“[…] Trinidad and Tobago football is underperforming not due to lack of talent, but because of fragmented systems, weak development pathways, and inconsistent leadership. “The goal to success is to create a clear, sustainable pipeline from youth to senior national teams, supported by modern coaching, sport science, and consistent national …
Read More »Seepersad nabs promotion, SSFL execs want term extensions, plus possible Scarborough cover-up
Controversial Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) administrator Laurence Seepersad should have resigned his post in shame, according to Scarborough Secondary representative and school teacher Salisha James, after Seepersad’s alleged misdirection led to sanctions and, ultimately, relegation from the Premier Division for the Tobago school. Instead, Seepersad has risen, unopposed, to …
Read More »SSFL abandons outstanding 2025 games; St Augustine and Malick stay up after controversial ruling
The Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) executive committee has abandoned four outstanding games from the 2025 season, with a significant impact on the respective divisions. The abandoned matches are: the Boys U-14 and U-16 National finals (both involving Naparima College and Signal Hill Secondary); the Girls Big Five final between …
Read More »Three SSFL finals still undecided, three exec posts could be contested—plus another constitutional tangle
The Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) completed its first general council meeting of 2026 yesterday, with still no date set for three outstanding schools finals or a pivotal Premier Division contest between Signal Hill Secondary and St Augustine Secondary. At present, Wired868 understands that St Augustine are trying to book …
Read More »TTFA should prioritise player safety and participation! NYL teams suggest rule changes
“[…] Player safety is a critical consideration. Athletes in the U-15 age group are still developing physically. Allowing unlimited substitutions helps manage fatigue. “Third, it (unlimited substitutions) promotes team participation and morale. Providing opportunities for all players to contribute and builds team unity. When athletes feel involved and valued, they …
Read More »SSFL Appeals Committee uphold Scarborough’s relegation; embattled Seepersad requests promotion
Scarborough Secondary failed to convince the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Appeals Committee that they were unfairly sanctioned for using an unauthorised player, midfielder Johan Elliot, in their final game of the 2025 Premier Division season against San Juan North Secondary. And, as a result, the “Blue Marlins” will be …
Read More »Dear Editor: No medics, insufficient refs and ridiculous substitution rules—TTFA youth league’s chaotic start
“[…] In our U17 match, a player from the opposing team fell and broke his hand—and shockingly, there was not a single medic on site to administer first aid. “[…] Once again, there was a shortage of referees and […] the substitution rules of the TTFA National Youth League are …
Read More »The rise and fall of Shem Alexander; Gateway director’s 57-month sentence brings unsatisfactory end to gun smuggling case
Rising 36-year-old sport administrator, football coach and businessman Shem Alexander was sentenced on Friday 20 February to four years and nine months in a United States federal prison, for conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the United States to Trinidad and Tobago. The ruling by US District Judge John L Badalamenti …
Read More »Dear Editor: It’s not just coaching vs recruiting—are we coaching at modern international standards?
“[…] The question isn’t just ‘who is coaching?’ but ‘how are they coaching—and is it modern enough to compete?’ “Yes, assembling talent without growing match IQ is a dead end. But the issue extends beyond schools and clubs ‘collecting’ players. The real failure lies in a persistent lack of strategic …
Read More »Barney’s Bible: Recruiting has replaced coaching at youth level; that’s why T&T football is struggling
I wasn’t at last night’s Concacaf Men’s Under-17 Qualifiers game. I took it for granted that we would get past Barbados and the other Caribbean nations, so I was planning to go to the Mexico game only. I guessed wrong. But something I’ve been pointing to comes to the fore …
Read More »Dear Editor: ‘Azaad is an unsung hero of Trinidad and Tobago football’
“[…] He was the oil in the machine, always smoothing the way, always ensuring, no matter how difficult the obstacle, that everything was in place. This was his character and his gift. “[…] He was never one to seek the limelight—quietly enjoying the thrill and glow of success in his …
Read More »Azaad Khan passes away; ex-SSFL and Jabloteh administrator was beloved administrator
Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) general secretary Azaad Khan passed away this morning. Khan, 71, had been ailing for some time and could not perform his duties during the 2025 season, due to poor health. A former Malick Secondary teacher, Khan was manager during the school’s heyday in the late …
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