at rock bottom and it is clear that people no longer vote for who can do the job but rather, friends vote for friends and they look for favours in exchange for their votes. It is something that plagues many national sporting bodies in this country but football is certainly one that suffers the most.

Running a competitive football league will not bring back the trust that local football fans have in the administration of the game. What brings back trust is ensuring that the people who get into positions of authority have a high level of integrity, honesty and a clean record that they are trusted to run a steady ship and keep it afloat. In addition, players have to believe the administration is working for their betterment as for far too long in T&T, players do not trust administrators.

When one looks at T&T’s standings regionally, it is going to take some time before the country can get back to the top and replace Jamaica as the leading Caribbean territory when it comes to football. This could very well be the start but it can’t be a stop-start scenario. Players need to be playing football throughout the year with a two-month break before the season starts again. That is the only way in which this country’s footballers will improve and ascend to the top of the ladder.

I am pleased that the clubs will each stand to benefit from a cash injection from FIFA and the government. I sincerely hope the clubs use the funds wisely. Yes, pay the players handsomely but also ensure that the very clubs have a proper development structure in place. The clubs have to start to stand up on their own two feet rather than look for handouts. This is a great start for them however, they must begin to market themselves and their players to attract sponsorship and have multiple fundraisers to keep the club ticking. We have gone past the dreaded COVID lockdowns when nothing was happening (no fundraisers etc.) to keep your club afloat it is now up to all the clubs to get up and seek their own source of funds. I know it is going to be a rough road with some clubs to become self-sustainable but to be honest, that has to be the way forward to get the supporters involved as I am sure some will have ideas to keep clubs on an upward trend.

Let us keep our fingers and toes crossed that this is the start of the journey to see T&T’s talented footballers take its football out of the dark ages and as the late great icon the Black Stalin sang, “better days are coming”.
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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2023, 03:17:31 PM »
The new face of professional football.
TTFA Media.


The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) alongside the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and FIFA has collaborated to successfully launch the new face of professional football in Trinidad and Tobago; The Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL). During Monday’s launch at the Hyatt Regency, the League’s CEO Colin Wharfe provided a full rollout of the plans for the new league including the structure, governance, marketing plans, and the start date, which is set for March 10th, 2023.

“This League has been approximately 18 months in the making. Its structure derives from the recommendations of a 2021 FIFA-led T&T Professional Football League Development Study. During the last couple months, the organising team, with the full support of the TTFA’s Normalisation Committee, the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, FIFA, Concacaf and the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago, has worked diligently to make this day possible,” explained the League’s CEO.

Mr Wharfe also noted the importance of the TTPFL as a means to help senior club players prepare for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. “Qatar 2022 is widely regarded as one of the best World Cups ever staged, the next one is already on the horizon and…. it will be held in our region….so we need to get our senior footballers ready for a tough qualification challenge…”

TTFA Acting General Secretary Amiel Mohammed also joined in to celebrate a pivotal step in the right direction for Trinidad and Tobago’s football landscape. “Today is a momentous occasion. It is another big step for the TTFA as an Association that has had to make many big steps within the last few years to navigate many of its challenges. We look forward to the evolution of the TTFA as we work towards re-establishing all the facets of football, so that it’s transparent, accountable and adheres to good corporate governance.”

Mr Wharfe continued his breakdown of the league and its structure explaining the drivers behind it all. “The TTPFL has been planned and is being run and supervised by a four-member Executive Committee, chaired by me. The Executive Committee reports to an Oversight Body which comprises representatives of the TTFA, the League’s CEO, representatives from the participating Clubs, representatives of the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago and independent members. Ultimate responsibility for the League rests with the Normalisation Committee as the Board of the TTFA.”

“The Executive Committee has access to existing departments within the TTFA, for example, Competitions, Technical, Licencing and where necessary we have engaged external expertise. Concacaf and FIFA have also provided resources, advice and counsel.”

The Minister of Sport and Community Development, the Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe, was also instrumental in ensuring that this league materialized and she expressed her wishes for it to foster development and growth in the sport in Trinidad and Tobago. “I really wanted to show that the government is supporting football and the development of football in T&T and the development through football. We, as Government, are being asked to support to the tune of $3 million per year for three (3) years in the first instance, and my response to that was that FIFA has to put something in. And you have to market and promote yourself and conduct yourself in such a way to attract private sector support,” Minister Cudjoe stated.

She continued, “this evening, I am happy that this is a collaborative effort. We say it takes a village…so today you will see Ministry of Sport and Community Development, SporTT, Normalization Committee, TTFA and I’m happy that you have private sector on board also…coming together as a village to restore football to its former glory.”

“This year is a collaborative effort. You have the Ministry of Sport [and Community Development] being welcomed to the [Executive] Committee for the first time…In addition to that, this new arrangement, there is a review after every single year…this time at the end of each year there is a review as to how the funds were utilized [to determine] does this make sense or not, what are the implications of our funding support, what are you doing right, what are you not doing right, so there is greater transparency and accountability going forward.”

“I stand here this evening, optimistic, hopeful, happy, pleased that you are doing your part to get the thing right and to make the investment in the young people. So I can comfortably commit TT$3 million in the first instance, with a review as planned and promised, and we hope that we would grow stronger, closer and united.”

In tandem with the Honourable Minister’s statements, Wharfe outlined that funding support would also be accessed through FIFA and other resources. “Funding is being provided by the TTFA through the FIFA Forward Programme 3.0,…for those not familiar, 3.0 is the Fund used to bolster football development of FIFA’s Member Associations,…. the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, corporate partners and other sponsors. Clubs will be granted subventions from these funding pools, which they will augment with their own investment.”

The TTPFL will be divided into two tiers, Tier One (1) and Tier Two (2), which would host twelve teams each. For this edition, Tier One will be active from March 2023 to May 2023 and from the next official season the schedule will run from September 2023 to May 2024. The twelve teams for this edition have been named as Defence Force, Police FC, San Juan Jabloteh, La Horquetta Rangers, W. Connection, Point Fortin Civic, Caledonia AIA, Club Sando, Cunupia FC, Prisons FC, Central FC and AC Port of Spain (pending approval of their licence).

The composition of the clubs in Tier 2 is being finalized consistent with the club licensing process for a kick off date in April 2023.

Thus far, the approved Tier 1 venues for the league are the national stadia as well as the newly refurbished Mahaica Oval, Ken Cooke Ground (Police Barracks) in St. James, La Horquetta Recreation Ground and the Moruga Multi-Purpose Sport and Youth Facility.

The Tier 1 league will be played over two rounds, a total of 132 games, after which the top two teams would be sent forward to represent Trinidad and Tobago in the upcoming Concacaf Club Competitions. When the league is completed, there will be a knockout tournament that is scheduled to start in June 2023, involving both Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams.

