‘Team Transformation’ promises youth development in South

DAVID SCARLETT

SOUTHERN football is set to transition into a new administrative era as the general elections for the Southern Football Association executive committee are nigh upon all stakeholders involved.

Members of the southland's governing body will determine the future of football in the zone on April 27 when they march to the polls to cast their vote for this year’s new presidential candidate.

The elections will be contested by two teams – one led by the founder and organiser of the Next Level Consulting Limited (NLCL) Community Cup, Brian Jordan, and the other co-led by Tiger Tanks executives, Denis Latiff and Eddie Dean.

In 2022, both parties hosted youth tournaments which were considered successes by the respective organisers, investors and fans. Jordan spearheaded the NLCL Under-19 Community Cup and is currently managing the Under-15 version of the tournament. On the flip side, Latiff was the mastermind behind the Tiger Tanks Under-20 Invitational Tournament, which was won by Defence Force in June last year.

Nicknamed “Team Transformation”, Jordan declared that his party will be heavily focused on youth football and the improvement of football standards in the South Zone. Using his experience as a professional coach and former footballer, he believes that, if elected, the structure and organisation of the zone’s operations will be drastically improved.

In an interview with Newsday on Tuesday, he expressed that his youth tournaments sparked his desire to pursue the presidential position. “As many may know, the NLCL Under-19 tournament has been a blessing for youth development in the nation since 2019”, he said. “As a result, several stakeholders reached out and asked if there was anything that could be done in a similar nature in the south zone.”

“Grassroots and youth football are parts of a recipe that produced a generation of footballing talents in the zone in previous years. But now, we’ve lost that. We have to go back to producing talent through youth-focused development, and that is why I am running to be the new SFA president.

“We have to look at what has happened since TT qualified for the 2006 World Cup – there has been little to no progress in local football. The entire nation has been in a football stasis and, somehow, we need to find a way to change that.”

Jordan also addressed the lack of maintained grounds in the zone. He said that his team proposed a partnership with the regional corporation to ensure better field conditions and have more venues to facilitate matches. “Clearly, if we don’t have proper grounds, we can’t have proper development”, he claimed. “If we are to expand the opportunities for development – academy football, youth football, senior football, girls’ football and women’s football – we must have more facilities available and well maintained.”

The partnership will also provide employment opportunities as the unified SFA and Regional Corporation will staff ground maintenance crews.

If elected, Team Transformation will further boost the marketability of the league through engaging social media content, fan activities at matches and live broadcasting of select fixtures.

“We want to take the model of the pyramids in Egypt – build from the bottom and make the zone’s operations scalable and strong so that, no matter who comes into office in the future, there is a good base to work with and they can offshoot from there and initiate even more opportunities for football.”

Moreover, Jordan assured stakeholders that the senior SFA league will not clash with the TT Premier Football League (TTPFL). He said, “I believe that there can be an overlap (between leagues) particularly as there is currently no reserve league under the TTPFL. Therefore, younger players who are not first-team regulars at their Premier League club will be able to hone their craft and get playing time. We will not have senior players participating in both the Premier League and the zonal league.”

“However, with regards to the TTFA’s second-tier league, there is potential for South teams like Moruga FC, Erin FC and San Fernando Giants to be a part of it. We would be blessed to have them participate in both the second-tier and the SFA League. If scheduling allows it, those teams can be capable of competing on the two fronts. Sustainability for this will also be targeted so that teams will have full squads for every match day.”

Jordan also assured that his company, NLCL, will bring funds into the organisation, along with the financial assistance from sponsors, to ensure that the league, its teams and all other stakeholders can operate at their full capacity and produce the results that the Committee set out to achieve.

Additionally, he stated that match officials will receive benefits such as more training opportunities, equipment stipends and an increase in match fees. With the Match Officials Committee led by former FIFA referee Jaghernath Goolcharan, referees in the zone are almost certain to elevate to a higher level as the footballing standard increases.

He concluded by stating, “I’m proud to say this: once we get two or three years into our tenure, every zone will see our operations and seek to replicate it. When we started the NLCL Community Cup, no one gave it a chance. But, because of the strength of the team, we ensured that everything that was put to paper came to pass. Likewise, as the SFA Executive, things will happen.”

Along with Jordan, Team Transformation consists of Kirwin Weston (first vice president/iInformation technology enhancements), Jefferson George (second vice president and technical director), Jaghernath Goolcharan (board of management rep for match officials and PRO), Anita Sennon (board representative or administration), Andy Smith (board representative for health, safety and security) and Rucine Baker (board representative for women’s and girls’ football).