FC Dallas arrives in T&T for Hislop Cup.
By: Randy Bando (ttproleague).
A 21-man FC Dallas squad including the likes of Brazilian players Denilson and Ricardinho arrived at the Piarco International Airport on Wednesday night in Trinidad.
The Major League Soccer club is in Trinidad to participate in the Shaka Hislop Tribute Cup put on by the TT Pro League in conjunction with FC Dallas and Clube Atletico Paranaense of Brazil.
Head coach of Dallas, Steve Morrow told ‘ttproleague.com’ on arrival, “We’re very excited to be here and we’ve had a very good welcome which we very much appreciate so we are looking forward to the games."
Former Trinidad and Tobago international and FC Dallas goalkeeper Neil Shaka Hislop retired from the game as player in September.
“He was a great team-mate and we’re obviously going to create a banner for him while we’re here,” said defender Bobby Rhine.
“We’re all very excited and for all the guys we have never been to Trinidad and it’s an opportunity to represent Major League Soccer in a new country, so we are very trilled."
“We’ve heard a lot of things about Trinidad players from a couple guys and know that we are going to have two good games. But it’s also good for us to play these games really in honour of our former team-mate Shaka Hislop,” said the veteran FCD player.
FCD will face a TT Pro League Foreign All Star team from 6pm on Friday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in the first match of a double header.
Borrow will be without several top players, including midfielder Pablo Ricchetti, regular captain Carlos Ruiz, goalkeeper Dario Sala and midfielder Adrian Serioux whom are all recuperating from injuries. But Rhine believes his team ill still do well in the two-day tournament.
“Obviously we’re in our off-season, so to say that we’re in the best of shape wouldn’t be too honest but we hope to play really well.
“There’s a lot on the line for all of us players in terms of what we hope to do next season. Decisions are still being made from the coaching staff so we know that there’s a lot on the line for us. So as good professionals we would continue to do our job,” assured the defender.
Rhine also promised top class football saying, “One of the things that you have heard from our team in the US, is that we are a good passing team and we’re an exciting team with a lot of guys with a lot of flare and I think that Trinidadians will like that. We are a team that plays with style and I think that we would put on a good show and I hope that we would get the kind of results that we would be proud of.”
But Rhine is not sweeping under the fact that his TT Pro League opponents are good opponents.
“We’ve heard a lot of good things about the League and we have a lot of respect for that,” he said.
Bobby Rhine played alongside former Trinidad and Tobago international Brent Rahim while at the University of Connecuit as a college player. Coach Borrow had the same sentiments over their TT Pro League opponents.
He said, “I’ve been in England for most of my career, and there are a lot of Trinidadians playing there. I’ve known quite a few of them down the years and obviously I’ve had a good relationship with Shaka Hislop the last couple years and he had told me about some of the players down here, so I think we are well informed."
“I think the Trinidadians are tough and from what I’m seeing they have a high level of skill and we think the games are going to be very competitive."
“We’ve brought a very good team although we have quite a few players behind with injuries after our MLS season which ended three weeks ago. We have twenty-one players with us and hopefully you see a high level of skill and play and a good show in the tournament.”
Borrow further stated that FC Dallas’ trip wasn’t just about the tournament and that there are possible opportunities for local players with the MLS club. He said, “We’re very much here to look at the local talent and see if there is any available to come and play with FC Dallas.
“It’s the end of our season so this tournament is very important for us and want to do well looking ahead to next season.”
FC Dallas depart for Trinidad and Tobago.
By: Steve Hunt / MLSnet.com Staff.
Hoops will honor ex-goalkeeper Shaka Hislop.
FRISCO, Texas -- On Wednesday, FC Dallas departs from north Texas for Trinidad and Tobago, where they will join Brazilian partner Clube Atletico Paranaense plus two all-star teams from the T&T Pro League in honoring ex-FCD goalkeeper Shaka Hislop in the Shaka Hislop Tribute Cup this weekend.
In September, Hislop retired after a 15-year playing career. He joined the Hoops just after the 2006 FIFA World Cup, when he turned in an unforgettable performance between the posts for T&T in a surprising opening-round draw with Sweden. Hislop appeared in 10 games for FCD before back problems forced his retirement earlier this year.
The FCD players making the trip are definitely looking forward to playing a few more games and also to paying homage to their former teammate.
