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Trinidad and Tobago National Senior Team coach Tom Saintfiet will travel to Managua with just 19 players on Christmas Day after, bizarrely, opting not to replace injured goalkeeper Marvin Phillip.
The Soca Warriors will be joined in Nicaragua by India-based striker Cornell Glen and, belatedly, United States-based defensive midfielder Kevan George.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
However, Saintfiet decided to take just two goalkeepers on the tour, which comprises of two matches against their Central American hosts on 27 and 30 December respectively, after his initial 23-man squad was whittled down to 21 with the exclusion of Phillip and W Connection defender Tristan Hodge.
On the surface, Saintfiet’s decision appeared to be a remarkable snub for Trinidad and Tobago’s number one custodian, Jan-Michael Williams, who has 75 full senior international caps for his country and was a nominee for the CONCACAF Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2013 and 2014.
Williams was one of four goalkeepers selected by Saintfiet for his initial training squad but had his training opportunities limited by a stand-off between the new national coach and the player’s employers, Central FC.
Still, Williams attended three from a possible four training sessions before the Warriors entered a residential camp in Claxton Bay on 20 December—there were five sessions in total but all players were excused on their respective match days.
And, notably, Williams continued to train even after he was not named on the 23-man squad for the upcoming friendlies.
(Copyright Getty Images/AFP/ Mike Zarrilli)
The Central goalkeeper was allowed to continue training with the team at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium after they entered camp and was took part in sessions on Wednesday and Thursday.
Phillip was ruled out after training on Wednesday and left camp on Thursday. The Morvant United United custodian is believed to have been ruled out for two weeks, which is likely to mean that he will be unavailable to face Suriname or Haiti in the CONCACAF Gold Cup playoffs on 4 and 8 January respectively.
Remarkably, although Saintfiet previously told Wired868 that he will not punish the Central players for their club’s refusal to release them for the start of his training camp, the Belgian still chose to snub the talented goalkeeper.
Instead, the Warriors appear ready to play with two goalkeepers, Police FC’s Adrian Foncette and Ma Pau Stars’ Glenroy Samuel, who have never played in a competitive senior international fixture and have a total of four friendly appearances combined—and none for 90 minutes.
Neither Saintfiet nor assistant coach Jamaal Shabazz were prepared to explain the decision not to select a replacement for Phillip, who was injured four days before the team travelled and with plenty of time to name a replacement.
(Courtesy Nicholas Williams/Wired868)
Shabazz advised Wired868 to ask Saintfiet while the Belgian coach, when questioned, said he was having dinner. He did not respond to the query up until the time of publication.
Saintfiet, the former Bangladesh coach, also opted not to replace Connection defender, Hodge, who was axed from the squad on disciplinary grounds.
Wired868 understands that Hodge missed training last week and was hours late to enter the residential camp on 20 December while his attitude around the squad displeased the national coach.
Hodge was also sent home on Thursday with plenty of time for a replacement to be named. Colorado Rapids defender Mekeil Williams, who played in five of Trinidad and Tobago’s eight 2018 World Cup qualifiers, would have been a straight swap for the left sided defender.
Alternately, Central midfielder Nathaniel “Spanish” Garcia could have been included with either Defence Force’s Curtis Gonzales or W Connection’s Alvin Jones—who were including as holding midfielders but can also play defence—dropping deeper to boost the defence.
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
Instead, the Warriors travel without sufficient numbers to play 11v11 scrimmages and with just one natural left sided defender in Aubrey David, although they have to play two games in three days.
Veteran Carlos Edwards did feature for Ma Pau Stars at left back on a few occasions this season. But his performances in that role were mediocre at best.
Although Saintfiet did not comment to Wired868, he assured the TTFA Media that the selections were all his own and suggested that the Central players ruled themselves out of contention.
“It is very clear that when I arrived here I had only a short period of time, so I consulted with people with my knowledge of how I want to play,” said Saintfiet. “They were informed what type of players I was looking for and I watched a lot of games. The final selection that will go to Nicaragua is one hundred percent my choice.
