Barbados football administrators have this year ensured that they dotted all the ‘I’s and crossed the ‘T’s in preparation for the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football Nation’s League that kicks off this week.
In the playoffs last year the Bajans Tridents had to forfeit a game and points to Guyana against whom they had fielded two overseas based players who were at the time ineligible because Barbados Football Association officials had not completed all the FIFA-stipulated paper-work for national teams when they used foreign-born nationals who already played for another country.
As a result, CONCACAF Disciplinary Committee slapped the Bajan Tridents with a forfeiture penalty for the match played against Guyana on September 06, 2018, meaning that the one point they had earned from the 2-2 draw was reduced to zero, and the Guyanese were awarded three points.
Last year’s playoff had the double function of determining seeding for the inaugural Nations League competition that kicks off this Thursday, September 05, and runs into 2020; and of selecting the top 10 teams for the Gold Cup, the top regional competition.
Bajan Tridents’ did not make the Gold cup final 10 owing mainly to their forfeiture of the game and points to Guyana, who made it into that prestigious competition for the first time.
The Tridents start their Nations League championship quest ranked 29th of 41 teams this year, and will play at home against 38th ranked St Martin Thursday.
“That was yesterday, we are focusing on the future,” said BFA technical director Ahmed Mohammed in comments about last year’s forfeited game.
“So, our main goal is to build the squad as strong as we can because we are always looking to see how many players we have with Bajan roots or Bajan nationality. Everybody has the right to represent Barbados as long as they are willing. So, the main goal is to qualify for the 2021 Gold Cup, and that is why we are working so hard,” Mohammed added.
