After reading and seeing pictures of the Hotel which is being built by the management of the T&T Football Association, my first impression was that the project could be accommodated by teams, mainly national Football teams and/or foreign teams visiting to play matches. If I am right, then, the comfort with regards to players camps, rest period before matches and adequate professional service vis a vis treatment for all football activity is a welcoming venture.
It has been suggested the cost of the project, the supply of finances, the contractual arrangements regarding the ownership of the property and other aspects have been unclear to the sports administrative directorship. There are questions as to whether the government granted a lease arrangement to the TTFA or is the land in sue has been purchased with funds from the TTFA.
The recent picture on the daily Newspaper which included many of the country's national association hierarchy, appeared to the readers as though they are part of the process and if so, what role do they have to play in terms of management, or been tenants from time to time, and who are the recipients and controllers of the payment collection.
Forgive me for looking that far. It is simply because some of our predecessors have not been as clear in their operations when it comes to the financing of any kind whether it be players fees, coaches' salaries, even office workers.
The concept of having this type of edifice for the purpose which is listed above could be beneficial, providing the organisational path is clear in the eyes of the stakeholders, many of whom are footballers at all levels of play.
What is of more interest for the lover of the sport is to find the positive link which will assist in the improvement of the game on the field and any effort to abolish the deterioration of the performances which have been very visible especially among the junior programmes and most importantly, the confusing state of our ProLeague, Super League and the zones which are the foundation of the local sport.
How will this project connect our ills in the sport? Is there a planned which will lead to the improvement of the game itself? The absence of a hotel was actually not the reason for the development of our game, despite the fact that the cry coming from the hotel decision makers is that this project will lead to the road of football progress.
The memories of our involvement in the recently concluded FIFA youth competitions do not reflect any semblance of positive progress in our football, and that includes the quality of Secondary School Football League (SSFL) matches. It is unfair to lay the blame at the feet of the activity on the field when the cadre of top-class coaches is in the minority. I can identify with the number of courses conducted at all levels, but the success of coaching is simply a long-term project where all the persons who aspire to wear the track Suits on the benches, must devote much more time dedicating themselves to listening and practising theoretical and practical methods which will help them to understand the trade much better.
Then there is the reorganisation of principles which offer the administrative and management guidelines to bring some stability and recognition how we do and approach things that would be of benefit to the country.
In this regard, I sometimes wonder what was behind the introduction of the Sports Company of TT in connection with the role of Ministry of Sports. I would have thought that the responsibility for ensuring that the day to day process of all sport in the country can be monitored carefully and even communicate with the Associations for the purpose of working accurately within their constitutions, rules and regulations.
My feeling is simply based upon the operation of the ministry as the leaders of our country and not just be providers of financial handouts without having a detailed understanding about how they function before extending funding from the treasury. Unfortunately, the problems are many and a fifty or five hundred room hotel will certainly not make a difference to the quality of our Football or any of the NSOs if the groundwork is not done for all the stakeholders to benefit.
However, we shall be patient but very observant as to the future of sport continue to unfold.
SOURCE: T&T Guardian