“I decided which players I wanted to select and I was very clear when I met the players that from Tuesday we go into camp and players who decide to go and play for their club, they will not be selected…
(Copyright AFP 2016/Omar Torres)
“So in that way, it was not my choice who was not in the camp; because they decided not to be in camp… The final decision is the head coach’s.”
Saintfiet’s position, arguably, contradicted his earlier stance when he suggested he would not punish the Central players over a decision—not to enter residential camp—that was not of their making.
Why did he allow Williams to continue training with the National Senior Team, only to ignore him when a goalkeeping spot became available?
And why would Williams, the second most capped player in his training squad, be excluded from selection on the basis of not being involved in the camp while George—who has 14 international starts for the Warriors—is allowed to meet the team halfway through its Nicaragua tour although the United States-based midfielder’s professional season ended two months ago?
It seemed a cold Christmas message for the goalkeeper, who was knocked unconscious in his last international outing away to Honduras on 15 November.
(Copyright AFP 2016/Orlando Sierra)
Still, Saintfiet told the TTFA Media that he was “very satisfied” with his squad and vowed to be ready for next month’s Gold Cup playoffs.
“We are now around 80 percent from where we have to be and we will use the Nicaragua matches to get the last 20 percent to be ready,” he said, “because our aim is to be ready on the fourth of January to play Suriname.”
TTFA vice president Ewing Davis will travel to Nicaragua as chef de mission while technical director Muhammad Isa will also accompany the team for the two matches.
(Trinidad and Tobago 21-man squad for Nicaragua)
Goalkeepers: Adrian Foncette (Police FC), Glenroy Samuel (Ma Pau Stars);
Defenders: Carlos Edwards (Ma Paul Stars), Carlyle Mitchell (Seoul E-Land—Korea Republic), Radanfah Abu Bakr (Sillamae Kallen—Estonia), Daneil Cyrus, Maurice Ford (both W Connection), Aubrey David (Deportivo Saprissa—Costa Rica);
Peru won 4-0.
(Copyright Ernesto Benavides/AFP 2016/Wired868)
Midfielders: Curtis Gonzales (Defence Force), Kevan George (Jacksonville Armada—USA), Alvin Jones, Hughtun Hector (both W Connection);
Attacking midfielders: Aikim Andrews (W Connection), Trevin Caesar (Orange County Blues—USA), Hashim Arcia (Defence Force), Jomal Williams (Murcielagos FC), Nathan Lewis, Tyrone Charles (both San Juan Jabloteh);
Forwards: Akeem Roach (Club Sando), Shahdon Winchester (Murcielagos FC—Mexico), Cornell Glen (Ozone FC Bengalaru—India).
Technical staff: Tom Saintfiet (head coach), Jamaal Shabazz (assistant coach), Lukas Wojciak (goalkeeper coach), Riedoh Berdien (trainer), Dr Terence Babwah (doctor), Dave Isaac (paramedic), Michael Williams (equipment manager), Shaun Fuentes (press officer), Azaad Khan (interim manager).
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
Major changes this is exactly what the team needs that is coach good start
All yuh sick yes. Steups
The counter to that is since Sven wanted to play a pseudo right back, Bernie sent on Evans Wise to terrorize him and try to gain an advantage.
But Wise froze and that opportunity was lost.
Again, a sound tactical idea. But the player failed to execute.
And to add to that, Beenie told Densil to stay with Beckham when he went deeper. Another great decision, but maybe not executed so well.
