The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) recognised the efforts of the National Under-17 Women’s team and the National Under-23 Men’s Olympic team, which inspired in their respective qualifiers in the past year,  by hosting an end of year celebratory luncheon hosted by All Sport Promotions. The function took place at the Century Ballroom, at the Queen’s Park Oval, Tragarete Road, yesterday. Director of All Sport Promotions Anthony Harford, also announced that T&T senior team will face European minnows Finland in a two-leg friendly match on January 22 and 25, next year. Many stakeholders in local football, including assistant national coach Anton Corneal, were in attendance, along with most players from both the under-23 men’s team and the under-17 women’s team. Even highly travelled, former Academy Manager of Liverpool Football Club John Owens was present to witness the celebration of a successful year from the two teams.

All Sport Promotions, which is responsible for the marketing and event management of the TTFF, was represented by Harford, who congratulated the two teams. Harford opened the function insisting that from his experience with the TTFF through his company All Sport Promotions, the federation is “represented by a group of people who are deeply and honestly committed to the good of the game.”  Harford said that it would be foolish of himself to say that mistakes were not made.  He added that despite lack of funding for the federation, “the books are in order,” and that future corporate sponsorship looks promising as a result of the recent successes of the Under-23 and the Under-17 teams. TTFF vice-president Rudolph Thomas, speaking on behalf of the president of the TTFF Lennox Watson, who was absent, referred to the senior national footballers’ CFU World Cup Qualifying first round exit, when he said that the past year saw T&T hit with “harsh reality”. “What has transpired can almost be referred to as an end of an era,” he continued.

Thomas added that the departure of officials of the TTFF “who have given yeoman service to our football,” has the federation still coming to terms with the loss. He implied, however, that  (yesterday’s) gathering of the teams and administrators signifies that not all is lost. The T&T National Under-17 girls team won all three of its Caribbean Football Union (CFU) final round matches, which saw them top the group and advance to the final round, which will be played in Guatemala in May. With hefty 8-0, 3-0 and 1-0 wins against Guyana, the Bahamas and Jamaica, respectively, T&T joined the United States, Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas, Panama and hosts Guatemala into the final phase of qualifying for next year’s FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup to be held in Azerbaijan from September 22 to October 13. The team consisted of Anique Walker (captain), Sheniece David, Shantel Christian, Marlique Asson, Adeka Spence, Abigail Jacob, Corinna Sequea, Tonietta Phillip, Olivia Jaggernauth, Victoria Swift, Khadidra Debesette, Marie Guisseppi, Shenice Garcia, Darian Diaz, Naomie Guerra, Diarra Simmons, Khadisha De Freitas, Zoe Swift, Shenice Harding, Donicia Prince.

The technical staff included: Even Pellerud (Technical Director), Stephan De Four (coach), Peter Pierre (assistant coach), Terry Johnson (equipment manager), Judy Harewood (physio), Clint Mc Kenzie (trainer), Steve Frederick (goalkeeper coach) and Lyndell Hoyte-Williams (manager). Each player present was awarded with a framed photograph  of the team during the competition in St Kitts. The successful national Under-23 team, which won two and lost one match in November’s CFU Olympic qualifiers in St Kitts, advanced to the CONCACAF Final Round of Olympic qualification, which takes place in California, USA, in March.

The team included: Andre Marchan, Glenroy Samuel, Joevin Jones, Mekeil Williams, Sheldon Bateau, Leslie Russell, Kareem Moses, Aquil Selby, Nuru Muhammad, Micah Lewis, Jayson Joseph, Jeromie Williams, Jean Luc Rochford, Sean De Silva, Kevin Molino, Jomal Williams, Shahdon Winchester, Jamal Gay, Trevin Caesar and Jerrel Britto

The technical staff included: Angus Eve (coach), Clint Marcelle (assistant coach), Derek King (assistant coach), Norris Ferguson (manager), Frank Rodriguez (assistant manager), Earl Joseph (physiotherapist), Gilbert Bateau (trainer), James Mathlin (equipment manager).

By Andrew Gioannetti

Source: www.guardian.co.tt