THE CLUB OWNERS and board members of the TT Pro League issued a media release on Friday, stressing the need for the continuation of professional football in T&T.
According to the media release, the board “extended its sincerest appreciation to outgoing chairman Joseph Sam Phillip and long-standing CEO Dexter Skeene.
“However, despite the duo’s departure, the Pro League Board remains committed to the survival of professional football.”
Julia Baptiste, the league’s secretary, will serve as interim CEO as plans continue to launch the 2018-19 season.
The media release ended, “The league will meet with several current and prospective partners within the (forthcoming) weeks, including a television channel.”
Skeene, in a recent interview, stressed, “For T&T to qualify for a world cup on a regular basis, we have to play professional football.”
Skeene, who will demit office on April 1, continued, “You have the choice of saying that you want semi-pro but understand that there are consequences to that. You will be less in a position to qualify for a world cup.
“To me it’s about ensuring that the young men in T&T have (an) opportunity to earn a living from playing football, especially with the state of the society, at-risk youths in the East-WestCorridor.
“The professional football is critical for providing an option for these youngsters and providing a pathway for the youngsters in the Youth League as well, to be able to know that they will have the opportunity to be a professional footballer,” Skeene ended.