With the number of persons who were looking forward to the next step by the TTFF regarding the position of national coach, following the abysmal performances of the past year, one may be inclined to express disappointment over the fact that two announced efforts by the federation to discuss the issue and move ahead, has not materialised.
While there is need for assessment on the national programme at all levels, I am not among the fans who are ready to embrace any firm decision regarding the position of national coach at this time.
With just three and a half years to Brazil 2014 World Cup finals, it is clear that the Federation’s next decision with regard to a national senior coach must be based upon solid analysis of both the path to progress and the choice of personnel for the implementation of that job.
An immediate reaction on this matter would be immature and would demonstrate the customary “fire the coach” syndrome, which appears to be the norm rather than the exception in today’s football world.
In the professional club scenario in Europe, that behaviour seems to be the major stroke in developing a marketing awareness for the failure and its desire to improve the results which encouraged the dismissals in the first place. I do not subscribe to the same principle when it comes to national coaches, especially when the appointment spans for a period of four years and the world Cup finals.
New selection process needed
T&T needs to restart their programme, not simply to focus on the coaching staff, but to review the haphazard manner in which players are selected (or is it appointed) to the national team and the process which should be used in order to find an appropriate technocrats for the various programmes.
With a vacuum in terms of competitive activity for the national senior team, it should allow the powers that be to make a proper analysis of what is needed from this point onwards.
Can I humbly suggest that some thought be given to reorganisation of a format which will lead to finding the best players to restart our trek to Brazil 2014. Taking into consideration players who are plying their trade in various countries around the world, the task is a fairly complex one, but given the time afforded within the next few months, it would appear to me that a solid restart is timely.
Firstly, I will like to see the system of team selection revert to the one used in the sixties and seventies where the country is divided into four zones (by residence), and each zone be allowed the opportunity to prepare a squad of eighteen players to participate in a two round competition, during the month of late May, giving all the EPL players and those in Europe a chance to participate.
The ideal opportunity
The decision by the T&T Football Federation on Friday to suspend all activities of the senior national men’s team with immediate effect until further notice will provide the ideal opportuniy to prepare the perfect plan and programme to faciliate this suggestion.
As a first step, persons can be shortlisted for the positions on the national coaching staff should be made to work in the zones in order to see their methods, approach, their ideas, and their ability to bring the best out of the players, on and off the field.
Surely, the incentive of prize money for the successful teams and players must be the carrot used for maximum commitment from all the players. A cadre of the best qualified technical personnel in the country should be asked to be part of a selection panel to choose, the best performances in the coaching department and also the players who should form a nucleus for the national team.
In this way, all the factors which may have been contributory to our demise in recent times, can be scrutinised, whether it be attitude, dedication, punctuality, intelligence of players and coaches alike, and desire to place our country’s interest ahead of all else.
So there is no need to start fingering the directories of all the foreign football coaches just yet, before trying to find out what exist in this country first. If there is nothing of worth, then we can put plan number two in motion.
There is really no shortcut to the development of our game and it is my sincere hope that the process is void of everything of a political flavour.
It will be nice to get the clubs of the country involved in the exercise, even if its just hearing their views and seeking to gain their interest in the support of our national programmes. Our crowds have not been supportive in recent times and that is understandable.
So let us woo them to the fold, using the clubs and communities as a mouthpiece for the message which may bring some revitalisation of the crowds who supported the game over the years. That is my New year gift, for what its worth.