Talking of 2006 and coaches tactics,I read an article talking about the 10 greatest tactical decisions in football history. One of them was Svens decision to put Beckham at right back around the 70th minute vs T&T. The problem was that the English crosses were easily being cut out by Denis and Sancho. He realized that he needed to change the angle of the crosses to beat the defenders. He switched Beckham to right back and the trajectory of his crosses changed. And we know the rest. May not seem much to many people, but that decision won the game. So the measure of a good coach is not necessarily how he selects a team and his tactics. It’s how he adapts them during a game.
just want to asked another question . ..have asked it before on this forum…was given an answer by lasana liburd …i.since you have mention those two names earl mango Pierre…was watching an article on the five greatest scorers for t&t the name that came up blew me away ..since none is considered trin best ever G.O.A.T…. namely Stern John …..the names are always Leroy Deleon, steve David gally Cummings Alvin corneal Russel latapy what criteria is used to in trinidad to come up with the G.O.A.T … greatest of all time t&t footballer ..seeing as how all the world ‘s greatest are defined by their scoring prowess… lasana’s answer was politics of the past .. curtail those players international careers…
If we had gotten a million goals, we would have been a laughing stock and Beenhakker’s reputation would be in tatters though… But that might have been worth it for Latapy fans. 🙂
The reason why any goals didn’t score eh and I don’t care what anyone said about Coach Leo Benhakker went to the World Cup 2006 to play his defensive tatics steeuuppss and our mother country still score 2 goals to beat us up eh and also Paraguay in the last game when he finally brought on the Magician eh, the bestest player in our sweet country after the greatest of course Leroy De Leon eh, even the commentators were shocked and asked where was he all the time steeuuppss and I didn’t even care if we had gotten a million goals in the World Cup from Sweden or the other teams because we didn’t go to win the World Cup and will never win or be in any World Cup play offs because our sweet country will never be ready for that kind of football eh, hence the reason why he should have played all of the games . Them really good yes.
is it that we did not score because we were not good at goal scoring or was it probable as e stepped up in the class of teams we played our goal scoring dip just asking…re world cup 2006..
Well if I recall my corrupted uncle Jack Warner hired Leo Benhakker who coach Real Madrid and other top real professional teams eh and when he took the Soca Worries to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the team didn’t even score a goal farless to go to the second round eh, so as I said since back then our sweet country have been suffering for our real prolific goal scorers to do their thing and it is still happening today. Them really good yes.
While I respect your view as it relates to the players ablity or inablity to absorbed the coaches knowledge .. the really great coaches who hav e that iIT factor still gets the job done through other components of coaches beside theory … the i innate skill to motivate players to above their max consistently ..that type of coach is what we need for our players ..it has very little to do with x’s and o’s of coaching .. not withstanding knowledge of the game is an handy prerequisite to have
Sometimes the problem isn’t with the Coaches and their ability to Coach eh, many of the times it is the players on our Soca Worries team and in our professional league that doesn’t understand the subject or have the skills to play and execute the Coaches plan eh. Them really good yes.
Trinis is the greatest. Alyuh eh see the team play a game yet under this coach and alyuh criticising. Sancho decided that going for three straight titles is more important than the national team. All the rest of teams released their players. Even the second placed team
there is no hard and fast methodology for coaching success .. either you have it or you dont .. you decision usually defines your success after the fact we will come to realize tom sainfiel had it or did not hope it would not be to late on both sides of the fence
It’s a friendly Burd, that’s what friendlies or practice matches are for lol
The team returns on December 30 and goes into camp on January 1, James. And if he said: It is just a friendly game and I want to see new players… That would be an explanation too, won’t it?
It would of course be a weird one. Because he hasn’t seen any players.
When Beenhakker came, he got straight down to his best team available so we can be ready to win World Cup games. So I don’t get the logic of what you are suggesting.
Let the man prove himself na
And hush and watch on? That’s for fans to do not journalists. Journalists are supposed to ask questions and get relevant info to readers.
I’m all for accountability I get it but honestly concerning his choice to Change up things I think it’s worth a shot
James
Ah hope you joking or employing sarcasm.
Nothing friendly or practice about these matches. When you hired with less than 30 days to prepare for 2 GC games you have little time to be scouting the reserves. When you hired with less than 4 months to prepare for Panama and Mexico where you have been given the mandate by your boss of 4 points or your head, its not a time to be ignoring your best keeper to prove an obscure point.
