Jones and Jack promise swift recuperation.
By Lasana Liburd (Express).
Trinidad and Tobago national coach Leo Beenhakker might have slept uncomfortably on Saturday night after two of his senior players limped off the playing field in Britain.
Southampton and national forward Kenwyne Jones hobbled out of his outfit's FA Cup clash at Newcastle United on Saturday, while national first choice custodian Kelvin Jack also picked up an injury in a Scottish Division One fixture for Dundee.
Both men told the Trinidad Express that Beenhakker and Trinidad and Tobago have nothing to worry about.
Jones, who is in the T&T squad for their friendly against Iceland on February 28, went down in a heap while trying to keep possession in the 76th minute and was immediately replaced. He clutched the back of his calf and grimaced.
But the six-foot three utility player insisted it was just a dead leg.
"It was just a dead calf," said Jones. "I am fine."
Southampton, who are near the relegation zone in the English League Championship, succumbed 1-0 to expensively-assembled but out-of-form Premiership side, Newcastle.
Jones was upbeat about Southampton's performance and regretted his own missed opportunities in the match. He came close with a first half header that missed the far post while he failed to score from two shooting chances after the interval.
However, the former St Anthony's College student acquitted himself well against the Newcastle defensive pairing of France international Jean-Alain Boumsong and ex-England under-21 international Titus Bramble. Jones was outmuscled on at least one occasion but held his own in aerial combat and matched his opponents for pace.
"I think (Saturday) was the best team performance we have had for a long time," said Jones, "and I should have had at least one goal. But we have to start winning and at least stay in the Championship (division)."
Jones had become an automatic pick for manager Harry Redknapp but has struggled to cement his place under his managerial replacement, George Burley. He has scored three times so far in the 2005/06 campaign.
"The start of this season wasn't very good due to injuries and playing time," he said. "I have been in and out of the team a lot. So I will just be trying to finish as good as possible."
Jack, who started in every national match since Beenhakker's arrival, has already been excused from next Tuesday's friendly in London. However, he was fuming at a challenge that forced him to return home on crutches on Saturday.
Dundee drew the match 3-3 at Clyde. Both teams are at mid-table with no chance of promotion to the Scottish Premier League.
"It was my second game back (from injury) and I was escorting the ball out (of play) and a guy came from behind and gave me a horrific, high tackle on my left knee," said Jack. "There was no chance he could get the ball, none whatsoever. He got a yellow card but, to me, it was a red card offence."
Insult followed injury when, two minutes later, substitute Paul McHale grabbed a third equaliser for Clyde who trailed for much of the match. Jack came off three minutes after McHale's strike, which was the final item of the fixture.
"I thought I could run off the injury at first but I couldn't," he said. "I couldn't move properly and I eventually had to come off I left the ground on crutches."
Jack will sit out next weekend's Scottish Cup quarterfinal against fellow Division One club, Hamilton, as Dundee management is unwilling to risk his knee on Hamilton's artificial surface. But the goalkeeper assured his fans that the injury is not a long-term one.
"I have to rest (my knee)," he said. "There is no doubt about that. To be honest, I can't believe my luck at the moment but, thankfully, it is not as bad as I thought. "I am walking better now and I should be back playing for Dundee soon and will be ready for the World Cup."
St Clair students voted top footballers.
By: Joel Bailey (Newsday).[/size]
Dwight Yorke and Kennya Cordner were named as the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) "Male and Female Players of the Year" yesterday.
The award ceremony was staged at Calypso Lounge, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Port-of-Spain.
Yorke and Cordner who, coincidentally, began their careers with the St Clair Coaching School under former national coach Bertille St Clair— Cordner is still a part of the institute— will be the TTFF representatives at the FCB Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year 2005 award ceremony, which is scheduled for March 7.
