St Anthony’s go top after Shiva Boys protest; Wallace ‘uncomfortable’ about SSFL’s direction

St Anthony’s College moved to the top of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division this morning, after a successful protest against Shiva Boys Hindu College. And the “Westmoorings Tigers” can wrap up the title by this weekend if they manage wins over Presentation College (San Fernando) and St Mary’s College respectively this week.

The Tigers host third-placed Presentation College from 3.40pm this afternoon while they travel to Serpentine Road in St Clair on Saturday afternoon to face mid-table St Mary’s.

Photo: St Anthony’s College attacker Tyrese “Boy Boy” Bailey (right) tries to escape from QRC defender Rawle Felix (left) during SSFL action at QRC grounds on 30 September 2017.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CA-Images/Wired868)

If St Anthony’s pull it off, they will become the first school outside of the South Zone to win the Premier Division since its inception in 2014.

At present, the Tigers have scored a mammoth 39 goals from 12 league matches—11 more items than the second most prolific team, Naparima College—while their midfield dynamo, Che Benny, leads all scorers with 10 goals. In fact, Benny hit the back of the net 11 times but had one free kick item against Fyzabad Secondary disallowed after the latter school was tossed out for falsifying the documentation of a couple of their players.

So far this season, there have been 12 matches annulled and 34 goals ruled out in a year that will be memorable for all the wrong reasons. The latest game to be scrapped was a 2-2 draw between St Anthony’s and Shiva Boys on 7 October in Westmoorings.

On 6 October, Shiva Boys—whose administrative affairs are handled by team manager Sheldon Maharaj and principal Dexter Sakal—corrected an error in the registration of 19-year-old midfielder Kierron Mason and finally secured his clearance from the Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL).

St Anthony’s principal Maurice Inniss lodged an appeal against the result of the game between the two schools standing on the grounds that the player had not been registered for 72 hours before his first game, as stipulated by Article 16 subsection two of the SSFL Constitution.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 Team midfielder Kierron Mason (right) challenges Costa Rica midfielder Randall Leal (centre) during 2017 World Cup qualifying action against Costa Rica at the Estadio Nacional on 22 February 2017.
Costa Rica won 1-0.
(Copyright Straffon Images)

It was the same rule—remarkably involving the same player as well—which Naparima had cited in attempting successfully to have their loss to Shiva Boys on the opening day of the season overturned.

Worse, Mason’s registration for another six SSFL games is likely to be questioned too.

On Monday 16 October, a two-man disciplinary committee—consisting of SSFL general secretary Azaad Khan and North Zone secretary Roger Martin—opted to “warn” Shiva Boys about their use of an improperly registered Mason but not to deduct points.

Fatima College and Queen’s Royal College have already indicated their intention to appeal but were unable to do so on a technicality that the SSFL’s decision was never officially relayed to its general membership.

SSFL president William Wallace explained why the remaining 14 Premier Division schools—excluding the suspended Fyzabad—were not informed of the pardon granted to Shiva Boys.


“Normally, a protest would come from a school and so when the matter is dealt with both schools—the protesting school and the one facing the protest—would be informed after the hearing,” Wallace told Wired868. “In this case, no school protested the matter; it was information that was picked up and dealt with directly by the Committee. So they just informed the school that was involved.

Photo: Shiva Boys Hindu College principal Dexter Sakal (left) poses with a football supporter during SSFL Premier Division action against St Mary’s College at Lachoo Road on 19 October 2016.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)

“But now that we have a third party interest, we asked [the Disciplinary Committee] to send [its decision] to everybody, especially the two schools who enquired about the status of the matter.

“So these schools were given the response from the Disciplinary Committee […] yesterday evening. I don’t know if they are satisfied with what they read or if they will appeal the decision of the Committee.”

Fatima principal Father Gregory Augustine told Wired868 this morning that he had not yet received any correspondence on the issue. Some other schools said the same.

The Premier Division’s final round of official fixtures is this Saturday but, owing to postponements related to inclement weather, there will be rescheduled matches played on Monday 30 October and Friday 3 November.

The SSFL’s decision not to ensure that all teams play their final match at the same time means relegation-threatened schools—like Trinity College Moka, Signal Hill Secondary and St Benedict’s College—will know the results necessary to survive while QRC, Carapichaima East Secondary and, possibly, Speyside High must look on helplessly from the sidelines with crossed fingers.

