Jorginho and Machel put faith in Warriors.
By: Shaun Fuentes.Trinidad and Tobago's senior footballers got some boosting words from former Brazilian midfield standout Jorginho and local songster Machel Montano when UNICEF n collaboration with Island People and Xtatik staged a sports development seminar on Thursday.
UNICEF, as explained by communications officer Viviana Limpias, linked up with the Caribbean Football Union at its Annual Congress last month and grabbed the opportunity to stage the one week programme here to incorporate sport, moreso football, recreation and other types of entertainment to bring about positive lifestyles.
Jorgino, who runs a sports project for communities in Brazil, delivered a lengthy presentation to an audience which included several youngsters from T&T and throughout the Caribbean who were brought to Trinidad through the efforts of UNICEF.
Also sitting at the head table at the evening's presentation at Pier 1, Chaguaramas, were FIFA Vice President Jack Warner, Julio Mariz, president of Traffic USA and TTFF technical director Lincoln Phillips.
Montano recalled his days while “trying out the game of football at Presentation College, San Fernando and following the exploits of the 1989 Strike Squad during the Road to Italy campaign.
I think we are obviously one of the more talented islands in football since back in the days of the strike squad and right now we are trying to raise back that level of awareness and support again, Montano told TTFF Media.
The guys need our support too in order to achieve the winning results. I remember what took place in this country back in 1989 when we were so close and this time I think we can get even further. The entire nation was captured by the football and I believe that we can get into that sort of momentum again for it to really have a positive effect on the country.
This is similar with what we are trying to create here with the Xchange to get that positive sort of energy across and show the youngsters how they can benefit from different areas whether it be sport and entertainment or any other part of the culture itself. I think it was a blessing when I was able to visit Brazil and met up with Derrick Lewis (Island People’s creative director) and we realized just how much can be done through Carnival. To see how they had it so well choreographed and the passion that was evident among the people there was just amazing and then there was the side of the talented youngsters who were trying to make something of themselves the one from the underprivileged areas. Now we have a chance to try and make things better for the ones in our land and in a similar way the success of our entertainers, sportsmen and by extent the footballers can really have a major impact in this way through the communities and other groups, added the Xtatik leader.
Montano spent the latter part of the evening signing autographs and joggling a football with Jorginho who visited these shores with the Brazilian All Star team in February, 2004.
I played against the Trinidad team last year and I remember they were a skilful bunch and looked capable of playing good hard football. But it is important that they work on playing a controlled game because having to come up against teams like Costa Rica and Mexico, you must be able to not only take control of the game but you must be able to have controlled play as a team, Jorginho told TTFF Media.
It would be wonderful for a country like yours to qualify for the next World Cup as it would spread the game more throughout here and the region and it would make people become fascinated with the sport and realize that there are opportunities to create a better way of living through it.
He recalled his days as a Brazilian national player leading up to their success at the 1994 World Cup in the United States. His team were knocked out in the second round of the 1990 World Cup by Argentina by a Claudio Canniggia goal set up by Diego Maradona.
“Most of my playing days were spent with the majority of the nation against us because we were out early in 1990 and then everyone was looking to see what would happen in 1994. But when the people don't give you the support you want, it makes you a stronger person and a better team and similarly this is what has to happen with Trinidad (and Tobago). The players must pick themselves up and use this as something to spur them on and the success will find its way once they put in the hard work, Jorginho ended.
Meantime, national coach Bertille St Clair conducted his final session at home prior to Sunday's departure for Miami where the Warriors will spend four days before departing for Guatemala for next Saturday's World Cup qualifier at the Mateo Flores Stadium.
Lincoln Phillips, Jorginho, Julio Mariz, president of Traffic USA and Machel Montano at Pier 1 on Thursday.
Jorginho joggles the ball.
