Several former national players and administrators turned out for the first of four symposiums hosted by the T&T Football Association’s National Football Committee at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain, on Saturday.
The committee, headed by TTFA board member Selby Browne, is tasked with gathering recommendations from all stakeholders and the public for the restructuring football in Trinidad and Tobago.
The topics for the six-hour symposium included: Management structure for youth football; Pathway structure for national football and Administration.
Browne in his opening remarks emphasised the urgent need for change in the way the business of Trinidad and Tobago football was conducted.
“We have brought this panel together to see about the various issues, governance and structure for Trinidad and Tobago football,” he told those gathered.
“I welcome and commend all for understanding the importance for having this initiative started now. We have been given a mandate from the entire board of directors of the TTFA to have this committee with the responsibility to review and restructure our football.”
He added: “I take this mandate very seriously. Our ambition is to move Trinidad and Tobago football to the number one spot in CONCACAF, a spot we held in the 1974 World Cup Qualifiers.
“We cannot expect to be doing the same things and expect different results. What we have now is a population that is hurting for that passion and love for football and how the business of football has been conducted.”
Browne said the committee desired to be the change agent for local football, noting the pathway to this was the restructuring of football in T&T.
He said the recommendations made during the symposium will be compiled into a report for further review and implementation.
The committee will host three further symposiums in the southern and eastern counties district as well as Tobago at dates to be announced.