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The coach entrusted with taking Trinidad and Tobago to the Russia 2018 World Cup is not coming from South America. His last job was in Bangladesh!
In a bizarre turn of events, Wired868 understands that Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president David John-Williams is set to name 43-year-old Belgian Tom Saintfiet as head coach of the Soca Warriors at a 9am press conference tomorrow at the Marriot Hotel in Port of Spain.
(Copyright BBC)
So, effectively, the local football body’s idea of an upgrade on outgoing coach Stephen Hart appears to be an obscure Belgian who has never coached professionally in Europe, was kicked out of Zimbabwe and Nigeria due to concerns about his quality, lasted six months in Yemen, only two matches in Tanzania and just left a team ranked 183 in the world by FIFA—which is 105 spots lower than Trinidad and Tobago, who are 78th.
Saintfiet’s best spell arguably came at youth level when he led Qatar to the 2005 FIFA Under-17 World Cup, which was that nation’s fifth appearance at that age group competition.
His record as a senior coach is much less impressive.
At Namibia, he enjoyed his longest appointment of nearly two years. The unheralded African nation was ranked 126 in the world when the Belgian landed and he took them to a high of 101, although they plummeted all the way to 128 by the time of his controversial departure in 2010.
Saintfiet stunned his Namibia FA employers when he was officially unveiled as head coach of Zimbabwe while in the midst of a four-year contract with the former nation.
Saintfiet was reportedly wooed by Zimbabwe’s offer of US$7,000 per month, which is less than half of Hart’s pay package and roughly one tenth of the market value for a top level coach in CONCACAF—recently departed Jamaica coach Winfried Schafer was supposedly paid in excess of US$50,000 per month.
(Courtesy Wired868)
The Belgian quickly regretted his move. The Zimbabwe government twice refused its FA’s applications for his work permit—amidst a public outcry that he was no better than the local, Norman Mapeza, he replaced—and Saintfiet was forced to leave the country and beg for his old job back.
“[The Zimbabwe FA] promised me that they will talk to the NFA and it was supposed to happen sooner than it did,” Saintfiet was quoted in the Namibia Sun. “The situation forced me to lie and for that I have to say sorry to the Namibian football-loving people, the NFA and the players as well…
“We signed a contract […] and because I terminated it I have to pay them and I’m doing everything I can so that can be done. What happened was so wrong and I would love to come back and coach Namibia again.”
The Namibia FA did not take him up on the offer.
From then on, Saintfiet lasted six games in Ethiopia and barely four months as Nigeria technical director—allegedly because the Nigeria Ministry of Sport felt the country had many more competent locals and refused to support the move.
Next, he spent two months at Malawi and less than a year at Togo along with some largely anonymous stints at the odd African football club—he lasted just two games at Tanzanian club, Young Africans FC, where he was accused of failing to enforce discipline.
(Copyright Ethiosports)
In April 2016, Saintfiet pleaded for a second chance as Ethiopia National Senior Team coach.
“I don’t care about the money or a contract,” Saintfiet told Eithosports. “I would just like to help change fortunes and start to build things up on a solid foundation. I’m ready to start immediately!”
Ethiopia did not bite and he ended up in a three-month contract from Bangladesh instead.
So, while Hart was preparing the Warriors—who were unbeaten at the time—to seal their place in the CONCACAF Hex against Guatemala, Saintfiet was attempting to take the “Bengal Tigers” past Bhutan and into the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup.
Bangladesh drew goalless at home to Bhutan before falling 3-1 away. The only other outing of Saintfiet’s tenure as Bangladesh coach was a 5-0 friendly defeat away to the Maldives.
Bhutan and the Maldives are ranked 154 and 176 in the world respectively.
Saintfiet’s record in Europe is even less illustrious. The only fully professional team on his home continent to ever hire the Belgian was Finnish club RoPS, who once employed Trinidad and Tobago players Ataulla Guerra and Jamal Gay.
(Courtesy RoPS)
RoPS sacked Saintfiet during their pre-season in April 2008.
Somehow, the obscure Belgian’s CV ended up on the desk of the TTFA’s technical committee as a possible replacement for Hart, who was twice listed on a CONCACAF Coach for Year shortlist in the last years, is the only coach to take Trinidad and Tobago to two Gold Cup quarterfinal berths and led Canada to the 2008 Gold Cup semifinal.
On Monday night, the TTFA’s board of directors selected him as their next head coach, as he beat out competition that included Colombian Luis Fernando Suarez, who took Ecuador to the second round of the Germany 2006 World Cup and steered Honduras to the Brazil 2014 World Cup.
Former Trinidad and Tobago captain David Nakhid was the only local believed to have applied for the vacant job while Englishmen Terry Fenwick and Ricky Hill, Serbian Zoran Vranes and Colombian Francisco Maturana were said to be among the applicants.
