Tag Archives: player development

“[…] As coach Dwight Yorke noted following the Unity Cup, many of our local-based players are not yet ready for international-level competition. But this isn’t their fault. It is the result of a system that no longer provides the structure or support to develop top-level players here at home. “The …

Natasha Wilson’s words came to me while reflecting on my interview with Keith Look Loy. In significant ways, her calypso summed up Keith’s sentiments: Sweet T&T, is my country/ I want you to know that I love you/ Every creed and race, have an equal place/ So let’s work together …

On Thursday evening, Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Under-17 Team head coach Shawn Cooper and another staff member suffered an attempted “break-in” at their hotel in Antigua City, Guatemala. “I saw someone trying to open my door,” Cooper told Wired868. “They showed me a key with my room number…” A …

Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) technical director Anton Corneal called for the prioritising of the local football body’s development programmes after a second national youth team was forced to forfeit an international tournament in the space of two weeks. Last month, the TTFA withdrew its Girls National Under-15 Team …

“[…] In Europe and England, an under-8 right the way through to under-23 player [is developed by] a system [that] is sometimes very prescriptive in terms of: “you must be over there”, “don’t come off the touchline”, “you can only play two-touch”. “[…] Within the Caribbean… you can be as …

“[…] I’m excited to be here and I hope that this will open the eyes to a lot of people with questions that normally would be asked when people are hanging out: How do you get a team to a World Cup? What does it take? “[…] The [nucleus of …

“[…] If we put our emotions aside and objectively look at the sustainability of the Pro League without government subvention, we would recognise that the league has failed and failed miserably.  “A proper conversation must be had going forward and hard decisions may have to be taken as the current …

So far I have only touched on youth development from a ball manipulation and decision-making viewpoint. However, playing in competitive games non-stop can also hinder the physical development and health of players.  Again, the local adage that ‘the more you play, the better you get’ is misleading on this count. …

Youth development in Trinidad, simply put, consists of tournaments and competitions. The Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL), Youth Pro League (YPL), Republic Bank Youth League, Next Level U-19 Tournament and Commissioner’s Cup are the main players in this arena.  I will use the SSFL as the starting point of the …

“The genuine quality to pick up the ball and run at defenders and penetrate or draw attention,” Trinidad and Tobago National Senior Team coach Stephen Hart told Wired868, “and then be able to dish the ball off to players is now absent in Trinidad and Tobago football. When you go …

Trinidad and Tobago has qualified for the CONCACAF level in every age group in the men’s and women’s game over the past two years. Does this mean the “Soca Warriors” are doing as well as ever in terms of player development and selection? Or are they underachieving and falling further …