Chairman of the TT Pro League Larry Romany says the Pro League will be focusing highly on self-sustainability in 2007.
Mr. Romany was speaking at the League’s 2006 Awards Ceremony on Saturday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Port of Spain.
In his opening remarks Mr. Romany stated the League’s plan is to become self sufficient and reminded all the TT Pro League is a business.
“In the TT Pro League we are primarily focused on the long term sustainability. The TT Pro League is a business otherwise known as Pro League Limited, a limited liability business that must be sustainable over the long term.”
“Sponsors are looking at us, others are making bids, but one thing that we can say is that we will never sell ourselves short. The TT Pro League over the last four years has built itself into a high value product that we are very proud of,” he said.
Mr. Romany, who is also the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic President went on to add it is a responsibility and everyone must understand their roles, “First of all the Executive of the TT Pro League must have a mandate to go out there and develop the business of professional football in Trinidad and Tobago, secondly the Clubs who are also in the business of professional football and when you are in business you have a responsibility to your shareholders and stakeholders. We all have a responsibility to professional football and we need to understand our roles moving forward in 2007.”
Romany also stressed the league will also focus on player development, “We are focused on player development not only on the field but off as well. We are not only talking about the players who have reached the pinnacle but players that are starting off in their performance. We have young people coming into the sport of football and we must allow them to be creative and to grow into something they love. It’s not very often that people work doing what they love and get paid for it.”
He also demanded that all stakeholders must do their part in the process of sustainability saying, ”The coaches and team administrators must understand the business that they are in and look towards long term sustainability for themselves and for the Club. Coach development, player development spans many avenues and the TT Pro League will continue to invest in several seminars this coming year, we have just finished discussions with the Technical Director of the TTFF Mr. Lincoln Phillip in terms of putting on coaching education courses because it adds to the long term sustainability to the sport and towards professional football in Trinidad and Tobago.”
“We can say a lot about the national team and football but one thing I can say is that football is the number one sport in Trinidad and Tobago. Whether or not you get five or fifty thousand people in a stadium, you have at least one hundred and fifty thousand people interested in the outcome of a match and we must understand what is necessary for the long term sustainability of this industry and in 2007 the TT Pro League will be a force to be reckoned with,” ended the Chairman of the TT Pro League.