Everybody everywhere looking for green shoots. And it’s not just an economic guava season, exacerbated by the inevitable PNM squandermania, but a feeling that hard times in football are upon us, given that our national team were already out of contention for South Africa 2010 long before the tonight's fixture in the final phase of CONCACAF qualification.
Shaka Hislop, goalkeeping hero in the historic draw with Sweden at Germany ’06, has muttered glumly about the game here having gone backwards when the springboard of a first-ever senior World Cup Finals appearance should have been more than enough to propel the sport upward and onward.
It is under this ominous cloud that we may be guilty of exaggerating the silver lining of the young “Soca Warriors” performances at the Under-20 Egypt World Cup.
Following their goalless draw in the final group fixture against Paraguay, the record reads: played three, lost two, drawn one with two goals scored and six conceded. Hardly the stuff of which world-beaters are made.
The numbers don’t lie. But then again, they don’t tell the whole truth either, for given the way this side, led by Leston Paul and coached by Zoran Vranes, has competed so far against nations with a considerably more impressive pedigree, there is every reason to believe that, if the same developmental process is maintained, we are witnessing the germination of talent that should form the nucleus of an impressive national squad for the next decade and beyond.
This is the point where caution, scepticism and the experience of two decades defined by wrangling, bacchanal and footballing totalitarianism step in though, for you just can’t take it for granted that the squad nurtured ahead of the 2007 Under-17 World Cup in South Korea and kept together in large part for this effort in Egypt will continue to grow as a unit. Around here we all know what tends to happen when you assume, don’t we?
Even if we were to put aside Jack Warner’s domineering influence over the local footballing landscape, there are other issues to consider such as the quality of the TT Pro League and the consistency of the selection process.
If Russell Latapy stays on as senior head coach with long-time liming pardner Dwight Yorke as his assistant, will their vision and philosophy lead in the same direction or will they choose to keep faith with some of the aging warhorses, in the same way that they themselves were able to contribute at the highest level for more than two decades?
Let us bear in mind as well that many of the players carrying the national colours in Cairo may determine that solid academic qualifications via any number of American universities are a greater priority than throwing all eggs in the basket of seeking that dream contract with one of the big-name clubs in Europe.
These players can actually consider themselves extremely fortunate to have been together for so long, for this is not really our tradition.
Now, however, as these boys mature into men and the comforting cocoon of an age-group programme, involving the school system and invaluable parental support, gives way to a harsh adult world that is often inequitable and blatantly unfair, we will see who can really cut it and, probably more importantly, who has the desire - bordering on desperation - to make the grade whatever the obstacles.
You will notice that I haven’t singled out anyone for special praise from the games against Egypt, Italy and Paraguay. I don’t intend to. Making an impression in age-group competition, even on the world stage, cannot and should not be the ultimate for any aspiring footballer.
This is just another step on the journey, a promise of things to come. It is up to them in the months and years ahead, God willing, to show that they are worthy of our heightened sense of expectation, and leave us to judge in the fullness of time whether they were given a fair chance to bring all of that blossoming ability to full flower for the glory of self and country.
When Yorke led Trinidad and Tobago into their first-ever world football finals – the Under-20 1991 edition in Portugal – the hosts were already heralding the arrival of a “golden generation.” As defending champions, a Portuguese line-up starring the likes of Luis Figo and Rui Costa fuelled those expectations further by overcoming Brazil in the final in Lisbon.
As a senior national team, they never went on to claim a really big prize, being upset by Greece in the final of Euro 2004 and falling in the semi-finals of Germany 2006. Still, they made their mark on the world game and Portuguese football has benefited immensely from their exploits.
It is, of course, wholly unrealistic to expect a few young men, however gifted and committed, to make such an impact on behalf of a nation as small and with such limited resources as ours.
All we can ask is that they not let these rare opportunities go to waste.