Photo: Speyside High goalkeeper Kelliss Coker flaps in vain at Naparima College midfielder Judah St Louis’ penalty during SSFL action at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar on 21 October 2017.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

Speyside High are at the bottom of the table at present and can be in deeper trouble if St Benedict’s win a protest against them—the sixth major off-the-field challenge of the season—over ground security.

Speyside defeated St Benedict’s 1-0 in Tobago on Wednesday 11 October but there were insufficient security officials at the match.

“When our executive met two weeks ago, we decided we must have three police officers on the ground for all matches,” said Wallace. “If you try to get police but they didn’t show, there is a fall-back position with a certain number of security officials [who should be there]; but you have to show proof that you tried to get the police.

“If there is no security, the game should not be played at all. But the game between Speyside and St Benedict’s was played so that matter is pending.”

If St Benedict’s are awarded the points, it will take them four points clear of the drop zone. But it will certainly mean curtains for Speyside, who will then be one of three teams to be relegated, joining the already ejected Fyzabad.

Photo: St Benedict’s College player Darnell Charles (left) tries to take the ball around Trinity College Moka opponent Dario Campaigne during SSFL action at Moka on 19 October 2017.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CA-Images/Wired868)

At present, Valencia Secondary, Bishop’s High School (Tobago), East Mucurapo Secondary, Moruga Secondary and Chaguanas North Secondary are doing battle in the ongoing Championship Division Big 5 competition for the three places available in next year’s Premier Division.

At this rate, they are competing to enter an arguably tarnished competition.

Three weeks ago, Trinidad and Tobago National Senior Team head coach Dennis Lawrence and technical director Anton Corneal were singing the SSFL’s praises for the competitive nature and improved quality of the matches. And Wallace and his executive were being congratulated for programmes like a pre-season coaching education course and first responder medical exercises.

But Fyzabad’s use of falsified examination certificates to register two of their players, captain Dez Jones and midfielder Maurice Dick, plus Shiva Boys’ problems in registering Mason—a former Naparima student and National Under-20 player who took a year off from school—has hogged the headlines.

“I think games are supposed to be decided on the field of play and I am uncomfortable that so many games are being decided in the boardroom,” said Wallace. “But you also have to blame some of the schools [that are being punished] because the regulations are clear but some schools seem not to be reading the regulations.”

Photo: Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) president William Wallace (centre) greets players before kick-off in an SSFL match-up between Shiva Boys Hindu College and Naparima College at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on 8 September 2017.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CA-images/Wired868)

Wallace sounded a warning to all 15 Premier Division participants that they needed to be mindful of the reputation of the SSFL and not just their own interests. He pointed to rumours that some unnamed schools were holding on to information about administrative errors from rivals with the intention of using them at the end of the season, if necessary, for their own survival.

“Some schools are keeping information close to their chest and waiting for other teams to keep on making mistakes so they can capitalise,” said Wallace. “But that [making the error] is not only affecting that school but the reputation of the League. This is our business and each person is a stakeholder, so I think people have to look beyond winning games and consider how it affects the reputation of the League.”

The SSFL president, who only took up the reins in April after former boss Anthony Creed completed his term and stepped aside, said the Executive intends to rise to the challenge and clean up the competition.

He pointed out that many of the issues coming to the fore have existed for some time and the onus was now on the Executive to find solutions.

Photo: Fyzabad Secondary midfielder Maurice Dick (centre) is surrounded by teammates [from left] Tyrese Reefer, Sharkeel Louison, Shamor Mahabir and Aaron Jordan during SSFL action against Trinity College East on 20 September at Trincity.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CA-Images/Wired868)
Next season, the SSFL reverts to a 15-team competition—special dispensation was given to San Juan North to compete this year after a post-season protest against East Mucurapo prompted their putative relegation last season. But Wallace believes they should consider even fewer schools in the top flight, if they hope to get a handle on the various administrative issues.

A major problem, he explained, is that the SSFL season starts in the first week of school when players are still trying to finalise transfers or are still entering lower sixth form.

“My position is that the Premier Division should have even less teams so as to give us a chance to start later in September,” said Wallace. “That way, we can have a clearing house that will have enough time to vet all this information. It is something I will take to the next general meeting; but, if they don’t agree, we will have to find another way.

