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Trinidad and Tobago’s chances of advancing to the New Zealand 2015 FIFA Under-20 World Cup were extinguished tonight in Montego Bay after a 1-0 defeat to Panama followed by Jamaica’s 1-0 loss to the United States meant that progress was virtually impossible.
It would take a five goal triumph over the United States on Wednesday evening to give the “Soca Warriors” a chance to get out of Group A and into the play off round. And that mathematical equation is only possible on paper.
Murillo eventually forced Panama’s sole goal today.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
Not for the first time, Trinidad and Tobago’s efforts to keep its World Cup dream alive were dashed by the eccentric goalkeeping of American-born custodian Johan Welch.
But, in truth, the foundation for the Warriors’ collapse came from two red cards issued by Honduran official Armando Castro, which reduced the two-island republic to nine players before Panama’s breakthrough came in the 77th minute.
For Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 team head coach Derek King, the biggest jerk in Jamaica today was not served in foil paper with a Red Stripe beer. It was holding a whistle.
That is one way to look at it, of course. The other is that a careless late challenge from Kadeem Corbin followed by an injudicious use of the elbow by his annoyed teammate Akeem Humphrey left Trinidad and Tobago up the proverbial creek minus a paddle.
“We had a plan and it went off until we went down a man,” said King, in the post-match press conference. “We held our shape and we were disciplined. (Kadeem) Corbin was ejected but we held our own even down to nine men.
“We allowed a soft goal but the refereeing today was poor. Poor, poor refereeing.”
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
In the heat of the moment, it was easy to empathise with King. It was, after all, a Central American referee making game changing decisions in favour of a Central American football team.
Perhaps King might feel different after he views the replays tonight, though.
Whether CONCACAF erred in not assigning a North American referee to the match is another story.
The Panamanian team, already vastly more experienced than the Warriors, was certainly at a huge advantage by being on the same cultural wavelength as the official. They knew what he would be tempted to punish, what he wouldn’t and how far he would go.
Corbin, who did not play with this team at the under-17 phase in 2013, had no such experience of Latin officiating, particularly in a match involving a Central American team.
His first tackle was clumsy in the 14th minute. Castro whistled for a free kick but the Panamanians were not satisfied. They protested loudly. And the referee obliged with a card. It might have been harsh but it was bookable.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
Nine minutes later, Panama captain Chin Hormechea shaped to make a clearance from his own half. The ball was between both players and Corbin decided to challenge. But he did not get it and took a piece of the defender instead.
Hormechea is built like a truck and, even with both hands tied behind his back, it would take Corbin a whole day to floor him if they were playing in someone’s backyard. But the Panamanian knew an opportunity when he saw one and he looked as though the St Ann’s Rangers had taken a hacksaw to his leg up.
Once Castro showed the red card, Hormechea bounced back to his feet. The Trinidad and Tobago contingent was incensed.
Up until that point, Panama had enjoyed the lion’s share of the ball without ever getting close enough to the opposing goal to see the whites of Welch’s eyes.
“The three matches we saw of Trinidad and Tobago here and in the Caribbean Cup, we did not expect them to play the way they did today,” said Panama’s Argentine coach Leonardo Pipino, via a translator. “The way they played was nothing what we expected.”
Oddly enough, Pipino meant it as an insult.
Two years later, Panama had a tougher time against the young “Soca Warriors.”
(Courtesy Mexsport/CONCACAF)
“When a team like Trinidad locks itself in the back like they did today,” said Pipino, as his voice trailed off and he bore a look of contempt.
Had Dutchman Leo Beenhakker or Brazilian Rene Simoes been in charge of the Warriors today, they would have been hailed as geniuses. The truth is that Trinidad and Tobago, tired and low from a heartbreaking loss to Guatemala, came out in a compact block and played with discipline, energy and passion.
Panama shuffled the ball from one flank to the other in search of a gap to exploit. On most occasions, there was a Trinidad and Tobago player confronting him and one covering against the quick one-twos.
Pipino ordered his full backs up the flanks as if orthodox wingers to stretch Trinidad and Tobago. But the Warriors ignored them and stuck to Panama’s attacking quintet. And, by and large, it was the right tactical decision.
There have been mistakes made by the Trinidad and Tobago squad in Jamaica. But, by and large, the 34-year-old King showed an ability to compete at this level; even if he, like his players, could do with more games to hone their craft.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
Whatever Pipino might say, the Warriors continued to threaten even with 10 players although, without a midfield conductor, there was a hit-and-miss feel about their athletic surges on the break. And it was not quite good enough to dismantle an opponent as capable as Panama.
