No drawing board… Start from scratch

One can already anticipate the review of the technical staff, the executive, and those unrepentant loyalists of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF), of this country’s sojourn in the World Cup qualifiers.

It will be the normal empty statement of “We need to go back to the drawing board”.{{more}}

Participation at this stage of the World Cup qualifiers is nothing new to us, as was the case in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2011.

In all instances, except for 2008, St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) reached the group or semi-finals of the CONCACAF Zone.

However, the truth is that this is our worst look team and more so, the worst prepared outfit to represent SVG in the World Cup qualification process.

And, the facts are there to support.

Of all qualifying rounds prior, SVG’s records have been better than our latest efforts.

Having played 10 matches in the qualifying stages from last June, Vincy Heat, as the team is commonly called, has had one victory, which was a 2-0 win over Aruba here in the third round.

Then it was all defeats and more defeats, as Aruba was the first to get the ball rolling in the away leg, 1-2.

This was followed by a 6-1 pounding by the USA and Guatemala finished off the beating, winning here 4-0 last November.

Despite showing some enterprise versus Trinidad and Tobago on Good Friday, the Vincentians were eventually beaten 3-2, and were swamped 6-0 in the reverse fixture in Port of Spain, four days later.

And, last Friday, the Americans eased past us here 6-0, and Guatemala exercised the final rites on Tuesday night in Guatemala City, with a 9-3 runaway whipping.

For the record, it must be remembered that Martinique outplayed Vincy Heat in a friendly international 4-0, in March.

Before advancing to the third and semi-final rounds, it was 2-2 and 4-4 against Guyana; however, our team was able to go forth, because of the away goals ruling.

When counted, over the last 15 months of international football, SVG’s senior outfit has had a solitary win, two draws and eight losses.

To add to the misery was the Under-17 male team output in the Caribbean Football Union’s competition, last July. Not only did they lose all three matches, but the youngsters failed to register a single goal.

This in any language is unacceptable and warrants a shake-up of some kind.

With whom then does the buck stop? Of course, with the current policy makers of the SVGFF, cheered on by the affiliates, who turn blind eyes to the happenings.

They both have trivialized football and its administration in this country as some type of roadside vending, thereby perfecting incompetence.

The manner in which the current administration of football approached the qualifiers left much to be desired.

There was no urgency and professionalism in technical and other pertinent factors which are in sync with the way in which modern day football is configured and executed.

Their mode of operation, inclusive of the handling of the Gavin James’ nationality issue, pointed to a high level of incompetence of part of the SVGFF.

It is inexcusable that in 2016, when football administrators who have a ready-made financial support from the sport’s governing body FIFA, find it difficult to carry out some basic functions.

Unfortunately, their operations often filter down to the players, who, in turn, see their appearance in national colours as equally trivial and sometimes occasions for being in the limelight.

But who really cares when those who matter most, the affiliates, those who can effect change, simply accept the gifts in exchange for their moral consciences.

It was that the said affiliates sold themselves out on the issue of the World Cup tickets, preferring to stay silent, instead of getting the truth out.

Things, however, do not happen before their time and as it is said, time longer than twine.

The time may be slowly drawing nigh when the house may soon be tumbling down and the process of rebuilding will recommence.

Maybe when FIFA hands down its ruling on the World Cup tickets matter, the truth will be told and the real substance will be spewed, occasioning a time to clean up the mess.

At this juncture, football needs persons who can give to the sport; persons who do not use it to resurrect their fallen social standing, but who maximize their public image for the good of it.

Also, SVG’s football is in urgent need of administrators who do not marginalize their best human technical resources, because someone is not in your corner of allegiance.

In the end, those who suffer are the young footballers who are in need of proper guidance for the nurturing of their talents.

When the reverses are made, then the national players will not be always become the scapegoats, the wash pots for persons who don’t know the inner workings of the sport here.

They will not be the obvious targets on whom to belch ridicule and chagrin, when they do not perform well or get the desired results.

Football in SVG is in need of serious overhaul, beginning NOW.