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Offline E-man

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“MY BIGGEST GOAL IN COACHING IS STILL TO COME”
by James Ferguson (Caribbean Beat)


May/June Issue (79)

Everald “Gally” Cummings, coach of the 1989 Trinidad and Tobago football team that almost made it to the World Cup, on the lessons of victory and defeat, and his hopes for the future — as told to James Fuller



“Gally” Cummings in 1997
Photographs courtesy Everald Cummings


Football has been a huge part of my life and my identity for as long as I can remember. I was born in Dundonald Street, Port of Spain, on August 28, 1948, one of six children. It was a football crazy area and a real community back in those days; football was everything for us, we had nothing else.

It was the community which gave me the nickname "Galliento", or "Gally" for short, after a foreign boxer of the time. They said I had the same skin tone and a bit of a stomach like him, so that was it, I've been "Gally" ever since.

I remember when I was about five years old how I would watch the schoolboys walking past the window of our house on the way to their matches in Queen's Park Savannah. It was like hero worship, and I used to think to myself, "I'll be like that one day."

As a youngster I trained hard and everything I did was geared towards becoming a better footballer. Things went well and by the age of fourteen I was playing national league; at fifteen I represented T&T for the first time.

Everyone is raving about the Soca Warriors' qualification for this year's World Cup, and rightly so, but it's not actually the first time. In the qualifying match against Haiti in 1973, we scored five goals but still lost 2-1. Each time we scored, the referee signaled "goal" and the ball was back on the centre-spot before the linesman would flag. Then they would have a discussion and say it was "offside" or "foul" or something. After the game we didn't know what to do, we were all in tears.

By the time the qualifying for the 1990 World Cup came around, the national team was in a bad way, and we had been losing heavily for some time. They had a poll amongst the team and they decided they wanted me to coach them.


The Trinidad and Tobago team that played Haiti in 1973
Photographs courtesy Everald Cummings


Back row (L-R): Lawrence Rondon, Devenish Paul, Peter Mitchell , Steve Khan, Dennis Morgan, Leo "Twinkle Toes" Brewster, Tony Douglas, Henry Dennie.
Center row (L-R): Leon Carpette, Selwyn Murren (capt.), Gerald Figeroux, Sydney Augustine,Russell Tesheira, Ramon Moraldo, Steve David
Front row (L-R): Selris Figaro, Wilfred Cave, Kelvin Barclay, Warren Archibald, Gally Cummings, Ray Roberts.
Missing: Winston"Bee"Phillips.

I wanted to bring a different style to the team, to play the Trinbagonian way. The way a country plays football says a lot about its sense of style and rhythm - take Brazil, for example. I wanted us to play the way I remembered football being played on the Savannah - with individuality and flair. That was what brought the crowds out to watch. There must be teamwork and good defence, of course, but football must also be entertaining.

We changed the uniform as well. I incorporated the colours of the national flag in the uniform in an abstract way. I wanted the players to have something nobody had had before, and to feel a sense of pride when they pulled on that shirt. I brought a professional outlook to the team.

The Strike Squad, as we became known, played some of the best football this region has ever seen during that campaign, and when the final game with the USA came around [in November 1989], we only needed one point to qualify. But things started to happen then which I couldn't understand and that were out of my control.

Trinidad has always been a Carnival place, but this went beyond that. As a nation we were celebrating like we had already won the game, and that's so dangerous in sport. I tried my best to keep the team away from it but it's only a small island.

But there were also people, media people and others, insinuating that because of the politics - with the USA being the "big" nation and with them hosting the 1994 World Cup - we could never win.

When match day came [the authorities] lined the streets with people and everything was red. We never asked for all that. We had a church where we went to pray before games, but so many people had come out that we couldn't get in, everywhere the bus went people would be stopping it. And then there was the ticketing scandal with the ground being oversold.

When we got to the Haseley Crawford Stadium, the people who had bought tickets and couldn't get in surrounded the bus. We had to say we had nothing to do with the tickets but all of it must've affected the players' minds.

Now that the present team has qualified, though, it's a burden that has been lifted from me and from a lot of the past players.


The 1989 Strike Squad
Photographs courtesy Everald Cummings


The Soca Warriors' success is truly wonderful, for the team and for the nation. I am so happy for them but they are not a side alone, they come from a tradition, a history of Trinbagonian football. That tradition started in 1965 with our first World Cup campaign, and has carried on through, through the 1973 team, through the Strike Squad of 1989 and on to the side today.

Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy, who both played in 1989, were able to take their experience into this campaign. Some of the things they were saying to the current team, reminded me a lot of what was happening with the Strike Squad. There's a real sense of continuity about it.

Now we're finally going to the World Cup though, we have to ensure we continue to get there. There are many things we can do. I feel we need to rebuild our football structure, going back to zonal football. We need to set up a players' and a coaches' association; appoint a national technical committee, play more consistent friendlies against quality opposition, establish a more professional football administration and set up a proper scouting structure.

There has never been a better time to push all these things through; I just hope it's not missed.

On a personal note, my biggest goal in coaching is still to come. T&T has never qualified for a World Cup with a Trinidadian-born coach; I would love the chance to train up another team like the Strike Squad and take it all the way this time.
« Last Edit: May 05, 2006, 07:11:18 AM by Flex »

Offline kicker

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2006, 02:25:02 PM »
Watching the Nov 19th picture and seeing Elliot Allen......cyah help but steupssss. still maintain to this day that starting him and leaving out Hutson Charles was a huge mistake......

nostaliga  :'(
Live life 90 minutes at a time....Football is life.......

Offline big dawg

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2006, 02:26:44 PM »
Watching the Nov 19th picture and seeing Elliot Allen......cyah help but steupssss. still maintain to this day that starting him and leaving out Hutson Charles was a huge mistake......

nostaliga :'(

but its some nice pictures none-the-less
Re-Group, Re-Energize, Return
We'll be back...
I don't know when

Offline Disgruntled_Trini

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2006, 02:29:49 PM »
Watching the Nov 19th picture and seeing Elliot Allen......cyah help but steupssss. still maintain to this day that starting him and leaving out Hutson Charles was a huge mistake......

nostaliga  :'(


d fokka had a B U L L E T though


Ms que un club.

Offline big dawg

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2006, 02:33:27 PM »

Quote
d fokka had a B U L L E T though
Quote


The problem was... that was all he had
Re-Group, Re-Energize, Return
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I don't know when

Offline kicker

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2006, 02:36:51 PM »
I vote the socawarriors bring back the retro kit & look of  the '73 side....hairstyles and all
Live life 90 minutes at a time....Football is life.......

Offline Disgruntled_Trini

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2006, 02:41:54 PM »
Who is that white boy/fearskinned fella back row, 4th from the left?


Ms que un club.

Offline kicker

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #7 on: May 04, 2006, 02:43:31 PM »
Who is that white boy/fearskinned fella back row, 4th from the left?

Birchall mudder brother cousin sister auntie fren'.
Live life 90 minutes at a time....Football is life.......

Offline monty

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #8 on: May 04, 2006, 02:47:59 PM »





That picture make me smile yes...men look set and no nerves. Boss pic!


Offline maxg

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Offline SOBRIQUET

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #10 on: May 04, 2006, 02:57:40 PM »
See that Crest on the 1973 Squad chest? That wicked. Now we have a terrorist vibes crest.  :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
...with Blacksmith, Dogfoot, Jurawan and dem

Offline Jahyouth

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #11 on: May 04, 2006, 03:00:15 PM »





That picture make me smile yes...men look set and no nerves. Boss pic!



allyuh notice that all recent Trinidad National teams have the same team picture?  back row hands folded, front row kneeling?  The Soca Warriors have the same picture. 

BAD MAN PICTURE.

Offline SOBRIQUET

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #12 on: May 04, 2006, 03:02:28 PM »
Faustin lookin like a real Spranger
...with Blacksmith, Dogfoot, Jurawan and dem

Offline Disgruntled_Trini

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #13 on: May 04, 2006, 03:19:29 PM »
Who is that white boy/fearskinned fella back row, 4th from the left?

Birchall mudder brother cousin sister auntie fren'.

i thought so yuh know
I was jes trying to make sure

thanks for clarifying


Ms que un club.

Offline Filho

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #14 on: May 04, 2006, 03:47:26 PM »
Wha' bout Gally looking like flickin' Wolverine

Dat Nov 19 pic is deadly...fus..every man wearing a black boots. Remember dem days.
Second...the two men standing in the back to the right (Leo and Kerry) is the two deadliest baddest dreadest men ever in a red, white and black (tears rollin' dong meh eyes)
Third...LATAAAAASSS
Fourth...Brian Williams was the best player on the day. Doh stick..anyone who really remember de match see a real Lion dat day
« Last Edit: May 04, 2006, 03:58:37 PM by Filho »

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #15 on: May 04, 2006, 04:13:49 PM »
Them 2 pictures just raise meh pours.  T&T football is the greatest!