Tier 1 fixtures and other relevant details will be unveiled shortly.

The TTPFL will be marketed and advertised on all social media platforms and daily/weekly updates can also be found on any official pages belonging to the TTFA and/or the TTPFL.

We look forward to your continued support as we welcome back professional football to T&T.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Flex

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2023, 01:14:43 PM »
TT Premier Football League Frequently asked questions.
TTFA Media.


1. What is the TT Premier Football League?

The TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) is the new, elite football League sanctioned by the Trinidad and
Tobago Football Association (TTFA.) It comprises two divisions: a Top -Tier division and a Second-Tier
division.

2. What is the purpose of this League?

In keeping with the TTFA’s three and a half (3 ½) year strategic plan (2023 – 2026) this League aims to
create a sustainable business model for professional football in Trinidad and Tobago and to protect the
integrity of the sport built on a foundation of sound governance, transparency and active stakeholder
involvement. The League’s structure is based upon the findings and recommendations of a 2021 FIFA-led
T&T Professional Football League Development study. The recommendations contained in the report are
the result of detailed consultations with all key TT football stakeholder groups such as the clubs,
operators, administrators, Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GoRTT), FIFA, Concacaf
and the governing body.

3. Why replace the Pro League and Super League?

The legal entities, Pro League Limited and Trinidad and Tobago Super League Limited which hosted the
Pro League and Super League competitions will continue to exist. However, the TTFA has determined it
necessary, at this stage in the evolution of the professional game in Trinidad and Tobago, to assume
direct responsibility and oversight for professional football.

4. When is the League season?

The League’s initial season will commence on 10 March 2023 and run until May 2023. This shortened
season facilitates meeting Concacaf’s deadline for the submission of Trinidad and Tobago’s Club
representatives for the 2023 Concacaf Clubs Competition.

Subsequent seasons of the TTPFL are expected to run annually, commencing in the month of
September/October and ending in the month of May of the following year. The first full annual season
will commence in September/October 2023.

Following the completion of the League schedule there will be a knockout competition among the teams
comprising both the Top-Tier and Second-Tier.

An independent analysis will be conducted at the end of each season, generated from monitoring and
evaluation systems that are being put in place. A season “state-of-play” report will drive
recommendations that would be considered to ensure the League’s sustainability. Any changes deemed
necessary for the League’s structure, such as facilitating promotion and relegation or an increase in the
number of participating clubs, may be made subject to the relevant economic and other factors.

5. When will the inaugural Tournament take place?

The League’s Top-Tier competition kicks off on Friday 10 March 2023, with the Second-Tier expected to
commence in late April 2023. Prospective Second-Tier clubs are presently engaged in working through
logistics and club licensing.

6. Who is running this League?

The TTPFL is supervised by a four-member Executive Committee, chaired by a TTFA-appointed CEO. The
Executive Committee reports to an Oversight Body which comprises representatives of the TTFA the
League CEO, representatives from the participating Clubs, representatives of The Ministry of Sport and
Community Development and the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago and independent members.
Ultimate responsibility for the League rests with the Normalisation Committee as the Board of the TTFA.

7. What are the criteria for Club Participation?

Initially, clubs applied to participate in one of the League’s two tiers. Clubs in the Top-Tier will be eligible
to qualify for participation in the CONCACAF Club Competitions and all participants in the CONCACAF
Club Competitions are required to hold Regional Licences. As such, the primary qualifying criteria for
Top-Tier teams is the possession of a Regional Licence. The TTFA will work with prospective Top-Tier
clubs to support them in their efforts to obtain a Regional Licence during the transitional season once
they have obtained the minimum standard of a Domestic Licence thirty (30) days prior to the first match
day.

Clubs playing in the Second-Tier would require a Domestic Licence.

The requirements cover a range of standards inclusive of player development standards, club
infrastructure, finance, operations, health and safety and more. Items highlighted in RED will be excluded
for the requirements for a Domestic Licence while all items reflect criteria required for a Regional
License.

8. What is the objective of the Club Licensing Process?

In keeping with FIFA Forward Programme 3.0 and the FIFA’s vision to protect the integrity of the sport
and further the professionalism of club football around the globe the Club Licencing Process seeks to
improve the standards within the football community and safeguard the integrity of club competitions,
promoting sporting values and transparency in club finances and club ownership.

Club Licensing is a key element in promoting the professionalisation of sport all over the world. Best
practice licensing systems use principle-based criteria and set minimum standards that clubs must satisfy
in order to be licensed and, consequently, be able to participate in specific competitions. It is a proven
method for elevating the standard of the sport.

As part of our aim to raise the level of club football in T&T, four main goals have been developed:

1. Understand and safeguard domestic club football
2. Raise the level of professionalism in club football administration
3. Identify and share best practices of our clubs and Leagues
4. Formalize requirements for participation in domestic and regional club competitions.

The Trinidad and Tobago Club Licensing Regulations are aligned with the Concacaf’s Club Licensing
Regulations, with Concacaf being the Confederation responsible for football’s governance in the
Caribbean, Central and North American region.

Club Licensing Requirements can be summarized in five (5) main categories.

1. Infrastructure
2. Sporting
3. Administration
4. Financial
5. Legal

The Club Licensing process is exclusively operated via Concacaf’s COMET platform where clubs were
required to login and upload supporting documentation for each of the five categories as required.

9. Who decides which clubs are awarded Licences?

A TTFA appointed independent First Instance Body (FIB) is tasked with the evaluation of the Clubs’ submissions and the award or denial of licences.

The members of the FIB are:

1. Attorney Christophe Brathwaite
2. Cristel Tom Wing
3. Frank Rodriguez
4. Attorney Josiah Cyrus

10. How many Clubs signaled their interest in competing in the Transitional League?

In July 2022, interested Clubs were invited to complete an application to join the League for Year One.
Eleven (11) TT Pro League Clubs, Nine (9) Trinidad and Tobago Super League Clubs and One (1)
Registered Regional Zonal Club submitted applications.

These Twenty-One (21) Clubs are:

Athletic Club Port of Spain (Pro League)
Caledonia AIA Limited (Pro League)
Central F.C. (Pro League)
Point Fortin Civic Football Club (Pro League)
Police F.C. (Pro League)
San Juan Jabloteh (Pro League)
Terminix La Horquetta Rangers FC (Pro League)
W Connection (Pro League)
Defence Force F.C. (Pro League)
Club Sando FC (Pro League)
Cunupia F.C.  (Pro League)
QPCC F.C. (Super League)
San Fernando Giants F.C. (Super League)
Matura ReUnited F.C. (Super League)
Petit Valley Diego Martin United (Super League)
Prison Service F.C. (Super League)
Bethel United F.C. (Super League)
Guaya United F.C. (Super League)
Defence Force TTSL (Super League)
Harlem Strikers F.C. (Super League)
Real West Fort United (NFA)

Subsequent to the initial applications, at a follow up deadline in November 2022, the following Super
League Teams outlined their interest to compete in the Second-Tier: University of Trinidad and Tobago,
RSSR, 1976 Phoenix F.C. and Erin F.C.