By the hour mark, the Warriors were effectively camped at the edge of their own penalty area but Panama was still struggling to create chances. The uneven playing surface did not help the Central Americans as it made slick, early ball movement difficult.
In the 64th minute, Pipino withdrew striker Carlos Small as Panama switched to Plan B. Two minutes later, Trinidad and Tobago gave him more to think about as Levi Garcia tore through the centre on the break and slipped to substitute Aikim Andrews whose angled shot was wide at the near post.
Pipino did not have to worry for too long, though. In the 68th minute, Castro flashed his red card again.
Humphrey, a Super League player with Club Sando, got ahead of Samms to win possession only for the stocky attacker to tug at him to neutralise the Trinidadian’s advantage. And, instinctively, the frustrated Humphrey threw an elbow.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
Both players went over as though struck and it would have difficult for King or anyone else to be sure about what transpired. But replays proved that Castro got it right.
And now the Warriors were down to nine players.
There was sarcastic applause for the Honduran official by some Trinidad and Tobago players and staff members. But King made a more level headed response.
This time, he sacrificed Garcia and introduced rugged utility player Brendon Creed as the Warriors maintained a back four behind a midfield trio of Neveal Hackshaw, Creed and Andrews and Akeem Garcia upfront.
And, try as they might, the Panama players found determined, unbowed opponents in their way. The Warriors did not surround the official to protest or seek revenge with rash tackles. They worked even harder to suffocate CONCACAF’s supposed second best youth team.
But then, in the 77th minute, came the cruelest blow of all. And, again, it was self-inflicted.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
The Warriors, as mentioned earlier, had allowed space to the Panama full backs so as to stay tight on their attacking players. There was a cruel irony that this decision was proven right and wrong at the same time.
Only right back Murillo knew if he attempted a shot or cross but it should have been a regulation catch if Welch was guarding his near post. He was not, though. And, trying to claw away the ball while facing his own goal, he only succeeded in palming it into his own net for the opening goal.
King was so certain that Murillo’s effort did not present any danger that he had turned his back to have a quick word with assistant coach Hutson Charles. He will have to see that replay too tonight.
The coach made a final change as the giant figure of Leland Archer, who performed admirably at the back, was sent upfront as a target man. Archer got Trinidad and Tobago’s only effort on target today with a headed flick off a Hackshaw long throw in second half stoppage time, which was easily caught by Panama goalkeeper Jaime De Gracia.
“I have to applaud the guys,” said King. “They fought for the team and they held their discipline. Panama didn’t really get much clear chances.”
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
Jamaica’s 2-0 loss to the United States, in a subsequent affair in Montego Bay tonight, meant Trinidad and Tobago was as good as out. The Warriors will have to beat the “Yankees” by at least five goals on Wednesday.
And King would have a better chance of picking the winning lottery ticket next weekend.
The New Zealand dream is over.
(Teams)
Trinidad and Tobago (4-2-3-1): 1.Johan Welch (GK); 2.Shannon Gomez (captain), 3.Martieon Watson, 5.Leland Archer, 4.Jesus Perez; 8.Neveal Hackshaw, 17.Akeem Humphrey [Red Card: 68]; 11.Levi Garcia (13.Brendon Creed 71), 9.Kadeem Corbin [Red Card: 23], 7.Akeem Garcia (12.Kishun Seecharan 83); 16.Ricardo John (15.Aikim Andrews 54).
Unused substitutes: 21.Javon Sample (GK), 6.Duane Muckette, 10.Jabari Mitchell, 14.Matthew Woo Ling, 18.Kevon Goddard, 19.Maurice Ford.
Coach: Derek King
Panama (4-2-3-1): 12.Jaime De Gracia (GK); 4.Michael Murillo, 2.Chin Hormechea (captain), 6.Fidel Escobar, 3.Kevin Galvan, 8.Luis Pereira, 10.Jhamal Rodriguez, 7.Julian Velarde (11.Ervin Zorrilla 46), 9.Ismael Diaz (20.Ruben Barrow 89), 16.Edson Samms, 18.Carlos Small (19.Richard Rodriguez 64).
Unused substitutes: 1.Pedro Campos (GK), 13.Jomar Diaz, 14.Jesus Araya, 15.Fabian Salcedo, 17.Justin Simons.