The 34-year-old Yorke returned from a three-and-a-half year hiatus from the national team to don the captain’s armband, and led the squad to a historic qualification to the FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Ironically, Yorke was the captain under St Clair when TT featured in its first ever global football tournament— the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championships in Portugal. Cordner, who is half of Yorke’s age (17), is a pint-sized but exciting striker who was a member of the Under-20 women’s team who failed to advance to the 2006 World Under-20 Championships in Russia.
Trinidad and Tobago Under-15 captain Jesse Fullerton and national Under-20 player Patrice Superville were also adjudged as the "Male and Female Youth Players of the Year".
Fullerton is a strongly-built goalkeeper from Queen’s Royal College while Superville is a 14-year-old defender from Real Dimension.
Former Strike Squad defender Brian Williams, who was recently named as the Pro League "Coach of the Year", added the TTFF "Coach of the Year" Trophy to his collection. Williams guided United Petrotrin to the Pro League’s Big Six title late last year.
The "Team of the Year" title went to the Defence Force, who participate in the Northern Football Association, while the Eastern Football Association (EFA) is the "Association of the Year" and the EFA’s secretary Neville Ferguson the "Administrator of the Year".
And the pair of Neal Brizan and Shane De Silva captured the "Male and Female Referees of the Year" respectively.
Awards were also presented to the winners of the 2005 FA Trophy competition.
CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh took the "FA Challenge Trophy" and the prize of $46,500 while Defence Force finished as the runners-up.
Wesley Noreiga of Maraval Youth Academy captured the "Most Valuable Player" prize while W Connection took both the "Fair Play" and "Most Entertaining Team" trophies.
The Defence Force duo of Kerry Jamerson and Cleon John were the "Coach of the Tournament" and "Goalkeeper of the Tournament" while Jabloteh’s striker Jason Marcano was the "Most Promising Player".
And the "Referee Quartet of the Tournament" were Brizan, Michael Ragoonath, Joseph Taylor and Richard Piper.
News from the 17th of February 2006.
Big plans from TDC for T&T/Iceland clash.
By: Shaun Fuentes.[/size]
Big plans are in store for this country’s next international friendly against Iceland at Loftus road on February 28. Arriving in Trinidad on Tuesday was TTFF’s international relations consultant Mike Berry who was beaming when he revealed that tickets for the encounter “have been selling like hot bread” and there is expected to be a huge contingent of UK and Caribbean fans.
“Everything is setting up very nicely for a very exciting occasion at Loftus Road. We intend to make it similar in anyway possible to what Carnival Tuesday will be like back in Trinidad and I think the fans who are away from Trinidad are eagerly awaiting the chance to be close to their team,” Berry told TTFF Media.
The team arrives in Heathrow on February 26 and will be keen to not only give a good showing in their first match since the 1-0 win over Bahrain but also put their hands on the TDC Pre World Cup which is being sponsored by the Tourism Development Company.
Aside from the match, FIFA Vice President Jack Warner has arranged through his contacts with the English FA to have the T&T contingent also attend the friendly international between England and Uruguay at Anfield.
Meantime, Nova Alexander who heads the Tourism Development Company Office in the United Kingdom revealed that several plans are in place to make the event a memorable one.
“From the moment Trinidad & Tobago reached the world cup finals we knew our destiny had been handed to us on a plate, ”Alexander told TTFF Media on Thursday.
“Getting people to Trinidad & Tobago is our priority and working alongside the Tourism Ministry and the T&TFF can only strengthen our objectives. We have invited over 250 travel partners & press to come and support Trinidad & Tobago on Feb 28th some of whom have already sent people to our Islands or written about us. Most however know little about Trinidad & Tobago but want to learn more and we are only too happy to encourage their enthusiasm, We also intend to have a mini Carnival atmosphere at Loftus Road,” Alexander added.
