Concacaf General Secretary Phillipe Moggio has indicated that the confederation is looking to increase its activities in the Caribbean with the aim of improving the game throughout the Concacaf region.
CONCACAF is considering making changes to its World Cup qualifying format, which culminates in the Hexagonal tournament involving just six teams, according to Moggio.
“The format will have to change. Most of our member associations are eliminated early. In UEFA, all the teams are involved to the end but in CONCACAF we have most of our teams laying idle,” Moggio said at the Soccerex Global Convention in Manchester, England a few weeks ago.
In March 2017, CONCACAF, which has 41 members, took direct control of qualifying for its club events in the Caribbean and has opened an office there to oversee this work. Maggio disclosed that CONCACAF had invested U$D1 million on staging club competitions in the Caribbean but insisted there was still a role for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU). Moggio was recently in Trinidad for the sod-turning event for the TTFA National Training Centre and Player Hotel accommodation in Couva.
“Our new Champions League format is improving the club level and we are focusing on how we can increase club competition around the Caribbean.” He added that Concacaf wants to expand the number of teams at its biennial Gold Cup.
“CONCACAF earns most of its revenue from the Gold Cup. As the engine of growth for us, we’re looking at expanding from 12 to 16 teams.”
Corneal delivers coaching course in Guyana
Anton Corneal recently carried out duties in his capacity as a CONCACAF instructor in Guyana as that country’s football federation staged its Concacaf D License course.
Corneal was accompanied at the course by fellow Concacaf instructor Vincent Ganzberg. The four day programme, which catered for 30 coaches from the Academy Training Centres (ATCs), National Sports Commission (NSC) and Schools.
“We are here to help, not just in the classroom but outside of the classroom. The magic happens with you, because you are the ones that can make change,” said Corneal who is also the TTFA technical director. He added:“When we speak about what’s development, it does take eight to 10 years. But you are the ones instrumental in guiding the young ones for that eight to 10 years.” Corneal has also conducted several C and B license courses in Trinidad and Tobago over the past few months.