Soca Warriors coach Otto Pfister is being sought after by no fewer than four countries after failing to get T&T past the second round of the Concacaf qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. This, even after T&T Football Federation, acting president Lennox Watson, said yesterday no decision had been made regarding the immediate future of German and his technical staff which includes, local assistant coaches, Anton Corneal and Huston Charles, both former national players. Watson speaking at a press conference at the Oval yesterday said the future of the 73-year-old Pfister and his senior technical staff contracts will come to an end in December and these contracts will be reviewed and a team put in place moving forward."
"Coach Pfister has proceeded on his leave until December 31 and an announcement with regards to his future will be made before the end of the year while we also intend to fill the vacant post of the Technical Director of the T&TFF.
Concerning the Soca Warriors failed campaigned under Pfister, Watson admitted the federation like all of T&T was disappointed with the failure to advance to the next phase of qualification. He, however stated the federation was not alone responsible for the hiring of Pfister who has also come in for heavy criticism and pointed out that the federation's executive committee simply adhered to a recommendation of the screening committee which included Dr Iva Gloudon, Dr Alvin Henderson, former Technical Director Keith Look Loy and ex-national player, Marlon Morris and found it difficult to now understand criticism of the coach (Pfister) coming from some of those said persons. Looking ahead Watson said the plan of the T&TFF is to use a group of players who can serve T&T over the next five years and work towards building a team capable of not just qualifying for a World Cup Finals, and the current Under-23 squad is a good place to start.
At the same time its understood that Pfister, who was hired by the T&TFF in March to guide the team to Brazil following the sacking of former coach and T&T captain, Russell Latapy has already been ear-marked by a few countries to take charge of their national teams.
They include the already eliminated from Brazil qualification United Arab Emirates (Asia), Lithuania (Europe), Gambia (Africa) and Papa New Guinea (Oceania), the last three all of which are still involved in World Cup 2014 qualifiers. It is stated Pfister became a wanted man immediately following the Soca Warriors 2-1 loss in Guyana on Friday, their penultimate second round Group B qualifier which marked the end of the "Road to Brazil". Asked if he had spoken to Pfister since the team's 2-0 win in Tuesday's match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo in its final qualifier, Watson replied, "No I have not spoken with any member of the technical staff as coach Pfister is currently on leave out of the country. Looking ahead to the senior team's warm-up match against the national Olympic (Under-23) squad at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet today from 5 pm, Watson said the remainder of the coaching staff led by assistant coaches, Anton Corneal and Hutson Charles will take charge of the team.