Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation - TTFF

Technical Director of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation Anton Corneal is expressing heavy regret over the circumstances within local football involving the 2006 World Cup players and their latest action on the local governing body.

Corneal, appointed technical director last month, has embarked on a series of development programs with the TTFF Technical Committee including an elite coaches symposium, a goalkeepers’ coaching course and a youth development program involving the various national youth teams.

While aware that the 2006 players exercised their legal rights, Corneal was disappointed over the lack of consideration shown towards the youth teams that are preparing to engage in international competition.

“Mixed signals has been sent by some of our former Soca Warriors over the way in which they treated the levying of the Trinidad and Tobago Federation. It seemed as though it was a feather in their cap to stop all National teams from participating in their various tournaments. Even though I understand the  process of the court , this would have been and ideal situation to show their genuine intentions towards our country  and the qualifications of the Olympic football team and the u-17 women’s national football team in their upcoming tournaments,” Corneal told TTFF Media.

“Opportunities  come once in a life time and to think any former player or players are prepared to  take this away , leaves one to believe their intentions are selfish and counter productive.

“These young players from both teams will now have to play under unjust adversity which either brings out the best or worst in performances on the field. Hopefully the coaches involve can take steps in repairing any psychological damage that might have occurred .

These teams need all energies focusing in one positive direction to attain optimum performances, as a federation we fully support their progress towards these  events,” Corneal added.

“I have coached some of these same players, especially during the 2006 World Cup when we were all part of a unit that represented this country with such pride and dignity. But just like them, we too as coaches and officials within the TTFF have gone through frustrating nights and days. We’ve also felt the pain. There are those of us who are not fighting the players .”

“Some of us have worked with salaries that have been cut but we have labored on to ensure that football continued and that our young players could get the chance to not only represent but also have an avenue to channel their energies especially away from crime. We too have hoped for and worked towards a better governing body and better state of local football. I understand the need for change but it should be a situation where our young players are sacrificed at this stage,” added the man who guided the T&T U-17 team to the 2007 FIFA Under 17 World Cup in South Korea.

He also challenged those who said there was no development charted by the TTFF for the past decade and more.

“Okay so maybe we didn’t qualify for the past two World Cups, but for decades prior to the 2006 we also did not qualify for a World Cup except for the 1991 U20s. And then for the past decade we had two youth teams qualifying for a U-17 and U-20 World Cup, we had our senior team qualifying for a 2006 World Cup, our last Under 17 women’s team were far from embarrassed at the 2010 World Cup and our last under 17 men’s team was one match away from World Cup qualification. If there is not some form of positivity there regarding development then I don’t know what is.

“We have to understand that we are no USA, Mexico or Costa Rica but if you look at any other country in the region, you could see that we are not way behind and in some ways very much on par with them as it relates to some degree of success. Of course we would like to do more and achieve more but it doesn’t come easily when your finances are restricted or you don’t have the luxury of resources like a Mexico or USA or other big countries where football is an everyday way of life or a religion across the nation,” Corneal concluded.