11. As of today, which clubs have been approved?

The FIB has reviewed the submitted applications for the Top-Tier division and has to date submitted
approvals for the following clubs thus far:

1. San Juan Jabloteh
2. Prison Service FC
3. Police FC
4. Point Fortin Civic FC
5. Caledonia AIA
6. W Connection
7. Cunupia FC
8. La Horquetta Rangers
9. Club Sando FC
10. T&T Defence Force
11. Central FC
12. AC Port of Spain (*pending final
licensing approval)

12. How is this League being funded?

Funding is being provided by the TTFA through FIFA Forward 3.0, the Government of the Republic of
Trinidad and Tobago, corporate partners and other sponsors. Clubs will be granted subventions, which
they can augment with their own fund-raising.

13. Why should clubs participate in this League?

● To develop and showcase the talent of our top senior players, particularly to local and
international coaches and scouts and to create opportunities for professional club and national
team recruitment
● To provide a high-level of competition to challenge their players and coaches
● To signal they are part of the change in the conduct of professional sport in Trinidad and Tobago
● To WIN: gain bragging rights, earn prizes, compete in the Concacaf Club Competitions 2023
(Top-Tier teams only).

14. Given the timing for participation in the Concacaf Club Competition in 2023, how and when
will the decision be made as to the two teams that will represent Trinidad and Tobago?


The first and second placed teams of the Top-Tier League qualify as Trinidad and Tobago’s
representatives for the Concacaf Club Competition 2023. Due to the late start to the inaugural
competition, the first and second placed teams (i.e. the top two teams) will be selected at a
predetermined Match Day.

15. Where can I find the Tournament rules and regulations?

The Tournament Regulations can be found on the TTFA website.

16. Where will games be played?

Games will be played at the national stadia and other approved venues inclusive of, but not restricted to
the following:

1. Mahaica Sports Complex
2. La Horquetta Recreation Ground
3. Moruga Multi-Purpose Sport and Youth Facility
4. Ken Cooke Grounds (St James Police Barracks)
17. Will admission to matches be free or will tickets be sold?
Tickets can be sold and are to be done in partnership with the Home Team and/or the organizer of the
grounds at the time.

18. Is there Promotion and Relegation?

There will be no Promotion and Relegation in the League’s inaugural season (transitional season).
Subject to the recommendations made by the independent body charged with executing the analysis of
the transitional season, promotion to and relegation from the Top-Tier may commence in year two of
the League. This independent body will be named at a later date.

19. Are Mixed Teams allowed?

This is an All-Male Tournament. Mixed teams are not allowed.

20. What is the Maximum Number of Players per Team?

Each Team is permitted a Registered Roster of no more than thirty-five (35) players.

21. Will Replacement Players be allowed?

A registered player may be replaced by another eligible player in accordance with the Tournament
Regulations within the relevant transfer window and/or registration windows.

22. Can a Player be registered with more than one Team?

NO. Players may only represent one team at any given time. In the event of a team attempting to field a
player in both tiers this cannot be done. A player must only be registered in one team in one tier at any
point in time as per the FIFA Connect registration system.

23. Are there any plans to include a Women’s Division? If so, when?

The focus of this transitional League is the Men’s Division. In the future we hope to include a Women’s
Division to the structure in collaboration with stakeholders such as TT WoLF.

24. Will matches be live-streamed? / Will the matches be recorded?

Broadcast and streaming arrangements are being negotiated and will be announced at a later date.

25. Will Clubs be allowed to have their own media personnel cover games?

Yes. The League’s designated Marketing Official (contact details to be provided) should be consulted at
least two days in advance of the match day. The Clubs media personnel are bound by the provisions
contained in the Tournament Regulations.

26. Who will officiate matches?

All match Officials will be selected from a pool of suitably qualified and trained persons appointed by the
TTFA Refereeing Department.

27. What Covid Protocols shall Teams be required to follow?

This League will strictly observe and enforce all GoRTT Covid-19 regulations and guidelines in force,
inclusive of those that relate to public gatherings and the playing of contact sports. Any game day costs
associated with the adherence of these guidelines will be borne by the TTFA.

28. Has the Committee considered doing its own Covid-19 Vaccination Drive and even identifying
a dedicated Vaccination Sites that participants will have preferential treatment if interested?


No. The GoRTT provides free sites, geographically spread across both islands, that can be easily accessed
by anyone who wishes to become vaccinated.

29. The TTFA has assumed responsibility for paying players and officials participating in this
League. From what date does payroll commence?


In compliance with the terms of financial support, the TTFA will oversee the disbursement process of
funds that are provided to it to support the League. The TTFA will assist the clubs eligible for subvention
by directly covering approved payroll costs. This arrangement does not create any contractual
relationship between the TTFA and the players/ individuals remunerated under this arrangement. Clubs
will maintain control of all other aspects of employment. These Payments will commence on a date to be
determined.

By:Yale Z. Antoine
TTPFL Secretary


The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Flex

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #9 on: February 15, 2023, 04:14:50 PM »
Upcoming Fixtures.

10-Mar-2023

W Connection FC v Central FC, 5.00pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex.
Point Fortin Civic v Club Sando FC, 7.30pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex.
AC Port of Spain v Defence Force, 5.00pm, La Horquetta Recreation Ground.

11-Mar-2023

La Horquetta Rangers v Police FC, 7.30pm, Phase 2 La Horquetta.

12-Mar-2023

Caledonia AIA v Cunupia FC, 4.00pm, Arima Velodrome.
Prison Service FC v San Juan Jabloteh, 6.30pm Arima Velodrome.

Note:

The inaugural TTPFL competition is scheduled to end on Saturday 12 June—by which time all 12 teams should have faced each other twice.

There is no news yet on the prize structure for the TTPFL, which does not have a system for promotion or relegation.

Wharfe said the top teams will receive medals. However the matter of sourcing prize money remains a “work in progress”.

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2023, 05:11:39 PM »
Upcoming Fixtures.

10-Mar-2023

W Connection FC v Central FC, 5.00pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex.
Point Fortin Civic v Club Sando FC, 7.30pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex.
AC Port of Spain v Defence Force, 5.00pm, La Horquetta Recreation Ground.