The board, according to a source, was informed that Saintfiet was bright, innovative and extremely affordable. It is uncertain exactly how much information was given on the three coaches before the decision. But, in the end, the board voted for Saintfiet.
(Copyright Alchetron)
The current TTFA board of directors comprises: John-Williams (president), Joanne Salazar, Ewing Davis and Allan Warner (vice-presidents), Samuel Saunders (Central FA), Sherwyn Dyer (Eastern Counties Football Union), Karanjabari Williams (Northern FA), Richard Quan Chan (Southern FA), Anthony Moore (Tobago FA), Joseph Taylor (Trinidad and Tobago Football Referees Association), Sharon O’Brien (Women’s League Football), Wayne Cunningham (Eastern FA) and Dexter Skeene (TT Pro League).
The TTFA technical committee consists of: Skeene (chairman), Dr Alvin Henderson (vice-chairman), Bertille St Clair (former World Youth Cup coach), Errol Lovell (former national goalkeeper), Jinelle James (ex-national player and current administrator) and Muhammad Isa (technical director).
It is uncertain how many members attended yesterday board’s meeting.
The TTFA board is believed to have made a second coaching appointment last night for the Women’s National Senior Team. In this case, they voted for the well qualified former Italy and Canada national women’s coach, Carolina Morace, who has already visited Trinidad.
Saintfiet must now prepare the Warriors for 2017 Gold Cup play off action against Suriname and Haiti on 4 and 8 January 2017 respectively as well as World Cup qualifying action against Panama and Mexico on 24 and 28 March respectively.
It will be the first time the Belgian has ever coached a team ranked in the top 100 FIFA nations in the world.
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
Impossible … Lasana Liburd whilst I appreciate your sense of humour, this is not funny at all. I am hoping that this article is your way of showcasing your work in an effort to land a lucrative post at The Onion or The National Enquirer.
??
Two earthquakes in one day eh easy nuh.
Dem jus “pick ah white man” fuh pickin ah white man sake dey?!?! Lmao
Nah man lasana…nah…this hadda be one of uour spoof blogs man…no not with our national team…say it aint so.
T&T going and get shell down in the new year yes. Starting with the Caribbean playoffs
Who appoints the head of TTFA??? How can we get rid of him. Petitions?? Someone must have the answer
This man’s resume is worse than mine. And I’m not even a coach
If not for all these previous comments I would have thought something fell on my head from the earthquake and I having a nighmare…what’s that old saying whom the Gods would destroy they first make MAD???
Say goodbye to World Cup 2018.
Start preparing for 2022
Williams is a madman…….smh
Doh forget Nuts Landing 🙂
This is a joke right Bangladesh tgey even have a football size it’s jus one bad decision after the next with u ppl
thanks for the laugh Terry!!!
Jack Warner must be tickled pink tonight
Haha! Oh gard oye!
Absolute mediocrity . We are regressing instead of progressing.
oh, from listening to stephen reis outline this man’s record, this is beyond mediocrity/ if a black man had this record, which mcdonald’s would he be working? or you?
Ex Bangladesh coach!!! Wda is dis ….so dat iz d bes Williams dem cud cum up wit???? Nah Man
Wake me when it’s over.
Steupss… the saddest part of all this is that, should we qualify, which we all hope we do, the TTFA going to feel right in all the wrong they have done
This is a bad dream.
Lord help us
Lord Graciously help us
Say this is not so…… Sigh
Who made this decision…needs to be banned…my view…
All the haters say ‘no local coach good enough’ what we complaining bout ? If its true the football fraternity got what its loves most in a coach . white and foreign
Well Terry Fenwick white and local….but the ‘local’ part ruled him out apparently……LOL!!
Yuh know if somebody say black and foreign . It would be racism Lasana Liburd…
well Francisco Maturana was in de mix too eh….
Exactly Christian Hume he in Trinidad too long
No Reyna Kowlessar that would not be racism ,that will be dealing with a demographic and the reality of Trinidad football
Seems TTFA and the WICB are one of the same
Ent
i am not understanding the sense in this article….so is games they come to play with the football
You were looking for sense? Hmmm
I really thought qualifying us for a World Cup would have taken precedence
Not at all.
Knowledge if this creature called TT football ,CONCACAF opposition,proven record of getting the best out of TT players strengths/limitations and tactical intensity is what Fenwick would bring to the table.
He knows Costa Rica, Panama and Honduras? I highly doubt it
Remembering that coaching Jabloteh in the Concacaf Club championships might count for something.Leo experience with Conccaf football would have come from his time at Club America.Club football would add some insight and well tapes and analysis
That’s bull, they not serious
Daiz ah charity bull…
TTFA = ??
This is a joke right…right?
Bangaldesh plays football ??
They feel it’s cricket maybe? :/
Was thinking the same thing Esmond
This HAS to be a joke. It MUST be a joke!
Bangladesh?!?!? Bwdfid??! So all these local and regional coaches with experience they pick him?
