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The Soca Warriors were given Carnival Sunday to Tuesday off, as Trinidad and Tobago National Senior Team coach Dennis Lawrence said it was important to understand local culture.
The National Senior Team began training last Monday in preparation for next month’s Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Panama and Mexico on 24 and 28 March respectively. The Warriors also play away to Suriname in a friendly international on 10 March.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
However, Lawrence, a former World Cup 2006 defender, was pleased to give his charges three days off for the Carnival season.
“They are going to be back on Ash Wednesday,” Lawrence told the TTFA Media. “I understand as well that Carnival is part of our culture and I think it was necessary to allow the players some time with their family and Ash Wednesday we will be back on the training ground working hard again.”
The rookie national senior team coach did offer players the option of extra training over the Carnival period if they chose and, Wired868 understands, six Warriors took up the offer. The six were: Daneil Cyrus, Carlyle Mitchell, Nathan Lewis, Tyrone Charles, Leston Paul and Jomoul Francois.
Lawrence set up a special session to accommodate them.
The Warriors coach also added Central FC captain and midfielder Darren Mitchell to his initial 27-man squad last week. Versatile W Connection defender Alvin Jones is also back after a trial with MLS club Minnesota United.
The lanky former Everton FC and Wigan Athletic assistant coach said he was pleased with his players’ efforts so far.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
“The players have applied themselves in the right way,” said Lawrence. “I think this week was important for us getting together as a group for the players to understand the way myself and the staff wants to work. I think they have showed a fantastic attitude towards the work and hopefully it’s been beneficial towards the players with regards to fitness first and foremost.
“Technically we have to improve on things but in general the players have showed a good attitude. I am pleased with the progress but there’s still a long way to go.”
Lawrence, a former assistant coach at Everton FC, also introduced the Global Positioning System (GPS) system to the senior team programme for the first time.
Former Warriors head coach Stephen Hart previously pleaded unsuccessfully with former TTFA president Raymond Tim Kee and his successor and incumbent David John-Williams for the GPRS software, which is designed to analyse players’ physical condition in detail.
However, Lawrence was able to get the software, which was acquired on a two-month loan basis by John-Williams. The implementation of the GPRS is being overseen by Stephen Bradley, who is a member of Lawrence’s coaching staff.
(Copyright Allan V Crane/TTFA)
The players must wear a jacket with a tiny radio that transmits data of the player’s physical condition to the computer—operated by Bradley—during training sessions. This information is supposed to clarify everything from the player’s pulse rate, blood pressure, blood circulation, the condition of important bones in his body and his endurance capacity.
“I think it’s been fantastic,” said Lawrence. “We allowed the players to feel themselves into it. We did a full presentation on it and the players are fully clear on what the GPRS does and I am hoping to see a reaction to that.”
The GPRS should allow Lawrence to monitor any changes in his players’ physical condition over the Carnival.
“I think it is important to work in trust in any organisation,” said Lawrence. “I have given the players trust. They all understand and they know exactly what I expect of them over the next three days. We have worked hard over the past six days.”
(Trinidad and Tobago 28-man squad)
Goalkeepers: Jan-Michael Williams (Central FC), Marvin Phillip (Morvant Caledonia United), Glenroy Samuel (Ma Pau Stars), Adrian Foncette (Police FC), Andre Marchan (Defence Force);
Defenders: Carlyle Mitchell (Unattached), Curtis Gonzales (Defence Force), Julius James (Central FC), Radanfah Abu Bakr (Unattached), Daniel Cyrus (Unattached), Jelani Peters, Jesus Perez, Triston Hodge, Alvin Jones (all W Connection);
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Midfielders: Leston Paul, Sean De Silva, Darren Mitchell (all Central FC), Akeem Humphrey, Jared London (both Club Sando), Hughtun Hector (W Connection), Tyrone Charles, Nathan Lewis (both San Juan Jabloteh), Jomoul Francois (St Ann’s Rangers);
Forwards: Keron Cummings (Central FC), Jamille Boatswain, Hashim Arcia (both Defence Force), Akeem Roach (Club Sando), Jameel Perry (Police FC).
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WCQ under the bus…. who cares? Enjoy your carnival seems to be the message… smh
Amused *these comments*
I hope that ain’t the team to play and we get back all the outside players ?
This is call respect!!!! Dey have family to .this side will play there hearts out for him.watch and you all will see.remember i toll you all that!!!!!;well done sir!!!!!
Glad for the youth..
