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The Trinidad and Tobago National Senior Team will play their do-or-die World Cup qualifier against Honduras on 1 September at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva from 8pm.
It will be the first time in eight years that the Soca Warriors play a World Cup qualifying home match outside of the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain. On 6 June 2009, Trinidad and Tobago—under then rookie coach Russell Latapy—hosted Costa Rica at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet.
The Warriors earned credit for their showing then although the result was a 3-2 defeat.
Costa Rica won 2-1.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CA Images/Wired868)
There is no margin for error for Trinidad and Tobago on 1 September and the Ato Boldon Stadium has not exactly been a lucky venue. The National Under-17 Team were eliminated in the group stage of the Caribbean Cup tournament at Couva last year while the Senior Team failed to impress there in January when they lost Gold Cup qualifiers against Suriname and Haiti .
Current Senior Team head coach Dennis Lawrence will hope to have more good fortune than Latapy and Tom Saintfiet respectively.
Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFA) president David John-Williams, during a call in to I95.5FM, said the decision to move the game was made after consultation with the Sport Company and Lawrence and several factors were taken into account.
Twice during the CONCACAF semifinal round, there were delays as the generator at the Hasely Crawford Stadium failed and the venue was plunged into darkness. John-Williams said the TTFA and Sportt felt more confident about the reliability of the Ato Boldon ground.
The TTFA president also noted the small crowds for the Warriors’ last home games against Panama and Mexico in Port-of-Spain in March, which attracted between 10,000 and 12,000 patrons respectively.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
At these games, only 8,500 and 6,500 spectators, according to John-Williams, were paying patrons while the others benefitted from complimentary tickets.
The Ato Boldon Stadium holds just 10,000 persons compared to 23,000 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. And John-Williams suggested that the football body preferred to be certain of a full ground, which could create a better atmosphere for the affair.
John-Williams noted too that the Couva facility is now the TTFA’s headquarters while the area also houses national venues for swimming, cycling and cricket. Central Trinidad, he suggested, is now the capital for sport in the two-island republic.
The local football president claimed that patrons will be allowed to park at the neighbouring sport venues, which should be able to accommodate another 700 vehicles. He also told Wired868 the TTFA will discuss with the PTSC the possibility of arranging a shuttle service to help fans get to a ground that is considered a nightmare for commuters.
There should be an early treat for football fans, though, as the TTFA is attempting to secure a home friendly against an African nation on Emancipation Day—1 August—as well as an 18 August outing against El Salvador.
(Copyright Allan V Crane/TTFA)
Both outings should offer crucial match practice for the Warriors, who are the only team of the six in the Hex to miss out on the Gold Cup, currently in progress in the US. The Emancipation Day affair should be particularly useful as, coming five days after a friendly against Ecuador in Guayaquil, it allows Lawrence and his squad to mirror the September schedule of home and away matches within a five-day period.
John-Williams said the TTFA will ensure that the National Senior Team’s friendlies on the road, including Ecuador, continue to be broadcast on television at home.
After hosting Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago play Panama in Panama City on 5 September. Anything less than six points from the two upcoming qualifiers will extinguish any lingering hope of the National Senior Team advancing to the Russia 2018 World Cup.
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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.
http://www.socawarriors.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19932%3Attfa-give-up-on-w-cup-campaign-eve&catid=117%3Afederation&Itemid=466
Colin Trinidad fans are a waste of time
I beat you to it
Ahhahahaha
The National Team Stadium is the Hasley Crawford. Proud to be a Trinidad and Tobagonian, wear your colors, support your team?
I suspect this is an attempt to keep the noise down if things don’t go well. Smh
I feel the TTFA has been steadily moving away from PoS for months now.
I remember being at the Panama friendly at Couva couple years ago – can see the logic in wanting to have it there to help create an actual intimidating 12th man atmosphere than HCS for this crucial game
The only way to have an intimidating atmosphere in trinidad is to import fans! Don’t believe for a second that changing venues will suddenly give us that.
Lasana Liburd ?
Lasana Liburd doh like ABS eh, we had this argument before Colin
Lol. Not about that Savitri. The only intimidating football ground I ever see in Trinidad is maybe at Guaya or San Juan Sec. So unless you’re playing there, don’t tell me about better crowd atmosphere!
You going and make noise or what Sav?! Lol
Not even sure to be at the game Las..lol. I was just saying, nah..lol
them really good yes
Wow hmmmm
Couva is his home home to his office his tean w connection .
This is the only reason for this decision
Hmmmmm
Lasana Liburd is the pitch at couva same size as the stadium?
I think it is. It is definitely FIFA approved either way.
Lasana Liburd yes it is
Btw manny pitch is the best in Trinidad but only problem wit manny stadium the lights not working ..☹️
What is the pitch size at ABS? Surely not as large as the HCS?
Maybe not. But it is within the margins allowed by FIFA.
Interesting. Not sure how that will affect our play considering that Tallest seems to enjoy playing with two wide men. I would probably opt to play on a larger field to allow the wingers more space to take on defenders. But what do I know …
its the same same size…. the mondo tracks at all venues are the same size therefore the fields are the same size
Fields are the same size….
Actually Tony they are not. They do however need to fall within a certain range for them to be approved by FIFA for matches.
Devon – the actual footprint of the unmarked field may be the same, but I was actually referring to how the field is marked. At HCS the sidelines are very close to the track whereas at ABS, there seems to be a bit of room between the marked pitch and the track. My apologies though, I should have been more specific with my question.
Nope the markings are the same I referee at both venues
Boy … you coulda fooled me. Having played at both a few times, that stadium pitch feels huge in comparison. Thanks for clearing that up!
The grass and soil different… But the morning determines the size… Both sets of corner flags are as close to the tracks almost edging them
Same Dominic Lau the entire area within the 400m track is grass just like hasely
Ato is savannah grass where hasely is Bermuda grass
Thanks Spence !!
Gd move
Good move why?
Why not cental
All the other sports venues is true
Not like the stadium is being sold out
Better to have 10 000 full than 10 half
Let them play Nigeria or Ghana or Cameroon national team on emacipation day,..
I like d sound of that lol
Stacey Lachmie Lalchan all are powerhouse in Africa football and teams to beat in world stage..both are good,
I think I am a real optimist…god damn this late
Well done….
Good move ,we need some big games in all the other stadiums.
Nonsensical movw
You maybe never kick a lime.
Agreed.
I can’t wait to hear the views of the football pundits.
I can’t wait to hear the views of the football pundits.
I can’t wait to hear the views of the football pundits.