11-Mar-2023

La Horquetta Rangers v Police FC, 7.30pm, Phase 2 La Horquetta.

12-Mar-2023

Caledonia AIA v Cunupia FC, 4.00pm, Arima Velodrome.
Prison Service FC v San Juan Jabloteh, 6.30pm Arima Velodrome.

Note:

The inaugural TTPFL competition is scheduled to end on Saturday 12 June—by which time all 12 teams should have faced each other twice.

There is no news yet on the prize structure for the TTPFL, which does not have a system for promotion or relegation.

Wharfe said the top teams will receive medals. However the matter of sourcing prize money remains a “work in progress”.





10-Mar-2023

W Connection FC v Central FC, 5.00pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex.
Point Fortin Civic v Club Sando FC, 7.30pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex.
AC Port of Spain v Defence Force, 5.00pm, La Horquetta Recreation Ground.

11-Mar-2023

La Horquetta Rangers v Police FC, 7.30pm, Phase 2 La Horquetta.

Are these two different grounds. I really don't know this area



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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2023, 01:36:27 PM »
T&T Premier League lookahead: De Four says, expect a fight when you play Cunupia FC
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)


CUNUPIA FC director and coach Michael De Four said his players are ready for the fight as the unit gears up for the T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) which kicks off on March 10 after three years of limited local club football.

Cunupia FC may be without some of their experienced players for the 2023 season including the Tobago pair of Keon Daniel and Kevon “Showtime” Woodley.

“Most of the core players…they are like 34, 35 so some of them have decided to stay in their job,” De Four said.

“We are rebuilding. We have maybe five or so of our players from seasons gone and the rest of the new players are coming along.”

De Four knows he does not have the most gifted team in the upcoming league, but said teams can expect a battle when they play Cunupia FC.

“We at Cunupia have never had a fully talented squad. We are relatively young…we are always very hard to beat. We play hard, we fight hard to win.”

The TTPFL, ending in May, has been 18 months in the making and will include 12 teams in the top division. The teams are La Horquetta Rangers, Club Sando, Police, W Connection Couva, Pt Fortin Civic FC, AC Port of Spain, Central FC, San Juan Jabloteh, Caledonia AIA, Prisons FC, Defence Force and Cunupia FC.

The league for tier-two teams will start at the end of April.

There will be no promotion and relegation in the first season as it will only be played over two months. In June, a knock-out competition will be held featuring teams in both tier one and tier two. The second season of the league will run from September/October 2023 to May 2024.

At the launch of the league two weeks ago, Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe said the Government will commit $3 million per year for the first three years. The league is also getting support from FIFA and corporate T&T.

De Four said there have been challenges during the build-up. “Preparations are ongoing…you may be aware that there are not many football fields that have been reasonably maintained during the two, three years of the covid (pandemic), so it doesn’t have many places you get a fairly alright surface to train on.”

Cunupia FC are training at multiple venues, wherever is available and conducive including the Balmain Recreation Ground in Couva.

There is also competition for sporting facilities this year with a number of other sports being held as T&T starts to return to normalcy after the pandemic.

“We have to work with what we have…all the fields are terrible and in a mess right now.”

De Four said ideally he would like to train mostly in Central, so his players would not have to travel too far. “Right now we represent Central. We homegrown in Central. We came up in Central Zone, we played in the super league and we went up to the premier league as we calling it now.”

De Four said Central has a high crime rate and he wants to get as many young people involved as possible.

Cunupia FC are still without a major sponsor. “We will just be hopeful that somebody would come on board.”

Each team is expected to receive a subvention of $220,000 for the season.

The Cunupia FC coach said encouraging someone to leave their job to play football for a few months can prove difficult. “You have to offer them (at least) minimum wage (to play).”

Cunupia FC will open the league against Caledonia AIA on March 12 at the Arima Velodrome. Cunupia have won three of their last four matches against Caledonia.
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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2023, 01:45:03 AM »
T&T Premier League ready to kick off.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).


The start of this year’s T&T Premier Football League is well on course for March 10 for the tier one teams. Tier two, however, is scheduled to kick off at the end of April, league chief executive officer (CEO) Colin Wharfe has said.

Both tiers will feature 12 teams and organisers have been very accommodating to ensure that teams meet the required criteria to play. Wharfe said teams have been given local licenses and others got regional licenses which will allow them to participate in CONCACAF/regional tournaments.

Some clubs that have local licenses can still meet the deadline to receive regional licenses with just a few kinks to take care of by match-day 11. The new Premier League boss said though he expects to have a minor rush closer to the start of the season, he patiently awaits kick off of the new season.

“For the transitional season, there will be two tiers, the kick-off will be a tier one and those are licensed teams, either domestic license or regional licenses which will qualify teams to play in the regional club competition,” said Wharfe.

“The teams that have local licenses are missing a few bits of information and very important information that we have told them that by a certain match-day, I think it’s match-day 11, that once they can make up that slack, then we will award you a regional license.

“So you then qualify for participation in the regional club competitions. I don’t want to guess but I am fairly confident that a lot of the 12 teams will be eligible for regional licenses by that cut-off date because people are starting to see the opportunities that present themselves and the momentum is building, so that is tier one.”

“In tier two, because it is a much larger group of teams (24-plus) teams, they asked us to start a little later because they come from the deeper holes, so to speak, in terms of readiness, so we still have the cut-off of 12 teams which has been identified and then the licensing process is going relatively smoothly.

“The intention is to start towards the back end of April. In June there is a knock-out across the two tiers and then in September we will continue to have the two tiers, where there will be no promotion or demotion because of the compressed nature of the activities.”

The teams that will contest the first tier in March are Caledonia AIA, Central FC, Club Sando, Cunupia FC, La Horquetta Rangers, Point Fortin Civic Centre, Police FC, Prisons Services, San Juan Jabloteh, Defence Force and W Connection. They are all set to benefit from a cash injection courtesy of the FIFA Forward Programme and the government. It is understood that a total of $2.64 million or $220,000 each will be distributed over four months from March to June 2023.

Meanwhile, because of the number of teams from the Super League which made up tier two of the competition, organisers have had to put their foot down in deciding on 12 teams for the competition. The teams that were left out are expected to see action when the super league holds its own tournament later this year.

Wharfe, however, said catering for them is a conversation they would have loved to have.

“What happens with the residual teams is a conversation we would love to engage in but that’s not our specific remit. I will tell you what were some of the issues. There were two or three teams coming out of the 2019 season which were due to be promoted I presume from their zones into the Super League.

“I don’t believe that ever happened, and you then had a number of teams that were neither from the Pro League nor Super League operation that said I want to be part of it. And coming out of the launch we had a number of teams that called to say they want to be part of it.

