Back in 2013, Tom Saintfiet was already using T&T as a reference to what so called smaller nations can achieve on the world football stage.
At the time, Saintfiet was the head coach of Malawi, trying to get them to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. And he mentioned T&T as one of the nations that a country like Malawi could emulate.
"The reason why I am in Malawi is because Malawi has potential. So if I was here for the bonus, I would have been very stupid, I would have signed somewhere else if wanted money. I have volunteered, I am here because I have a dream. I am 100 percent sure that Malawi is a country that can go to the World Cup," Saintfiet said at the time in an article that was published on BBC.com.
He continued: "What Senegal and Togo did in the past, what T&T, Jamaica, North Korea did, a small football nation like Malawi can also do. Malawi can be there at the right moment and the right time. Now is the right time for Malawi."
Damian Downey, a previous agent for Saintfiet sent an email to the TTFA inquiring about the Senior Team head coach job following the exit of Otto Pfister in 2011. Downey, at the time the managing director of Elite Football Management was also Pfister's agent.
Saintfiet, a former head coach of Togo and ex-Technical Director of the Nigerian Football Federation, will begin his training sessions with the senior team next week ahead of Gold Cup playoff action against Suriname and Haiti on January 4 and 8 at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
Forbes helpsParaguayan clubto two Cup titles
Senior Women's team goalkeeper Kimika Forbes says she feels right at home with her new Paraguayan club Limpeno Sportive.
Forbes was hired by the club a couple weeks ago to play in the Copa Libertadores, but she also played in their last five matches of season, helping them to two cup titles, the Al Campeon Clausura and Campeon Absoluto.
"I felt at home as I got there and I'm quite settled at the club. I am living my dream at the moment and I am happy and thankful for this opportunity," Forbes said.
"Playing at a professional level in new environment is something you have to adapt to. The training isn't any different to what I am used to. I continue to work hard and improve my game," Forbes added.
"My immediate goal is to lift the Copa Libertadores cup with this team and secure a long term deal."
Bermuda confident ahead of CONCACAF U-20 clash with T&T
Following their win over this country's Under 20 Men's team in the Caribbean Championship recently in Curacao, Bermuda head coach Kyle Lightbourne says his team knows about T&T and will be trying to focus on their other group clashes at the CONCACAF Final Round of qualification in Costa Rica in February.
Bermuda is in the same group with Costa Rica, El Salvador and T&T.
"I'm so happy to be drawn with a team we played against in the previous tournament in Trinidad because we beat them last time," Lightbourne said.
"I expect to see a couple of different faces from Trinidad, talking to their coach while in Costa Rica. They had a couple of players [missing from the previous round] who were unable to make it because of university or college commitments, which was the same for us.
"We have to expect they are going to look to do things a little bit differently against us."
We have to do some homework on El Salvador and Costa Rica, who we will get a chance to see," Lightbourne added. "We already know about Trinidad."
T&T head coach Brian Williams is currently preparing the T&T for the tournament as T&T attempts to achieve its third qualification for the FIFA Under 20 World Cup, previously appearing at the 1991 and 2009 Finals.
EDITOR'S NOTEShaun Fuentes is the Director of Communications . shaunfuentes@yahoo.com