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Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Under-17 Team head coach Randolph Boyce lamented that his players missed their “KPIs” (key performance indicators) yesterday, as the young Soca Warriors were left requiring a six-goal win over Mexico to keep their Qatar 2026 Fifa U-17 World Cup dreams alive.
Boyce revealed, in the post-game press conference, that he targeted six goals in the first half against Sint Maarten and eight in the second—as they tried to give themselves a chance of finishing above Mexico in the Group A finale on Thursday night.
Instead, Trinidad and Tobago defeated Sint Maarten 8-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium—with two goals in the first half, and six after the interval—while Mexico’s subsequent 4-1 win over Barbados saw the North American nation further stretch their advantage atop the group.
“We gave them KPIs to see if they could work with it, in terms of each half—but, unfortunately, they didn’t meet some of the targets that we set,” said Boyce, in the post-game press conference.
“[…] The score supposed to be way more than it ended up, and then when you look at it, in terms of what it could have done for the tournament mathematically—the conversation would go in a different direction.
Photo: TTFA Media.
“[…] We would have been setting up the last game of the tournament to be in a very nice and interesting place.”
At present, Mexico are the only team with a 100% record in Group A, and they have 18 goals scored with one conceded, to go with their nine points. A draw on Thursday will see “El Tricolor” advance to the Concacaf Championship.
Trinidad and Tobago are second with nine goals scored, one conceded and six points, while Barbados have nine goals scored, five conceded and six points.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Boyce’s troops, who lost their opening game 1-0 to Barbados, need a big win in their final outing to leapfrog the group favourites. Had they trounced Sint Maarten in the desired manner, Trinidad and Tobago would have still required a 3-0 victory over Mexico.
Either way, it is a formidable challenge for the Trinidad and Tobago players—improbable, but not impossible.
Last night, Mexico’s ball movement was impressive. Led by central defender Andre Godinez, El Tricolor play with two touchline-hugging wingers, a lone forward, and a box of four midfielders in front of their three-member defence.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
They will test the compactness and organisation of the Trinidad and Tobago squad. But, at the same time, they looked vulnerable to Barbados’ physicality and pace, while their only goal conceded in the tournament thus far came from a corner kick.
The young Warriors have produced a stream of promising set piece deliveries in this tournament, with left back Sebastian James being particularly consistent. However, they have not gotten a single goal from that route so far.
And although the likes of attackers Adasa Richardson, J’meke Watkins, Kanye Glasgow and Jeremai Nanton have pace and tenacity to spare, the cutting edge has rarely been there.
Photo: TTFA Media.
Boyce hopes yesterday’s lopsided win—with all four of the aforementioned front-men among the scorers—represents a turning point.
“We moved the ball well, controlled the rhythm of the game (against Sint Maarten)—but, again in the final third, we had our most challenging parts (sic),” he said. “[…] We are creating, so it’s just about how they become comfortable in the scenario [and] in [their] ability to do it (finish).
“We believe in them but they have to believe in their ability. I think [yesterday’s win] should do well for the guys—in [giving them] the ability to see and know they could finish.”
Photo: TTFA Media.
Boyce suggested that he now has a good understanding of his most reliable players, as they head into a decisive fixture.
“This bunch is a nice bunch, but as you see there are some of them who show us we can perform tonight but we would not perform tomorrow,” said Boyce. “So you kind of figure out then—by now, we know who is who… to go forward with.”
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When we look at the state of football in T&T, today, yesterday and yesteryear, at all age-group levels, there is one thing that is clear. Ability to play the game is there. Talent is there. Organized coaching is there. Playing experience of our coaches is there. These things I say all relate to T&T’s ability to compete with nations in the WI and Caribbean is substantial. Not so however when it comes to the larger nations on the one hand, and those that have invested in their coaches and players and programs that include overseas based players that greatly desire to come back to play for their birthplace country (and believe that they have a lesser chance of playing for the overseas countries that they are citizens of). Since my last coaching assignments with the U-16, and U-20, and National Teams, I have addressed the issue that we are failing our country, coaches, players, families, and supporters because we aren’t choosing to invest in the things that are right and good for all our stakeholders. I have also stated, without apology, that the “fish always rotten at the head” – the leadership, and this truth continues. St. Maarten and St. Martin share a 34-37 sq-mile island landmass one, the French side St. Martin being the larger with 21 sq-miles and the Dutch, St. Maarten, 13 sq-miles. Their respective populations are 35000 and 44000. We were able to beat the French “nation” 1-0 and the Dutch 8-0. We lost to Barbados 0-1, and their land area and population are 167 sq miles (size of Tobago) and 270,000. Just “yesterday” we were thumping them. You cited that the reason you chose to get your two warm-up games against Peru was because the Central and North Americas were the nations that we were always having a hard time defeating. Well, we have Mexico in our next game, and I know that you can coach. I know that you know what you know. May I, however, remind you that you know less of what you don’t know. Now, your decision to play Peru, might just pay off by way of salvaging a rear win. But come hell or high-water T&T will not be able to topple Mexico by a 9 goals advantage. Had we not lost to Barbados and won by more than the 1-0 margin against St. Martin, two very doable things, we would be standing a better chance to upset the Tricolors. It looked like we were counting our chickens before the eggs were hatched. We were looking too forward – maybe a product of your years of local college successes. The saddest of all Coach, and I do have a belief that you are capable of more and better, but no way we are the home team and we give up home field advantage to our cricketing neighbors and also, an island that, when combined with its Dutch sister, is one-quarter the size of our smallest County, St. David and approximately the size of Chaguanas or Chaguaramas. We didn’t meet our KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)? Are we pulling out coaching courses language to explain plain and simple, “get up when lame, share the fame, and always take the blame” (HN-1994) language! What were the KPI’s that the players didn’t remember or understand? Look, Coach Boyce, you did not have these young men for sufficient time. Your job was to keep their minds simple and clear of KPIs, and now, RIPs, and focus on NSSs (Net Shaking Strikes), TTWs (Timely Tackle Wins), PSAs (Play Smart Always), and BSNs (Beat Smaller Nations)! Costa Rica scored 26 in one game! “Smaller countries are catching up” is your observation! Well, I pray that this happens in our game versus Mexico tomorrow – any win will go a long way. But forget qualification, won’t you say Coach! And please forget the entangling KPIs messaging. Leave some room in their heads to play the game naturally. They are tired of exams! Coach Boyce, I care!