Williams, Jones earn W Connection accolades

Both players, presently in the United States for the CONCACAF Gold Cup with the Trinidad and Tobago football team, were not present at the Couva/Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce Banquet Hall in Couva when the club rewarded its achievers for the past two seasons with a gala awards function.

Jones, 21, topped 2012-13 with the club’s Player of the Year, Most Valuable Player and Most Goals accolades all having his name etched on them, following a season that included qualifying for the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League, winning the Digicel Charity Shield which the club is set to defend in August, and the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield and Digicel Pro Bowl titles.

“We did not achieve all that we set out to do last (season),” said club chairman David Martin during his opening remarks. “But we met our key objectives, particularly qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions League for the 2013-2014 season.”

Prior to the start of the First Team awards, a memorable Champions League video montage was displayed on a large screen, highlighting some of the club’s past top performers including Dominican Republic international Jonathon Fana Frias, Brazilian Jos? Luiz Seabra and Hughton Hector.

Williams, 28, who joined St Ann’s Rangers in March — a outcome stemmed by a verbal bust-up with long-serving technical director and coach Stuart Charles Fevrier two months earlier — was named Connection’s Most Valuable Player and Player of the Year for the 2011-12 season in which the “Savonnetta Boys” lifted the Digicel Pro League title.

The two-time TT Pro League Goalkeeper of the Year added to his personal cabinet, and will need to clear space next to his 2006 TT Pro League Player of the Year — the only Pro League goalkeeper to win the award.

Other top First Team awards went to Jerrel Britto (Most Goals 2011-12), St Kitts/Nevis international Gerrard Williams (Best Midfielder 2012-13), Surinamese forward Stefano Rijssel (Best Striker 2012-13) and Daneil Cyrus, also in the TT Gold Cup squad, (Best Defender 2012-13).

Lifetime achievement awards were handed out to former top performers and captains Seabra, Reynold Carrington, and the St Lucian pair of Earl Jean and Elijah Joseph.

Joseph, 38, also received the DIRECTV President’s Award and it was revealed by Connection owner/president David John-Williams that the defender has finally hung up his playing boots and will serve on technical staff.

Recognition awards were also in the names of Hector, Shahdon Winchester, Neil Benjamin — who also received the 2011-12 Under-18 Most Goals, U-18 MVP and Youth Player of the Year awards, and Andrei Pacheco for serving at youth levels to senior.

“What I personally share with David (John-Williams) is the passion for Trinidad and Tobago football and the growing of Trinidad and Tobago football,” said Bernard Pantin, general manager of DIRECTV — the main sponsor of W Connection.

He said it was very easy for DIRECTV to want to be associated with W Connection.

Pantin added, “what I think is so good about this team, and so great about the leadership about this team, [is that] everything that this team considers in terms of what is achieved, is being considered in terms of what is achieved for Trinidad and Tobago.

“I was privileged to be with David at the CONCACAF Champions League draw in Miami two weeks ago, and you had a sense that we were representing Trinidad and Tobago.”

Club chairman Martin reminded, “when this club was birthed as a professional club in 1999, there was a spirit that was present in the organistion, and I know some of us may doubt, but I believe that spirit is today still with the club. It is a spirit of comraderie, a spirit of creativity (and) innovation, a spirit of adventure, a spirit of resilience and self sacrifice.”

Martin said he knows the spirit still exists making reference to the dedication coach Fevrier and his wife Claudia, the technical staff of senior and youth levels, the players at all levels, and the club’s board of directors.

“We need to foster and guard that passion that brought us here,” he said. “As chairman of this club I can admit to you that every decision or choice that was made over the last 14 years or so, has not always been the right one. And while that may sound dismal, it reminds me that people still run this organisation. So there will be bumps and there will be scrapes … there would be times of disaffection and separation, but there would be times of love and joy.”

Yes, the love and joy expressed in each of the 31-plus senior team titles won since 1999.