FC Phoenix coach: We want top-three finish like everybody else

NIGEL De Souza, 1976 FC Phoenix coach, has said the departure of key players ahead of the 2024/25 Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) season will do little to hinder their ambitions as they aim for a top-three finish in only their second season of top-flight football.

In their debut TTPFL tier one season in the previous campaign, the Tobago-based club had a rough start, as they lost 5-0 to Defence Force in their opening game, before suffering a 4-1 loss to eventual champions AC PoS in their very next game.

However, Phoenix admirably found their footing as the season went along, and finished sixth in the 11-team table – securing memorable wins over Defence Force and Terminix La Horquetta Rangers in the process.

Two of Phoenix's best players from last season – forward Mickaeel "Jem" Gordon and playmaker Adriel George – have moved on, with Gordon going to last season's runners-up Miscellaneous Police FC and George joining Defence Force. Former Soca Warriors forward Trevin Caesar has also left the club.

Gordon led the line with 11 league goals for Phoenix, with George's midfield play critical to the team's climb up the standings.

Both players were rewarded with call-ups to the national team, with George making his debut in a friendly against Guyana in May.

De Souza is confident of another solid season for his team, and said the pre-season has been a productive one despite the key departures.

"Full respect and gratitude must go to Adriel and Jem for what they gave to us those last couple of seasons," he told Newsday on November 30.

"Change is the most constant thing in life and sports, so we believe we have good youngsters to replace them. It will take coaching and it will take time for those players to come up and adapt. We believe we have the necessary pieces to continue on the trend we set last season.

"Throughout the last season, we grew physically. And now that we've got a taste of the league and the experience, we have set a standard for ourselves and we're trying to maintain and even surpass it."

Phoenix's new recruits include former national youth midfielder Kassidy Davidson and attacker Lashawn Roberts, who scored five goals for Defence Force in their surge to the inaugural TTPFL crown in 2023.

The top two teams in the TTPFL season will qualify for the next edition of the Concacaf Champions League, with the third-placed team progressing to the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Shield.

De Souza sees no reason why Phoenix can't be in that conversation.

"We set expectations for ourselves without outside people telling us...we're all at that same level and we've shown we can compete as well. Now, it's for us to establish ourselves coming into this season as a top team."

De Souza dismissed the notion of Phoenix being a feeder club, and maintained the club's players didn't need to go elsewhere to get greater exposure or be selected for the national team.

He said the team's administrators want to get to a level "where our players are comfortable staying home because they're getting something decent in terms of a salary and in terms of resources available.

"It's only the second season, and we know corporate sponsors take some time to get those details worked out. I believe we will get those worked out and...we aim to compete and try to get into the top three, like everybody else."

Phoenix will begin the season on December 8 with a fixture away to Heritage Petroleum Point Fortin Civic at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. Their second fixture will be against Police FC at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago.