United Petrotrin Captain rejoins Soca Warriors
by Afiya Butler

Anthony Rougier

As the final date approaches and preparations intensify for the 2006 World Cup playoffs in Germany, different generations are joining forces to ensure that the Trinidad and Tobago team, representing the smallest country ever to make it to this stage of the competition, would remain a force to be reckoned with straight down to the final round.

In addition to the advice and technical expertise offered by former national footballers including members of the 1974 and Strike Squad teams, some of our long-time favorites- Dwight Yorke, Russell Latapy and Anthony Rougier have returned to the national field for a final shot at the World Cup title. These three men, now in their 30s, are among 24 footballers selected to represent this country during the World Cup Playoffs.

Today, both Latapy and Yorke play professional football with foreign teams. Rougier Captains the United Petrotrin Football Team, which was re-established to join the national effort for the development of football at the highest level.

Now that he has been selected once again for national football, Rougier is ecstatic.

“I have trained really hard for this,” he said. “I thank God for this opportunity. Now I just want to concentrate on staying healthy and fit and preparing for the Game.”

While he steered clear of giving any forecast of the World Cup Finals, Rougier says he believes Trinidad and Tobago’s chances at this stage are very good.

As Captain of the United Petrotrin Team, Rougier, who himself hails from Sobo Village, La Brea, believes he could share some of what he has learned on the field with other local footballers.

“I believe I have a wealth of experience and now is the time for me to give back to my country,” he explained. “I think it would be a waste if I don’t.”

Now 34 years old, Rougier has been playing football at the national level ever since he was 16.

Following his earlier stint with the National Team in the ‘90s, Rougier moved on to play professional football in Europe, the United States of America and China. After playing overseas for 15 years, he has returned to home soil.

He now focuses on channeling all that he has learnt into the United Petrotrin Football Team.

“For me this is two-fold,” he said. “United Petrotrin allows me to fulfill my desires- play football and do work in the community by helping with youth development.”

And while he is now required to concentrate even harder on training with the National Team, Rougier has promised to continue to train with United Petrotrin for as long as the National team would allow him to do so.

“After all,” he said. “We are going after the League title this year. I am not a gambling man, but if I am to speak of this team’s chances in the Pro League, I would say I personally believe we would win.”

He commended Petrotrin for having the vision to promote this program.

“I would like to give kudos to the authorities at Petrotrin for sponsoring this program,” he said. “I myself have come from this program and look at what has happened to me. I hope the powers that be would continue to support this program in the long term without expecting immediate results. If they don’t, they could be denying another youth the opportunity to excel in this field.”

Rougier believes this long-term commitment is necessary for the revival of football on a large scale throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

“To get football to where it used to be and beyond, we must try to revive interest in it at all levels,” he said. “As experienced footballers, we must be committed to working hard to produce other excellent players to take over when we leave the field. I think provisions should also be made to provide our professional players with the option to return home and give back to their country. For me, I intend to continue to play and share what I have learnt for as long as God and my family would allow me.”

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The United Petrotrin Football Team continues their rigorous pre-season training program in an effort to establish itself as a team to be reckoned with in professional football in Trinidad and Tobago.

As part of its preparations for the 2006 football season, the team has scheduled a number of matches against teams participating in the Southern Football Association, Professional League and National Representative Teams. The most recent match was played against the Trinidad and Tobago National Under 21 team at the Fyzabad Sporting Grounds, Fyzabad on March 11^th.

Despite the strong opposition put up by the national players, United Petrotrin emerged victorious at the end of the game with the score 2-0. Sylvester Tesedale scored the first goal on behalf of the United Petrotrin Team in the 10^th minute while Jerold Forbes sealed the team’s fate with the second goal in the 85^th minute of the game.

Head Coach Brian Williams is proud about his team’s successes to date but he is leaving nothing to chance as the football season approaches.

“The team’s performance at the last few games has been satisfactory,” he said. “I think they could have maintained better possession but generally the performance was a good one. We are looking forward to the team doing well this season.”

As part of its preparations for the 2006 season, the United Petrotrin Football team will also be going on a training trip to Grenada at the end of the month. The 2006 Pro League season kicks off on April 8^th.

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United Petrotrin Players win Big 6 Title in T&T Pro League
by Afiya Butler

Accepting the Big Six trophy

Months of stiff competition and gruelling preparation have finally paid off for the recently formed United Petrotrin Football Team and today its members can boast of having copped one of the more coveted trophies in the Trinidad and Tobago Professional Football League.

In December 2005, the United Petrotrin Football Team beat back five of the country’s major professional football teams to win the National Commercial Bank Big Six Tournament of the T&T Pro League.

“This was a booster for the team,” said Manager Larry Joseph. “We came from nowhere to win that trophy. We started the league in the second-to-last position with a lot of points behind everybody and ended up second to last overall. We were basically struggling in the League up to that point, but in this competition we were able to beat all the big teams like W Connection, Jablotech, North East Stars and others. That caused a great stir in the football fraternity. I don’t think our previous scores prepared anybody for that turnaround.”

The United Petrotrin Football Team played against North East Stars in the finals of the Big Six tournament. This Competition was held at the Larry Gomes Stadium on December 10. Both teams needed one final win to secure the Big Six title.

The competition in this match was stiff, as players from both teams displayed skill and determination on the field. The first half of the game ended with no goals being scored on either side. The United Petrotrin Team made a few changes during intermission and substitute forward Jamal Ayres was selected to replace Peter Prosper. With these changes the competition became even more intense in the second half and in the 82nd minute of the game, Ayres broke the ranks of the North East players to score the first and only goal of the game.

“That was crazy!” Mr. Joseph recalled. “After the game everybody left the bench. The supporters ran onto the field. Petrotrin’s Manager, Corporate Communications Mr. Arnold Corneal came down and met the players on the track and congratulated them for their performance. Everybody was really overjoyed. Even North East players came across and congratulated us and the Chairman of the Professional League Mr. Dexter Skeen was on hand to give us the trophy when we came off the pitch on the same night.”

Following that game, United Petrotrin held its own prize-giving function at the Petrotrin Sports Club, Pointe-a-Pierre on December 19. A number of players were recognized for their performance during the season at that function.

These included five outstanding players for the season: goal keeper Ken Francis, Kelvin Hernandez, defender Brendan Christopher, midfielder, Lee Haynes and midfielder Brent Garcia; Most Valuable Player in the final game Kelvin Hernandez; Most Disciplined Player during the season Reon Pegus; Most Improved Player Brendan Christopher and Gerald Forbes for scoring the most goals during the season. United Petrotrin Captain Mr. Anthony Rougier was also recognized for his outstanding contribution to the team.

Mr. Joseph said the senior team has already begun preparations for the 2006 football season, which begins in April.

“At the moment we are training in the gym and doing some field preparation,” he said. “We have raised the bar by winning the Big Six so we must now show everybody that it was not a fluke. Our preparations must be much harder than this year. We are hoping that we would be better prepared this year and would place higher in the league to win at least another trophy.”

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The Company’s traditional alliance with football continues to be the lifeblood of the sport, both at the local and national levels.  Sponsorship of the Southern Football Association (SFA) has not only provided the opportunity for Clubs throughout the southland to participate in properly organized competitions, it has allowed the SFA to carry out developmental programmes that nurture future players, especially for the national age group teams.

Petrotrin’s involvement in football in its fence line communities through its support for their Community Leagues has not only provided an avenue for players to showcase and develop their talents, it has fostered and strengthened inter community relationships.  Company personnel have also served football in critical administrative and technical capacities. 

Earlier this year, Petrotrin revived the United Petrotrin Team that had functioned under different names at predecessor companies. Basically, the idea is to recruit players from teams in the fence-line communities train them and enter them into the Trinidad and Tobago Professional Football League Competitions.

So far the United Petrotrin team has been very successful beating out teams such as W. Connection who have five foreign-based players on their team. United Petrotrin emerged the eventual winner of the “Big Six League” a noteworthy achievement for a team that had just re-formed in under one year.

Noteworthy also are employees who serve as President of the SFA and Vice President of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation and as the Manager and the Coach of the National Futsal Team that qualified for the CONCACAF playoffs, having won the Caribbean Championship.

Petrotrin also provides for national football the necessary assistance worthy of its role as a good corporate citizen. $ 1 million dollars was recently granted to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation towards their quest for World Cup success in Germany.

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United Petrotrin Football Team
by: Afiya Butler

(From left to right) Community Relations Coordinator Mr Rudolph Thomas, Dexter Francis, Philbert Jones, Miguel Charles, Arnold Corneal, Ronald Brereton, Larry Joseph, Dinanath Ramnarine, Larry Lalchan, Brian Williams and Edgar Vidale.

Petrotrin and its predecessor companies have long been noted for their support of football in fence-line communities throughout South Trinidad. Petrotrin’s involvement in football has not only provided an avenue for players to showcase and develop their talents, it has fostered and strengthened inter-community relationships. Over the years, Company personnel have continued to serve in critical administrative and technical capacities.

Team Manager Ronal Brereton (left) holds an inaugural meeting at Petrea House, Pointe-a-Pierre.  Manager Corporate Communications Arnold Corneal, WIPA President Dinanath Ramnarine, Team Captain Lee Hanes and Brian Williams are present.

Sponsored by the Executive Chairman himself, United Petrotrin Football Team has taken it one step further by entering into the Trinidad and Tobago Professional Football League with a team whose players are drawn from all over our fence-line communities. The Executive Chairman’s vision is that community participation is the key; and that creating synergies between Southern communities, promoting positive alternatives to youth delinquency and winning the hearts and minds of our neighbours are as important as winning on the field.

So far the team has played several matches and has met with mixed success. Today we wish them all the best as they pursue their goal of  playing football at the highest levels.

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