CONCACAF President arrives in T&T
CONCACAF President arrives in T&T
Concacaf President Victor Montagliani arrived at Piarco on Sunday afternoon on a one-day courtesy visit to this country.
The FIFA Vice President, in an immediate address to the Media at the VIP Lounge, Piarco International Airport, credited TTFA president Kieron Edwards and his executive for their efforts in furthering the interests of Trinidad and Tobago football.
Montagliani was greeted by Edwards and members of the TTFA executive and he met with the members shortly after his arrival. Montagliani commended Edwards and his executive for the progress they have made since being elected to office last April, and expressed Concacaf’s desire to help T&T to get back to football’s biggest stage.
“It is an honour to be back in Trinidad and Tobago. As Kieron said, it is great to see football—first of all your league back, your national team progressing…obviously you have some big matches coming up, you have qualified for the Gold Cup—and the work that has been done in short order by Kieron and his team,” said Montagliani.
“It’s great to see football (playing). First of all, your league is back. The national team is progressing. Obviously, you’ve got some big matches coming up. Qualifying for the Gold Cup was big,” he added.
Since assuming Concacaf presidency in May 2016, Montagliani said his organisation’s philosophy has always been one of putting football first and is pleased to see the Edwards-led TTFA following suit.
“There’s always a lot of white noise in football. Yes, we have to deal with some of that. But ‘football first’ is making every decision in the best interest of football. What I’m happy to see is that Kieron has done that. In short order as president, in leading the organisation, they have taken steps forward in all facets of the game.
“Obviously, competitions is the obvious one, but there is also club licensing, coaching education with the convention. I think the base has really been set for what I think is the revitalisation of (TT) to get back to what I know all of you think is your rightful place in football, which is to ultimately be in the World Cup.”
“Today marks an important day for Trinidad and Tobago football as we have the president of CONCACAF Victor Montagliani here with us,” stated TTFA president Kieron Edwards.
Last December, the TTFA announced that its “A” licence coaching certification had received official recognition by the Concacaf Coaching Convention (CCC), which will allow any TTFA “A” licence holder to coach in any other member association which is a member of the CCC.
“Trinidad and Tobago also wants to be one of the key players in Concacaf on the field. That’s what I think every football fan in this country wants and I know Kieron wants it,” Montagliani said.
“You know what, I think it’s good for Concacaf when those aspirations are there and those aspirations are met, so I’m very pleased, not only to visit, but to come and give the unconditional support to Kieron, his leadership and his team to help in any way we can to push football forward for the TTFA.”
Edwards and Montagliani exchanged tokens of appreciation, with Montagliani receiving a customised T&T football jersey ad TTFA president receiving a Concacaf pennant.
“Our one Concacaf vision is that we’re stronger as one together. The TTFA plays a strong part in that and your leadership does as well,” Montagliani told Edwards, as the pair exchanged pleasantries.
“So I am very pleased not only to visit but to come and not only give unconditional support to Kieron and his team and help in any way we can to push football forward for the TTFA. I am very pleased to be here and thank you for the warm welcome,“ the CONCACAF boss added.
The TTFA presented both the recently-installed Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Phillip Watts, and Montagliani, with T&T team game shirts.
Edwards noted that Montagliani’s visit was an important endorsement of the TTFA’s efforts. He said the engagement with CONCACAF experts was “a significant step in our journey towards revitalising football governance in Trinidad and Tobago”.
The TTFA president added that the knowledge shared by Montagliani’s team would underscore “the progression of what we have been doing over the last year as the executive of the TTFA. (It’s important) to have visits like these courtesy calls to show what we’ve been doing, and more so in terms of where we want to go and have that relationship with our parent body in terms of CONCACAF in the region, It’s important.”
