Tiger Tanks launches inaugural U20 football tourney

THE inaugural Tiger Tanks Under-20 Men’s Invitational Football Tournament kicks off with the opening round of matches at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago on April 2.

Fifteen teams: ten from Trinidad (group one) and five from the sister-isle (group two), will do battle for the coveted crown. The winner of each group will play each other, home and away, to determine the tournament champion.

Games will be played on weekends, at available national stadia and other government-designated safe zone venues.

A total of 67 matches are expected to be played over the next 12 weeks. Group two kick starts the tourney while group one begins their campaign, one week later, at three national stadia in Trinidad.

At Wednesday’s official event launch, held at the National Cricket Centre in Couva, TT Football Association acting general secretary Amiel Mohammed welcomed the return of domestic competitive football, particularly for the youth.“This is all a positive trajectory for getting football back being played in TT on the ground. I see players like Isaiah ‘Blinky’ Williams and Jahron Pascall here. These players needed a place and an extra opportunity to play and coaches, to train, and do what they do best.

“Getting corporate TT to reinvest in football and the youth is key. Right now at the TTFA, it’s about rebuilding, even more so coming out of covid19, it has been extremely hard. But with everyone working together, we can make it happen,” he said.

Additionally, the director of physical education and sport at the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, Gabre McTair is eager to see the nation’s U20 players return to action.

Angus Eve, head coach of the senior national and men’s U20 teams hailed the resumption of youth football as “music” to his ears.

“This tournament has finally been approved and it will give much-needed match fitness to the national U20 players in preparation for their upcoming tournament in June. TT will finally have competitive football in a key demographic very soon,” he said.

Chairman of the competition’s steering committee Colin Wharfe expressed his appreciation to main sponsors Tiger Tanks Trinidad Unlimited for their generosity, the production, broadcast and marketing team, who are working to bring the event live into the homes of TT and the Caribbean, “through its broadcast partners Flow.” Tiger Tanks managing director Denis Latiff added, “This tournament is something that we wanted to be associated with for a long time especially given our involvement in the ongoing development of youth football in TT.”

Anton Corneal, TTFA technical director said, “I would like to thank the persons that took the time and dedication to put on such a league. The restarting of football in our country faced many challenges, inclusive of covid19 protocols and the series of sanctions needed by the league administrators. Hopefully, in the very near future, all zonal and national leagues will also be up and running.”

Tiger Tanks U20 Teams

Group One – Caledonia AIA, Club Sando FC, Petit Valley/Diego Martin FC, QPCC FA, Trendsetter Hawks FA, Central FC, Defence Force FC, San Juan Jabloteh FC and W Connection.

Group Two – Bethel United, St Clair Coaching School, Youth Stars United, FC Tobago Phoenix and Stokely Vale FC