T&T’s La Romaine Lions on goodwill visit

Jul 21, 2008 Sports

By Franklin Wilson
La Romaine Lions Football Club, a junior club based in the South of Trinidad and Tobago commenced a one week goodwill tour of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana last Friday after touching down on Wednesday night.

The under-16 side from Soca Land, here for the first time, kicked off their tour on a winning note with victory against Plaisance United 2-0.

Club coach Gerald Elliot speaking with Kaieteur Sport said they were very delighted to be in Guyana after originally planning to go to Boa Vista Brazil but had to use Guyana as plan B since arrangements for Brazil did not go as planned.

“We received a very warm welcome since we came. I had made contact with the GFF and they have welcomed us and put things in place for us to play.”

Elliot, who was the liaison officer for Guyana’s Futsal team at the last Caribbean Football Union championship in the Twin Island Republic, said the atmosphere has been very nice since their arrival and it’s not much different from back home.

“The kids are enjoying themselves and I think with the moral booster from the first win it would encourage them for the rest of the tour.”

This visit is the third overseas visit for the club and the second for this group of players who were also on tour last year in Venezuela where they played 3 matches, won one and lost two.

“This forms part of the club’s developmental programme and we fund these trips though the contributions of parents and fund raising activities. With regard to the need for these tours, some of the players are bordering on making the national team and we want to help them to understand when they make a national team what’s its like.”

He alluded to having to get up at a certain time, doing things on a timely basis, carrying themselves in a particular manner when traveling among others.  “So we see this as assisting them with their future endeavors.”

The national under-17 team will be playing La Romaine Lions today at a venue to be decided and will be traveling to the Bauxite Mining Town of Linden to play tomorrow before leaving for home on Wednesday.

Tobago United was the last junior team from the Twin Island Republic to visit these shores. They competed at the 4th annual Camptown New York under-15 championship which they won.