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The good news is that Trinidad and Tobago finally got on the score sheet in the fourth and final outing of their CONCACAF Under-15 Championship adventure today. The bad news is coach Russell Latapy’s team conceded their highest tally for the competition, losing to Jamaica by a humiliating 8-1 margin in the seventh/eighth place play-off at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago finished the group phase of the competition with three successive defeats in which neither Caribbean nation managed a single goal. But the young “Reggae Boyz” broke their duck in spectacular fashion against their southern rivals.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
After failing to score in 210 minutes of play against Mexico, Honduras and Panama, Jamaica scored eight times against the young Soca Warriors in their 70-minute contest.
Being spanked by Central and North American opposition was bad enough but a mauling by a Caribbean rival is another thing altogether.
Captain Dwayne Atkinson and Kellijah Morgan both notched first-half doubles for the Boyz while Kenroy Campbell also got on the scorecard as Jamaica led 5-1 at the interval. St Ann’s Rangers winger and St James Secondary schoolboy Jean-Heim Mc Fee scored the lone item for the Warriors.
And Jamaica substitute Rajay Wright rubbed their rivals’ noses in it with a second-half hattrick to cap off the drubbing.
Latapy had changed goalkeepers for the match as Matura Secondary schoolboy and North East Stars player Kernel La Fon got his chance ahead of St Anthony’s College and Trendsetter Hawks custodian Jahiem Wickham. But the coach reinserted Wickham for the second half.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CA Images/Wired868)
Undeterred, Jamaica scored their final three goals against Trinidad and Tobago’s first-choice goalie.
The harrowing result comes just 24 hours after Latapy, one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most celebrated players, said his Under-15 troops were “not far off” the likes of Costa Rica and the United States “in terms of potential and talent.”
Latapy, a former Trinidad and Tobago National Senior Team head coach, returned to a coaching role for the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) last August, just weeks before the National Under-17 Team participated in a Caribbean tournament on home soil.
The young Warriors failed to even get out of their group.
If time was against Latapy in 2016, he had roughly six months and a warm-up tournament in the Cayman Islands to prepare his players for the CONCACAF Under-15 Championship, which included 40 teams from the Confederation.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Trinidad and Tobago were seeded in division one among the region’s top eight football nations.
In the end, the young Warriors ended as comfortably the worst team of the lot, with one goal scored and 21 conceded in just 280 minutes of football.
Trinidad and Tobago U-15 Team: 18.Kernel La Fon (GK) (1.Jahiem Wickham GK 56); 16.Marc Wharfe, 5.Cephas St Rose (15.Adriel George 58), 13.Zachary Welch, 3.Darian Bradshaw (captain), 6.Jabari Lee (10.Josiah Edwards 35), 9.Ezekiel Kesar, 8.Josiah Allen (4.Antonio Chee Ting 49), 11.Jaiye Sheppard, 7.Jean-Heim Mc Fee, 17.Justin Araujo-Wilson.
Unused substitutes: 12.Rhowen Stewart-Williams, 14.Aamal Julien.
Unavailable: 2.Randy Antoine.
Coach: Russell Latapy
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
(Trinidad and Tobago National Under-15 Squad)
Goalkeepers: 1.Jahiem Wickham (St Anthony’s College/Trendsetter Hawks), 18.Kernel La Fon (Matura Secondary/North East Stars);
Defenders: 4.Antonio Chee Ting (Trinity College East/San Juan Jabloteh), 3.Darian Bradshaw (Queen’s Royal College/St Ann’s Rangers), 12.Rhowen Stewart-Williams (St Benedict’s College/Club Sando), 2.Randy Antoine (Arima North Secondary/San Juan Jabloteh), 5.Cephas St Rose (Independiente Sabaneta FC—Colombia), 16.Marc Wharfe (Maple Leaf International School/Skhy FC);
Midfielders: 9.Ezekiel Kesar (Naparima College/Point Fortin Civic), 13.Zachary Welch (Fatima College), 6.Jabari Lee (Pleasantville East/W Connection), 15.Adriel George (Bishops High School Tobago/St Clair Coaching School);
Attacking midfielders: 11.Jaiye Sheppard (Scarborough Secondary/Phoenix FC), 10.Josiah Edwards (Brazil Secondary/San Juan Jabloteh), 7.Jean-Heim Mc Fee (St James Secondary/St Ann’s Rangers), 8.Josiah Allen (Shiva Boys Hindu College);
Forwards: 17.Justin Araujo-Wilson (Fatima College/Skhy FC), 14.Aamal Julien (Point Fortin East Secondary/Point Fortin Civic).