Is Mexico ranked 18 in the World and Panama ranked 58 in the world we facing in March not the 154 ranked Maldives Tom the Cat was playing with 185th ranked Bangladesh.
We ranked 78th in the world but hiring a coach that last coach the Country ranked 185th and people do want us to ask questions nor critique his decisions. Daly damn right that we have a curious “self-esteem” as a people.
I think about that a lot myself Sean. It’s pretty sad.
It is ultimately his call and he will live or die by his choices Gary. No doubt.
Grind your axe lasana, grind it
You have an alternative eh trini don. You can get all your news at TTFA Online if you wish. 😉
I’ve seen big named coaches/managers destroy clubs eh and with choice players more talented than a lot of our players however the man got the job he has experience and we have to give home the benefit of the doubt …..If we had a” local coach ” like one of the guys from our local clubs or even a past player there is a familiarity that can haunt when.comes to relations to the players lets face it the problem isn’t really the coach it’s the local guys( not all of them )lack the discipline to execute …..So it’s nice to have a stranger come in who has no ties or personal cares for players and their panda or men who’s ego is bigger than their resume etc …..bottom line give the man a chance
If that is what you think about how things are being done under Tom, you have t been paying close attention Gary. But keep reading here.
I will
Let me ask a question ….If you were appointed coach can you name your 11 and subs ?
What would you have done different ?
What’s your real issue the fact that the new guy making changes ? Or that he is giving no reasons to the public for them ?
I don’t have any issue Gary. I just ask questions. If I’m in a taxi and the driver misses the usual turn, I would ask where we are going and why he is taking that route.
Some people will say nothing and enjoy the scenery.
There has been quite a bit of debating from football stakeholders (not idle fans) that Tom actually doesn’t have full control of his cab. But you can look on and make your own mind up. I never try to tell anyone what to think. I just try to bring relevant info to the table.
I’m kind of happy this guy not afraid to put the “big names” to rest and give others a chance so I really wish him the best hope the guys go play their Hearst our and bring back a win …..Hope we see a different type of football from this group maybe some passion and drive to win something and not be posing on the field like they in a all inclusive
I agree with Travis here I don’t think the coach needs to explain his selections to anyone but his employers whether we like them or not, especially for a friendly international, so calm down everybody. What he needs to explain to us are his results which we will see soon enough.
So a journalist is wrong to ask the coach why he left out a senior player like Jan-Michael Williams?
We should essentially hush and look on?
Will we be able to see Nicaragua games?
Wow we are a society of critics yes we pick a nobody coach yes DJW is a dictator but the dye done cast so no support for the team then even if you don’t agree with the picks but at the end of the day they representing TNT Like it or not . We like the opposition in parliament opposing because we is the opposition we only seeing negative and more negative
The ? I would love to ask is if all the pro league clubs did what Brent Sancho did I wonder how the guys would have trained? Ask yall selves dat question den play d blame game
The USL goalkeeper should be the starter if there was any rationality.
I’m surprised that I haven’t seen him since he came the first time.
I’m not sure if he is keeping his options open.
..What other option does he have?..
Keith Look Loy Canada
The guy is MLS ready. Multiple scouts I trust have confirmed
.Seriously? Canada selecting him? Really?..
..Not to mention the fact that Canada does nothing..
Jamaal’s job isn’t really to help Tom. It is to help youth development. He is just pitching in for now I think.
His main duty starts with youth programme next year.
Is it also his job to be part of the coaching staff?
And if he is considered to be an assistant coach then it’s in his contract to be part of the senior team decision making
Kurtwyn it isn’t. But as I understand it he is a salaried staff member. So the TTFA is likely to be saving money by using him. Same for Latapy.
