Eve proud of Naps' title: I came to make a statement

FOR the ten seasons the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) has been functioning under the current premier division format, southern school Naparima College have been synonymous with success.

Their trophy cabinet is proof of that winning formula – five league titles, including the inaugural crown in 2014 and again in 2015.

At the helm for "Naps" in those title-winning seasons was none other than Angus Eve, the man whose teams are often solid, very well-organised and perhaps most importantly, very tough to beat. Eve returned to the Naparima dugout this season and led them to the premier division title once again, in a campaign which ended in thrilling fashion as they edged Signal Hill Secondary 2-1 at Lewis Street, San Fernando on November 27 to pip a three-team title title race.

Naparima finished atop the table with 37 points, with southern rivals and outgoing national intercol champions St Benedict's College placing second on 36 points. Signal Hill's sloppy start in the pivotal clash with Naparima not only cost them a maiden premier division trophy, but it also saw the Tobago school slipping to third as they ended on 34 points.

Eve, who took control of the men's national football team in his time away from Naparima, before having the briefest of stints with the women's national football team earlier this year, said it wasn't a straightforward return to the SSFL. However, he said in this profession, these are the results which are expected.

"There were a lot of adjustments for me. I know people probably feel it's easy, but it's since 2019 (I've been away)," Eve told reporters, in the midst of his team's celebrations on Lewis Street.

"I thought there were a lot of good teams in the league. There are a lot of well-organised teams in the league and you saw that. Four teams (were) fighting for the title up to the last day."

Eve, who also coaches Club Sando, the current second-placed team in the 2025/26 TT Premier Football League (TTPFL), said he wanted to send a message.

"I believe in producing. I believe (being) a coach is my job. You're judged by results. I came back here, and I wanted to make a statement and to play a different style of football because I had the players to do so. I think they really achieved what we wanted to achieve," Eve said, paying homage to coaches such as Reynold Carrington, Travis Mulraine and Anthony Sherwood, who had stints in the Naparima dugout before his return to the helm.

"These are all good coaches, but sometimes you have to know the culture of the place. And sometimes, if you don't know the culture of the place, you may not perform to the optimum in the environment."

The Naparima/Signal Hill clash was virtually a must-win game for either team, as Benedict's would have snatched away the title if the former teams played to a draw. With Signal Hill playing a number of rescheduled games before the title-decider, Eve said his charges were fully prepared as the technical staff had ample time to do their tactical homework.

After taking a 2-0 lead by the 20th minute in what was a truly dominant start, Naparima opted for a more reserved approach in the second half.

Generally known for his pragmatic style, Eve said he was not worried in the second half, even after Signal Hill got on the board through an 83rd-minute penalty from Raevion Marshall.

"One thing I'm known for is defending, eh," he said, with a chuckle. "We managed the game in the second half. These are young minds. They always tell you 2-0 is the hardest lead to defend. We defended that."

Naps conceded just eight goals in 15 league games, while the 42 they scored was the fourth-best in the division. On the attacking front, Eve said utilising the attacking power at his disposal was key to the school's success this time around.

"We'll always be strong at the back, but we want to play football," he said. "We want to play efficient football...we allowed the players in the front part of the pitch to express themselves and have the freedom to play within the structure of the team."