If Trinidad and Tobago is serious about using the 2024/2025 TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) season as a nursery to develop players and a platform for national senior team selection under new coach Dwight Yorke, the match venues must be up to a certain standard.
So said Morvant Caledonia AIA technical director Jamaal Shabazz at the league’s launch of its third edition at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on December 5.
Shabazz’s troops open their campaign against hosts Terminix La Horquetta Rangers in the feature match of a double-header at La Horquetta Recreation Ground on December 6 from 8pm.
The earlier contest that gets the season under way sees last year’s second-placed team Miscellaneous Police FC up against third-place finishers Defence Force in an anticipated serviceman derby from 6pm.
Shabazz believes this season is a crucial one as it serves as a precursor for TT’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, which resumes in June.
Players from all clubs, he said, would be looked at in detail by national team scouts, in an effort to enhance the team’s competitiveness ahead of the quadrennial tourney.
However, Shabazz said that the management of community grounds and its facilities remains an integral part of assisting this process. He directed his statement to the municipal corporations, particularly those on the east/west corridor.
“When you look at all the grounds in the east/west corridor it looks like a rastaman living in the hills. The hair/grass on the field is not conducive to football. The lights need to be fixed. The TTFA can’t do that. This is the job and under control of the regional corporations.”
Shabazz backs Yorke to possibly turn a new page on TT’s football future but reiterated the importance of proper pitch and facility management.
“We don’t want Dwight Yorke to come to a game at Arima Velodrome and go blind, because the lights are not what they should be. We don’t want him to go to Point Fortin (Mahaica Sporting Complex) where a magnificent facility has been built with no dressing rooms.
“This is important and part and parcel for good football and a good league, and players being motivated to play. We want young people to use the recreational facilities, but the grass is waist-high. Come on!”
Rangers coach Dave Quamina shared a similar sentiment and believes the proper upkeep of these facilities goes a long way in helping players get the best out of themselves, and by extension, increase the player pool for potential senior team selection.
“This is very important. Lionel Messi could have the best first touch in the world, but if the ground is bad, he can’t be Messi. The maintenance of grounds is a serious thing and I think we have the machinery and equipment to do so, it’s just management. Square pegs in round holes,” Quamina said.
Quamina confirmed multiple changes to the Rangers roster for the new season, with them now boasting a wealth of youth players (U20), several of whom who have never played at this elite, domestic level.
“We’ve restructured our whole programme and brought in a fresh team, most players have not played in the Pro League before, so they’re hungry. There are only a few of them over 25 years,” he said.
When asked what Rangers hoped to achieve this season with such a young outfit, Quamina confirmed they could be the element of surprise.
“We expect them to reach the highest heights. It’s a young squad. This season is about consistency. They are not under pressure. They’re not (favourites) in the top four to win. They’re inexperienced but under no pressure to win the league. It’s all about who wants it the most.”
Newly-appointed Police coach Todd Ryan is also goal-bound on bettering last season’s runner-up finish and capturing top honours. Finishing behind winners AC Port of Spain under then coach Wendell Joseph, Ryan confirmed the pre-season preparation kicked off a bit “slow” but has gained momentum.
Up against the Army/Coast Guard combination in the season opener, Ryan said they have no direct plans for any one team and are solely focused on playing their best football throughout the rounds and lifting the coveted TTPFL tier one title.
“It’s a big game for us. We see they’ve (Defence Force) been doing a lot of work but we’re focusing on us and preparing. We fell short of the title last season by two points so we aren’t really preparing for any one team because we want to go all the way.”
He confirmed they also made some youthful additions to their line-up in search of a golden finish.
“Being that close last season, it hurt and left a lot of bad feelings in the camp and I think the guys really want to go all the way this year. It’s always nice to have experienced players who’ve done it at this level. We’ve also included some youth so you might see some more pace up front,” Ryan added.
On the flip side, Defence Force assistant coach Mashama Baptiste said their preparations have been coming along nicely with the addition of former MLS attacking midfielder Kevin Molino now in the setup, alongside a young Adriel George and Curtis Gonzales, under new coach and former national captain Densill Theobald.
“We’re confident in the work the guys have put in. Under the new readership of Theobald, the guys adapted pretty quickly. I couldn’t fight them for their efforts. The inclusion of Molino, George and Gonzales is a positive step. The style of football Densill is bringing is exciting, entertaining and fluent attacking football.”
On what he thinks Molino brings to the squad, Baptiste said, “Kevin is quality. He brings a different level of quality and is an intense person and he inquires that they raise the standard. They have been adapting and working well together.”
Day-two matches kick off on December 7 with a double-header at Arima Velodrome between Prison Service FC and Club Sando FC (5pm) and San Juan Jabloteh and Central FC (7pm).
At Mahaica, home team Point Fortin Civic host Tobago’s FC Phoenix while defending champions AC PoS begin their title defence against FC Eagles, from 5pm and 7pm respectively.
RELATED NEWS
Sport Company: Video showing poor conditions at stadium outdated.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
THE Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SporTT) has said the video showing unsanitary conditions at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo is outdated.”
“We wish to clarify that this video is outdated and does not accurately represent the current condition of the venue,” a SporTT release on December 5 said.
“As part of our commitment to maintaining world-class sports facilities, the Hasely Crawford Stadium is presently closed to the public for the ongoing rehabilitation of its playing field. Consequently, no events are being hosted at this time.”
The release said they are committed to keeping the sporting facilities fit for use. “SporTT reaffirms its dedication to ensuring that national facilities are maintained to the highest standards, serving the needs of the sporting fraternity and contributing to the development of sport in TT.”
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