“We cannot start the league any later with 15 or 16 teams because that would take us into December where we have internal exams and so on and we don’t want to interfere with the students’ exam period.”

Wallace said the SSFL is at the crossroads.

Photo: Shiva Boys Hindu College winger Quinn Rodney (left) challenges Naparima College defender Shadeon Arthur for the ball during SSFL action at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on 8 September 2017.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CA-images/Wired868)

“People are also saying that a lot of these things have been happening for a long time,” said Wallace. “So I am glad at least this Executive is taking action where there needs to be action. Under my leadership, I promise that we will take action no matter who is involved—we have been tarnished by unscrupulous behaviour but we will clean up the League. It cannot be business as usual.

“We are going to have a special meeting where we sit down and go through all the rules and regulations. They are there but [the schools] seem not to be reading it—all besides Fyzabad, of course, which is a matter that went beyond that.”

Wallace, a former National Senior Team manager for the Trinidad and Tobago cricket and football teams, said school teams need to look beyond their narrow interests and urged participants to ensure the close of the season and the upcoming Coca Cola National Intercol competition are remembered for all the right reasons.

“I need, as President of the League, to have a serious discussion with schools and coaches about how the actions we are taking are affecting the survival of the League in terms of our sponsors,” said Wallace, “and even how we come across to lovers of secondary schools football. Right now, it doesn’t look good at all.

Photo: Presentation College captain and goalkeeper Jabari Gray makes a flying save to keep out a Judah St Louis free kick during SSFL Premier Division action at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella on 27 September 2017.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

“So we have to have a serious discussion about the direction where people are taking the League [because they] are taking it in a direction where it can crash. I hope that we finish the league on a positive note and all the excitement going forward will be on the field of play.”

Before the SSFL gets there, however, there is a matter between Speyside and St Benedict’s to adjudicate. And possibly one between Fatima/QRC and Shiva Boys as well.

Photo: Shiva Boys Hindu College midfielder Kierron Mason in action against Fatima College during SSFL action at Mucurapo Road on 30 September 2017.
(Courtesy Annalisa Caruth/Wired868)

Upcoming Premier Division fixtures

(Wednesday 25 October)

St Anthony’s College v Presentation College, 3.40pm, St Anthony’s;

QRC v Naparima College, 3.40pm, QRC;

Trinity College Moka v Carapichaima East, 3.40pm, Moka;

Fatima College v St Benedict’s College, 3.40pm, Fatima;

Shiva Boys HC v Signal Hill, 3.40pm, Morne Diablo;

Trinity College East v St Mary’s College, 3.40pm, Serpentine Road, St Clair;

San Juan North v St Augustine Secondary, 3.40pm, San Juan;

Speyside High are on a bye.

Photo: St Anthony’s College playmaker Che Benny (right) controls the ball while Fyzabad Secondary player Shamor Mahabir (centre) looks on during SSFL action at Westmoorings on 2 October 2017.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CA-Images/Wired868)

Championship Division Big 5 results

(Tuesday 24 October)

Bishop’s High School 2, Chaguanas North 0 at Plymouth;

Valencia Secondary 4, Moruga Secondary 2 at El Dorado;

East Mucurapo Secondary are on a bye.

Photo: Presentation College (San Fernando) winger Jordan Riley (centre) tries to escape the attentions of a Naparima College opponent during SSFL action at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella on 27 September 2017.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

Upcoming Big 5 fixtures

(Friday 27 October)

Chaguanas North vs Valencia Secondary, 3:30pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;

East Mucurapo vs Moruga Secondary, 3:30pm, Fatima ground;

Bishop’s High School are on a bye.

Photo: Carapichaima East Secondary forward Daniel Pascal (second from right) fails to convert a goal-scoring chance while Fatima College goalkeeper Jacob Camacho (far left) spreads himself to intercept a during SSFL action at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on 8 September 2017.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CA-images/Wired868)

Updated SSFL Standings

(Played-Won-Drew-Lost-Goals For-Goals Against-Points)