If allyuh feeling sick at this news, just imagine how the season ticket holders feeling… :-/
I should probably write a follow up article ?
About cat in bag? Lol
Care to interview one of them…Me?
hahahah…they probably gave away most anyway…That was an investment that I didn’t indulged in.
I am in a state of total shock if I’m honest
WTF going on in Trinidad and Tobago? They plan on destroying everything?
I think Fenwick is the trick being missed here
Have the players met with TTFA yet? Have they been paid? If this appointment is true, the whole thing is beyond farcical..
Don’t blame Tom, he was hiding in Bangladesh when the TTFA Avengers found him.
Hahahahaha
I thought Dr. Banner was hiding in India
TTFA really doesn’t have a Hart
Clue
We working our way through Europe Terry.
Exit clause in March, ridiculous, why on earth remove Hart and incur further cost with a much more inferior coach, madness!
Wow and there were Wanchope and Zenga in the candidates..
You sure those guys are better? Bangladesh is a big country after all! 🙂
Those are the ones I presented. I also knew of Eduardo Lara which would have been a great pick because he knew well the Colombian coaches of Mexico, Panama and Honduras, and was bringing a Costarican/American assistant Ricardo Montoya who is top notch in terms of Concacaf scouting knowledge
But can they cut it on a warm Tuesday night in Bangladesh? Lol.
Lasana Liburd I almost forget I also presented Schafer who is very experienced
Not the kind of experience the TTFA was looking for clearly.
Lasana Liburd Well it was a commitee though. I would not point the finger at any specific individual. It was a voting process
Trust me Simone. I know the system here better than you do. Do you believe in a clean process people will have a choice between a two-time World Cup coach with Ecuador and Panama and pick the fellah at Bangladesh?
Lasana Liburd Well obviously compensation is part of the decision process. But hey Arrigo Sacchi was a noone when he took over at Ac Milan. Berlusconi was a genius when he picked him and this coach is bald like Sacchi ???
Simone Ghirlanda Sacchi had a track record …
He started his career managing his local club, Baracca Lugo, because he wasn’t good enough to play for them. Of the challenge he faced, Sacchi said “I was twenty-six, my goalkeeper was thirty-nine and my centre-forward was thirty-two. I had to win them over”. He next coached at Bellaria before joining A.C. Cesena, who were in the Serie B as a youth team coach. He then took over at Rimini who were playing in the Serie C1, and almost led them to a title. He got his breakthrough when he moved to Fiorentina as a youth coach. His achievements with the youth team earned interest from Parma A.C. who were in Serie C1. He got Parma promoted in his first season, and in the following season took them to within 3 points of promotion to Serie A. However, of greater importance to his time at Parma was the team’s performance in the Coppa Italia; they beat A.C. Milan 1–0 in the group stages, and beat them again 1–0 on aggregate in the first knockout round. This was enough to attract interest from Milan’s owner Silvio Berlusconi, who promptly appointed Sacchi as manage
ßynœ Ŕœdell The rest is history. I became fan of Milan at age 6 when Sacchi took over. Great times.
Simone Ghirlanda thanks, we will see what is next?!
Btw you are a very good agent that cares and with the right skills to become even a better football GM anywhere, tons of knowledge, connections and common sense which for some reason we are lacking a lot of lately in the game.
Ricardo Montoya ?
I lost…
Lasana Liburd you writing for Late O’Clock News now? Because this HAS to be a joke!
Track record doesn’t look good. You never know he might just get it done as well as he might now, time will tell. However, I must say I am not comforted at all.
If this is true, hmm hmm hmm. The man never spent more than a year anywhere.
Hahahahahahahahahaha, brilliant!!! High level meeting at KFC Couva to uncover this fella. Vision, expertise, charisma and passion, Stunning move that confirms what we all thought!!! Sponsors breaking the door down with this appointment! Rachel Price, Ro’dey, cyclops, Nicky Crosby set for coaching positions to complete the full set!
Hahahahahahahahah
DJW on shittttt
lol oh gosh doh laugh so hard… lol. Is cry I want to cry here.
Don’t worry… Just now Gordon Pierre will be here to tell us what an inspired appointment it is and we should all stand at attention and immediately start singing the national anthem!
Oh Gawd, no
HA!
???
Hahaha. This appointment could make him and others make a DJW turnaround
Who????
Well yes…we really going no where very quickly
“The situation forced me to lie and for that I have to say sorry to the Namibian football-loving people, the NFA and the players as well…”
Wonder what will force him to lie in T&T
I honestly don’t believe this story
His lie is simple “I’m a football coach”. And djw will say yeah boy, you good
Hahaha !
This is unbelievable if it’s true
Indiscipline
Bangladesh have a football team? Yuh sure yuh not mixing this thing up with cricket? Nah man, he coming to coach our cricket side, probably the Red Steel for the CPL.