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Is it really new, with the same recycled Coaches. What about this ttfa is new?
I’d like to suggest that Angus Eve should be given an opportunity to coach the upcoming batch of U-15s.
He has a very good track record in the SSFL.
And that is the serious problem. if the youths doesn’t learn from a very young age eh, will they learn when they are grown eh, perfect example Mr Bound not to score who they took as a defender and tried to make him into a prolific goal scorer. Them really good yes.
This new initiative of the ttfa which my friend Jamaal Shabazz is involved in should bridge the gap once the standsrd of coaching is maintained throughout and the coaches are qualified and competent
Listen we had a national under 17 coach with no coaching credentials . He only recently did the ttfa level b and now coaching a super league team and when you attend their matches you hear him trying to teah thing that should be taught on the training field.
I bet the same coaches will be here next season, even though they have not proven themselves anywhere else.
Well my second sweetest country beat up the national girls under 15 I think it was 22-0 and wasn’t it Coach Marlon Charles who was the coach eh, so what alyuh really expecting when the bootleg TTFA continues recycling the same bootleg coaches to coach our national teams eh.Ah wonder when will they finally get the message eh. Them really good yes. steeuppss.
A coach must be aware of the limitations of his team going into a tournament, he then adopts the tactics to achieve some set of objectives in terms of technical measurables during the tournament .
Going to a tournament with neophytes means that winning may not be a realistic objective but certainly the coach should be able yo point to some positive outcomes due to his work program.
a great player does not automatically make a good coach!!
This is ridiculous!
Very calmly, not in a know-it-all kinda way, I knew that we would be embarrassed in this tournament…I had no idea that it would be this bad though. Just like when they picked Latas to be the coach, i don’t even know what to say…just hope these kids come across a coach who can help them look past this period in their Nashy lives.
Aye we score one yipee
Question: are these players our best choice the country has to offer?
Probably they still doing the same defensive mistake, no improvement, no learning.
Apparently not even coach Latapy is aware or, if he is he doesn’t seem to care, that Jamaica aims to beat T&T wherever and whenever it can, as it should. If only Trinilanders had the same attitude.
If Latapy cared as much would he have still put in the second string goalie to ‘get a sweat’ against Jamaica?
Inter-island rivalry is one thing but Jamaica is on record as saying when they are done and foreigners think of carnival they will think of Jamaica.
8-1 to Jamaica … smh
Like everybody is a coaching expert. Hey!…I’m gonna get my B’ License, then my ‘A’; just for fun…and see where that leads me. Lol.
I heard rumors of two players getting into a heated argument during the game. One of them decided to walk off the field. I got this from a source whose at the tourney so don’t hang meh. If that is true, the TTFA better halt all youth football and let someone else take over the ranks.
4-0; 3-0 and 8-0 group stage losses to Costa Rica, Canada and Jamaica respectively are terrible results to say the least. 15 goals scored against us and we haven’t even scored one. The gap between those teams and ours is frickin HUGE!
The gap between the coaching of those teams and ours seems even wider.
4-0 Costa Rica, 6-0 USA, 3-0 Canada were the group stage. The 8-1 Jamaica was a 7th/8th place game. So 13 goals conceded in group plus another 8 in what some would consider a consolation game. 21 goals in 4 matches..WoW!
Indeed. I missed the 6-0 loss to USA. The Jam match was for 7/8 spot. That makes it 21 goals against us without a single reply item. Smh
One goal in reply..
Oops yes we scored one v Jamaica!
Great is latapy !!! Beat dem in d east, beat dem in d west…..etc
Unacceptable.
The difference between both teams was not quality but instead tactical awareness – Russel Latapy (following TT’s 4-0 defeat to Costa Rica in their opening fixture).
Was he referring to the players or was it an admission of his own deficiencies as a coach? Lol
How can this happen?
