Former Trinidad and Tobago goal-keeper Lincoln “Tiger” Phillips will be conferred the title of Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by the University of Trinidad and Tobago for his contribution to football.
The honorary title represents UTT’s commitment to honour the work of nationals who contribute to the development of our country and was announced by the University via a media release yesterday. “The University remains committed to celebrating the achievements of its local stalwarts, and extends hearty congratulations to Mr Phillips,” UTT stated.
The former Queen’s Royal College student was described as a football pioneer having helped the national team to a third place finish in the 1967 Pan American Games. He also served as senior men’s team technical director when they qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
“Phillips is one of the nation’s football pioneers, with dedicated involvement in the sport at every participation level. During his childhood, he helped lead Queen’s Royal College to national championships in football and cricket. His emergence as the starting goalkeeper for Maple Football Club also yielded two national championships and he also played a key role in the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment’s national championship titles in football and basketball,” the media release stated.
During his stint as technical director, Phillips introduced the National Coaching Scheme, which certified over 900 coaches. “This undoubtedly played a role in the successes of the country’s U-17 and U-20 teams on the road to qualification for their respective World Cups. As a youth, he played for various teams in the USA, collecting a number of accolades, including League All-Star and eventually, Coach of the Year.
“He made history leading Howard University to the NCAA Championship in 1974 with a historic unbeaten record,” the media release added.