Former national midfielder Travis Mulraine has called on footballers to “take stock of themselves” if the twin-island republic is to produce quality players and teams to contest World Cup qualifiers at all times.
Mulraine, who plays for Joe Public Football Club maintained that the problem with local football is that players are “not tactically strong and technically intelligent”.
This according to Mulraine means that when foreign coaches come to Trinidad and Tobago they usually have to go back to the basics. “The return of Latapy and Yorke, despite the fact that they are extremely great players, tells you that the local players do not take stock of themselves,” Mulraine said.
He said that international coaches usually focus on “structure”, and added, that if the players are unable to master the skills of the game then they must go back to the basics.
This he said should be the responsibility of the players if they are to give maximum performance on the field at all times.
“Players should take stock of themselves and do proper assessments to determine their skill level and what areas need working on,” Mulraine said.
Mulraine who just missed out on a contract abroad in 1996, said that during his playing days at several local clubs, he had seen players go to party the night before training and matches and attend the sessions either intoxicated or with a “hang-over.”
He called on players to take care of their bodies and be watchful of their diet. “These are important factors if players are to get the most of themselves during matches,” he added.
Mulraine also knocked local coaches for their lack of education in the game, particularly at the basic levels.
This he blamed on the lack of “technically and tactically sound” players that are being produced today.
“The many coaching academies have failed us because most of them turn out to be baby-sitting sessions where parents drop off their children at these session as an avenue where they can be kept rather than where they can learn football skills,” Mulraine noted.
He suggested the sport to be taught at the primary school level before being reinforced in the secondary schools.
Mulraine also wants the media to limit the amount of publicity which have been given to secondary schools’ football.
He said because of the level of publicity, players graduate from schools with the ratings of a top footballer when they are not.
Mulraine, a defensive midfielder also wants the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) to ban all international tournaments for players between 12 and 16-years-old saying those years should be set aside for “total development”.
“Development for young players should take place from the primary and secondary schools. When this development takes place then there can be international tournaments for national players at the Under-17 level,” Mulraine added.