“When you start having those kinds of permutations, it is extremely time-consuming.”

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #13 on: March 02, 2023, 12:23:30 AM »
De Four says $50,000 Gov’t/FIFA grant insufficient.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).


It will cost Cunupia FC, the club considered the pride of the central area as well as the pride of parts of the eastern areas (from Tunapuna to Sangre Grande), to get a regional license that will enable them to participate in the T&T Premier League.

The league is set to kick off on March 10 with Cunupia FC being among 12 teams, inclusive of Caledonia AIA, Central FC, Club Sando, La Horquetta Rangers, Point Fortin Civic Centre, Police FC, Prisons Services, San Juan Jabloteh, Defence Force, AC Port of Spain and W Connection that will begin action.

More than 75 percent of the teams have received domestic licenses, but they need regional licenses to be able to contest the CONCACAF Club Championships if they finish as one of the top two teams in the local league.

Cunupia FC coach Michael De Four said it could cost his team a minimum of $10,000 a year for 2021 and 2022 and a maximum of $75,000 to get the signature of an auditor on their audited financial statements, as will cost any other club.

Though all the other teams will be in action on March 10 at various venues, the central-based team will play its first match on April 26 in a rescheduled affair at the Arima Velodrome against Caledonia AIA from 4 pm.

Though Cunupia FC contested the Ascension Football Tournament last year, the team has been struggling to recover from the impact of the covid-19 pandemic which grounded the sport for two years and led to the destruction of most teams. Because of this De Four has had to recruit a core of new players all between the 19-24 age bracket which he said needs crucial technical work ahead of the start of the league.

Like the other teams, Cunupia will be the beneficiary of a $50, 000-a-month grant, courtesy of the government and the sport’s world governing body -FIFA, to be used to pay salaries for players and staff.

The funds will be wired directly into the players’ bank accounts monthly. However, De Four said while they are grateful for the financial help being given, his team has been on the lookout for corporate assistance if they are to meet their expenses.

“Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) cannot pay salaries for 16 players and staff so we have to get a sponsor. Remember clubs will have to get funding for uniforms (two sets for home and away), insurance, pay for audited accounts, transport and refreshments and supplements for players etc.

At a launch of the T&T Premier League in January, Minister of Sports and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe called for clubs to play a part in making themselves self-sustainable, saying the government had spent well over $87 million on funding the T&T Pro League.

De Four said while his club remains grateful for the funding, he wanted to remind the public of the impact the sport of football had on the national community, saying it is a crime-fighting tool, a tool to combat the many social issues plaguing the country, a tool to fight against obesity and other health problems, and a vehicle that players can use to get a solid education and employment.

“As a matter of fact in years to come the government may have to pay less money for medication because of football. I would like the various government ministries to publicly support a fund for sports because of the multiple roles it plays.

We can ask if the minister did a poll to see how many people want football to be played as it is a national issue, so I can humbly say that her statement was not supported by anything,” De Four said.

Cunupia FC will continue preparation this evening at 6 pm at Five Rivers Secondary School in Arouca.

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #14 on: March 02, 2023, 11:54:51 AM »
Cunupia FC blanked free support for audited accounts
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)


Offers of support to get audited financial statements done were made to all clubs seeking entry into the T&T Premier League, as well as those who were accepted, said the league chief executive officer (CEO) Colin Wharfe yesterday.

His statement comes a day after Cunupia FC, one of 12 clubs seeking to reach regional-license status, stated through coach Michael De Four that it would cost the team between $20,000 to $75,000 to receive their audited statement. De Four also noted on Tuesday, that that amount was in addition to other costs his team would have to put out for uniforms, transportation, refreshments, insurance and other miscellaneous costs.

Wharfe said to date, nine of the 12 teams have received their regional license which means they must have gotten their audited statements, which is a requirement by CONCACAF and the sport’s world governing body, FIFA.

He told Guardian Media Sports yesterday that, not only was assistance offered for clubs’ finances to be in order, but they also sought to ensure that clubs achieve their objectives of becoming fully compliant.

“I was not aware that they (Cunupia FC) would have requested audited financial statement support in terms of getting service providers to them or if they can do the audits themselves. So we have extended publicly and to the teams on several occasions, that we are here to work with you to achieve your objectives,” Wharfe said.

“We laid some parameters around what they could and could not do, providing support in terms of trying to get an auditor that may be able to work with three or four clubs to have their audited financial statements done, was one of the offers we had made.

“We have said to them if you need guidance, support or whatever with respect to closing out an item on their application for club licenses, we will assist them.”

He noted also that if the football association did not make a decision on if clubs could have functioned without some items on the application, they would have called CONCACAF to seek assistance on the level of flexibility clubs had to cope without others.

Wharfe later responded to concerns by clubs that the $50,000 grant to be given to all participating teams by the government and FIFA would not be enough, by saying that he will not respond to Cunupia FC specifically because he does not know about its history or the context in which De Four’s statement was made, but he was willing to say no club was promised total financing for the league.

“That was given from the get-go. Nobody said that they were going to be 100 per cent financed. What the government said was this is what we’re prepared to give you, but you need to learn to fish.

“These clubs have been around for 20-odd years, and to be consistently requiring third-party support and not demonstrating their ability to support themselves creates a challenge from my perspective.

“You heard the Minister of Sport and Community Development at the launch that everybody needs to get their act together, don’t just come to ask for money.”

Tier 1 of the T&T Premier League gets going on March 10 but Cunupia will begin their action on April 26 against Caledonia AIA at the Arima Velodrome from 4 pm.
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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #15 on: March 02, 2023, 03:29:08 PM »
 >:( :( :o ??? :-[ :frustrated:

Offline Deeks

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #16 on: March 02, 2023, 03:42:51 PM »
Cunupia FC will continue preparation this evening at 6 pm at Five Rivers Secondary School in Arouca.

How can this be ? Are You telling with all the space in central they can't get a ground to practice ?Endeavour, Chaguanas, Enterprise, Longdenville ?

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #17 on: March 03, 2023, 01:13:06 PM »
Wolfe: Young footballers not doing anything extra
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)


FORMER Soca Warrior Anton Wolfe is encouraging footballers in the T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) to go the extra mile by taking personal interest in their game and not depend solely on their coaches.

Wolfe was part of the T&T squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. He had stints abroad in the US and India and played for multiple clubs locally including North East Stars, San Juan Jabloteh and Ma Pau.

At the launch of the Republic Cup National Youth Football League on Tuesday, Wolfe said personal responsibility is pivotal in an athlete’s development.

“I think (some) of the young players don’t do extra work. I am against that. I played abroad, I played locally and nothing never changed with me. I love to see a player doing extra. Extra doesn’t mean on the training day. Extra means after the session– what are you doing as a player to develop your skills?”

