Keith Look Loy, Technical Advisor has confirmed that Soca Warriors coach Russell Latapy and his technical staff will be replaced by an experienced overseas appointee by month’s end. This was stated by Look Loy, in a telephone interview with the Guardian yesterday.
Look Loy, is the chairman of the Technical Committee of the T&TFF which was instructed by the local federation’s Executive Committee to look at the issues within the local game and national teams and come up with the necessary solutions.
The other members of the Technical Committee are former Strike Squad member, Marlon Morris, T&TFF executive member and Northern Football Association president, Roland Forde, Dr Iva Gloudon and Dr Alvin Henderson.
Look Loy said, “Following discussions by the Technical Committee it was concluded the entire staffing of the senior team should be reviewed. “It was also recommended an experienced foreign coach be appointed no later than by the end of January.
He explained, “Qualification for Fifa World Cup Brazil 2014 begins in early 2012 and we need to resume our preparations in earnest. Look Loy added, “Actually we are soliciting applications from various coaches at the moment and we are looking to select the best available person who we feel can do the job.”
Asked if a coach from Holland was favoured for the position which is officially vacant based on recent moved by the T&TFF to conduct a number of Dutch Coaching Courses, Look Loy said that’s not the case.
“There are a number of applicants from Holland. But we also have applications from coaches in Germany and some South American countries so we have not made a decision as yet.
Prior to being given the mandate to make its recommendation, the Technical Committee of the T&TFF also reviewed the Technical Reports of Latapy, team manager David Muhammad and the federations Technical Advisor, former national goalkeeper Lincoln “Tiger” Phillips.
The Technical Reports on the failed Digicel Caribbean Cup Finals in Martinique to the T&T Football Federation last November/December were first reviewed by the federations’s executive committee headed by president Oliver Camps and its special advisor, Fifa vice-president and Concacaf boss, Jack Warner before being handed over to Look Loy and his team.
Included in the reports, the trio cited a number of situations that contributed to the poor display of the Soca Warriors squad. Latapy’s tenure as national team coach came under heavy criticism after the national team failed to reach the Digicel Caribbean Cup Finals, in Martinique, and also missed out on qualifying for the Concacaf Gold Cup in the USA next year. His record as coach of the national team is nine wins from 23 matches, with 11 defeats and three draws.