Young stars overwhelm Goal 2014

THE INAUGURAL Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation Goal 2014 Project received an overwhelming response yesterday as close to 75 footballers turned up on the opening day of the three-day camp at the Marvin Lee Stadium (MLS), Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence, Macoya. TTFF Special Advisor and CONCACAF President Jack Warner addressed the young prospects and declared the camp open. Technical Director Lincoln Phillips and recently appointed assistant coach of the national team Anton Corneal led the charges on the pitch in various drills during the morning period. The participants were later split into four teams for competitive matches in the afternoon. Some of the coaches involved included Ron  La Forest, Michael McComie, Michael Maurice, Brian Williams, Tobagonian Terry Williams, trainers Zeph Nicholas and Gilbert Bateau with Muhammad Issa as the chief evaluator.

The mid-holiday camp was welcomed by the TTFF officials and other interested persons as the youngsters, 25 of whom were based in North America joined with locally-based players both from and outside of secondary schools. They raved the blistering heat at the fully equipped venue with a decent playing surface with proper seating and changing accommodation along with office facilities. The venue provided the young stars with just the right tools for the exercise which was credited to facility manager Sam Phillip who completed final touches over the past couple days. The players were also taken care of with regards to gear and other requirements for the camp. Warner’s input ensured the camp came off as planned and Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago also promised to come on board for future camps. While it has been dubbed  the “Goal 2014” project with the main focus being on team selection for the 2010 World Cup and other youth tournaments, Warner encouraged the younger generation telling them that any special talent coming out of the camp was more than likely to get a break in Leo Beenhakker’s team for Germany 2006.

“I must correct you on the talk about this being project for 2010 and 2014 alone because anyone of you here today by your performance out on the field can be good enough to have a chance with the senior team then you will be looked at,” Warner said. “I must tell you that up to last night I received a contact from a guy who lives and plays in France and he said to me that he was interested in playing for this country because he married a Trinidadian woman and I had to say to him to enjoy his Christmas and his New Year holidays and then go back to France because he cannot play for this country because of the laws. “This is just an example to show you how many of them now want to play for us from all parts of the globe,” Warner added. “This goes to also say how fortunate you are to have this chance. We do not want to say that we qualified for  a World Cup in a one-off situation. In the history of the Caribbean, only four countries have qualified for the World Cup — Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. And none of those other three countries have ever gone back. We must change this.” The camp continues at the Ato Boldon Stadium tomorrow and Saturday.