Dear Editor: Sacking Angus Eve makes no sense—what has he done to deserve that?


“[…] Coaches who don’t get their team to perform should face the sack. Angus Eve just managed a 7-1 victory against The Bahamas. With that goal difference and a result against Saint Kitts and Nevis, we are practically through to the final round.

“[…] Perhaps what Kieron Edwards should’ve focused on is getting the Senior Team a proper pitch to train on full time, advocating for immigration amendments to allow more ‘Birchalls’ to play for the Soca Warriors, or trying to poach Jadon Sancho…”

The following Letter to the Editor on the Kieron Edwards-led TTFA executive’s decision to fire Soca Warriors head coach Angus Eve was submitted to Wired868 by Kendell Karan of Chaguanas:

Trinidad and Tobago head coach Angus Eve (standing) has a drink during an international friendly against Guyana at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on 15 May 2024.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868

Who is the TTFA going to bring in, Pep Guardiola? Is this the norm at the TTFA, anytime a new executive steps in?

We sack the coach and then owe them money for the balance of their contract? I just don’t get it.

What has Angus Eve done to deserve the sack? We are in the middle of a World Cup qualifying campaign, he is spearheading a project for qualification for the World Cup 2026, the TT Football Premier League is growing exponentially, we are competing with the likes of the USA and Canada.

Trinidad and Tobago flanker Real Gill (left) tries to hold off USA full back Sergino Dest during CNL action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on 20 November 2023.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868

International football is all about results. We can’t expect him to turn us into a Morocco or Saudi Arabia in a couple of years—countries which have made great progress in world football.

Coaches who don’t get their team to perform should face the sack… Angus Eve just managed a 7-1 victory against The Bahamas. With that goal difference and a result against Saint Kitts and Nevis, we are practically through to the final round.

Now the national set-up has to adjust to a new style of play, backroom staff (except media manager Shaun Fuentes), coaching philosophy, and then the next manager may want to rebuild the team.

Perhaps what Kieron Edwards should’ve focused on is getting the Senior Team a proper pitch to train on full time, advocating for immigration amendments to allow more “Birchalls” to play for the Soca Warriors, or trying to poach Jadon Sancho [and get the Manchester United winger] to switch allegiance to his true home to increase our quality on the pitch.

TTFA president Kieron Edwards (centre) is flanked by third vice-president Jameson Rigues (right) and ordinary member Inspector Andrew Boodoo at the Concacaf Congress in Guadeloupe on 25 May 2024.
(via TTFA Media)

President Edwards ought to know what he is doing. Be very well Angus Eve, and all the best in your future footballing endeavours. Thank you for your contribution to Trinidad and Tobago.

Editor’s Note: The above letter was edited to omit some potentially libellous references.

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9 comments

  1. So we defeated Bahamas 7:1. Yet this is the same coach that could not defeat Grenada, could not defeat Nicaragua, lost to Jamaica 4:1 and USA 6:0. This is the same coach that can’t defeat Mexico even with an instruction manual. This is same coach that can’t seem to find the right mix of players for important games. And yet we are reading that firing Angus Eve makes no sense.

  2. We gave Rosary Boys 7 goals. I cannot understand why you continues to talk about the 7 goals.

  3. Outside of some kind of divine interevention or the people charged with administrating football i.e. formulating some kind of strategies systems, structure etc that will insure the coach gets some quality to work with at the national level…Eve’s faith will be the same for all successive head coaches. The successful teams in world football have these mechanism in place. These ensure a level of seamlessness/continuity in their national team structure etc. We need administrators who are selfless cares about the game/players and ultimately want soccer/sports in general to improve. The benefits are far reaching (maybe even impacting crime). That goes for every sporting disciple. The olympics is showing just how much opportunities exists.

  4. Sometimes there’s a lot more going on off field than on that we’re not aware of

  5. Oh boy, somebody wrote this drivel and hit send

  6. I believe a more experienced coach can take the team further than Angus can. He’s not the guy.

    • I agree but we also need to strengthen the player pool, have access to more funds, get better support from fans, and players need to show more commitment/be more professional.

  7. Poach Jadon Sancho? Lost interest in the article at that point.

  8. Dese people does be serious?
    They watching the same Soca Warriors I does be watchin??
    Nah man.
    LWS

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