Sports
Newsday Reporter
RAJESH LATCHOO will serve as Head of Coach Education and Youth Football Director for the TTFA (Trinidad and Tobago Football Association). His appointment is for two years with options for renewal based on key performance indicators and long-term planning.
Latchoo is a former Dominica team coach and is currently a technical expert within CONCACAF’s Coach Education Programme. He has also been a Coach Educator within the TTFA programme since 2011, responsible for developing and implementing course content that is player-centered and reality-based along with Understanding adult learning principles. He has been an instructor for the various TTFA Coach Licenses programmes.
Latchoo was also assistant coach for the Trinidad and Tobago women’s team from March 2012 to April 2014 and coach of Joe Public Football Club in 2011, guiding the club to the TT Pro League Digicel Cup in 2010/2011.
On his appointment, Latchoo said, in an interview on the TTFA website, “To serve in football is a privilege, to serve one’s country in football is both an honour and a privilege. The opportunity afforded to me in my capacity as Head of Coach Education and Youth football Director will allow me to contribute to the development of Trinidad and Tobago’s football which will be a challenging but also exciting mission.”
Latchoo will work under TTFA technical director Anton Corneal with whom he has a longstanding relationship.
“Being able to work with and learn from Mr Corneal, who is among the greatest minds in CONCACAF football is an opportunity that I could not let pass me by. The technical director has put together a competent technical department that functions like a well-oiled machine. I see myself as one of the gears working in tandem with the other programs in trying to get the ball rolling again in the right direction.
“That direction as envisaged by the technical director is about developing the pathway to get us to the top of Concacaf by doing what is best for football at all levels based on our reality,” added Latchoo who hails from Princes Town and is a former student of St Stephen’s College.
“We are excited to have Rajesh work with us. He has come through the full system. He has worked with some of our youth teams and the (TT) women’s team,” Corneal said.
He added that CONCACAF is placing emphasis on its member associations having qualified heads of coach education and this step taken by the TTFA was a timely one.
“He has been fortunate to take part in the CONCACAF Train the Trainer programme as a Coach Educator and he is now a CONCACAF Coach Educator which puts him in an excellent place for this current portfolio in the TTFA. He has also done the FIFA Coach Education workshop. He comes with all of this experience having also worked with the national teams of Dominica and helping them in all areas of the game over there.
“His appointment is a great addition to the Technical Department because we are engaged in so many programs including our High Performance Programme which focuses on our youth teams and now we will be having more qualified persons working within the system. He will be part of giving direction to our youth teams and the overall development of the game in Trinidad and Tobago. Rajesh has also been very instrumental in putting the coaching convention together for TTFA especially when it came to documenting it consistent with the guidelines of CONCACAF.”
“He has all the characteristics of a technical director one day and I think the onus is on us to groom a few people who will have those characteristics. His leadership qualities says a lot in terms of how he interacts with persons, his response time and his overall style and approach. He has also done a lot of qualification and training on his own,” Corneal added.
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