Wolfe used the example of running on your own at a savannah or going to the gym.

“Dwight Yorke gave us a little history about (David) Beckham. After training, Beckham used to be hitting 100 balls in free kicks because he wanted to perfect (it)…when we watching them on TV and saying they are good, it's not what they doing on that day – it's what they doing before.”

Beckham, a former Manchester United and England international, was prolific in taking free kicks. Yorke, who captained T&T at the 2006 World Cup, was Beckham’s team-mate at Manchester United in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Wolfe urged the TTPFL players to trust in God. “Only you could help you, with the help of God. I will always mention God in anything that I do because without Him nothing will be fruitful. With Him what seems impossible will be possible.”

Wolfe is elated that local footballers can play regularly again. “I am very happy for the Premier League that is about to kick off…in terms of players looking forward to playing football, earning a living that could put bread on the table for their family. I think it is a plus. We had a rough two to three years due to the pandemic.”

He said the TTPFL, which kicks off on March 10, will benefit national teams. “This will also be great for our national teams because you will have players playing week in, week out, training almost everyday. Now you can at least get a good core of local players that could go and represent our country when they are called upon.

"For me, it is a great plus for all the organisations who are part of this to see this being successful and I hope it is fruitful at the end of the day.”

The TTPFL will feature tier one and tier two. The league for tier-two teams will start at the end of April.
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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #18 on: March 03, 2023, 03:47:00 PM »
Prisons FC ready for Premier League, boasts of fitness
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)


PRESIDENT of Prisons FC Jude Gordon admitted that his unit may not have the most talented players in the upcoming T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL), but said teams can expect to face a fit and competitive outfit.

Prisons FC will feature alongside 11 other teams in division one of the TTPFL kicking off on March 10.

Prisons are no strangers to winning in recent years as they claimed the Terminix Super League Football title in 2019 which is the second division in T&T football. It was the club’s first major title in decades.

The team, a mixture of prison officers and civilians, will open their campaign against San Juan Jabloteh at Arima Velodrome from 6.30 pm on March 12.

Anthony Parris, who was the captain of Prisons in 2019, will represent the team again this season. It has not been decided who will captain the team this year.

Anderson Veronique will aim to coach the team to success again, but this time in the top flight of local football.

“I have been at all the sessions and there has been a nice meshing between the officers and the civilians,” Gordon said. “We don’t really have any big names, but what we know we will be one of the fittest, one of the most competitive teams out there because we have a history…we are the defending Super League champs.”

Gordon said the team consistently finished in the top three of the Super League before the covid19 pandemic.

Prisons have their own practice facility at the Youth Training and Rehabilitation Centre in Arouca.

Gordon said the club is funded through the Prisons Sports Club, but additional sponsorship is required.

“One of our major sponsors has been our sports club because we are an independent non-profit organisation, but that does not mean to say (we are not seeking sponsorship).

“Our Prisons Sports Club has funded us recently in terms of our uniforms, our balls, but we are always on the lookout for other sponsors because we need that. We are hard on the pavement beating showing these potential people that it is good to back Prisons, but still on the search though.”

Gordon is looking forward to the new league as it allows the players to play as over the last three years football was only held periodically because of the pandemic.

“Very glad (to see the players back out). We are in a unique position as the Prisons FC service. Prisons have been in the spotlight with our officers being murdered, so it is a morale-boosting opportunity that we have taken advantage of…we looking to change the image of the Prisons service through this football team.”
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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #19 on: March 08, 2023, 01:47:34 PM »
Police FC want to raise football standard.
T&T Newsday Reports.


POLICE FC want to display a higher level of football and pride when the inaugural Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) kicks off on Friday at the Mahaica Complex, Point Fortin.

Police begin their season on March 17 with a clash against W Connection at Police Barracks, St James.

Founded in 1975, the club has become an attractive institution for footballers to bolster their careers as officers with footballing talent. They were a part of the TT Pro League, which preceded the TTPFL as the country’s top-flight competition.

They had also competed in the TT National League and the TT Semi Professional League, the top-flight leagues from 1974 to 1995 and 1996 to 1998, respectively.

Police FC won the TT National League on three occasions (1979, 1991 and 1994) and were champions of the First Citizens Cup in 2019. They were also finalists in the 1991 Concacaf Champions Cup (now known as the Concacaf Champions League), but were defeated 4-2 on aggregate by Mexican team Puebla. That result is their best result in a continental competition to date.

Now managed by Richard Hood, the "law men’had a creditable third-place finish in the 2022 Ascension Tournament, behind winners La Horquetta Rangers and Defence Force.

Hood will rally his troops once more in an attempt to be the inaugural champions of the TTPFL and book a place in next season’s Concacaf Champions League. The top two teams will qualify for the Concaaf Champions League.

The Police boss said he and his team are excited, and are looking forward to getting back on the pitch and playing football at an elite level. He said, “We played in the Ascension Tournament last year and that was a welcomed (initiative) to the football fraternity but, of course, that was not the actual (top-flight) league.”

“So it’s really good to get back on the pitch against these professional teams and test ourselves.”

Hood is aiming for a strong start in the league, especially as the inaugural season will be condensed – March to June – to meet Concacaf’s regulations.

The team boasts players from the TT's national team such as goalkeeping veteran Adrian Foncette, and former TT U-17 captain – now senior team player – Jabari Mitchell, who will be expected to lead the team towards their targets in this campaign.

Gabriel Nanton, Tyrese Bailey and Simeon Bailey – who all stood out in the Ascension Tournament – will also be players to watch for the law men.

Hood said it was no secret that their goal is to qualify for the Concacaf Champions League and return to the competitive level that the club enjoyed in the 1990s. “We want to bring a higher level of pride to the police service and the fans within it,” he said.

Mitchell said his role this season is very important. "I think, going forward, the younger players will continue to look up to the senior players. So our attitude and form will be very critical to achieve what we want to accomplish this season.”

He added, “We did well in the Ascension Tournament. However, this season is much more important because there is the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship and the Concacaf Champions League at stake, so we need to be more focused than we were in the Ascension Tournament. I would like us to take what we did in that competition and add more this season.”

On a personal level, Mitchell said he is keen to make a greater impact in the final of the field and secure his national team spot. He said providing assists comes natural to him but he wants to add goalscoring to his repertoire.

He said the TTPFL is important for the local-based players as the foreign-based players have been active in professional football, which gives them the edge. Mitchell believes that the league will provide local players with better opportunities to be called up to the national team.