Coach: Leonardo Pipino
Referee: Armando Castro (Honduras)
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
CONCACAF Group A results
(Sunday January 18)
Trinidad and Tobago 0, Panama 1 (Johan Welch OG 77) at Montego Bay;
Guatemala 2, Aruba 0 at Montego Bay;
Jamaica 0, United States 2 at Montego Bay.
(Wednesday January 14)
Guatemala 2 (Martieon Watson OG 24, Hugo Portillo 87), Trinidad & Tobago 0 at National Stadium, Kingston;
United States 8 (Romain Gall 16, 23, 32, Bradford Jamieson IV 18, 48, Thomas Thompson 26, Emerson Hyndman 30, Amando Moreno 84), Aruba 0 at National Stadium, Kingston;
Jamaica 0, Panama 2 (Edson Samms 56, Ismael Diaz 86) at National Stadium, Kingston.
(Sunday Jan 11)
Trinidad and Tobago 5 (Jabari Mitchell 3, 78 pen, Aikim Andrews 15, Kadeem Corbin 28 pen, Duane Muckette 58), Aruba 1 (Duncan Homoet 90) at Kingston;
Panama 1 (Carlos Small 78), United States 0 at Kingston;
Jamaica 0, Guatemala 1 (Steven Robles 27) at Kingston;
(Friday January 9)
Jamaica 2 (Donja Smith 67, Junior Flemmings 90+3), Trinidad and Tobago 2 (Aikim Andrews 6, Kadeem Corbin 15)
United States 1 (Cameron Carter-Vickers), Guatemala 1 (Jose Ruiz)
Panama 4 (Ismael Diaz 19, 50, Ervin Zorilla 30, Edson Samms 36), Aruba 0
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I know many people who would be willing to devote time to get it done if they thought that the TTFA was serious. We require a complete overhaul of the institution to make it happen. The current administration simply not getting the job done.
And the best part, Kendall Tull, is that entire list is very doable. It just requires a will to do things properly. That looks like a pretty solid blueprint to me.
Where to start Lasana? This is a topic where we can have discussions for hours. In precis form, the TTFA need to do the following:
1) First and foremost, they have to rebuild their relationship with Corporate T&T. That means building trust that will require massive changes in how they operate.
2) Tied to the first point, there needs to be greater transparency and accountability. Audited accounts, statement of costs for tournament etc have to become part of the TTFA’s lexicon.
3) There has to a performance driven culture. Failure to perform must have consequences. We cannot accept mediocrity if we expect to progress as a people.
You will notice none of the above has anything to do with football. These are all enablers. The foundation on which we can then build. If we don’t do these things, none of what follows will work.
4) Develop a strategic plan. This isn’t lip service or some document that sits on a shelf gathering dust. This is the blueprint for development that says what we want to achieve with our football. If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there. This plan has to be the result of consultation with all stakeholders – clubs to fans to government to administrators.
5) Break the dependency on government funds. Corporate sponsorship and fundraising have to become second nature to the TTFA. Accredited training programmes, fundraisers and a donors programme are just some basic ideas that all clubs use to raise funds. They need to kick it up several notches to make it work.
6) With funding in place, now you begin implementation of a plan to build for the future. That means investing in youths to develop a cohesive training regimen to allow players to progress through the various levels of competition seamlessly. Nutrition and fitness have to be cornerstones – skill is not enough to succeed at the highest level.
7) Part of that development must deal with coaches and referees. That area has been neglected for far too long.
That’s my $0.02
No worries people…the coach will have quite a few more campaigns to get it right 🙂
Now you’re pushing it! Lol. Actually Sheldon Phillips wrote a testimonial for Wired868 before he became general secretary.
The TTFA should have a public brainstorming session, via a blog format, on fundraising. The session should start by them being transparent as far as their financial accounts are concern. They should also provide line items as to who is owed what and what assets does the organization have. Added to the above should be details of the organization’s long term strategic plan, again with line items on where funding is needed. Then open brainstorming discussions can be held about funding mechanisms. I think something like the above would be unique and allow for the public to contribute ideas and actively participate in the establishment of a potentially successful endeavor. Participants would also have the opportunity to decide if they would like to personally fund specific line items, like the salaries of coach x, or the cost of team y to tour Europe, or the cost of a local camp, or the cost of beverages for local training sessions.
You should send them a friend request. Get them to like your page. Lol
Lol. Actually they both do Carlos.