Lasana Liburd as Jamaal mentioned about so many half truths…I want to be able to give credit to the staff when it’s due, but I don’t want no back door jumpers if this backfires,not because someone is salaried they have to accept something out of what they were hired to do
So everyone here blaming the coach and the ttfa but no one seems to put the blame on selfish Brent Sancho who only has a vision for club and nt country because it’s his fault Jan ain’t get pick smh ppl in tnt so mc blind and like snakes
I am total agreement with the Coach,Central FC and a bit surprised at my friend Jamaal Shabazz being advised to cut communications with the citizens that are still trying to come to terms with the views on the other side and agreeing to it…So if that is the case if the results happen to go against our Coach Mr Tom and he gets the Axe, would Jamal and the Staff would also be axed because by right it should be the obvious…Lasana?
Message from Jamaal Shabazz, interim assistant head coach to National Senior Team:
I have been advised that during the period I am on the Technical Staff of the National Team I should abstain from the blog. Having listened to the views of a couple bloggers whose opinion I value and in the best interest of not being a defender of anyone because of my position I would be temporarily not commenting on the blog.
I will continue to respect the views of bloggers though we vehemently disagree at times. One love to all…hope to be back soon..
I think this is a good call by Jamaal and TTFA. We all like to express our opinions and Jamaal has done an excellent job of giving us Saintfeit’s perspective. But in the end, it can only be Saintfeit who can truly explain his decisions. Now that the squad has arrived in Nicaragua, this debate should be put to bed. In two days we will be discussing the teams performance and the coaches tactics. Hopefully this will be a positive debate full of hope for the gold cup.
C’mon Lasana Liburd why does the coach have to justify who he selected to anyone??? I’m sure you won’t want people questioning your moves at wired 868 . Let other players get a chance to play see what they bring to the field,as you said Jan is battle tested. At the end of the day the coach done under pressure,yall relax and let the man do his do . There are a player or two on this trip who I personally would not have picked but it is what it is. Coaches live and die by their decisions.
So Travis, me saying who was left out is a bother to the coach? Tell me how to write so I can be more polite nah.
But like you didn’t read good too. Because he didn’t pick anybody ahead of Jan-Michael. One of his three goalkeepers got injured and he decided to go a player short.
So he chose an empty seat over Jan.
In no country with any self respect can a coach leave out a player who has served his country well and not have to explain his decision.
We are not saying it isn’t his job to make such decisions. But he would have to justify it out of a respect for the player and his fans.
Not here. We like big bosses here.
You think if Saintfiet was working in a big football country he would be getting questions from just one journalist?
Ronaldinho dropped by Dunga?
But why the hurrah for Jan what about the ex captain getting the axe, a simple explanation was given and that was that ? There is a thin line in having to answer to people’s for your decisions and being communicative with the media. Central are within their rights not to release players outside the break and also the coach for not picking the players. What I thought you would have been asking is why he picked some players who been having nightmares on the field for the last 4 qualifiers
As I said Ian Fitzwilliam a coach lives and dies by his decisions I’m sure if dunga and scolari could press rewind they would include dinho in their teams but the ink already dry.
The difference Travis is that Jan continued training and a spot became available.
In Kenwyne’s case, the coach said it was tactical. So we have to wait to see his tactics before we can judge.
And the coach himself said he would not punish the Central players. So people can look st the evidence and see.
Some will agree with him. Some will disagree.
My job is just to provide the info. Any coach who thinks they shouldn’t have people looking at their selections… well, it comes with the territory for any big job.
Looking at selection , debating on selection and demanding the coach explain why is a different matter. I think the only person a coach must justify selection to is the man paying his salary. As a manager of men you have a conversation with the player involved but in no way do you have to justify yourself to a player,cause if you do that then Everytime you drop a player you have to explain. As a coach you don’t want that,players have to know their job is to play not select teams. How many players Lasana Liburdwould volunteer for the bench or stands for non performance ???
If Allardyce can be asked about his use or non use of Rooney, despite the fact that he is clearly over the hill… If Klinsmann is questioned on Donovan or Dempsey and Argentina coaches are asked about their use of Messi…
Why can’t T&T coaches be asked about Kenwyne or Jan or Molino?
It isn’t demanding. He can not answer if he wants. That’s his right.
