Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) President David John-Williams lamented the elimination of the hosts in the recent CFU Under-17 World Cup qualifiers.

But in the same breath, he thinks the programme is in good hands for the future.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Young Soca Warriors lost to Haiti (0-2) and Jamaica (2-3) in Group A, but their dramatic 3-2 victory over Bermuda was insufficient to take them into the semi-finals, nor were they able to take the best third-place berth for a spot in the CONCACAF Championship to be held in Panama next year.

Group B’s Suriname, who finished on three points same as Trinidad, booked the fifth Caribbean berth by a better goal difference.

“As president of the FA you would obviously be disappointed that Trinidad is not here (in the semis). I think they made too many simple errors, but they have played well in spurts, possessed the ball well and played with a lot of inensity, but at the end of the day they gave up a lot soft goals and ended up chasing games which proved too much for them.

“But still, I think the programme is in good shape and we have an icon in Caribbean and Trinidad football heading that programme in Russell Latapy, so the future, I believe, is good,” said John-Williams, the owner of Trinidad’s professional outfit, W Connection.

But while the Under-17 came up short on home soil, the businessman has taken comfort that the Under-20s and the senior Soca Warriors remain on course for their respective World Cups.

“We are the only Caribbean team now in the hexagonal round of the CONCACAF Russia 2018 campaign, so we have to go there and represent well. But it won’t be an easy tournament with the likes of Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, Panama and the USA.

“But I think we have to improve as a team if we are to get to the World Cup, but having said that, we have three-and-half spots available and I believe we do have a chance,” John-Williams told the Jamaica Observer.

In terms of organisation and the quality of play in the Under-17 tournament, the TTFA president was left beaming.

“I am very satisfied and I want to commend the staff and the local organising committee for doing a fantastic job in making Trinidad and Tobago proud.

“I would also like to salute Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica who finished in the top three, and I think we saw a lot of good talent throughout the tournament. But I must single out the number 10 from Haiti (Steeve Saint-Duc) for winning the MVP and scoring the most goals, and the number nine from Jamaica (Raewin Senior) who plays cricket for Jamaica and West Indies Under-19s,” he noted.