Congrats Darren Chucky Mitchell proud of u
Nice of the coach to show some sensitivity and flexibility.
Once the players are responsible and are mindful of what they eat and drink.
Can T&T qualify
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9BAEJyuReWQ&vidve=5727&autoplay=1
So let me get this right, Messi, Ronaldo, Pogba, Ibrahimovic, Neymar and Suarez all make huge commitments for their clubs and countries but T&T culture is more important to National footballers…. hahahahaha
I’ve never heard more non sense in my entire life.. Carnival.. give me a blasted break.. we are trying to qualify for a World Cup.. you think I have time for Machel and all dem dotish fete? Culture my A
Crazy!
When we cleaning house we ought to be mindful what we changing out and for what. Imagine we no wishing we had Mr Warner and Mr Tim Kee back.What a thing!The cloth is the same…different shades of grey
Maybe is just me but nobody wants Tim Kee or Warner back …pretty sure of that.
Agreed…It just shows us what we have to choose from…
Kinda sad really ….
It is inexcusable that Carnival is given off.. absolute hogwash. Maybe I’m a different breed but there is no this culture crap convinces me. Carnival? Give me a damn break..
Wc qualifying cannot take precedence over the Sunday all inclusive fetes and fellas holding dem and wukkin dem on Monday and Tuesday lol
I am ok with it and picking up on Ash Wednesday as long as it yields results. We shall see. Giving the coach a chance to build team chemistry and trust is a key element and it could be helpful. Also understand why folks may think it could be an issue but let’s see how it turns out.
Leo wouldn’t have given two shits about Carnival. Having said that, he probably worked it into his training plan, so I can live with it
If the players are responsible and stay away from alcohol and greasy food, then it shouldn’t be too bad I think.
He can scare them into thinking that the GPS can pick up traces of doubles and puncheon too! ?
I think he’s trying to build a trust element … we may not like it but it’s an important element …. let’s hope it works.
Hahahaha
The advanced TTFA coaching equipment illegibly comes with GPS, Breathalyzer kit, handcuffs and a sniffer dog!
Lol
GPS work on Party Boats?
Is about dammmmm time
Quite frankly we were and are miles behind in technology for the players in T&T. Technology for scouting reports, video editing, portals to send information directly to the players via iPads, or mobile phones. All this technology is being used around the world, and we are still drawing diagrams on paper. Nutrition, wellness, sports psychology, all are components missing as well. The GPS system alone doesn’t win football games, and in theory that may be true. But the cutting edge of technology is the way our young players learn today! And in the long term, knowing how to correctly put a periodization plan in place using GPS, wellness, sleep, nutrition, etc does become very important in winning games in the end.
Marginal gains. Every achiever understands this, no matter the industry.
Randy was thrown under the bus like hart.. and people wonder why players hesitate to play for our nation, with guys like the dictator in charge, 2 months gps tech means leaps and bounds to him lol
Interesting conversations about all of this. At any rate, I love your country and I love the players that played for me at T&T. I wish them all the best and I’ll always be here for them. They became my family. The fans and supporters were unbelievable to me, and I’ll always be appreciative of their support as well! I’ll be the biggest supporter in their quest to qualify for the WWC!
It’s good technology but ultimately it doesn’t win football matches..
Is it referred to as GPRS or GPS Kelvin Jack?
It’s GPS..it tracks you during a game.. how many sprints you do, how far you run, the work load on your body etc. It can help in terms of organising specific fitness sessions. But hey.. in modern football everyone is supremely fit and I mean supremely fit. Even non league level guys are ridiculously fit. It still comes down to who can concentrate better, who defends better and who can score goals.. GPS may be able to guide the sports scientist in terms of which player may be fatigued.. try telling that to Zlatan or Messi or Cristiano or Neymar who want to play every single game.. it’s good but it’s not decisive in terms of a teams ability to win football matches..
It’s a means of recording the state of a team’s fitness…… its not created to win matches it’s simply a tool to assist with understanding where we’re at fitness wise and help us achieve optimum levels. Most top teams in the world use it….and our national team’s fitness level is poor so I can definitely see the benefit of it to us.
I wouldn’t say our National teams fitness is poor.. they’re all fit.. of course it can improve.. we are behind on mostly good plain old ability and tactical awareness..
That too …
Yep
All d best bro ..now iz yuh time?
Because the ttfa are here to sabotage and keep down our football, that’s the agenda, when you have house negroes and Indians running the football and cricket of our nation, they are there to keep down the sports …. TT being on top of concacaf can’t happen, Mexico was too much of a scare for them..
