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Trinidad and Tobago will not be represented in Concacaf’s first- or second-tier club competitions this season, after TT Pro League club Central FC were eliminated 2-1 by amateur Martinique team, Club Franciscain, in a play-off contest tonight in Kingston, Jamaica.
The defeat means that, for just the second time in the past decade, a Trinidad and Tobago club will not be represented at Concacaf level.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
The result is, arguably, another blow to the image of the Pro League. A Martinique team has never advanced to the Confederation’s top competition—in part because the French islanders league had not even been invited to take part.
However, in an effort to encourage participation, Concacaf created a second-tier Caribbean club competition for, according to the website of the governing body, “up-and-coming leagues, working their way towards full professional standards.”
Club Franciscain won the inaugural Tier Two Caribbean Club Championship to find themselves pitted against the “Couva Sharks.”
Yet, despite opening the scoring through former 2006 World Cup squad player Anthony Wolfe, Central could not hold on to their lead and trailed 2-1 by the halftime interval.
And although coach Stern John fielded 13 players tonight with international experience—including nine players called up by National Senior Team coach Dennis Lawrence since he took the post in 2017—the Sharks could not dismantle the Martinican amateurs.
London represented Central FC in the 2018 Caribbean Club Championships.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
It was the third successive defeat for Central in their disastrous tour of Jamaica when a solitary win would have taken them into the next phase.
Operations director Kevin Harrison pointed to the team’s lack of match fitness as a factor in their poor performances and, ironically, one of the reasons the Pro League changed its calendar was to ensure that local clubs were in mid-season when they tackled the giants of North and Central America in Concacaf.
Instead, they find themselves unable to get past the Caribbean—and Central still advanced further than W Connection who were eliminated in the first round despite having home advantage.
The Sharks will now turn their attentions to the upcoming Pro League season, which kicks off on 1 June.
(Central FC squad)
Goalkeepers: Marvin Phillip, Keinol Paul;
Defenders: Daneil Cyrus, Taryk Sampson, Kaydion Gabriel, Anthony Wolfe, Jameel Neptune;
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Midfielders: Akim Armstrong, Jared London, Duane Muckette, Densill Theobald, Darren Mitchell, Rondell Gibson, Keron Cummings, Tyrone Charles;
Forwards: Jamal Creighton, Jason Marcano, Johan Peltier.
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its an all around sad state of affairs
Sloppiest defending I’ve seen
Embarrassing but not surprising…
Drew
Watch the men on that team n still lost ?
Anyone here look at the game?
Yes. I did.
Lasana Liburd gd morning sir glad you did. I look at the two games and really my take on the two games seem as if we don’t have players that understand simple basics anymore for example getting to the ball and not waiting on it knowing ur second move, making yourself available, knowing where u r and that are just some basic things as a player u should know and our team seem to lack that.
Nigel I think we were not sharp and we lacked cohesion. One or two of the younger players didn’t like they were ready to play under pressure but I feel perhaps the team could have been prepared better. And I understand the constraints there too.
Lasana Liburd where to now?
That’s the big question. Domestic football is in a funk, partly due to the economy. Now more than ever we need the TTFA to step up its game in terms of player development and exposure.
Our national youth teams need to be scouting properly, getting the best players together and traveling often. That’s not happening yet.
Lasana Liburd u on the ball buddy
Sorry to be rude….but from your comments, who really was the Amateur side?
players have no more passion an most players get big b4 their time force ripe players we have all they want to hear is some one say they good an thats it head swell
Have you all realize that we have not had a player at the top level playing in any league in the last few yrs?
Nigel Flex Montique we had Levi… Not anymore.
Lasana Liburd what level he was in?