By JOEL BAILEY Wednesday, July 4 2012

CHIEF EXECUTIVE Officer (CEO) of the TT Pro League, Dexter Skeene, has lamented the exit of San Juan Jabloteh from the League.

On Monday, Jabloteh, the four-time League champs (2002, 2003, 2007 and 2008), announced its decision to leave the local football circuit “in the context of its financial constraints, to restructure its operations to bring its revenue streams into approximate balance with its expenditure profile,” according to the club’s chairman Jerry Hospedales.

In an interview yesterday, Skeene said, “we see it as a stage, part of the process of professional football. They have asked for some time to reorganise and restructure their whole approach to professional football.

“The League has reached a stage of its product lifestyle where teams have to now re-engineer and look at the whole business side of their football operations. Jabloteh is no different.

The former TT striker continued, “and if you look at the football climate around the world, you’ll see leagues and teams having difficulties in terms of the economic climate. If you look at Rangers, which is one of the biggest clubs in Scotland, they have financial difficulties and are not sure whether they are continuing. Football in Trinidad is no different.

“We’ll not like to see Jabloteh not participate but it’s part of the evolution. They would now look to rebuild and bring people on board, who have competencies in financial, managerial and legal aspects of professional football. We expect them to return refreshed and a young, energetic and vibrant brand.”

Jabloteh are not the first to be hindered by financial constrains as TTEC FC, the 2011/2012 runners-up, left the fray since the company’s management decided to withdraw the team’s funding, while former champs Joe Public and Ma Pau departed after the 2010/2011 season due to similar strife.

Asked if the League is in jeopardy with the number of clubs joining and leaving, Skeene replied with caution.

“With anything, you have critics and you have the nay-sayers and people who are for you,” he said. “It would take a long-term investment to make the League viable and sustainable. You have to understand the business that you’re in, you have to understand that it takes time to develop a professional football industry, and we have to understand that teams coming in and out will be part of the process.