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The Trinidad and Tobago National Under-17 Team, once permitted, will participate in the Youth Pro League Under-18 competition under its own name, after condemnation of its initial attempt to play as Morvant Caledonia United.
On Tuesday, National Under-17 assistant coach Duane Richardson and manager Aaron Pollard went to various schools and urged players to sign registration forms for Morvant Caledonia—often without the chance to discuss the matter with their parents and club coaches first.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
The TTFA Media said the initiative was recommended by head coach Russell Latapy and supported by technical director Anton Corneal. However, it provoked a furious response from schools, club coaches and parents.
Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) general secretary Justin Latapy-George assured members of the public that, while the football body is still interested in participating in the youth competition, there is no chance that the national team will play as a club.
“What we have done is [write] to the League requesting its consideration to allow the Association’s National Under-17 Team to compete in the Under-18 Division of the Pro League,” Latapy-George told TTFA Media. “We believe that we have submitted a request that will receive favourable consideration. However, irrespective of the final decision of the League, it is important that I extend thanks for their consideration.
“It is pivotal that I again note that if our application is accepted that the team will compete as the National Under-17 Team.”
Corneal was on the coaching staff on the two occasions whenat Trinidad and Tobago qualified for World Cup Finals, first the Under-17’s in the Republic of Korea in 2007 and then the Under-20’s in Egypt in 2009. And he is certain that their participation in the youth league will work well for them.
(Back row, left to right) Darian Bradshaw, Justin Araujo-Wilson, Adriel George, Jean-Heim Mc Fee, Marc Wharfe, Cephas St Rose.
(Front row, left to right) Randy Antoine, Josiah Edwards, Jaiye Sheppard, Jabari Lee and Kernel La Fon.
“We feel this is the best way to go in terms of trying to ensure that the teams are in active competition over a specific period, which falls in line with their preparations prior to the Concacaf qualifying matches,” said Corneal. “We have seen what doing this in the past has done—case in point, the 2009 team that went on to qualify for the U-20 World Cup.
“And coupled with the international matches that the FA may be able to organise along the way, this could only positively assist us in preparing the teams going into the qualifiers.”
In other news, the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s National Team has scheduled two friendly matches against Panama on Thursday 22 and Saturday 24 March.
The Women Soca Warriors face Panama from 6.30pm on Thursday at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva and from 4pm on Saturday at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella.
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Like alyuh forgetting this is T&T
So Latapy going to be coaching de U-17 team in de Youth League and de U-20 team in de Super League?
Good question! No way he or ANY coach could properly do both
Nicolas Like ah old police talk used to go before I left home 25 years ago, “How PROPERLY come even dat?”?
There are only 6 more league games in the Youth Pro League…
Super league starting in June or July
There is a knockout phase to youth Pro League. Will the U17s also participate in that phase?
Only thing that makes sense…. happy that good sense prevailed. And thanks to social media, because without this, without Wired, their plans would have probably gotten implemented…..
Steups banned this f**king shit league
Well I was made to understand that my Prof Jamaal Shabazz cannot field a U 17 team in order to participate in the youth professional tournament so he was trying ah thing nah Them really good yes Lol
Mr Bacchanal
lol
Anyway the real facts of this matter is that Prof Jamaal Shabazz From day one told the Pro League he will not field an Under 18 this season. so he was asked by the National U17 management to allow them the spot.
They were to play as the National U17 team not as Cale…
hahaha
Lasana to the world thanks for highlighting this madness because it would been the other way around
This whole scenario was complete madness. It was a plot, for selfish personal gains. One of the officials, Aaron Pollard, is a teacher at a college, the other, Duane Richardson, is a youth coach from Point Civic. They knew exactly what they were doing. They were caught red-handed, they should be FIRED ! They are certainly no role model for the youth and cannot be trusted. Making things worse, Duane Richardson has already been reported for having had an altercation with a U15 youth player (see Wired868).
Hats off to the parents who stood up for their children, with the support of their club coaches. They have to keep these coaches in check and must not take anything for granted.
Really don’t know why this wasn’t the first option, as it had been done before with the women? Also, it might not hurt to have them practice against a full senior club team. — W Connection perhaps— on the regular?
common sense Ent….
At least something to look forward to in the future..
BOOM
Step in the right direction.