A situation where you as coach can do whatever you want without question isn’t healthy for anyone including the coach.
Well you’re being extreme their ,the word is justify not ask.one thing I sure about Lasana Liburd is that to become a top journalist you have to be very knowledgeable of the English language,lol
Our job is to ask relevant questions Travis. The rest is up to the coach.
But if communication with the public wasn’t important, the TTFA wouldn’t have a press officer and media arm.
I agree ,in fact I like the duels between the special one and the journalists
And as I said players need exposure and we need to widen our player pool.personally I see Glenroy Samuel as the most in form keeper as we speak,will he stay hungry if he breaks into the team , we ll have to wait and see. I personally don’t like at least 6 of the selections but as a coach I have to tolerate the coach’s choice knowing that he will live or die by his decisions. As I maintain Hart was fired because of none performing players he persisted with
Actually it can be argued that the DF gk is the most in form gk in the league atm
Glenroy is the in form goalie now. The test is one of mental strength at that level. I have no problem with some level of experimenting.
Travis you know that you don’t drop a senior player in the same way you drop a junior player. Not if you respect what he has done for country anyway.
Of course but Jan is a smart fella,he knows the problem was caused by his boss ,if he was disrespected would he have continued training???
Well I don’t want to say more than I wrote really. But that’s why I wrote the story.
Travis Mulraine i dont expect an easytime from lasana towards Tom, maybe if he change his name to Hart??
Ok well I could understand that, Hart deserved better from his players and the TTFA
Alyuh forget Lasana job is to ask questions and be a voice for and of the people?
Ian Fitzwilliam don’t make excuses for Lasana Liburd he is a bacchanalist
Hahahaha
Lol. Smh
Too much politics in the football how do we expect to move forward
Durry Durry the man playing short like chelos
He is a cricket coach you in hear d team he coach before Bangladesh an Zimbabwe never heard den play football before
No, TTFA went Rattan’s and buy him, he was that cheap.
The ex-connection Jan Michael Williams? Makes sense.
This what happens when we hire a swimming coach
Tom the Cat doth protest too much, methinks!
“The final selection that will go to Nicaragua is one hundred percent my choice.”
Lol. Touche.
cant help but laugh the assist say ask the coach and the coach say he having dinner. i would have called the other assist and asked him no matter he is off duty.
I run out of assistants. Latapy will say he ent reach yet so he don’t know what’s happening!
Hahaha
Something is brewing..Williams missed one camp..and he is out??
This is the beginning of the end for us,Ray Charles could see that????
This is not logical. So someone has blacklisted Williams? ????
Well….Men defending, going down hard….. We will see soon enough
…
We must remember who hired the coach
We carrying a C+ team to play? Why doesnt The president just dont pick the team and have santi aa the towel boy… ..just have it official. .. no need to front anymore
So Williams end up in hospital the last game he play for TnT, train with the team and when ah keeper get hurt the new coach chose to not take the most capped keeper?
This man is a clown who has no testicles!
Like I said before, any “man” who can sit there while someone publicly embarrasses him by saying, “He’s laughing but I’m serious” is a clown…I don’t care how much these players talk about how much they enjoy his training and all that BS — what else are they supposed to say, “This coach is a clown who don’t know what he doing?” — this is a circus.
RIP Solomon Mcleod, you’re not forgotten meh bredren.
Smh Williams is easily our best keeper
It eh just a C+ team it’s DJW’s team! Not saintfeit. DJW get his feelings hurt by a few written articles, imagine if the T&T fans got together as one and call for his head, what is he gonna do? Us as true T&T football fans have to keep up this pressure on DJW.
Is Williams team for real
“Instead, the Warriors travel without sufficient numbers to play 11v11 scrimmages”… so Saintfiet have to suit up and join the scrimmage? Lmao…kicks yes
The man have touches lol
Tom “Ranking Boss” Saint Feet.. ?????
Keeps getting sweeter
Lol RANKING ting!
Brrr?