ANGUS EVE believes that the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) should learn from mistakes it made with Belgian Tom Saintfiet and make his replacement feel he has their support.
“Win, lose or draw, the new coach needs to know that he has the support of the Football Association (TTFA),” Eve said, in a telephone interview last week following Saintfiet’s resignation. “I believe that he has to get at least eight months on the job.”
If heeded, Eve’s advice would see the new coach retained for the duration if the World Cup qualifying campaign. Trinidad and Tobago has eight matches remaining, ending its campaign on October 10, 2017 against the United States, in Port of Spain.
Saintfiet took the Trinidad and Tobago head-coach job in early December with the proviso from TTFA president David John-Williams that he would be sacked unless producing positive results in the World Cup qualifiers against Panama and Mexico, in March.
Saintfiet cited lack of support by the TTFA when handing in his resignation last Tuesday, following back-to-back losses to Suriname and Haiti in 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifiers.
“From the first day of my unveiling, I did not get the support of the TTFA and its president; support which is needed to be able to do my job in a professional and successful way,” Saintfiet said upon his resignation last week.
“Given the mandate to guide the team past Panama and Mexico in the coming World Cup qualifiers in March 2017, I have come to the conclusion that I can’t be successful in this environment.”