  1. St Anthony’s       12-9-2-1-39-17-29
  2. Naparima            12-9-2-1-28-11-29
  3. Presentation       10-7-1-2-22-11-22
  4. Shiva Boys HC    10-6-1-3-24-14-19
  5. San Juan N         12-4-6-2-25-13-18
  6. Fatima                 10-6-0-4-14-13-18
  7. Trinity East         10-5-1-4-19-11-16
  8. St Mary’s            11-4-3-4-26-25-15
  9. Carapichaima E 12-4-2-5-19-20-14
  10. QRC                    13-4-2-7-21-28-14
  11. St Augustine       11-4-1-6-22-24-13
  12. St Benedict’s      11-2-3-6-16-25-9
  13. Signal Hill           11-2-2-7-11-21-8
  14. Trinity Moka        10-2-1-7-13-30-7
  15. Speyside High     13-2-1-10-7-43-7
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178 comments

  1. I wonder if it have anything my Trinity Blue Hawks could protest on to send we to the top spot? Smh

  2. Cio its naps who chaining up schools to protest against Shiva

  3. 1….
    Duration for a protest to be lodged after a match is 72hrs….if the game is played on a Saturday….Sunday becomes null and void and that 24hr period is excluded…
    2…..
    St Anthonys vs Shiva was Sat 7th Oct…excluding Sunday…the protest date deadline will have to be Wednesday 11th Oct…2017…
    3…..
    How can St Anthonys protest be entertained 17 days after the matchday…on the 24th Oct….
    SSFL has to really look at themselves with this one….
    Can a protest be lodged at anytime…it is clearly stated in the constitution 72hrs…
    Something about this one doesnt smell right……
    4….
    How can Shiva Principal publicly say that they were not invited to the hearing and recieved the news of the said protest via an email…..
    Something does not add up….
    How could the team being accused not be invited to the protest hearing….
    HOWWWWWWWWWWWW

    • I could be wrong but believe that the 72 hour protest deals with issues like field markings, players on 2 yellow cards/ red cards, etc. Issues of eligibility and credentials are known as registration info becomes available so schools are allowed to protest after the 72 hour deadline.

    • wrong is wrong ….24 hrs 48 hrs or 72 hrs ….or 2 weeks after ….He was still ineligible to play ….

    • They r protesting eligibility to play in the match….St Anthonys vs Shiva….
      A match protest….based on whatever is being used to initiate such….has to be done b4 72hrs of the said match…
      However….if information is recieved about whether or not a player is eligible/ineligible….the league must first investigate… and conclude in its findings…. a decision that affects every game that the said player (Mason) played in up to the 7th Oct….
      A decision of this nature cannot affect one school(St Anthonys) …in the positive…via the standings and goals awarded…and alllll the schools that played Shiva during this period…remains unaffected or affected in the nagative…..
      SSFL has acted in error…if they allow it to stay as is….

  4. Ent!!!! Brent….We should think that common sense should prevail….well common sense is no longer common in this space.

  5. That’s silly. If the player was ineligible before October 7th, teams should not have to protest… if he played in any if those guys, those points should be awarded to the opposition…. by the way, the SSFL is an embarrassment

  6. They watching you slight or what,you give St Anthony’s the points before they make it official…well Lasana make the rest official now nah ….put up the table where all the schools that play Shiva before St Anthony’s get the 3 points before all the protest now roll in and SSFL have to call a meeting order snacks and thing to do something they could have done in their last meeting….

  7. So wait nah why couldn’t they rule that all the games Mason played before the St Anthony’s game these teams would be granted the points …what a shame .

  8. As i said ssfl officials are to blame big 5 as an example you say you trying to be netrual things already strainous on some schools you took valencia secondary in there opening big 5 fixture against mougora and played the game in Eldorado East secondary where as you could of choosen a venue closer to valencia secondary and a proper gating facility where an entrance fee could of been charged to help off set some cost schools has transport to pay meals and other expendeture you taking schools away from there home venue and adding strain to them financially .

  9. just give the schools the points all this drama to protest and then the SSFL to meet to give the points

  10. Schools will have to file an official protest….it coming. Trust me

  11. So basically the same thing should happen with all of Shiva’s matches from the beginning of the season until October 7th, not so? Or is the SSFL waiting for additional protests to be filed?

  12. Let the chips fall where they may! We at Chaguanas North were villified for three years and we proved we did nothing wrong. For too long alledged cheating has been happening now there is proof. 2018 will be clean as a whistle!

