Football Federation submit blueprint

A HIGH-POWERED Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation team  met with Sport and Youth Affairs Minister Roger Boynes yesterday and handed him a blueprint of local football “The World at our Feet.” Heading the TTFF delegation was president Oliver Camps. Also included were special adviser Jack Warner, a FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF boss, secretary Richard Groden, and CONCACAF Director of Development, Richard Braithwaite. Also present at yesterday’s  meeting was new Director of Sport Kent Rennie. The discussion centred on a proposal for the development of  national football teams.

The federation submitted their document which outlines a programme for what they called “sustained international success” of all national teams. The document was drafted by the technical development board which supervises the preparation and performance of teams. Warner, just back from officiating at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Finland, expressed the hope that the ministry, government and private sector would join with the federation in this new initiative, aimed at taking local football to the highest international standards. He said the federation has adopted a new philosophy for the development of national teams. Warner said this philosophy is based on two imperatives, according to the document, a systematic approach to development, maximum use of available resources (human, physical and financial).

He said a systematic approach will ensure national teams are constantly engaged in a development process, to move them forward until their full potential is realised. The technical development board comprise TTFF vice-president Rudolph Thomas chairman, Alvin Corneal, a member of the FIFA technical study team, Dr Alvin Henderson, FIFA Development officer Keith Look Loy, FIFA technical commission member Richard Braithwaite, senior economist Dennis Phillip and ex-national coach Muhammad Isa, who is currently attached to the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs. The federation also put in place a scouting programme, which is being directed by ex-national striker Bobby Sookram. Minister Boyncs expressed satisfaction with  the TTFF blueprint and indicated it is in keeping with his ministry’s vision of the sport.