"It will be a nice end of the year trip," said center back Drew Moor. "It's a tribute to Shaka (Hislop), who was a great teammate for us the last few years and was somebody who taught me a lot about the love for the game. He had such a fantastic career and it was an honor getting to play some games with him. It's a great way to pay tribute to him."
On Friday, FCD will face the T&T Pro League Foreign All-Stars as part of a doubleheader. Their second match of the event will be on Sunday, Dec. 2, when the Hoops will square off with the T&T Pro League Local All-Stars.
"It's fun for us to go down and play in his retirement/tribute tournament. It's a fun trip for us to end the season. We have two games but at the same time, are going to have a bit of fun," Abe Thompson said. "We're not going to take it too seriously and this is a good way to kick off the offseason."
FCD head coach Steve Morrow was eagerly anticipating the trip as well, despite the timing of the event.
"These trips are often difficult at the end of the year," Morrow said. "It's a difficult time of the year here in America with the contracts coming up for renewal and that certainly plays a part in everything. It's a little bit of a reward for a season of hard work. We all want the boys to go there and have a little down time as well."
Even though the event will be played in a setting complete with spectacular beauty, Morrow can't turn down the chance to do some player evaluation.
"We're playing against two select teams there and I think they'll have some talent to look at," he said. "There are some of our players to look at as we're already evaluating players for next year. I'll make some of the players aware of that. We've got quite a few injuries and some away with national team duty, so this will be a diverse group."
The FCD traveling roster is a unique mix of veterans and young players. Several top players, including midfielder Pablo Ricchetti, captain Carlos Ruiz, goalkeeper Dario Sala and midfielder Adrian Serioux won't make the trip as they recuperate from injuries.
FCD also has several players currently away with various national teams. Youngsters Abdus Ibrahim and Anthony Wallace are currently with the United States under-20 national team in Argentina while Arturo Alvarez and Dax McCarty are both due in Los Angeles for the U.S. U-23 camp that begins on December 2.
Morrow's traveling party will include forwards Thompson, Kenny Cooper, Dominic Oduro and Ricardinho. Midfielders on the roster are World Cup-winner Denilson, Juan Toja, Aaron Pitchkolan, Scott Jones, Chase Wileman and Marcelo Saragosa, who missed the last half of the season due to injury and will join the team from Brazil.
The Hoops goalkeepers will be Ray Burse and Dan Kennedy, who was a supplemental draft pick of Chivas USA in 2005 and spent time on the MetroStars roster. Defenders traveling for the event include Kenny Bertz, a fourth-round pick of D.C. United in 2006, Michael Dello-Russo, a close friend with Bertz from their time at Maryland, Moor, Andrew Daniels, Bobby Rhine, David Wagenfuhr, Blake Wagner and Alex Yi.
One interesting thing about the trip is that Morrow will be the lone member of the Hoops coaching staff present. Top assistant Oscar Pareja has left the team for a position as an assistant coach with the U-17 national team and Morrow's other lieutenant, Marco Ferruzzi, will be at a scouting combine in Argentina scouting players.
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
The Brazilians have arrived.
By: Randy Bando (ttproleague).
Clube Atletico Paranaense of the Brazilian Seria A have arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday in time for this weekend’s Shaka Hislop Tribute Cup.
The Brazilians are already predicting a very exciting tournament which includes FC Dallas and two Pro League All Star teams [Local and Foreign].
Speaking through the aid of Club Director Oscar Erichsen, head coach Cleocyr Marcos dos Santos told ‘ttproleague.com’, “We know that FC Dallas are improving in their football and so is the teams in Trinidad and Tobago, so these are going to be very nice games.”
He also added that his team is aware of T&T football saying, “People in the rest of the world are very familiar with football in Trinidad and Tobago since the last World Cup and their strong style of play.”
But Paranaense’s focus in this tournament is not only about winning as Marcos dos Santos further explained.
“What is important for us in this tournament is making our relationship with FC Dallas stronger and getting involved in the growth of football in Trinidad and Tobago.
“Brazilians are always hoping to win but in this case, what is also important is to make a strong relationship with Trinidad and Tobago football and to teach some things and learn as well,” he said. Paranaense would stay at the Crowne Plaza Hotel during their time in Trinidad.
Their first training session will be in the pool at the hotel to get the players ready for the tournament after their long trip.
On Thursday they will have their first field training session from 10:30am at the Hasely Crawford Stadium and from 3pm be involved in a Children’s Clinic at the King George V Park in Port of Spain. Paranaense will play their first match on Friday against the TT Pro League Local All Star team from 8pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
