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Trinidad and Tobago National Senior Team coach Tom Saintfiet will have W Connection winger Aikim Andrews and United States-based midfield hardman Kevan George available tomorrow, as the Soca Warriors face Nicaragua in the second outing of a two-game series in Managua.
Kick off on Friday is at 8:30pm (TT time).
The Soca Warriors lost 2-1 on Tuesday night—their first ever loss to Nicaragua—with George unavailable and Andrews stuck in Trinidad due to a passport issue, which was only discovered on the day of the team’s departure from Piarco.
(Courtesy DPI Photography/Wired868)
Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) vice-president Ewing Davis, who is the chef de mission, was also blanked at the airport after his passport was flagged due to its expiry date. Davis landed in Managua on Wednesday night as well.
India-based striker Cornell Glen, who made his first international appearance in three years off the bench on Tuesday, hopes to get more playing time tomorrow.
“I felt good being back,” Glen told the TTFA Media. “It’s a young team with a lot of new faces [and] a new coach with different tactics but, all in all, it was good for me being back and playing with the boys again.
“I kept playing and I stayed positive over the years. Hopefully in the next game, I can get some more playing time and I show the coach what I can still offer.”
Glen said the Warriors are at an experimental stage now and suggested that Saintfiet—a former coach at Bangladesh, Malawi, Yemen, Togo and Namibia—did not encourage much improvisation from his players. However, he believes Trinidad and Tobago can still go on to qualify for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup and 2018 World Cup tournaments.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
“Coach is a very disciplined coach and there is not a lot of room for improvisation,” said Glen. “[…] We have to stay focused and confident that we can still achieve and realise our ambitions of Gold Cup and World Cup qualification. We have a lot of players to come in still and I think once we can gel and fit in with the coach’s tactics then we can definitely be successful again.
“The coach is in a bit of an experimental stage right now and people on the outside looking in maybe thinking: ‘Hey, we lost to Nicaragua and that is unacceptable.’
“But, at the same time, we are working on new stuff and trying a new system and that’s what it’s all about right now.”
For his part, Saintfiet said his main goal remains next month’s Gold Cup play off matches against Suriname and Haiti on 4 and 8 January respectively. However, the Belgian coach suggested that there will be tactical adjustments tomorrow and he is hoping for a result.
“The aim is still to prepare the team for Suriname and Haiti and then later Panama and Mexico,” Saintfiet told the TTFA Media. “The main target is not a result but a good preparation as we have to qualify for Gold Cup and World Cup but it would be nice that for our players—for the hard work that they have put in, the discipline and commitment they have—[to] get a good result on Friday.
“I really hope this for the boys because they have done everything for the country.”
(Copyright Leonel Rodriguez/TTFA Media)
Hashim Arcia scored Trinidad and Tobago’s lone goal on Tuesday, which marked Saintfiet’s debut as Warriors coach.
(Trinidad and Tobago 21-man squad)
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),
Midfielders: Curtis Gonzales (Defence Force), Alvin Jones, Hughtun Hector (both W Connection), Kevan George (Jacksonville Armada—USA);
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).
(Copyright BBC)
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), Ewing Davis (chef de mission).
Editor’s Note: Tickets for next month’s Gold Cup playoffs are on sale at all Lotto Locations nationwide at TT$50 (adults) and TT$20 (children).
Fans can purchase season tickets for all three playoff matches, which includes the clash between Suriname and Haiti on 6 January, at TT$100 (adults) and $45 (children). TTFA Season Pass holders can access the games at no additional cost.
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New stuff same licks. Ah done wid Trini football
Aikim Akim Andrews see ?
Se wah
Not much improvisation….I’m a bit concerned about that.
Another way to look at it… If the team perform well it’s down to his instructions. If they do poorly, it’s either the players can’t replicate what he said or his tactics are poor… Which you think he’s gonna say?
Am I allowed to say I’m fed up of the national team?
The organization behind them yes
New stuff: how to sink to new lows?
What else is he supposed to say lol.
Well good words about the coach there.
True. Although it’s also true that the TTFA would probably not issue a release with bad things about the coach.
Haha
We would hear sumn by now.
Or the players would’ve avoided saying good stuff. … ent ?
Home work: write a positive essay about the way things are. Or else….
Lol
Kirwin, who would have heard something by now? Of course people in the industry have heard things. I have. But what does it matter?
What matters is that they win games or look like they will win games. Talk is cheap.
But to answer you: Of course there have been negative things about Saintfiet from players too. There are negative things about ALL coaches by players.
You sift through to see what you take on and what you ignore. But what matters most is what happens on the field.
Lol. It wasn’t such a serious statement eh, but ok
??