  13. What is sad is to see what schools have brought the league to just for small change and a trophy what a pity to see this year winner can be decided from a protest. It’s like some teams will do any thing just to win its a shame

  14. How about stop thief and bending the rules this is the second year

  15. Lasana, at the end of the season you should publish the standings if there were no protests…that would be interesting

  16. That’s the only way they can beat us!!!!!

  17. If schools start to protest on the basis on lack of police/ security, stretchers, emergency cars or ball boys the eventual champion will be crowned next term because many teams not even bothering with all that.

  18. How can this be unfair? If a team breaks the rules and get punished it’s unfair? So what happen to Mucurapo last year was unfair as well or nah? People get serious….

  19. That’s why I so fed up of this stupid ass country the petty things that we place our priorities on so much bigger shit going on in schools but look at the amount of energy went into this witch hunt against mason and Shiva the whole ssfl can f.ck off yes

  20. They ent able with the south school

  21. The comments on that article rell salty boy. Ah can’t even relate because CIC eh really doing much for yuh to argue over.

  22. The league hasnt pronounced yet
    But 868 has!

  23. While this is mainly about football, the purpose of school I think is about nuturing a holistic citizen. With this in mind, how could you do five years in school, repeat another year, not get at least four subjects, take a year off and still get into Lower Six? The mathematics is not QED! Some students with six plus passes find difficulty registering for Lower Six in some schools, so it probably is only about football for others. Gone are the days that you can play for international teams without accaccademic qualifications.

  24. What a mess. Good thing there are rules. But they must be fairly enforced!

  25. racket and corruption in sports. Nothing new

  26. How does Kierron Mason end up on the team list and issued a pass to play if he was not properly registered with that time frame ?
    Who really culpable here ?

  27. Ahmmm did I read that right …Mason took a year off from school and came back doesn’t the rules say something about consecutively? Oh dear

  28. This is the worst…. All this because south teams were dominating. I’ve always said it before…”Town football” killing the country

  29. This standings is bogus ….wrong info.

  30. Can’t beat Shiva on the field well do it off the field prestigious school’s style…

    • Can’t beat people within the rules so Shivs have to cheat to gain an advantage

    • Cheat to gain advantage lol? For real John Duchaussee … Yuh mean we advantaging team ON THE FIELD since last year eh….shiva only take advantage of teams on the field and not of the field as some prestigious school’s are currently doing… They just didn’t register mister mason on time boss hence the reason points was deducted from shiva and given to the desperate teams who can’t beat my boy’s on the field and win the title on the field lol… Registering a player late isn’t cheating its a mistake so don’t get it twisted an we played the price for the mistake with 4 points deducted …
      What fyzo did is what you call cheating…

      The prestigious school’s can’t beat my boy’s from penal.. John Duchasusee non of the big guns couldn’t beat us this season and last season,this season we beat naps on the field,thrashed pres and draw with st Anthony’s in their back yard this season . last year we beat all the top dogs naps,pres and st Anthony’s actually we beat almost everyone in the league on our way to winning the SSFL title So you not sounding smart pal when you said shivs have to cheat to gain advantage…
      An the funny thing is inspit of the fight down by the prestigious school’s on shiva,there issa possibly Shiva can still win the league cause St Anthony’s,naps and pres all dropped points with draws today…

    • All that you wrote there doesn’t justify fielding an ineligible player. Its an administrative blunder on the school’s part and frankly the SSFL needed to catch that before any protest was logged. You guys are lucky football isn’t taken as seriously as it should be in this country. You know what happens when things like this take place in the “big leagues”? Instant disqualification.

    • Kamal Baldeo I’m not trying to justify anything… I was replying to the one who said shiva cheat to gain advantage…

    • Stueps d game with shiva and naps was suppose to play on a saturday and sportsmax which is one of the main sponsors of the league wanted the same said game to play on the friday and the league bent to give sportsmax the ok to get civerage of the game hence the reason mason wasnt registered in the stipulated 72 hrs but they wldnt say that so naps took advantage of that and lodged a protest git the points , st anthonys followed suit and did the same shiva protested the protest and the person who sanctioned the said resceduling of the match between naps and shiva never showed up to the hearing but they wldnt tell u dat the fight is real Sunil Ramlal they cant beat shiva on the field so they do it off ssfl is so bias they really fighting for a town team to win the league cause is aouth teams dominating the football look for example the first year the premier league cameout is four south teams in the top four so they didnt keep any big four talk bout bias lol ah set of big goats

    • Thats the story i heard too Diego Marrast ..

