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Dwight Yorke, Russell Latapy, Louis Saha, Shaka Hislop, Deon Burton, Stern John, Stan Collymore, Pierre Van Hoojidonk, Dennis Lawrence, Patrick Berger and, as a special treat, cricket’s world record holder Brian Lara.
(Courtesy Sinead Peters/Wired868)
It is an all-star week for football fans as the Caribbean’s most famous past players and a host of former England Premier League stand-outs land in Tobago for the British Airways Tobago Football Legends Challenge, which culminates in a two-day tournament on Saturday June 20 and Sunday June 21.
“I played in the Legends tournament in Barbados a couple of years ago and this is the first time in Tobago,” said Hislop, who will represent a PFA All Star team. “I am really happy to be a part of this initiative, which will give great exposure to not just Tobago but Trinidad as well.”
Players started pouring into Tobago on Monday while their community outreach programmes today are already in full swing with motivational talks and training sessions in Speyside, Roxborough, Mt St George, Mt Grace, Mason Hall, Castara, Plymouth, Shaw Park, Mt Pleasant and Canaan.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
There was also a session today at St Mary’s College’s Serpentine Road Ground in St Clair.
The Legends Challenge is sponsored by the Division of Tourism and Transport, British Airways, England’s Professional Footballers Association (PFA), the Division of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports and a host of local sponsors.
Match day tickets are available at $50 per person in Tobago at Penny Savers Supermarket, Milford 24 Tobago gas station, Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort, Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association, Seahorse Restaurant, Pablo’s Supermarket in Argyle.
Trinidad football fans can get their tickets at Crosby’s, Cleves One Stop Music Shop in Port of Spain and Flow payment centres in Port of Spain, Tacarigua, Arima, Chaguanas and San Fernando.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Soca star Destra Garcia will also perform during the two-day event.
“We are doing everything in our power to showcase Tobago to the world,” said Tracy Davidson-Celestine, Secretary of Tourism and Transportation. “The Legends event is the culmination of a year’s hard work as part of a successful plan to help raise the profile of our island and attract tourists.
“Everyone is excited to get the show on the road and looking forward to some of the best sporting and entertainment activity Tobago has seen.”
Hislop, a 2006 World Cup hero and a former Premiership standout with Newcastle, West Ham and Portsmouth, thinks fans will have as much fun as the players, once they accept the work of Father Time.
“Things don’t work as well as they used to and that can be a bit frustrating,” said Hislop, with a laugh. “It is more social and renewing some old rivalries without them being as serious as they were. It is about the laughs!”
(Courtesy Sinead Peters/Wired868)
British Airways Tobago Football Legends Challenge Teams
Arsenal FC: Vince Bartram, Ian Selley, Jimmy Carter, Stefan Schwarz, Chris Whyte, Luis Boa Morte, Omer Riza, Michael Thomas;
Aston Villa: Gavin Ward, Allan Wright, Ugo Ehiogu, Stefan Moore, Mark Walters, Darren Byfield, Graham Fenton, Darius Vassell;
Manchester United FC: Raimond Van der Gouw, Michael Clegg, Dwight Yorke, Ronny Johnsen, Louis Saha, Quinton Fortune, Bojan Djordic, Brian Lara;
Chelsea FC: Ed de Goey (to be confirmed), Mark Stein, Frank Sinclair, David Lee, Gareth Hall, Ken Monkou, Sam Parkin, Jody Morris;
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Liverpool FC: Tony Warner, Stephane Henchoz, Steve Harkness, Patrick Berger, Vlad Smicer, David Thompson, Bjorn Kvarme, Stan Collymore;
PFA All Stars: Shaka Hislop, Michael Gray, Michael Mols, Paul Scharner, Ian Goodison, Matt Jansen, Ricardo Gardner, Pierre Van Hoojidonk;
Caribbean All Stars: Clayton Ince, Paul Hall, Marcus Gayle, Russell Latapy, Dennis Lawrence, Stern John, Fitzroy Simpson, Deon Burton;
Tottenham Hotspur: Radek Cerny, Chris Perry, Paul McVeigh, Neale Fenn, Mitchell Thomas, Ruel Fox, Sean Davis, Andy Sinton.
