Warriors need a midfield general.

[1-868]

Warriors need a midfield general.
By: Selwyn Melville (Newsday).[/size]

Two years ago we were the toast of the world, after getting a point from Sweden, having the mighty England on the ropes and threatening for a second round place in Germany 2006. Two years later we are just waiting for the knockout punch to be delivered.

There are some who will claim this statement is unpatriotic. As a commentator I have been called thousands of names and have been around long enough to know when you are looking down the barrel of a shotgun.

Surely we are into the semi-finals of the CONCACAF tournament for South Africa in 2010, but how much will change from what transpired against Bermuda?

National team coach Francisco Maturana has failed us and should seek employment elsewhere. Bertille St Clair who secured our first point in the Germany 2006 campaign, was fired after the defeat to Guatemala, but he got us to the CONCACAF finals, before Leo Beenhakker completed the journey.

Could anyone tell me right now from what we have seen of the Colombian coach that he has the qualities to take us to South Africa two years from now? He took his country to two World Cup Finals, but something seems to be missing from his current endeavour.

It is unthinkable to believe the country that played in the World Cup finals two years ago and from the list of players with many of them still eligible to play, only excuses are given about why they cannot make the team.

They are asking too much of these young players in so short a period. The middle is a disaster and carries no authority to really challenge the competition in the semi-finals.

In Germany, Dwight Yorke controlled the middle and offered more organisation for Beenhakker to work. Carlos Edwards now looks a shadow of himself without that quality support in the middle.

The skipper Aurtis Whitley seems inspired but is not up to the level of a Russell Latapy who can freeze the ball, delay the play, dictate directions and create better options for the players moving forward. We need a ball general in the middle. On paper Yorke is still the best player we have and should be persuaded to make a comeback. His presence is meaningful on the journey and would assist in moulding many of the young players for the future. The coach can teach as much as he wants, but on the field leadership makes a huge difference in the game.

Yorke does not have to go to South Africa, but by then others would have emerged, learning from the best. The defence also lacks experience and you do not want that going into a tournament of this nature. People are experimenting when most of our plans should have been on the table.

Bermuda showed more than anything else how ill prepared we are. Maturana should have used the younger players in a manner which would see them grow into the national team rather than make them “man before time” as we say in Tobago.

I would have had more respect for the Colombian coach if he had given the players from Germany 2006 an opportunity to fail before coming to a conclusion. With excuses flying left right and centre, I am convinced there is another voice in his head so he is unable think straight. We undoubtedly have some young and upcoming talent, but with limited time for preparation experience is needed and the 2006 players would certainly provide that and more.

If there are problems with some of the players, these issues must be ironed out. They have the formula already. Instead we seek to break their spirits and are ready to rip their stripes off and find reasons to unnecessarily make them history. I also believe that outside of the 2006 team there are players who are being overlooked for one reason or another. This view is shared by a greater percentage of the population on the status of the World Cup Campaign

Maturana said recently, he was working with what he was given and his assistant Anton Corneal added that he was taking instructions.

So who is giving the instructions to our coach and his assistant? I truly believe that Maturana is dancing to the beat of another voice. That voice will also see him on a flight back to his country.

I am also forced to think at times the Red, White and Black is a front for an agenda that has nothing to do with country. Probably I say this because I am patriotic and passionate about my country and the Soca Warriors.

But what if it is really true? Then Oh! What a tangled web they weave when first they practise to deceive.

[gothic]

I for one don't agree with bringing Yorke back, yes he is a our best play atm but there is a real chance Yorke would be out of competitive football by the time the World Cup comes around.

I will hold off my verdict on Whitley until he could get a game with a competent defensive midfielder an a defence that an attacking player could trust to leave alone while he does his job. 

[Anbrat]

I for one don't agree with bringing Yorke back, yes he is a our best play atm but there is a real chance Yorke would be out of competitive football by the time the World Cup comes around.

As the article says "On paper Yorke is still the best player we have and should be persuaded to make a comeback. His presence is meaningful on the journey and would assist in moulding many of the young players for the future. The coach can teach as much as he wants, but on the field leadership makes a huge difference in the game.

Yorke does not have to go to South Africa, but by then others would have emerged, learning from the best." 

Makes sense to me!!

[Rastaman]

Yeah It made sence to me too.

[Storeboy]

I agree with several points the writer has made and have mentioned them before on this forum.  Bringing back Yorke is like placing a coach on the field.  He should return though only if he understands that his role may require less playing time and more of a coaching influence and that younger players will sometimes take his place.  It will therefore be better that he be appointed as a player coach.  With his vast experience and the leadership skills he displayed on the road to and in Germany, he displayed the promise and talents of a great coach.

There is one problem.  Can he work with Maturana and Corneal(s) as he worked with Beeny, who was a great strategist and personnel leader?  If our leaders had any sense or foresight, they would have been grooming either, or both Yorke and Latapy for the WC 2010 since the 2006 campaign ended.  But we could only hope.

