The Saint Lucia Football Association (SLFA) Inc. has reportedly hired veteran tactician Rajesh Latchoo as head coach for the senior men’s national team, ahead of the 2026-27 Concacaf Nations League.
Latchoo, who previously coached the Commonwealth of Dominica, replaces fellow Trinidad & Tobago national, Stern John, who led the Piton Boyz across 25 games between 2022 and 2026.
Latchoo, from Princes Town, Trinidad & Tobago, arrives with a background in coaching education and youth structures. He entered senior management at age 27 with Joe Public FC, guiding the club to the 2011 Digicel Pro Bowl title.
His portfolio includes stints managing Morvant Caledonia United, serving as assistant coach for the Trinidad & Tobago senior women’s team, and directing youth squads. Beyond the touchline, Latchoo has worked as a Concacaf coaching instructor and served the Trinidad & Tobago Football Association as Head of Coach Education and Youth Football Director.
Latchoo’s international head coaching record rests on a five-year spell with Dominica between 2017 and 2022. He directed them through 19 official matches across the Concacaf Nations League and World Cup qualification fixtures, returning five wins, four draws, and 10 losses. Prior to his time in Roseau, his senior club record included 21 fixtures in charge of MCU in the TT Pro League, alongside his title-winning campaign at Joe Public FC.
His hiring maintains a familiar pattern for the SLFA, which has now selected three consecutive Trinbagonian head coaches. Latchoo follows Jamaal Shabazz, who held the post from 2019 to 2021, and John, who is now with Grenada.
Latchoo must hit the ground running, as the Piton Boyz get into action in League B, Group B this weekend at home. They play Barbados on Friday at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, and Bermuda on Monday at the same venue, before travelling to Barbados the following weekend.
Given the new head coach’s background as a coach educator, and with the recent hire of a new technical director, it will be interesting to see how Latchoo is positioned by the SLFA vis-a-vis the development of the domestic league, junior national teams, and the senior setup.
But that Dominica record says nothing for that coach.
What is wrong with the state of our football in Saint Lucia? Who is this man and what has he achieved in the football world? St Lucian football is turning out to be a laughing stock right now. According to this article this man has only coached one national team and that is Dominica. Did Dominica get to the World Cup? The simple answer is NO. To be honest I have never heard of this man. This is the first time that I am reading about him in this outlet.
Are we that desperate in St Lucia to be bringing in a man who no one has heard of to manage the national team? National team is national pride. We should be taking pride in our national team. How are we going to make it to prestigious tournaments like the World Cup if the indolent FA are not willing to invest in the National team? I have called for the Whole FA to be sacked and to be replaced with competent caring officials who know about football to run the administration of the game. The current FA is useless and inefficient. They don’t care about the national team.
They have not even managed to secure a national stadium for the island where the national team can play their games. It is so shameful to see games being played in another island. Why can’t St Lucia play it’s games on it’s own soil? Look at how our sister Caribbean island of Haiti got to the World Cup by applying themselves. Curacao another sister Caribbean island did well to get to the FIFA world cup this year. They are not even a fully self-determined country yet they were able to qualify.
There are plenty of good coaches around who would love to manage the national team. St Lucia needs to emulate Curacao by getting themselves ready to partake in FIFA’s 2030 World Cup. We need a coach/Manager who is worth his football salt.. Stop hiring people who are lacking in football pedigree. This man is not going to get the national team anywhere. Please I beg start putting measures in place to help the national team cross the line – There is plenty of talent that can get the team to Spain and Morocco come 2030… We need a good solid coach who can work with the boys to get there.
Anonymous You are so right. I hope the dozy FA can see that. These men in the FA do not have a clue. I believe they are doing this on purpose with the selfish attitudes. They are running this football regime with their personal feelings attached. You cannot run a football administration with your personal feeling. They guys need top get professional. Otherwise they should all be shown the door. St Lucia cannot afford to waste another 4 years just to partake in one round of football. We need people who are dedicated and ready for the cause. The Piton Boys can go all the way to the World Cup in 2030… They just need the right people around who can encourage them. They can do it like Curacao and Haiti did it — Kudos to the Piton Boys,,,
To say that I am disappointed with the new manager would be an understatement, What has this man achieved in his footballing career? He managed Dominica, so what? What did Dominica achieved? Where did they get to? The FA cannot be serious to be putting a man in charge who has nothing to show. These jokers are the reason why St Lucian football isn’t getting anywhere. Tell me what has the national team achieved? They have never pass through the group stages. They falter along the way. There are talented players in the team who if coached properly can help St Lucia catapult onto the world stage. The FA will not do all in their power to help the team make it to the finals. These guys do not have Lucian football at heart. They don’t.
There are several former players that I can mention who can coach the national team to success. People like Stewart Charles Fevrier, Garvin Sifflet, Dalkeith Dalla, Hermangild Francis, Earl Jean, Bock.. the list goes on. These guys were great players and anyone of them can manage the national team. The national team needs a St Lucian coach. We need someone from the island to manage the team. If you cannot bring a national to manage then spend some money to get a good foreign coach who will get St Lucia to the finals,,, This man is a lost cause. He knows nothing about the game and should be kicked to the curb… St Lucia needs a progressive coach/manager.