Offline big dawg

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #16 on: May 04, 2006, 04:29:53 PM »
I seriously want a 1973 "throw-back" jersey to wear in Germany..

whey the ass I going and find that....?
Re-Group, Re-Energize, Return
We'll be back...
I don't know when

Offline Touches

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #17 on: May 04, 2006, 05:22:17 PM »
A man in that 73 pix beard/sideburns thicker than he fro yes.

Then another fella sporting a Tony Curtis hairstyle..........wheeeeyyyy :rotfl:

In 89 is flat top and canal part,one real natty .....and a setta small bongo fro.

This squad now is a cane row, pretty ras, dougla fro, mullet, school boy trim outfit.

my my how hairstyles have changed.!


 


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Offline Coop's

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #18 on: May 04, 2006, 05:46:50 PM »
Who is that white boy/fearskinned fella back row, 4th from the left?
      You can see is a lot of youngsters on this forum because so far all men talking about is the Strike Squad,that is not a white boy it's a Indian that is Steve Khan a South man.
       In the 73 team picture there are three men missing on the left side of the picture only piece of their hands come out,can anyone identify who those players are?

Offline Benjie

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #19 on: May 04, 2006, 05:54:29 PM »
Who is that white boy/fearskinned fella back row, 4th from the left?

Birchall mudder brother cousin sister auntie fren'.

i thought so yuh know
I was jes trying to make sure

thanks for clarifying




Isn't that Paul Elliot- Allen
« Last Edit: May 04, 2006, 05:56:09 PM by Benjie »

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #20 on: May 04, 2006, 05:55:28 PM »
I get serious goose bumps watching those pictures yes.

U know how long I trying to get a pic of the 1973 team...thanks Gally ;D

I save dat bitch one time.

Gally looking like "Woverine".....lol.... ;D :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Peace,
VB
VITAMIN V...KEEPS THE LADIES HEALTHY...:-)

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #21 on: May 04, 2006, 06:03:43 PM »
Can anyone name all the fellas on dat 73 squad....Coops?? ;D

I am in AWE of this picture.

Let's get this clear. THIS was the first group to qualify for the WC...the smallest nation EVER!! Less than a million ppl.

Peace,
VB
VITAMIN V...KEEPS THE LADIES HEALTHY...:-)

Offline Coop's

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #22 on: May 04, 2006, 06:24:02 PM »
       In the 73 team picture there are three men missing on the left side of the picture only piece of their hands come out,can anyone identify who those players are?
Coops, is this a better view for you, as I seein everyone in de picture
http://www.meppublishers.com/online/caribbean-beat/79/images/cb79-2-38_img2_fs.jpg
      Much better but an important man missing in that picture,the long throw man that cause all the problems in Haiti Winston"Bee"Phillips.
      Any how for the youngsters sake i'll attempt to name those players a bit of back in times:Back row--Lawrence Rondon,Devenish Paul, ? ,Steve Khan, Dennis Morgan,Leo Brewster,Tony Douglas,Henry Denny.Center row--Leon Carpette,Selwyn Murren (capt.),Gerald Figeroux,Sydney Augustine,Russel Tesheira,Ramon Moraldo,Steve David.Front row--Selris Figaro,Wilfred Cave,Kelvin Barclay,Warren Archibald,Gally Cummings,Ray Roberts.
        Sorry for the question mark but his name just could not come back to me,memory fading,this brings back a lot of good memory's.
« Last Edit: May 04, 2006, 06:34:39 PM by Tallman »

Offline Tallman

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #23 on: May 04, 2006, 06:43:57 PM »
       In the 73 team picture there are three men missing on the left side of the picture only piece of their hands come out,can anyone identify who those players are?
Coops, is this a better view for you, as I seein everyone in de picture
http://www.meppublishers.com/online/caribbean-beat/79/images/cb79-2-38_img2_fs.jpg
        Sorry for the question mark but his name just could not come back to me,memory fading,this brings back a lot of good memory's.

Is it Peter Mitchell?
The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

Offline Coop's

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #24 on: May 04, 2006, 07:14:45 PM »
Can anyone name all the fellas on dat 73 squad....Coops?? ;D

I am in AWE of this picture.

Let's get this clear. THIS was the first group to qualify for the WC...the smallest nation EVER!! Less than a million ppl.

Peace,
VB
       They did not qualify for the WC but was the first to reach the door and got shut out.