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Legends don’t make me laugh!!!
Cole isn’t on list of confirmed players. So don’t know if he will come. Probably unlikely
Lasana Liburd I see no mention of Andy Cole on the United team! Is he a no show as I think his face is printed on the official flyer!
Lol. Latapy didn’t play in the premiership at all eh. I see sam Parkin is here with Chelsea but he never got a game for them either. Stern’s credentials as good or better than most.
General latapy
Ok lasana if scoring under 8 goals in a season in the premiership makes you eligible well hats off 2 them yes
Quick on the draw!
http://wired868.com/2014/03/11/mc-lara-caught-at-slips-after-unimportant-stroke/
Hahaha…. Now I remember Gyasi!
Well the last time those 2 teamed up in Tobago Lasana Liburd one’s gf was deemed “not that important” lol
Long after his retirement, Birmingham City fans remember Stern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxwL5_zmF8s
Stern John helped get two teams promoted to the Premiership and I saw him perform brilliantly too eh. I remember him dismantling West Ham with a terrific double and getting man of the match at Chelsea when he was sandwiched between Desailly, Makelele and Gallas…
Having said that, there are many non-Premiership players involved in the tournament. It is just meant as a nice vibes with some A class celebrities and other players who made a contribution to the game too like Deon Burton, Clayton Ince and Dennis Lawrence for instance.
Isn’t that tournament for premier league stars what stern john doing there he aint do shit in the premier league or anything worthwhile in England at all
What’s that Gyasi Sniani Merrique?
More events like this should be organized and promoted. Sports tourism is a no brainer with our climate and natural resources.
Lasana all I want is when yuh see latas tell him how malik say ….. latassssss!! He doh know meh but he put a spanner on meh about 20 yrs ago lol
6 ah side? This sounds like real fun boy. Lara can play still? Lol
Again Lasana Liburd?
Were the so called GHETTO youths involved in this or just he well to do big-shot sons? Way to go Latapy. Shaka, Dwight, Minister: Stern and the other boys. Great selfie.
I was batting for a comrade at the Guardian Josh Surtees. Lol. Used to work there up to 2008. Ask Tino or Keith. I was very involved with the Sports Dept.
Lol. Thanks Debbie. Can’t get to Tobago right now :'( but thanks for thinking of me 🙂
Lasana i think you should give my ticket to Josh Surtees. He needs it more than me so he could meet his heroes.
You could tell him I still remember him scoring in the first Arsenal match I ever saw when I was eight. 2-1 v Luton, 1987/1988 at Highbury. One of the Stein brothers scored Luton’s goal. I sat in the East Stand.
Thanks man.
Haha. I will see what I can do for you Josh Surtees
But………..I have not been following the tournament over the years, so I am not sure if any of the clubs may have a team that played together before .
Mickey Thomas for the Arsenal? Amazing. If you could get something signed for me from him I’d be much obliged. Also, keep me appraised of Collymore’s on and off field activities – on or off the record, as appropriate!
Bigger names, but Caribbean All Stars, might be the better team, better chemistry with the two sub units , the Jamaican and trini units. Lol
Hahahaha. Can’t go anyway but i know i’m missing out.
Hahaha… You just broke my budget! 🙂
I should think the Dwight Yorke/Brian Lara combination will be the talk of Tobago.
Are you prepared to put me and Huzzie up also? Lol.
Backing the Caribbean All Stars to take the trophy in the finals, with a Stern John goal on a Latapy assist. Lol.
Lol. If you are there I would happily buy your ticket Debbie. 😉
Getting to Tobago is never a problem Lasana. Can i go as your typist?? Lol.
So why dontcha Debbie? Granted it won’t be easy to get to Tobago…
Gosh! I so wish i could attend those matches. Would love to have been there with my Latas jersey from 2006. Sigh!