 We start this Friday edition of the Sports Night Zone in a sentimental mood as one of Trinidad and Tobago's long-standing servants of football announced his retirement from international duty. Goalkeeper Marvin Philippe stepped away from the Soco Warriors team 16 years after making his debut against Panama in 2008. His career was in doubt after a stabbing incident in the community of hard bargain, but the 39-year-old made a full recovery going out to make 92 appearances for the Soco Warriors. We welcome Marvin to the Sports Night Zone. He joins us live via Zoom. Marvin, great to have you on the show. Good afternoon to you guys and thank you for having me. Let me start by saying that you look nothing like 39 years old. You look like 25. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. I keep myself well and all the time. Thank you very much. What triggered this decision, though, because you've been a staple with Trinidad and Tobago's Soco Warriors for a decade and a half now? You know, I had a discussion with my family, you know, my wife, my family, my kids, you know, and I told them, you know, this is the route I would like to go down. And we all agree now is a good time to step away from the international level. Yeah. Your tenure as a Soco Warrior goalkeeper has seen you compete with a lot of outstanding goalkeepers in the past decade and a half, you know, Clayton Ince and Ross Russell and outstanding goalkeepers. I didn't get a chance to play the Ross, but I definitely got a chance with Clayton Ince, you know. He was definitely outstanding after 2006 World Cup, you know, after five positions with him being there. Yes. I learned a lot from him at that point in time. Yeah. It's the Caribbean Cup tournament, which hasn't been in existence for well over a decade now, which I think has robbed a lot of Caribbean players of more regional competition. I know there is the Nations League, but is the Caribbean Cup something that you miss, that it doesn't exist anymore? Yeah, it certainly is something that we miss. It's had a rich history, you know, but unfortunately, Conker Kaafo, FIFA, find a way to shock their new league. But definitely, it used to give players in the Caribbean a good chance to showcase their selves. Yeah. And of course, TNT are eight-time champions of the Caribbean Cup. No Caribbean team has won more titles than TNT has. What, Marvin, has been your best memories of playing internationally for TNT? Best memories, you know, would have been some tough games in tough stadiums. You know, we would have played the likes of Costa Rica. You know, I have found memories on that, you know. One of the latest would have been Mexico in the 2021 World Cup, Japan in 2019 and a friendly match. There is a lot, but these three are the most fond memories coming to my mind right now. Right, and in the 92 appearances that you had for the Trinidad and Tobago soca warriors, you were also captain during some of the matches. How much did you enjoy being the leader in those matches? It was definitely a pleasure, definitely, definitely a pleasure to lead the country in many of those games, you know. At that time, I had a lot of experience, so I just tried to lend it towards the younger ones and the team and share my experience with them as well and try to lead from example. Yes, and one of the things that really stood out for me is current coach Angus Yves, when describing you and talking about you, he really stressed on the leadership role that you played in the team and the impact that you had on the current goalkeepers. So that brings me to a question, because while coach was reading that interview that coach gave, will you ever consider coaching? Definitely, definitely, definitely, you know, when I was young coming up, you know, there were senior goalkeepers and they were like Kelvin, Kelvin, Jack and Clayton and so on. So they had impacted their knowledge towards me. So you know why I've been the experienced goalkeeper and a lot of young keepers partially and why I just, it's just automatic that I need to lend my expertise towards them. Not only those on the national team, but those with the various clubs showed our country. Definitely, I would like to make that transformation soon, but I'm not stepping away from the game just yet. I'll be playing in the local leagues, but just stepping away from the international level. Yes, I'm glad you made that clear, because last season you played for AC Spain and you and the team, of course, came second. So you're not done with football for good. We're still going to see you on the TTPFL. Yes, definitely, we've been at the TTPFL, you know, yes, I was at the ACV game second. We had a horror in the club championship where we just get one draw, the three games. But that definitely will be on the local so we can serve it in the TTPFL. Yeah, Marvin, I know at the top of the segment that you said you spoke with your family, including your wife and kids, before making this decision. Did you have discussions with the current Trinidad and Tobago head coach, Angus Yves, and if so, what were those discussions like before coming to this decision? Honestly, I didn't have any discussions with him. The team prior to the making this move, he definitely called me after and wished me well and thanked me for my service and what not. But before making this move, before long-term retirement from the international level, I didn't have any conversation with him, I was just in-house with family and friends and what not. I mean, the discussions that you had, you have been playing. So what ultimately would you say was the deciding factor or the deciding factors? Yes, I understand that the family might have said, yes, it's time, but why? I don't want to make it seem that that is the last four games I wasn't there, but it definitely has nothing to do with that. The national team, there is a lot of commitment and a lot of sacrifices need to be made. And at this time of my life, I really don't think I want to make those sacrifices anymore. I don't know if you know my history, but I made a lot of sacrifices for this country. I had a tragic incident playing for this country back in 2014, so all of these things would have helped me with my decision. Could you elaborate on the tragic incident in 2014, Marvin? Unfortunately, we went to play a friendly match in Argentina against Argentina and was traveling to Brazil. And on that day, 6th of June 2014, I lost a son. Can you say anything more about it? I don't want to bring anything more about it. Marvin, when you seem emotional at the moment, is your emotion at the moment in any way reflective of a difficulty in making this decision, the one you've made, stepping away? No, I don't think it was a difficult situation. As I said before, I made a lot of sacrifices and away from family and kids and nothing. And I just think now is the right time that I should be more family man or more towards my family at this present time. That helped me with the decision. Marvin, how long have you been thinking about this? This wasn't just overnight. This could have been about a year and a half ago. Marvin, you had a stint where you were on the books of an Indian club, Narokai, I think. Narokai FC 2019 into 2020, just before Covid. Could you talk to us about that and what was that experience like? It definitely was a great experience going out there and learning other cultures, learning how other countries play their football. Unfortunately, the club I was at was not a top club. They tried to be professional but the results, we wouldn't get any results. But it definitely was a good experience for me at that present point in time. Marvin, I want you to describe for us, as you see it, the state of Trinidad and Tobago's football now, in comparison to when you played for the first time at the international level. Back when I made my debut, I was right after the World Cup. Football was definitely on a high in our country. I don't want to go too much into it, but players at that point in time were blacklisted and that gave players the opportunity to come forward. Fortunately, I was one of those persons to come forward and represent the country at the highest level until I announced my retirement recently. Fast forward until now, I think our Federation and whoever wants to be in charge, everybody needs to come together to take Trinidad and Tobago football back where it's supposed to be. I know the Normalization Committee runs Trinidad and Tobago's football at the moment, Marvin, and that is not a situation that a genuine TNT football fan is happy about. The period of Normalization has been protracted beyond the initial stages, but we'll continue to watch TNT's football closely and we share your sentiments that we all want to see TNT football resuscitate to the level that we know that it had been for decades and we wish you all the best in your retirement and we'll be watching your performance in the Pro League in TNT with AC Port of Spain, although the international... I wouldn't be back with AC Port of Spain, it's a surprise, but I wouldn't be back with AC Port of Spain this season. And you're not willing to say which club you'll be at? No, I'm still in finalization, finalization of a contract, so eventually you'll get to see me and when you see highlights, you'll see, OK, Marvin is playing with this team now. Marvin, really a pleasure talking to you and we have enjoyed your goalkeeping over the years and we wish you good luck in the TNT League for whichever team you appear for. Thanks man, great talking to you. Alright, thank you and once again thank you for having me. Yeah man, great. Marvin, Philip there retiring from international football after 16 years as a Soco Warrior. We'll be back with more on the Sportsmax someone after this.