By our bitterest rival… This is a pain. I won’t even accept a 1-0 loss to Jamaica much less this!
Exactly! I have no words, its baffling.
..Latapy is not a coach. Not for international football anyway. TTFA is playing games, retaining the services of people because the FA owes them money. Bad business that..
TTFA…hot the nail on the head…hiring PEOPLE… they just sabotaging the success our football can have…boldface example : hiring saintfeet
..The truth is that Trini youth football is FAR off the CFU, never mind CONCACAF, pace. Latapy could say what he want And TTFA playing the fool. Keep your eyes on the U13 team they are selecting. One wonders how they arrived at the selection because it was done in secret..
TTFA mafioso…no more, no less…it’s a pity. These youths that failing now is being set up for failure in their future as well because the TTFA not serious. It’s a real shame in truth
Keith, not even up to pace with the Caribbean? That’s just scary. But results bear that out at U-17 and U-15 level. Although both were under the same coach.
..Correct. TTFA playing the fool..
I can do a better job than Latapy Keith Look Loy
Sorry to hear the young men didn’t have a good run but if we continue to have the younger kids just running down a ball in school and not show them step by step how to play the right way they will not learn
That nuh good
All due respect to latas, but he’s been a coach at every level in the NT and is failure….enough experimenting and resume building stints…can we get a real coach…fenwick wld be great!
This is bigger than we think..
Latas had 6 months to prepare for this tournament…
Played 4
Conceded 18
Scored 1
I’ll say it again.. unless you tackle grassroots and get technical coaches and work for a while with the youths .. We wasting time
Who does select these kids , well it’s time for a new coach . Latas u have to regroup.
His record speaks for itself
ok..now im concerned
Now?
Lack of quality screening and these guys should be together from an under 13 to under 15 team not last minute hand pick . Can’t wait to finish my B licence . Basic foot needs to be taught first .
Time to dust of my cape and save the day Paul Edrell Voisin
Oh latas
Hopefully this isn’t the result on the 24th though…
Nah. No way. Lol
??♀️
The next step will be very interesting my bet is the team and staff go under low for a while sweep the results under the carpet and everyone will soon forget till the next tournament.
Well, at least we scored. I want to see more of that, even if it is a losing effort. When you get in the habit of scoring, soon it will become second nature
Carlos Lee, we need some sunshine…
Bro – you sprinkling Latas blood in a lake full ah piranhas and you asking me to go swim in it. I thought we were friends. Buh you doh like me pally? I’ll leave you with some words of wisdom – with great power comes great responsibility.
??
Carlos, how am I sprinkling blood? By covering the tournament? I should not put the result?
And of course you’re my pally. Lol. That’s why I welcome your view point because of you have a different take you will say so.
Our culture cannot be considered an issue, this culture has produced many winners in many different categories.
Winners despite of our culture as opposed to because of…
The coach is always part of the answer. Not the entire answer, but will always be a part..
The August Annihilation of 2017…
Honestly the answer is not the coach …u could bring pep or the best developmental coaches you have a cultural problem associated with competitive blindness ..not facing reality and mediocrity
Did we have a different culture when we qualified for three World Youth Cups? And why aren’t all our teams losing by six and eight goals then?
continuity..structure…study the Jamaican model/s of sport..Why does every coach seem to have to start over?
Lasana we qualified for the youth world cups cause Jack Warner spent money to have the teams travel and get adequate preparation
Lisanna let’s not talk about the Warner era ..and qualifications .lmao
Lisanna do we truly operate at 4g speeds for our mobile devices
A lot of people said this process went wrong from the screening of players. I am opinion a lot of heads should roll not just the coach.
Well you have talent and potential…. so a good coach should be able to make this work…
So what now? More money, facilities ,new coach what ???
Now,now ,now this ent working.
These failures come at a terrible cost
1 – Money
2 – Players’ moral and self-worth
Well
Mr. Latapy said it is/was a learning experience….Can we afford to Gate fund this type of ” learning curve?” from public money?
he is not the most defense-minded coach….take a look at his track record
Mark, he can hardly be considered an offence-minded coach either. His charges scored only ONE goal and conceded TWENTY-ONE in four matches!
So if he is not defense-minded and the record suggests he is unable to get his team to score, then wda kind of coach is he?!