Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 06/Jan 08:41

Prison Service FC lock in on Concacaf ambitions

As the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) Tier One season reaches its halfway stage, Prison Service FC head coach Dexter Cyrus believes his team is well-positioned to mount a serious challenge for Concacaf football at the end of the 2025–26 campaign. After 11 matches, Prison Service sit fourth in the 12-team standings on 22 points, following seven wins, three losses and one draw. They trail leaders Miscellaneous Police FC by just three points, with Police on 25, while Club Sando (24 points) and defending champions Defence Force occupy second and third, respectively. Defence Force, however, have played two fewer matches than the other teams in the top four. With the top three tier one finishers guaranteed spots in Concacaf club competition – first and second advancing to the Concacaf Caribbean Cup and third progressing to the Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield – Cyrus said regional football remains firmly within the club’s ambitions. “Most definitely, Concacaf football is a goal. We’re halfway through the season and we’re fourth. We have to ask ourselves some serious questions now because we’re within striking distance of the top team,” he said. When asked whether the club had the resources to sustain a push into the top three, Cyrus expressed confidence that the foundation is already in place. “We have the resources, most definitely, as you all can see. Whether or not we have the personnel and the players, we’re working on that,” he said. Prison Service briefly withdrew from the league earlier in the season due to financial constraints, but reversed their decision within days following an “amicable agreement” with the TT Football Association (TTFA) to ensure they complete the ongoing campaign. Despite early challenges, they made an immediate impression with five consecutive victories to start the season – a run Cyrus attributed to preparation rather than overnight success. While the club has competed in the top flight since the league’s launch in 2022, Cyrus stressed that the current campaign represents a rebuilding phase. With a new coaching staff and a reshaped squad, the head coach has focused on establishing a solid foundation while remaining competitive, a balance he believes the team has handled well so far. “We’re definitely on track with what we envisaged. It’s a case of good preparation, getting all the players on the same page. I don’t think people understand how difficult it is to bring new players and a new coach in a new environment together and make the players cohesive, understand each other and those sorts of things.” Cyrus said the club has a clear vision and current players have fully bought into the project. While recruitment remains ongoing, he is confident that with an added push, the team can secure a spot in the Caribbean Football Union. He believes his team tends to thrive when expectations are clear and pressure is high, saying adversity often brings out their strongest performances. Although Prison Service experienced a brief dip in form earlier in the season, Cyrus views it as a natural part of a long league campaign. “Prisons is definitely a transition team. People tend to associate good football with long periods of possession, which is not true and not reality. You can make six or seven passes and cut through a team and score,” he said. “We’ve been in a bit of a patch. We ran through a bit of a patch there before we won the Police game, but that’s football. You’re going to get rough patches and it’s good to make up the top four.” Prison Service won their last match 3-1 against Point Fortin Civic on January 3. Support staff member Lance Haynes believes the team’s positive start is the product of clear planning and strong alignment between the club’s leadership and head coach. “It wasn’t a surprise. Coming out of the last season, the club president would have had a lot of discussions with the head coach (Cyrus) and he gave him certain commitments that if ‘once he receives this, he could produce this’ and we’re seeing the fruits of that now,” said Haynes. Meanwhile, lone prison officer player Antony Parris said the team’s rise up the standings has been meaningful from a personal and historical standpoint, following three tough seasons in the top flight. “As the only officer playing with the team, it’s a tremendous feeling to be up there seeing that we’re in our fourth year. Three years we would have been bottom of the table, so being up there now is a tremendous feeling. When you’re swimming, you have to swim in the tide, and right now, we’re floating okay,” said Parris. With 11 matches still to play, Prison Service FC remain keen contenders not only to secure a Concacaf club berth, but also to pose a serious challenge for the coveted tier one 2025–26 title. The post Prison Service FC lock in on Concacaf ambitions appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.