Dear Editor: Five things that will help improve T&T football

“[…] The administration should set in place a programme to begin teaching the youngsters the technical aspects of the game.

“In my opinion, we have ‘fly by night’ coaching schools that suck thousands of dollars from parents with false promises. These coaching schools should be run by licensed coaches…”

The following to Letter to the Editor on the perceived necessities for a functioning national football programme was submitted to Wired868 by Canada-based Trinidad and Tobago track coach Tony Hatt:

USA forward Ashlyn Anderson (third from right) prepares to prod home the opening goal past a desperate dive by Trinidad and Tobago defender Mikaela Yearwood during Concacaf U-17 Championship action at the Ato Boldon Stadium on 31 March 2025.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.

Our national football teams’ performances are dismal. We can continue with accepting this mediocrity and poor performances as we have for years, or we can put things in place to become a force to be reckoned with.

So what is needed for our football to succeed?

1. A good professional administration with football and administrative experience and not electing people whose main focus is seeking to embellish their resume.

2. A professional league or a tier league, with first division, second division, etc.

Arima Araucans Academy winger Melick Adams (left) wrongfoots a Maloney Real Footballers defender during RBNYFL East Zone U-17 action at St Augustine Secondary on 6 April 2025.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.

3. A good coaching development program producing licensed coaches and continuous coaching development tracked by the FA.

4. The administration should set in place a programme to begin teaching the youngsters the technical aspects of the game. In my opinion, we have ‘fly by night’ coaching schools that suck thousands of dollars from parents with false promises. These coaching schools should be run by licensed coaches.

5. We need our national teams to be playing regularly against good opposition and not just regional teams.

Trinidad and Tobago captain Kevin Molino celebrates his 24th senior international goal during Concacaf Gold Cup Prelim action against Cuba at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on 25 March 2025.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.

These are just my thoughts, but as a track coach with international experience, I know what works and what success is in sports.

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