      The title is heading either naps or st Anthony’s way unless they drop points in their last game and both teams got points off the field from Shiva…

    • But shiva go deal with them in intocol

    • Dats tru we’ll beat dem bad in d intercol

    • Sunil Ramlal if you don’t register the player on time you don’t play him. What about that you don’t understand. If you don’t register on time in your constituency you can’t vote for election. If you don’t sign up in time for a exam you can’t sit the examination. Those examples simple enough for you to understand. Cheating by any other name is still cheating.

    • Your team so good but you have to play a player that register late.

    • Can’t win with registered players so trying to win with unregistered players.

    • John Duchaussee i can hear the envy in you lol… Or if not envy,your lack of understanding lol… My boy’s without mason,won the title last season with the same team we have this year hence I think you lack understanding or envy Shiva…

    • John Duchaussee without mason last year and with all the player’s who are on shiva roster this year beat all the top dogs naps,pres,st Anthony’s and all almost everyone else last season and won the SSFL and every play was eligible and legit an yet no one couldn’t beat us and we won the title so bump yuh gum all you want mate…?????

  31. To solve this problem of transfers and exploitation of the boys; schools must ensure that their charges MUST get a full certificate at CSEC and or CAPE. If the student athletes are not successful then the school would forfeit entry to the next season.

  32. Don’t understand how naps protested a players eligibility and weeks after another school protested about the same player??? Sum thing not adding up

  33. All you can’t take the cutass from the south first was the ground now this

  34. After all that and you fail to take advantage of it.

  35. The rules not that complicated… They look for whatever they get

  36. My reson i said hault it an clean it up

  37. For just a couple thousand dollars and a trophy people are showing they have no integrity and some of the same teams protesting are as guilty. And for st Anthony’s to protest well it just goes to show

  38. And btw, if you’re supposed to have three police officers at all matches, how was the Shiva Boys ground still not safe enough?

  39. To the left is protest;
    To the right is protest;
    On the flank is protest;
    All down in the back is protest…

  40. Stop the league clean it up remove the corruption replace the corrupt teams with the big five teams

  41. I would say something that contributes for the reason why at all levels and areas these things happening, for too long its just the same persons just being involved in all areas. jack of all trades, masters of none.

    • I am sickened, to say the least.

    • why allyuh fedup this is trini the land where anything wrong goes unpunished…the more we change we just re-arrange yet everything remains the same….we need a revolution to take place in people brains you know the thing in yuh head between the left ear and right ear.People need to do the right thing because it is the right thing and stop trying something hoping not to get caught….plain talk bad flicking manners….

  42. What’s going on with the SSFL is emblematic of not only the substandard state of our local football in general, but also the substandard state of our national ethos and general lack of moral conviction by those entrusted with public/civic responsibility.

  43. The reason given by Wallace for why the warning given to Shiva was not relayed to the the general SSFL membership, reeks of lameness. Be transparent in yuh dealings. It make it sound like allyuh was trying tuh keep things on de DL.

    • They were trying to keep it on a DL as you say…that is why trini is in this mess ,the word oversight is used so loosely in triniland.Trini get so accustom doing the wrong things that they no longer know what is right….punto final…

  44. Why isn’t this league played during second term when most schools don’t have end of term exams, when it is the dry season, and when there would be a whole term to verify school registration and attendance?

    • I’m guessing the second term usually belongs to cricket. Is that it Roneil?

    • Very much so. The cricket pitch is in the middle of most of the grounds.

    • I may have to disagree with reason given for not considering playing in January. I believe it is something to consider, most school have two distinct playing areas and if not are large enough to start the football field after the pitch, its not like anyone sits in the stands that only have cricket view advantage . It will require both cricket league and football alternating days to play

    • The only disadvantage i see is to athletes which may have played both sports but today that number is very small as compared to the golden days.

    • I think only a handful of schools have enough space to have two distinct areas e.g. Moka, CIC, Fatima. But having cricket and football at the same time would be a logistical nightmare because you also have to account for all age group level of the sport. That’s asking U14, U16, Girls and Senior teams to juggle between 6 days. Which in itself would leave each of those teams little to no space and time to train in between games.