Las – does Tim Kee and Sheldon have FB accounts? We need to link them into these discussions, if not just for awareness. Lol.
What you think Kendall Tull? Or Bruce Aanensen?
About the funding issue – that is a reality and a situation we should never be in – especially after all the millions of dollars that came into the TTFF after the 2006 WC. But we know what your arch enemy and former TTFF special advisor did with all the dollars generated from the WC. If only the current TTFA could get its hands on half of that. While I hate going this route, because I prefer for national teams to develop and generate their own revenues, the government should seriously consider pumping funds into football – provided there’s a proper, well developed, well administered and well managed long term strategy. The benefits to the country would be enormous, including stemming the growing crime rate, which is partly caused by too many delinquent, unsupervised youths.
That’s it right there Carlos. We can build on what we used effectively before.
Is the 2nd pick Goalie any better? Do they have more confidence in him? If so why wasn’t he selected? Far as i heard Panama wasn’t going to be an easy team to beat so with 9 men to defend a side like Panama maybe some nerves got in the way just like with Cordner in their final match against Eucador. Also we’re focusing on the Goalie while we should be concerned with the indisclipine which caused us two red cards and probably the game.
I dont believe in thin options … its a coaching issue …. poor coaching at a youth level leads to issues at a higher level. Resolution …you have to work harder to master the principles. It’s not an impossible situation but it needs to be recognised and addressed. This tournament is only a failure if we dont learn from it.
Las -I agree about the zonal system. It was quite effective during my time. In fact it started at the u12 level, where myself, Latas, Shaka, Yorke, Marcelle, and others got our first opportunities. National team coaches were involved in training the zonal teams and it served as a pipeline for the selection of national team players. There was, however, very little training at the zonal level. We mostly played games on weekends against other zonal teams. Would like to see such a model taken to the next level and operate more like an academy, which is what the US has recently done. In the US academy system, players are not allowed to play for their high school, which I think is unfortunate. But the goal is a good one – develop a deep pipeline to ensure the continued growth and development of national teams.
Lasana that was in the 1980 with exceptional coaches like jah lillywhite jan steadman m grayson isa muhammed and others who paid attention 2 detail but now its all about W”s no 1 cares for development its all about success and winning titles
In short, I wouldn’t underestimate our ability to produce players ourselves once we can get some proper administration and financial support.
Panama has an academy for its players and that costs money I’m afraid. There are shortcuts if we go back to what was there when I’m sure you were playing in Trinidad Carlos Lee.
That would be mean having zonal teams from U-12 level come up to try and ensure that coaches are always scouting and talent is pooled in every district.
That is not going to be as good as simply paying the youth coaches properly and allowing them time for camps and so on with squads.
True, we can bring in foreign coaches. But remember the youth coaches never had a chance to implement this because there is no budget for it. But we know in the 1980s there were zonal youth teams all over the place even if there were many unqualified coaches in the system.
And that era produced some exceptional players and it led to the Strike Squad coming within an inch of the World Cup, qualification for the U-20 World Cup (only two teams then), Defence Force and Police reaching the CONCACAF Club finals and so on.
We have many locals qualified to implement similar programs, but if the support isnt there from the top of the TTFA, it won’t work no matter who comes in.
Well I have been saying that we need a 8 to 10 year program where we should bring in a top dutch youth coach someone like rob wistege or arthur koeman let them come here and set up a proper structure with u8″s all the way up 2 the snr team where all the teams are playing the same system and we have a data base of players as they progress thru the system so teams will always be prepared adequately for tournaments and we will develop better quality also
So the TTFA should take a page from the Panamanian book. Seems like a very successful local model to follow.
They are doing good in panama cause after they lost in 2000 in the caribbean cup the panama fa scrapped their entire football program and invested in their youth programs and now they are reaping the success of a structured program the snr players are those players who started back in 2000 and now the entire country has bought into the system so now its a ongoing success
Might be good to bring in the Dely Valdes brothers from Panama to work with our youth programs.
That’s why I believe a postmortem is absolutely necessary on this team and this tournament. Can’t allow this to happen again. We also need to take a closer look at what they’re doing right in Panama. Both their youth programs and senior teams have been doing extremely well over the last 4-5 years. Would love to know what’s behind their success.