Offline Filho

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #25 on: May 04, 2006, 07:31:07 PM »
Can anyone name all the fellas on dat 73 squad....Coops?? ;D
I am in AWE of this picture.
Let's get this clear. THIS was the first group to qualify for the WC...the smallest nation EVER!! Less than a million ppl.
Peace,
VB
That is CORRECT
the BIGGEST tiefery dat FIFA has EVER laid dong on ANY Country

I ask ANYONE to find any other instance where FIFA tief a country MORE

I'll give Uzbekistan a close second after that penalty farce with Bahrain in the Asian playoff..

Offline Coop's

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #26 on: May 04, 2006, 07:40:07 PM »
       In the 73 team picture there are three men missing on the left side of the picture only piece of their hands come out,can anyone identify who those players are?
Coops, is this a better view for you, as I seein everyone in de picture
http://www.meppublishers.com/online/caribbean-beat/79/images/cb79-2-38_img2_fs.jpg
        Sorry for the question mark but his name just could not come back to me,memory fading,this brings back a lot of good memory's.

Is it Peter Mitchell?
      That's the man self,that's one of SH boys he used to play for hurricanes in South,a very skillfull player.

Offline jai john

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #27 on: May 04, 2006, 07:45:32 PM »

The Trinidad and Tobago team that played Haiti in 1973
Photographs courtesy Everald Cummings

Back row (L-R): Lawrence Rondon, Devenish Paul, Peter Mitchell , Steve Khan, Dennis Morgan, Leo "Twinkle Toes" Brewster, Tony Douglas, Henry Dennie.
Center row (L-R): Leon Carpette, Selwyn Murren (capt.), Gerald Figeroux, Sydney Augustine,Russell Tesheira, Ramon Moraldo, Steve David
Front row (L-R): Selris Figaro, Wilfred Cave, Kelvin Barclay, Warren Archibald, Gally Cummings, Ray Roberts.
Missing: Winston"Bee"Phillips.


Thanks to E. Cummings, Coops and Tallman
Archie was my Boy Time hero oui

i remember the Bomb newspaper publishing that same picture and you had to give the names to win a trip to Italy. It was a " borrow "  from leon carpette.....
I cant remember the name of the missing player though but knobby phillip had it cold ? i dO remember Carpette saying Gally was the player of the tournament for him...I think gally may have even been given that officially as well but i could be wrong !
i remember watching the tape of the game in eddie hart clubhouse as an upstarts player. it was not as most people thought. we scored from the long throws and questions were raised on whether the ball actually went in without being touched by an infield player. i think that may have been so for one goal but not for all !
Let me also say that apart from the goals from the long throw and archie's breakaway the game was totally dominated by haiti . They controlled the game but not the goalscoring.
i was shocked when i saw the game after all the hype but i notice over the years T&T played better and better in that game....
the hooped players were everywhere but they had no answer for the long throws.
Now let the debate begin...
« Last Edit: May 04, 2006, 07:50:28 PM by Tallman »

Offline jai john

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #28 on: May 04, 2006, 07:48:25 PM »
       In the 73 team picture there are three men missing on the left side of the picture only piece of their hands come out,can anyone identify who those players are?
Coops, is this a better view for you, as I seein everyone in de picture
http://www.meppublishers.com/online/caribbean-beat/79/images/cb79-2-38_img2_fs.jpg
        Sorry for the question mark but his name just could not come back to me,memory fading,this brings back a lot of good memory's.

Is it Peter Mitchell?
      That's the man self,that's one of SH boys he used to play for hurricanes in South,a very skillfull player.

i know he kill us playing for sando tech in a barclays colleges semi final on QRC grounds !!! he had a riquelme look ..you know the personality of a shoebox.... but when the game began he was transformed.

Offline jai john

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Re: Gally Cummings: My Biggest Goal In Coaching Is Still To Come
« Reply #29 on: May 04, 2006, 08:04:11 PM »
Let me also say that apart from the goals from the long throw and archie's breakaway the game was totally dominated by haiti . They controlled the game but not the goalscoring.
tisk tisk tisk ;D ;D ;D
The Ref and de linesman were Banned for life for dis-allowing 4 Goals
I doh care HOW much Haiti controlled de game FIFA screwed us
buh all dat in the past sooooooo ( some claim I just cant let that goooooooo)

ONWARDS TO GERMANY...32 years LATER

noone disputes that fact...do you know that some of our players received a little something from Papa Doc ??? If that was really so how do you feel about that ?

 

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