King: The guys were really outstanding—we will be back [in Concacaf League A] soon

Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Derek King seemed decidedly upbeat, as he faced the media after his team’s 1-1 draw with Curaçao at the Hasely Crawford Stadium last night, which sealed their relegation from Concacaf Nations League A.

“I saw the game today [as] very positive,” said King, in the post-match press conference. “As I told the guys, we have to be on the front foot, and we went out and really matched Curaçao today. The guys were really outstanding.

“We saw some good football from the team today, and unfortunately, we didn’t come out with three points.”

After 10 games as head coach, including an exhibition against United States second tier team Louisville City FC, yesterday marked the first time that King walked off the field having avoided defeat.

He is yet to win a match, though.

As for his analysis of the contest, Trinidad and Tobago—missing several key players—managed 51 percent ball possession and seven more accurate passes than their opponents.

However, Curaçao, with star attacker Tahith Chong as an unused substitute, outshot Trinidad and Tobago 23-10, while creating twice as many big chances. It was generous, then, to deduce that the Soca Warriors deserved anything more than the solitary point they got.

“We are really disappointed we didn’t stay up in the A,” said King, “but we are here to rebuild and we will be back soon.”

Three months ago, King set his targets on a place in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals although TTFA president Kieron Edwards hinted that survival in League A would be considered satisfactory.

The current coach achieved neither target and, instead, is nine international games without a win. One can only assume, then, King’s optimistic outlook is down to a more recent conversation with Edwards.

In 2019, Dennis Lawrence was sacked within two months of Trinidad and Tobago’s demotion to League B. Two years later, his successor, Terry Fenwick, was fired after Trinidad and Tobago’s first round elimination from the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign.

In 2024, coach Angus Eve, who got Trinidad and Tobago back into League A, the Nations League quarterfinals and successive Gold Cups, was dismissed despite getting the Soca Warriors into the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifying series—after a 2-2 home draw with Grenada.

And, earlier this year, Edwards fired Dwight Yorke for not achieving a spot at the 2026 World Cup finals.

King appears to be living a charmed life then, to put it mildly.

“When I analysed our four games, we were really unlucky,” said King. “We saw some good football—at least we started to score goals. But we gave up a lot of soft goals, [there were] plenty injuries and suspensions.

“The positive part about it is we saw some local players join the squad and I think they really went out there and represented [well].”

The fact that there were under 4,000 paying patrons for both of Trinidad and Tobago’s home matches in the Nations League suggests football fans are not quite as entertained and enthusiastic as the incumbent head coach.

King applauded his team’s positive ball possession, but conceded they have to work on concentration levels and keeping out soft goals. He did not take the opportunity to be self-critical, pointing only to his bad luck with injuries.

“It is a difficult job when sometimes you don’t have your best players,” he said.

It is a matter of fact that King was required to play three of his four Nations League games against World Cup 2026 opposition (Haiti and Curaçao) without his best players.

Yesterday, he used forward Ryan Telfer at left back and midfielder Luke Phillip at centre forward. Despite the instability within his player pool, Trinidad and Tobago were not embarrassed. All three defeats in the Nations League came by a solitary goal.

Is that enough for an extension to his one-year contract, considering the startling lack of movement in the “win column”?

King seemed to think so.

“It is a kind of rebuilding process for us as well,” said King. “Our short term goal right now is to try and qualify for the Gold Cup.”

At present, King’s troops look set to become the first Trinidad and Tobago national senior team since 1971 to fail to register a win in a calendar year (the 1971 team drew both of their two matches in that year, incidentally). And the Soca Warriors are two games short of tying Lawrence’s record winless streak of 14 matches.

However, it appears that Edwards and his Team Progressive slate are set to continue on this road, for another year and another competition at least.

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Lasana Liburd

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.