Dear Editor,
The participation of Trinidad’s professional side Joe Public, the eventual winner of the 17th edition of the annual Kashif and Shangai Knockout Tournament, had brought a new dimension to local club football, and an extremely high degree of professionalism.
Suffice it to say as a liaison officer it was a tremendous learning experience in managerial areas, and also edifying with nutritional content, moreso on match days i.e. replacement of lost body fluids, energy giving foods and adequate rest.
However, what was sadly lacking from the local teams that opposed Joe Public, apart from beaten finalist Bakewell Topp XX was a plan B, in the event that plan A had failed since all that was evident was an electrifying pace for the first twenty minutes.
Which brings me to the essential point, were the coaches from Blueberry Hill, Pele and Alpha United equipped tactically and technically to deal with Joe Public.
Meanwhile the more than average spectator and some football officials were overheard expressing their disappointment about the eventual winner’s performance, claiming among other things “Joe Public wasn’t playing anything”. But if this was the case what of the three losing sides? A national striker in the entire match failed to have a meaningful shot at goal and in executing two dribbles against two opposing players, which was crowd pleasing failed to offer any contribution to the game, since it was in his own half and ended up-facing his own goal.
Finally, until and unless spectators and officials can gather the perception that sports in general have undertaken a new dimension, wherein scientific methods in almost every facet of the game is an acceptable norm towards modernization and development there will be little progress.
Aquatic training for a speedier recovery of injuries is widely used internationally as well as weight training and training camps to facilitate playing at high altitude which would be possible soon with oxygenized enclosed indoor facilities.
In the final analysis Joe Public’s participation is indeed commendable when taking into consideration future participation of local club(s) in the Concacaf Club Championship, which also includes clubs from Mexico! Isn’t ten goals in four matches without conceding any, some semblance of playing proper football?
Yours faithfully,
Lester Sealey
