Following on the heels of T&T senior women’s football team's failed campaign at the CONCACAF Women’s Championship, William Wallace, president of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL), has raised concerns about the national Under-20 men team’s readiness for the upcoming World Cup qualifying tournament in Florida, USA.
In an email to the media yesterday, the former manager of the national men's senior team said: "It is with extreme concern that we as an organisation are observing another debacle that awaits our national U-20 men’s team at a World Cup qualifying tournament hosted by CONCACAF. The recent experience of the senior women’s team is still fresh in our minds."
Under two weeks ago, the local women's team crashed out of the CONCACAF final leg of the Women's World Cup qualifiers, as they were beaten in all three qualifying matches, first going down to Panama 3-0, Mexico 4-1 and then the USA 7-0 at the Sahlen's Stadium in Cary, North Carolina.
"We provided and continue to provide a platform for many of our players who have excelled in national colours in CONCACAF and FIFA competitions. From the 1991 national youth team, captained by Dwight Yorke where several of those players on that team that qualified for the FIFA Youth World Cup came through the SSFL, to the women’s team of 2010 that participated at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on our shores, the U-17 and U-20 men’s youth teams that participated at the 2007 and 2009 FIFA World Cups, all these teams included players that were part of the SSFL system, not to mention the countless teams that have made it to CONCACAF Final round competitions.
"It can't be business as usual," said Wallace, who added that for several years, the SSFL has been a strong supporter of national teams.
"At this time, the core of the U-20 men’s team is made up of players from the SSFL. It is well known that the mindset of future national senior team players depends heavily on their experiences at the junior ranks. Therefore we are very fearful that what could occur in a couple weeks time in Bradenton, may not be something our players may want to remember and will not augur well for those players who are hoping that this tournament would afford them opportunities to be seen by the many scouts who take a keen interest in this age-group.
"Frankly, this situation may contribute to killing the dreams of many of our players," said Wallace in the release.
The CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship is scheduled to be played from November 1 -21, at the IMG Academy and T&T will face St Vincent and the Grenadines on November 1.
"All of our opponents including the US, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and Suriname have all been active for the past few weeks and others, for months, feverishly preparing for their upcoming assignments while our team has not had one session together as a unit in over four months.
"This cannot be business as usual. It is our hope that good sense will prevail in the shortest possible time to have this team back in training to give it even the slightest possible chance of advancing beyond the group stage," said Wallace, who has confirmed that the SSFL will support and is willing to engage in dialogue, to explore what options there may be towards assisting with the challenges that are keeping this team off the training pitch.