« Last Edit: March 08, 2023, 02:26:01 PM by Flex »
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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #20 on: March 09, 2023, 09:26:35 PM »
Team Profile - Central FC

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #21 on: March 09, 2023, 09:28:50 PM »
Team Profile - Morvant Caledonia United

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Team Profile - Point Fortin Civic FC

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Team Profile - Police FC

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Team Profile - Prisons FC

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #22 on: March 10, 2023, 01:59:06 AM »
Pt Fortin Civic raring to begin TT Premier Football League run.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).


POINT FORTIN Civic FC are ready to begin their quest for the first-ever TT Premier Football League title.

Match day one of the long-awaited domestic competition kicks off at the club’s home base in Mahaica Sporting Complex on Friday, with W Connection versus Central FC in the opener from 5pm, followed by Point Fortin Civic up against southern rivals Club Sando, from 7.30pm.

Coach Dexter Cyrus anticipates an exciting start and believes his team’s pre-season training and practice matches have augured well for the squad’s good mixture of experience and youthful talent.

In the lead-up to Friday’s opening test, Point’s players have been training five days a week and placed much emphasis on fitness.

They also won two of their warm-up matches – against W Connection and Police – and drew another against the latter at Mahaica. Cyrus is pleased with his squad’s progress so far. “Based on feedback, this is basically the first time Point Fortin Civic Centre would have had a proper pre-season. So we are well prepared and the team is starting from a much better place. “When we started training, there were players in a particular frame of mind. But training, getting fit and in tune changes your frame of mind and gets you very optimistic and you feel you can move a mountain.

“That’s the mentality that we want the boys to have going into their first game. I think the boys are in a very good place and we look forward to good things,” he said.

Additionally, the club also acquired the services of national senior team trainer Adarayll John and Naparima College’s goalkeeping coach Rondel Renwick, both of whom, Cyrus said, have been doing an amazing job.

The captain has not yet been confirmed but Cyrus confirmed his troops are a well-oiled unit.

“The boys are very confident. The make-up of the team features a lot of good experience and youth, partnered with experienced youth.

“When we look back and analyse our pre-season, we saw our boys was jovial, optimistic and there was a feeling in the camp that may have never been there before for all the years that Civic Centre have been existing.

“We have brought the boys up to a place where they actually believe they can compete and win games, that’s what we’re trying to.”

« Last Edit: March 10, 2023, 02:15:49 AM by Flex »
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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #23 on: March 10, 2023, 02:11:08 AM »
TT Premier Football League kicks off with doubleheader in South.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).


When domestic football came to a halt in March 2020 because of covid19, no one anticipated a three-year absence.

On Friday, the beautiful game makes a fresh return to the local circuit with the inaugural TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) set to kick off with a double-header at a refurbished Mahaica Sports Complex, formerly Mahaica Oval, in Point Fortin.

W Connection and Central FC play the opening fixture from 5pm while home team Point Fortin Civic Centre takes on southern rivals Club Sando from 7.30pm. An opening ceremony will be held from 4pm.

The venue, which was officially opened in October 2022, plays host to competitive domestic football for the first time. The approximately 1,795 seating is expected to be filled to capacity as the home team and travelling fans seek to catch their fill after such a lengthy downtime.

Altogether, 12 clubs in tier one will feature in a shortened season, which ends in June. Also competing are AC Port of Spain, Caledonia AIA, Cunupia FC, La Horquetta Rangers, Police FC, Prisons Services, San Juan Jabloteh and Defence Force.

The season was shortened fall in line with the Concacaf season, which enables the top two TTPFL teams to be registered in time for the Concacaf playoffs.

There will be no promotion or relegation due to a truncated season which will mean that matches will be played on weekends and during the week.

Players and teams resume action for a second time in September and in October for the first official full season with matches at the Moruga Sports Complex, Mahaica Sports Complex, La Horquetta Recreation Ground and the Ken Cooke Ground (St James Police Barracks).

TT Football Association normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad said he’s excited for the return of football this weekend, in addition to, the March 4 start of the Republic Cup National Youth League.

“It will be a great sight with football being played at boys, girls and senior men's levels across the country. The government, FIFA and our existing corporate partners such as Republic Bank with the National Youth League have been fantastic.

“Lots of work and collaboration with stakeholders has led us to this positive stage and we are really looking forward to it. We will continue to roll out our long term development plans and similar initiatives soon which should wet the appetite of fans and corporate partners,” he said.

Several coaches and players have a positive outlook on the new competition and are also elated for the resumption.

Speaking to TTPFL media, Caledonia AIA coach Jerry Moe said, “It’s good to have football back. It’s one thing to train but a different thing when you have games to play. It also helps for the national team (selection).

“It gives guys something to look forward to, in terms of a job, to make some money when the month comes.

“It’s a good opportunity for the young men who have ambition and want to leave Trinidad (to play overseas). The fact that the league has started back and we’re going to be playing in the Concacaf top club championship, I think it gives these guys a bigger market to aspire for.”

The league’s youngest captain, Club Sando’s 20-year old Acelino Medford, also anticipates an exciting tourney.

On his appointment as captain, ahead of several senior players, Medford said, “It feels good but the other senior players on the team can lead me through whenever times are tough. But the coaches picked me for a reason based on my leadership qualities, what I give in training every day and my professionalism. I am sure about me leading this team.

“For TT football overall, it’s been a while and we need football being played especially for the development of young players to get the exposure so we can represent at the highest level (TT) and give our best.”

The TTPFL said an independent analysis will be conducted at the end of each season, generated from monitoring and evaluation systems that are being put in place.

A season “state-of-play” report will drive recommendations that would be considered to ensure the league’s sustainability. Any necessary changes for the league’s structure, such as facilitating promotion and relegation or an increase in the number of participating clubs, may be made subject to the relevant economic and other factors.

This weekend’s matches

Friday 10 W Connection vs Central FC 5pm, Point Fortin Civic vs Club Sando 7.30pm (Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin)

Saturday 11AC Port of Spain vs Defence Force 4pm (Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar)

Sunday 12 Morvant Caledonia AIA vs Cunupia FC 4pm, San Juan Jabloteh vs Prisons FC 6.30pm (Arima Velodrome)

RELATED NEWS

Youths lead Club Sando in Premier League opener.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).


The return of domestic football after its three-year absence will provide opportunities for young players who have been starved of exposure, owing to the pandemic, a chance to catch the eyes of regional and international school/club scouts. So says Club Sando assistant coach Eddie Dean, whose youthful bunch of players will feature in match day one’s second fixture of the TT Premier Football League, against hosts Point Fortin Civic, at Mahaica Sporting Complex on Friday, from 7.30pm.

Dean welcome the return of local football after such a lengthy hiatus and said his youths are eager to competitively step back on to the pitch.

Like most teams, Club Sando lost some of their senior players over the covid19 lag but has rejuvenated their talent pool with young, vibrant blood.

