TTFA begin construction of Training and Technical Development Centre

THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) yesterday kickstarted the construction of the first phase of its National Training and Technical Development Centre at the Home of Football, the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.

Courtesy of a partnership with Junior Sammy Contractors Limited, the initial ground work commenced at 6.30 am yesterday. The first phase will consist of the installation of two natural grass training pitches equipped with floodlights to be followed by the construction of player accommodation hotel.

“(Yesterday) is really the start of the project with the commencement of Phase One. We are thankful to Junior Sammy for donating some tractors to the Association to get the work started. We started work on two of the training fields in terms of getting it down to final grade before starting the actual specialist work of planting the grass and laying the surfaces,” said David John-Williams, president of the TTFA.

“It is really exciting times with the start of Phase One. The objective of the TTFA is to get these fields ready by the end of November 2017, all floodlit and available to facilitate the development of Trinidad and Tobago football, particularly all our national teams from Under-13s to (men’s) team which will now be able to train anytime during (the) day or night,” the TTFA president added.

Junior Sammy also spoke of his support to the Development Centre. “I have known David for several years and I was most happy and willing to offer assistance to this project after he explained what it was all about. I think it’s an important development for football and I am all too happy to be able to support it.”

Last month, the TTFA proudly announced that Cabinet approved lands in the vicinity of the Ato Boldon Stadium for lease to the TTFA for the Home of Football.

Along with the two training pitches and player accommodation hotel, the first phase will also comprise a beach soccer pitch. The second phase will include four additional pitches comprising of both artificial and natural grass surfaces and a futsal court.

Additionally, the TTFA has received approval from FIFA to restart the Income Generation Project which was stalled under the previous administration. This project will now be of a different nature as proposed by the new TTFA administration and approved by FIFA and will take the form of an entertainment and sports bar and restaurant project at the Home of Football.