Yes carlos and nothing is going 2 change the next cFu u17 u20 is 2 yrs away and we will sit idly by and wait for 2017 then pick a team and the shit start all over again and when these boys say they won’t represent their country they get crucified by you can’t blame them why play if the odds are constantly stacked against you all the time we prepare 2 qualify at these tournaments never 2 win them
I say again Coaches for National teams should have gone through some process involving training and qualification ,and experience from the lower levels of coaching coming up.. Coaches in the Premiership have put in their time in the trenches for years before they can reach where they are now,try have been working at the lower levels for years before getting to where we see them,I know because I have seen it in action.
I stand by the statement that games are not won by formations and Fancy systems but by effective proper technique and skill. The ability of a Coach to diagnose individual player problems and deal with them is a fundamental requirement for proper performance. Until we get a cadre of Coaches who have these abilities we are doomed to staccato results based only on the pervormance of the opposition. How many potential quality players we are losing because of the inability of the technical staff to identify the qualities required to convert a player into an elite player capable of performing a particular task in a national team strategy.
I hear you Dion. Everything is always last minute in TNT. We love to scramble through everything.
There must be a thorough investigation/assessment into why this team failed to qualify at this tournament. In retrospect, why did the team need to fly to Florida for a camp prior to the tournament, which was scheduled to be held in Jamaica? Seem like it would have been less expensive, easier (no visa problems), and more appropriate to camp out at a neighboring Caribbean island.
That will happen when u give a man straw and ask him 2 spin gold from it the team never got the resources and time 2 prepare 4 such a tournament so hats off 2 the boys who did a creditable performance under the circumstances
I third that. Lol. What a wasted opportunity. To me this was one of the easiest opportunities to qualify for a World Cup. Poor preparation and poor coaching derailed the team. Some of the players need to also work harder at mastering the fundamentals of football. Unbelievable that at this level players can’t control the ball cleanly and make accurate passes with high precision, under mild pressure. I thought it was due to poor field conditions, but that thought was quickly perished after watching the Panamanian players and US players.
We all saw welch”s flaws at the u17 tournament in panama and in the cfu tournament also has limited ability too short and lacks physical qualities 2 be a quality keeper but that’s just my assesstment of him if I am an attacker he strikes no fear in me
Debbie Espinal you right I’m not being hard on him. and the reason people always remember goalkeeping errors is because the goalkeeper is the last line of defense, there’s no one to cover his mistakes, a luxury that is afforded to outfield players
On that note Debbie Espinal, I will say Welch’s distribution has really improved and he also gives very good instructions from the back. He has done his path too despite his errors.
But options are thin on the ground in that position.
Jevon i was trying to find the right words to say what you just said. Has any Goal Keeper ever won player of the year? Goal Keeping is a thankless job. You can make 100 great saves but you’ll always be remembered for the one you let in that cost the team the match. So don’t be too hard on the young Lad.
That’s fine Jevon Cox. But surely that was always the case. Shaka Hislop and so on didn’t want to play in goal at first either. But we always had three or four good goalies to call on for years.
I remember when Clayton Ince was third string with Defence Force and got a break from Bertille St Clair and was named the best goalie in the Caribbean.
There has to be another reason. Any ideas Travis Mulraine? Or Kester Lendor?
Lasana Liburd we struggle because most young players don’t view goalkeeping as a prized position. A lot of players want to play either forward or midfield, so the players who are viewed as not being able to handle these position often make up the back line, so the passion for these position just isn’t there.
Match highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiAtzQ0Kj5M
Malik Johnson, we have been struggling with our goalkeepers for years. I don’t understand why. The last decent crop we had was Jan-Michael Williams and Marvin Phillip.
Yep. Despite shoddy administration Travis Mulraine, it is almost entirely local coaches that are keeping our football afloat.
This keeper needs some proper coaching to resolve his positioning issues……..
so Lasana Liburd does that mean their are good local coaches??? LoL
I second that!
Sorry to say that our foibles aren’t a surprise to me simply because you cannot go into a qualifying tournament unprepared. Talent alone won’t get us there and the sooner we recognise that, the better our chances will be.
Nerves it’s called.
Can’t fault any points in this article! Our boys represented well & D.King impressed… if not for a goal keeping blunder & two in-disciplined plays.
Oh jah…silly mistakes killing we boi…tough..
On to the next game Team T&T, Keep Your Head Up…#WeSupportYouAlways!!!
Jah!
“There have been mistakes made by the Trinidad and Tobago squad in Jamaica. But, by and large, the 34-year-old King showed an ability to compete at this level; even if he, like his players, could do with more games to hone their craft.” Yup!
Tough luck TnT.
Oh no! Sigh