She also mentioned that flags highlighting the recently launched socawarriorstt.com website will be handed out to the fans and in addition The Voice newspaper has adopted Trinidad & Tobago. This publication caters specifically to the ethnic market with a circ of 144,000 and every week will feature profiles about T&T and the TDC will follow-up with advertising in conjunction with a tour operator & airline. The game will also be broadcast throughout the Caribbean, Iceland, Sweden, Germany, UK and the USA and will allow T&T to maintain a visible presence.
“The TDC has many activities planned all over Europe in the coming months, our focus is to turn all this visibility into contracts. This is the time when we can solidify our business relationships,” she added.
News from the 14th of February 2006.
Chicago Fire defeat T&T U-21's 1-0.
Chicago Fire Media Relations.
A goal from rookie forward Calen Carr would be all the Chicago Fire would need to stay undefeated in preseason play, as the club registered its third shutout in four contests in defeating the Trinidad & Tobago Under-21 National Team 1-0 Monday afternoon at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL. Carr, the Fire's first round selection in last month's MLS SuperDraft, scored his first goal of the preseason in the 56th minute off assists from fellow rookie Jeremy Ashe and forward Will Johnson to give the "Men in Red" a lead that would rarely be challenged. With the win, Chicago moved its record to 3-0-1 during the Bradenton portion of the preseason schedule with one match remaining, a Thursday tilt against the Columbus Crew.
The match was played in three 30-minute periods, and the first stanza was wide open but provided few chances for either side. The first clear chance of the match came 14 minutes in when Fire midfielder Brian Plotkin finished a short run with a low effort from 20 yards out that bounced a few feet wide of the right post. Trinidad & Tobago would settle in midway through the half and create some chances of their own, with a Kevin Crooks shot from 20 yards that sailed over the crossbar being the Soca Warriors' most dangerous opportunity of the opening half hour. Chicago nearly got on the board in the 29th minute when Fire midfielder Bushy Moletsane got clear to the right endline and sent a cross towards the penalty spot, but Carr's header off the trialist's pass was directed straight at Trinidad & Tobago goalkeeper Hasley Holder, who gathered easily to keep the match scoreless.
The Fire's offensive attack would be more assertive in the middle half hour, putting together rush after rush on the T&T goal. However, few of the chances would get put on frame, as midfielder Floyd Franks' 12-yard effort in the 34th minute and carbon-copy chances from Johnson and Carr in the 41st and 42nd minutes would all be pushed wide of the goal. The Soca Warriors nearly took the lead against the run of play in the 49th minute when Kevon Neaves crushed a 40-yard effort that had eyes for the goal, but Fire netminder David Mahoney was alert and did well to leap and get a hand to the ball, tipping it over the crossbar to keep the match scoreless. The second period featured the preseason debut of Fire defender Tony Sanneh, who put in 30 minutes as the center back on the Fire's three-man backline during his first action of the spring.
The Fire would get the eventual winning goal four minutes before the second intermission on a play that started with Johnson taking the ball on a 25-yard run across the middle of the field before finding Ashe on the right flank. Ashe, who entered the match in the previous minute in place of an injured Franks, did well on his first touch of the contest, sending a cross into the six-yard box. Carr would beat a defender to the ball and re-directed it with his right foot past Holder to put the Fire on top 1-0.
The third segment of the match would see the Fire hold the bulk of the possession against a tiring Trinidad & Tobago side. The Soca Warriors would have their chances, however, most notably in the 70th minute when forward Gorian Highley ran onto a long cross towards the back left post. Highley's shot was headed for the lower left corner of goal, but Fire goalkeeper Zach Thornton dove low to his right to thwart the chance at the base of the goal to keep the clean sheet for Chicago. Fire forward Chad Barrett had two good chances to double the Fire advantage in the final 30 minutes, but his flashing header from nine yards out missed just left in the 69th minute while a low-angle effort from 10 yards out careened into the left side netting six minutes later. The match's final 15 minutes were uneventful, with the exception of Trinidad defender Makan Hislop picking up his second caution of the match after a studs up challenge on a 50-50 ball in the 80th minute, resulting in his expulsion from the contest.
