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Did somebody say Samba?
The fledgling Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL) is anxiously waiting for the chance to pull off a coup with former Brazil World Cup winners Ronaldinho and Rivaldo and Italy champions Luca Toni supposedly waiting for the green light to come to Port of Spain.
(Copyright AFP2017/Marcus Brandt)
The three are among a host of famous names who are scheduled to visit Trinidad in October for a gala football match against an local TTSL All-Star team.
Interim TTSL president Keith Look Loy said the affair was the brainchild of Caribbean Football Trust Limited (CFTL) chairman Chris Anderson. CFTL has already pledged TT$550,000 towards two cup competitions for the TTSL’s maiden domestic season, which kicked off earlier this month.
The exhibition match should not only be a treat for local football fans but would allow TTSL stand-outs like Rashad Griffith, Makan Hislop, Josimar Belgrave and Carlon “Judgment” Hughes to face the aforementioned trio as well as former France internationals Florent Malouda and Djibril Cissé in a ‘Rest of the World XI’.
The star attraction, undoubtedly, would be Ronaldinho, a two-time FIFA World Player of the Year, and Champions League winner with Barcelona. Look Loy said local organisers altered the proposed 16 September date for the game to accommodate the 37-year-old Brazilian who is due to participate in a Futsal league in early September.
(Copyright AFP2017/Antonio Scorza)
However, what the TTSL and CFTL have not counted on is the slow pace of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), which must sanction the venture.
“I wrote a letter to the TTFA requesting permission for an international match,” Look Loy told Wired868. “I’m awaiting a response from the TTFA. They say they are going to respond. We have already applied for the use of the Hasely Crawford Stadium to host that match.”
TTFA director Sharon O’Brien, who is also the Women’s League Football (WOLF) president, said the David John-Williams-led administration has no problem with the TTSL’s proposed exhibition. However, she maintained that the TTFA wanted to follow the correct procedures before giving the game the green light.
“We want to make sure that we cross our T’s and dot our I’s,” said O’Brien.
O’Brien said the TTFA is currently awaiting word from CONCACAF as to the proper criteria needed for hosting international games of this nature. She said could not give a definitive time frame for CONCACAF’s expected response.
(Copyright Allan V Crane/TTFA)
Not for the first time, Look Loy is forced to play the waiting game. Earlier this year, the fledgling league fussed and agitated for months before finally being ratified by the local governing body.
Look Loy hopes the TTFA gets the ball rolling much faster on this occasion, as he wants the TTSL to have ample time to prepare for the star studded affair.
If Look Loy and the TTSL keep good on their promise, then local fans can soon be getting a close view of two of football’s most famous past names in the Samba duo of Ronaldinho and Rivaldo, who helped Brazil lift their last World Cup title in 2002.
And, of course, there is an opportunity for the TTSL players to catch the eye too. Locals will be able to familiarise themselves with the Super League stars sooner rather than later, as Look Loy said an arrangement with Bmobile is virtually in place and will see TTSL teams live streaming their games.
“Within the next two weeks, we are going to be live streaming because we have a discussion with Bmobile this week to finalise an agreement,” Look Loy said. “TTSL is going to be live streaming one game per week but the clubs are also going to live stream their games. Several of the clubs have signed up for that.”
Santa Rosa won 2-0.
(Courtesy Annalicia Caruth/Wired868)
Upcoming TTSL Fixtures
(Sunday 25 June)
Club Sando Moruga vs Siparia Spurs, Grand Chemin Recreation Ground, Moruga, 4pm;
QPCC vs FC Santa Rosa, St Mary’s College Grounds, 4pm;
Guaya United vs Police FC, Guayaguayare Recreation Ground, 4.30pm;
Bethel United vs WASA FC, Mt Gomery Recreation Ground, 6.30pm;
Defence Force vs UTT, Defence Force Sports Field, Chaguaramas, 4pm;
Cunupia FC vs 1976 Phoenix FC, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, 3.30pm.
Defence Force won 3-1.
(Copyright Sean Morrison/Wired868)
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Roneil Walcott is an avid sports fan and freelance reporter with a BA in Mass Communication from COSTAATT. Roneil is a former Harvard and St Mary’s College cricketer who once had lofty aspirations of bringing joy to sport fans with the West Indies team. Now, his mission is to keep them on the edge of their seats with sharp commentary from off the playing field.
Who is d bet striker ever tell me since is spewing filth
Steups
Why we as a people always tend to have these myopic views regarding initiatives like this, is it that we don’t understand the importance of promotion?
This is a private initiative, what does that have to do with tax payers money or the MOS visit to Tobago?
Spewing filth i see
Purely a public relations gimic which in no way would contribute to the uplifting of the standards of Trinidad and Tobago Football. In other words money ill spent to mamaguy and pappishow the people of Trinidad and Tobago. Instead of coming up with original and imaginative ideas for the development of FOOTBALL at a truly NATIONAL level, officials think it fit to glorify themselves in the quest for upward social mobility. It is only a matter of time before our NATIONAL FOOTBALL sinks to the current depths of West Indies Cricket. JOKERS ALL BUT IT WILL NEVER CHANGE UNTIL TRUE QUALITY LEADERSHIP EMERGES FROM THE GROUND UP.
You ummm do realise this is a private company right?
Nonetheless, haven’t National Football already sank to the depths of WI Cricket, in not deeper?
Whose money is being spent? Not taxpayers. It is a private entity using THEIR MONEY. Get the facts before posting misleading information.