“Preparations are going well. We have a lot of young players because we lost some during the pandemic. We started back training in December and all the players are very much excited to return to competition,” Dean said.

Additionally, in June 2021, then Club Sando head coach Angus Eve was appointed interim senior national team coach, and had to vacate his post at the south club after just under five years.

In early 2022, former senior team striker Cornell Glen took charge of Club Sando’s U20 squad for the Tiger Tanks U20 Invitational. He was named coach of the tournament and was promoted to the club’s senior team head coach.

And while all teams will be gunning for the first post-pandemic domestic football title, Dean said experience and exposure at this top level are key for the development of his promising squad.

“It will be a very competitive one. The most important thing for Club Sando is to participate in the tournament and give the younger ones exposure at the highest level.

“All the games are going live so hopefully someone might see them from school or a club but it’s to expose them to this level of football,” he added.

Ex-Presentation College player Acelino Medford is the team captain.

“We anticipate a good contest. Everything is new for us this year but we continue on in stride and aim to do our best in the new league.”

« Last Edit: March 10, 2023, 01:14:29 PM by Flex »
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Offline Trini _2026

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #24 on: March 10, 2023, 04:46:46 AM »
So Horquetta Rangers get an exepmtion eh
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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #25 on: March 10, 2023, 06:01:09 AM »
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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #26 on: March 10, 2023, 01:14:58 PM »
Live Games

Friday 10 W Connection vs Central FC 5pm, Point Fortin Civic vs Club Sando 7.30pm (Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin)

Saturday 11AC Port of Spain vs Defence Force 4pm (Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar)

Sunday 12 Morvant Caledonia AIA vs Cunupia FC 4pm, San Juan Jabloteh vs Prisons FC 6.30pm (Arima Velodrome)

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #27 on: March 10, 2023, 08:00:13 PM »
Good Attacking football from PFCC. I only saw the 2nd half

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #28 on: March 11, 2023, 01:50:07 AM »
Central FC hit W Connection 2-0 in TT Premier League opener
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).


Central FC made a winning start to their TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) campaign as they defeated W Connection 2-0 in the opening fixture at Mahaica Sports Complex in Point Fortin on Friday.

A goal in each half from strikers Akeem Roach and Keron "Ball Pest" Cummings separated the teams as W Connection struggled to place shots on target. Rustiness showed in the opening minutes as players sought to get back in groove after a three-year absence of domestic football.

The Savonetta Boys dominated the early stages but Central FC soon found their footing on the dry and dusty turf. W Connection's Jordan Riley and Ronald Charles tried to create but the Central FC backline stood firm.

W Connection's Joash Baird was unable to capitalise on a free header as his effort went wide. But when Central FC got possession, they gained confidence and began to threaten the opposing defence. W Connection defender Nesean Alexander received a yellow card in the 17th minute after bringing down surging Central FC player Ricardo John, who was certain to go one-on-one with custodian Shakeem Darius if he wasn't impeded. Central FC continued to press and were soon rewarded when Roach latched on to a pass to slot past Darius into the far corner, to send the Sharks 1-0 up in the 33rd minute.

Just before halftime, Central FC's Jerrel Britto almost made it 2-0 but his spectacular overhead kick flew just overbar. At the resumption, Central FC looked a renewed unit and were presented with another chance to extend their lead after Cummings was fouled in the penalty area by defender Dwight Pope. Cummings stepped up and rifled home to take a 2-0 lead.

W Connection showed more fight in the second period but Central FC matched their aggression and strung together more passes with confidence. The Sharks' Kyle Sylvester had a good chance to send them further ahead but he was unable to find power behind his shot, after a well-threaded pass from Cummings down the right. Central FC goalie Hakeem Lucas was rarely tested. In the final minutes, Tevon De Boulet was in on goal but had his shot blocked by Darius' left foot to keep the score at 2-0. Central FC assistant coach Julius Edwards was happy to snag the three points on their return to the professional football.

"It was very important as a new team now meshing together. It was a very beautiful day for us getting this victory.

"Discipline was one of our problems in the first half and you see we came out in the second half in a better frame of mind, and we kept our shape together. "We had to make sure they didn't get back into the game because they are a very young team. We're going back to the drawing board because there were some spurts in the game where we could have done a little better," Edwards said.

Central FC play Jabloteh next and Edwards believes a different approach will have to be taken since they possess more senior players compared to W Connection.

"Jabloteh is a more experienced team so we have to switch things up a bit for them," he added. Up to press time last night, the second fixture between Club Sando and hometown favourites Point Fortin Civic Centre was still ongoing. At half time, Club Sando led 1-0. Prior to the opening kickoff, a small opening ceremony was held with some steelpan music and soca artiste Olatunji performing his 2023 hit Engine Room. Action continues on Saturday with AC Port of Spain against Defence Force at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, from 4pm.

Yesterday's Result

W Connection 0 v Central FC 2 (Akeem Roach 33, Keron Cummings 50 Pen)

Point Fortin Civic 1 (Ronell Paul 78) vs Club Sando 1 (Josiah Cooper 15)

Today's Games

Saturday 11AC Port of Spain vs Defence Force - 4pm (Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar)

Tomorrow

Sunday 12

Caledonia AIA vs Cunupia FC - 4pm,

San Juan Jabloteh vs Prisons FC - 6.30pm (Arima Velodrome)

Standings

P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts
Central FC  1  1  0  0  2  0  3
Club Sando FC  1  0  1  0  1  1  1
Point Fortin Civic FC  1  0  1  0  1  1  1
AC Port of Spain  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
Caledonia AIA  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
Cunupia FC  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
Defence Force FC  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
La Horquetta Rangers  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
Police FC  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
Prison Service FC  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
San Juan Jabloteh  FC  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
W Connection  FC  1  0  0  1  0  2  0

Top Scorers

Akeem Roach (Central FC) - 1 (Became the first goal scorer in the inaugural TTPFL).
Keron Cummings (Central FC) - 1 (1-Pen)
Josiah Cooper (Club Sando FC) - 1
Ronell Paul (Point Fortin Civic FC) - 1

« Last Edit: March 11, 2023, 01:20:35 PM by Flex »
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Offline Fyzoman

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Re: TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) Thread.
« Reply #29 on: March 11, 2023, 09:31:57 AM »
I tracked down the highlights on FIFA+ and it's great that football is back!
I'm bending over backwards here to try and not be critical...but seeing the dust kick-up every second when players run is kinda funny. Did they refurbish the field too at Mahaica?
I went into problem-solving mode and wondered if watering the field would help, like they do in the EPL...I laughed at myself and said, 'idiot water and dirt and would create mud' :)
"Practice is the best of all instructors"

 

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