Scoring Summary:
CHI - Calen Carr 1 (Jeremy Ashe 2, Will Johnson 1) 56
Fire Line-up (3-5-2):
Matt Pickens (David Mahoney 31) (Zach Thornton 61); Idris Ughiovhe (C.J. Brown 31) (Ezra Prendergast 61), Jack Stewart (Tony Sanneh 31) (Jeff Curtin 61) (Jack Stewart 73), Jordan Russolillo (Gonzalo Segares 31) (Dasan Robinson 61); Bushy Moletsane (Andy Herron 61), Logan Pause (Richard Mupfudze 61), Scott Buete (Jared Montz 61), Brian Plotkin (Floyd Franks 31) (Jeremy Ashe 55), Ivan Guerrero (Leonard Griffin 46); Calen Carr (Chad Barrett 61), Andy Rosenband (Will Johnson 31).
Trinidad & Tobago U-21 Line-up (4-4-2):
Hasley Holder (Shean Warner 61); Carlon Murray (Colin Kirk 31) (Randi Patterson 61), Makan Hislop (Carlon Murray 80), Yohance Marshall, Aklie Edwards; Hayden Tinto (Abiola Sandy 31) (Hayden Tinto 61), Khaleem Highland (Kendall Jagdeosingh 31), Josimar Belgrave (Kezi Lara 31), Kevon Neaves; Randi Patterson (Shane Calderon 31), Kevin Crooks (Gorian Highley 31).
Discipline Summary:
CHI - C.J. Brown (caution) 57
TRI - Makan Hislop (caution) 73
TRI - Makan Hislop (ejection, second caution) 80
TT U-21 National Team 0 v Chicago Fire (MLS) 1
Lincoln Phillips quotes:
1) On the overall performance of the team:
"Evenly contested match. Our intent on scheduling games against the two MLS teams on this tour was to expose our players to a faster pace. Chicago provided just that and our boys did quite well."
Highlights and standout players:
2) "Kevon Neaves was a cut above. The time he spent with the senior team sharpened his overall play and he unleashed a shot in the 2nd period that required a tremendous save from the Chicago keeper. He was one of the better players on field"
"Makan Hislop was a rock in the central defense"
"Both myself and Coach LaForest were pleased with the overall play of the team on its first outing. We were particularly pleased with our ability to possess the ball in the 3rd period. The last 30 minutes was a good point to build upon."
"Gorian Highley was a spark when he came on in the 2nd period and showed the best among the forwards today"
Upcoming events:
3) "Our upcoming games against the Saratoga FC, University of South Florida, Kansas City Wizards, and the US U17 National Team will present excellent opportunities to see all 23 players in action."
"The game against Saratoga FC tomorrow will feature a couple of potential candidates who are from T&T who we would like to see and the game will provide an excellent opportunity to evaluate them"
Ron LaForest quotes:
4) "I was very pleased at the character the players showed after the tough travel day. Because of flight delays, we didn't get in our rooms until midnight and to train for 90 minutes this morning and then play on the same level with a good professional team shows this team has a lot of character and I am happy to build from this point."
Line-Ups:
1st Period: 30 min
Thorne Holder
Carlon Murray Makan Hislop Yohance Marshall Akile Edwards
Hayden Tinto Kareem Hyland Josimar Belgrave Kevon Neaves
Kevin Crooks Randi Patterson
2nd Period- 30 min
Thorne Holder
Colin Kirk Makan Hislop Yohance Marshall Akile Edwards
Hayden Tinto Kendall Jadeosingh Kezi Lara Kevon Neaves
Gorian Highley Shane Calderon
3rd period- 30 min
Thorne Holder
Yohance Marshall Makan Hislop Akile Edwards
Kendall Jadeosingh
Hayden Tinto Kevon Neaves
Kezi Lara
Gorian Highley Shane Calderon
Randi Patterson