Hart was sabotaged because he was on the verge of starting our wc campaign with two wins and qualifying the team, that had to be stopped, now it hangs in the balance with a FIFA paid coach under the auspices of the dictator
I asked for this two years ago for the women’s team as we were trying to prepare for the WWC.
It is sad to consider the lack of support that coaches received from the TTFA. Even now, we here that it is just for a two month trial. Hope it is kept longer.
We want first class football teams with third rate administrative support.
It’s a very good software but even at a minimum level they could have the players with “fitbits” wristbands and record their steps, calories burnt, distance travelled, heart rate to even record their progress at a minimalist level. We have to be more creative in our thinking 🙁
What exactly is the correct name for the software Lasana? I couldn’t find anything under the name listed in the article.
The ttfa referred to it as GPRS. Most just call it GPS. Just checked.
http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/34267968
Well Done Coach…..Who have Eyes to see will see Darren Chucky Mitchell…
I was also goin to ask dat same question when Hart asked for it an it wasnt given
This is nothing new, October fest for example the entire bayern munich team were allowed to enjoy the festivities during the season. Keeping professionalism in mind players are people too. Good man management.
Good point.
Ah boy, good to see the technology finally being implemented. I’ll play the devil’s advocate role and ask why Hart wasn’t able to have this equipment integrated into his program.
It is an excellent question. The TTFA president explained that they got a two month trial period for the GPRS. Was that not an option before though? Dunno. Glad it is here. Hope it helps.
Lasana – do the players have to meet minimum standards on say the beep test to be considered?
Tobias Ottley can answer that better than me. It’s an interesting question.
u know how long Chucky suppose to be on that side…all the best
All the other players should have also taken up the offer the same ,especially the goal keepers and just imagine not even 1 goalkeeper. Steeuuppss. Them really good yes.
Happy to see some players will to sacrifice carnival to better themselves to the rest or will same old same old.
He should have taken the team to Colombia the same like what Coach Brian Williams did with his U 20. Them really good yes.
I would have settled for Grenada.
hahahaha nah man dem have a carnival to eh. Them really good yes.
Yeah but it not going on now
Well Grenada not in the Hex eh, hence the reason why they need to play some practice games in Colombia. hahahaha
I think with a new coach and a new system to learn the coach would want every second with the players he could get but through to form we jamming still.
And we eh business, so they better just go out dey and wuk them in the Hex in other to qualify for 2018 World Cup in Russia eh. Them really good yes.
Hahaha your have me rolling on the floor with that one
Well you know how ah just like the bacchanal thing ent. hahahaha
Maybe the other fellahs bought their costumes already eh! Lol. And after all the pong men gave Cyrus for that glass of Baileys. See the fellah sacrificing eh. 😉
hahahaha Well he better sacrifice if he doesn’t want to be dropped again eh. Them really good yes.
Oh gosh….Mango…..the others jammin still
hahahahahaha hence the reason why they need to stop fooling themselves and just continue jamming eh, forget about the beautiful game because when last have any national team qualified for any World Cup tournament eh Them really good yes.
Do your best darren bro
Dog yuh making it real far boy school mate Chucky
Just told that Carlyle Mitchell, Daneil Cyrus, Nathan Lewis, Tyrone Charles, Leston Paul and Jomoul Francois took Dennis Lawrence up on his offer to get extra training over the Carnival period.
Lawrence set up special sessions for them.
Great
So you going to give the players time off when the match begins too? .. this is why football goes nowhere .. training taken much too lightly
Just told that Carlyle Mitchell, Daneil Cyrus, Nathan Lewis, Tyrone Charles, Leston Paul and Jomoul Francois took Dennis Lawrence up on his offer to get extra training over the Carnival period.
Lawrence set up special sessions for them.
Still believe Rodell Elcock should’ve gotten a look into
I don’t think Elcock is playing at the level he was two years ago. In fact I find most Defence Force players drop their level within a year or two of signing up.
Ok. Ross had them clicking
Nice to see Chucky finally in de mix. Hopefully he takes this chance to stake a claim for selection.
Buh A A I also now realized that my police stricker Perry also got a call up on the national team………BOOM.
I guess either his conscience really bothered him (Coach Dennis) or his right hand man Stern John really convinced him, but I am really happy for “Chucky” he really deserved his chance to prove himself on the national team……….BOOM.
Doesn’t matter …he’s in …now bring it!!