Smh ya now reply always late eh
Of course!! Where ever that match playing in Trinidad…. Or Tobago I iz one man dey lol #Dinho yuh dey ?
I in dat
And how much y’all gonna pay them aye ain’t betting them good inno boi so much people suffering but them gonna bring 2 has being footballers to do what how we the people of benefiting from this what to get to say the 2 of them was here ? An 20 million dollars we tax money gone
You telling a private company how to spend their money? Roflmao
20 million? Rofl
Taxpayers are not going to spend a cent. It is ALL a private venture. that will BENEFIT the taxpayers in the long run by increased Sports Tourism via much needed international exposure.
I will spend my last to go and see them no matter what….
Well the word is that Ronaldinho got a bigger offer somewhere else so it might not be until September that he will be available again eh and with all these promises from Chris eh, I wonder when will he be really sincere about doing this and that for the football in our sweet country since he have all the foreign sponsors and contacts eh maybe he should become the president of the professional league and take it to another level, ah wonder if Keith Look Loy and the TTSL got the moines that he promise them already. Them really good yes.
I doh care what nobody say rivaldo was one of the best midfielders Brazil ever had
TTFA should resign for failre to deliver. That is all i want to see. All the macho talk has not materialized. Clearly … Dennis Lawrance was not the man. Resign!!!
You have someone who is a TTFA director, and Women’s League Football (WOLF) president, who’s unaware of the proper criteria for hosting international games? Do these organizations realize that we’re in the year 2017?
Best striker ever but i in mine ronaldiho to
Real talk
Will pay my money to see a fat R9 over those two any day
Riot
Waste of time government…. wasting tax payers money…like the visit to Tobago was not all that…
Wow. …what the government has to do with this it’s a private league, if you read properly they have to get the ok from concacaf not the government. ..
Does concacaf have money to pay them…..
In case you don’t know, yes Concacaf has money to bring them. We are not talking TTFA/TTFF that is forever in the red.
If uk hw i hate wen ppl who dont understand, try to make everything about govt and politics… OH GOSH… UNDERSTAND WA ALYUH TLKIN BOUT B4 ALYUH COMMENT NA
I see you like to include Politics into everything. If you read the article you would realize that it is not a Gov’t venture. In fact CFTL (Private entity) Pledged to contribute $550,000.00 to local football. Be informed before commenting
Just typical wagonusm hype to market the league …but we all know when the stars leave so will the wagonists
Ya going that if he comes lol I most present
Me too haha
Wow when is that lol
Correct Kevin John correct
Ah reason 2 waste money…i sure is big $ 2 bring them here n accomodate them..steupsss…if alya love football so much take dat same $ 2 bring dem retired ballers n use it as prize money for a league that our youths can benifit from.
Now we talking…well.said
This is a private league it’s not run by the government, promoters bring artist whole year is that a waste of tax payers money.
Well once its not government funds…..or government assistance to bring and accomodate them.its noting personal i just think we ha focus on our footballers.put our ballers on show.particularly the young ones.put 100000 as cash prize for a primary school league and watch how many ronaldinho u go get and how good football u will see.
Me ain’t missing dat
Wam to ronaldo an takin ronaldinho revaldo was good but not like r 9
This is wat we using de money to do ppl are not crying over flooded houses isn’t de money better spent on improving and helping ppl in need are we living in de movie gladiator where Caesar held games to distract de ppl from.De real problems in de country this place rel sweet wee!
Yes this is what the country needs right now
Ok Ihu ???
As much as I agree with the fact that ppl need help as flood victims this has nothing to do with that. The league is private its like saying the NBA shouldn’t have an all star game because part of the country had a disaster. What they could always do is pledge monies from the game to go to support but you can’t dictate how a private sporting league invests
And we just on fb and we could think of that for free and it have ppl who getting pay to think and that’s not even near a thought ??
What’s the point? I could think that we need to construct more roads it doesn’t make me a civil engineer. That’s their job their responsibility. If I wanted to that I’d go learn to do it as a professional and not be a “fb professional”. Unless it’s your day job ease up the professionals nah. Nobody does bash promoters for throwing parties and bringing artistes…
Ttsl is a private company…not govt owned… “this wat we doin w our $ nw” its actually their $ not ours, for them to use as they see fit… better u go tell massy n dem d same tinh
This comment is devoid of any logic….steups…smmfh
Present !!!!
Rivaldo made me love football Ronaldinho made me understand entertainment in football ✔
Jamal Carter Nikolai Daniel
Dinho yuh say dey. The man who I slow down youtube videos for lol.
???????????????????????
Eh heh? ?
I recording that whole game
All my padnas who Dinho breed & cyap getting rab for rest of their life ??
If them shottas coming i sure to be in attendance
This is ultimate wildness.. We dey
In that..
Plz do .. I sure to run on that field
?. For sure
Yuh done know
We dey
When they bringing Ibra? 🙂
Maybe when oil price are US$200 a barrel! Hahaha
hahaha
Kristen Cozier we there if this comes off
Definitely
‘Dinho?? Well… say no more… I een yo!!!
ok match sold out!
Dey have money to pay for this?
please bring Fred…Jo.. and Hulk.
Neymar too
let them play the German Embassy and take 7
Gary yuh wicked ??
But ??????
no..im not
German supporters are never going to let up on dat one. You made me laugh my brother ?
dais meh wuk
am lining up already..