    • Amiel ok I understand, it will leave very little room for hiccups, thats fair, understood fully

    • None of these matches (cricket or football) can be played at nearby grounds in the community? All have to be played on school grounds?

    • Chabeth some are played outside but in the spirit of community its better to stay at the school, the following will be lost if that element is removed

    • I don’t think there are any grounds of that standard that even exist in most of the areas. I here trying to study what other grounds it even have in the north and I can’t think of any lol.

    • Not just that, schools have always left room for players to play both sports Chabeth. Players like Brian Lara and Dwight Yorke are two examples of boys who played both sports. But there are many examples of players who excelled in both and then decided after school which one they wanted to specialise in.

    • Narada I remember the Carapichaima goalkeeper last year was on the national youth team for football and cricket and played both sports for his school.

    • Like Nelson Mandela wouldn’t work or the oval for cricket? Isn’t a school that’s not Barrackpore playing at the Barrackpore ground? Didn’t I read that somewhere?

    • Plus the first half of the year is where more serious player development and club football needs played. I am not satisfied we have gotten the best youth League right with TT Youth Pro League, Republic Cup & Zones

    • Nicholas the Pro League and RBL leagues are competing with each other when they shouldn’t be. Is that just ego?

    • St.Benedicts College which is from La Romaine is currently playing on the barrackpore ground

    • Yes…I’d say so. Pro League preferred to go on their own and I’m sensing TTSL is thinking similarly. The reality is NO football club is fully sustainable…so I think now is a good time to hammer out better relationships, agreements and arrangements to get the most quality youth development from limited finances.

    • Why should we adjust timing of the league. Dry season will not work. Cricket is played then so the fields are occupied. People can do the re hired verifications in the current situation but they choose not to do them and instead use the time finding ways to falsify information. Catch the crooks don’t modify conditions to facilitate them

    • Brian, I think you missed my point about adjusting the time to facilitate the checks as the cry has been there is a mountain of work and so few hands. It really isn’t about altering the system to facilitate the crooks.
      In addition, thanks to the rain, we now have a situation where all final matches aren’t being played at the same time disadvantaging some schools. Hence the question about playing during second term to avoid the weather implications.

    • Chabeth Haynes well I have been involved with running a school football program. It requires not much time to do the proper checks and balances – it only requires a desire to get it done properly. To stick to the rules and to ensure that parents and players also know the rules around transfers. That doesn’t require one whole term. Well the rain got in the way this year and so you believe that is good supporting justification for moving it to second term. Well that’s weak.

    • Hahahaha! Well according to the experts the weather is supposed to get worse and worse each year but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Maybe next year we’ll experience drought like conditions during the hurricane season.
      As for the work to run the league properly, multiple voices in this group have spoken to the volume of work necessary. So if you have more work than capable hands then you have two options. Extend the time period over which to do the work or reduce the volume of work. I’d rather extend the time period than reduce the number of schools in the league.

    • Chabeth Haynes – Simple Just hire or attract competent people. The rules are also very simple!!!!! I don’t think it has much to do with the volume of work as much as a desire to win and deceive or break rules if necessary to win .

    • Brian, I don’t think we’re talking about the same set of people. The league, as in the SSFL president, says in the article that one of the challenges to vetting all the info is that the league starts during the first week of school which doesn’t give enough time to vet, and that with the number of teams currently in the league, the league can not afford to start any later because then it will run into end of term exams. So he was saying he thinks the league should have less teams.
      I was asking if the league can’t be in second term to allow the league officials more time to vet the info submitted instead of reducing the number of teams, thereby reducing the workload as there would be less vetting to do.
      Whether schools choose to abide by the rules or break them is irrelevant to the fact that proper administration demands that the league vets the info submitted to it.

  45. What bothers me about all this bacchanal is the amount of complaining going on about the protests that are being lodged. I might be crazy, but if the SSFL and MoE had their shit together in the first place, then we wouldn’t be in this mess. You can’t have rules and then don’t want to enforce them, or only partially enforce them. If the SSFL want to have a thriving league without the major scandals then they need to revamp the administration of the game. It’s almost as if no one wants to take responsibility and instead they’re more concerned about giving excuses/reasons why the league cannot be run properly. On the one hand people complain about the injustices and rule breaking of the past, but then want to use it to justify the rule breaking of the present. In true form, we have to wait until the situation has become ultra embarrassing before putting appropriate measures in place.

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