[kounty]

doesn't really make sense to me in that case.  young gun creative midfielder (kinda solo position on the field) going to learn best by being on the bench watchin yorke?

[Rastaman]

doesn't really make sense to me in that case.  young gun creative midfielder (kinda solo position on the field) going to learn best by being on the bench watchin yorke?

No. By training with him !!!!

He will get the playing time over Yorke after he learns from him.

[MEP]

Why do you'll think Roy Keane has him around?...he can still give a good 45 mins at best but he is more valuable at practice....

[Storeboy]

doesn't really make sense to me in that case.  young gun creative midfielder (kinda solo position on the field) going to learn best by being on the bench watchin yorke?

No. By training with him !!!!

Tanks Rastaman.  You understand what ah sayin.  With hate and blacklist and position swirlin in dey heads, ah cyar see the Corneals agreein to that.  But ah could only hope that sense swirlin in sombody head.

He will get the playing time over Yorke after he learns from him.

[dwn]

I understand that grooming young players is an important for the future of our national team. What I don’t understand is why we believe that the national team is the place to do this developing. Most player development needs to be taking place within the professional environment at these players’ clubs.

When players get their opportunity at international level they should be technically and tactically sound, and therefore at a stage where they only need to adjust to the speed and pressures of the national game. EXCEPTIONAL young players who have proven themselves at professional club level should be given this opportunity. We should not be giving any and every young player with potential places in the national team at the expense of the team’s quality.

The world cup in 2010 is the goal but we need to take the qualifying competition one step at a time. If our next game is in August or September (2008), we need to be preparing the best possible team with that date in mind. If that means including a 32 year old ahead of a 20 year old because at this stage in their respective careers the 32 year old is a better player, then so be it. It doesn’t matter which player will be better by 2010.

After all, if we don’t win our games now there will be no 2010 world cup to play in.

[Rastaman]

I understand that grooming young players is an important for the future of our national team. What I don’t understand is why we believe that the national team is the place to do this developing. Most player development needs to be taking place within the professional environment at these players’ clubs.

When players get their opportunity at international level they should be technically and tactically sound, and therefore at a stage where they only need to adjust to the speed and pressures of the national game. EXCEPTIONAL young players who have proven themselves at professional club level should be given this opportunity. We should not be giving any and every young player with potential places in the national team at the expense of the team’s quality.

The world cup in 2010 is the goal but we need to take the qualifying competition one step at a time. If our next game is in August or September (2008), we need to be preparing the best possible team with that date in mind. If that means including a 32 year old ahead of a 20 year old because at this stage in their respective careers the 32 year old is a better player, then so be it. It doesn’t matter which player will be better by 2010.

After all, if we don’t win our games now there will be no 2010 world cup to play in.

[weary1969]

Pastor dwn yuh preach dey. When dey was 2 b developin man dey did not now is WCQ and u talkin bout development dat ship has saill best avialable despite age

[saga pinto]

I for one don't agree with bringing Yorke back, yes he is a our best play atm but there is a real chance Yorke would be out of competitive football by the time the World Cup comes around.

As the article says "On paper Yorke is still the best player we have and should be persuaded to make a comeback. His presence is meaningful on the journey and would assist in moulding many of the young players for the future. The coach can teach as much as he wants, but on the field leadership makes a huge difference in the game.

Yorke does not have to go to South Africa, but by then others would have emerged, learning from the best." 

Makes sense to me!!

This make sense to me also.please take time to read first and understand what the man saying before posting....

[saga pinto]

I understand that grooming young players is an important for the future of our national team. What I don’t understand is why we believe that the national team is the place to do this developing. Most player development needs to be taking place within the professional environment at these players’ clubs.

When players get their opportunity at international level they should be technically and tactically sound, and therefore at a stage where they only need to adjust to the speed and pressures of the national game. EXCEPTIONAL young players who have proven themselves at professional club level should be given this opportunity. We should not be giving any and every young player with potential places in the national team at the expense of the team’s quality.

The world cup in 2010 is the goal but we need to take the qualifying competition one step at a time. If our next game is in August or September (2008), we need to be preparing the best possible team with that date in mind. If that means including a 32 year old ahead of a 20 year old because at this stage in their respective careers the 32 year old is a better player, then so be it. It doesn’t matter which player will be better by 2010.

After all, if we don’t win our games now there will be no 2010 world cup to play in.

Well said!!

[TrinInfinite]

hardest and guerra, complimented by yorke in the holding mid or bleeder

God is de BOSS...

[andre samuel]

From de time i read that he comparing Whitely to Latapy, i done get vex!!

ah love it!!

[jai john]

I really cant see much in this article about a midfield general ..... is that what it has boiled down to ? another armchair coaching assessment without solution ?
I wonder when folks will wake up to the fact that Latapy is 40, retired  and not going to be part of this or any WC campaign !
As long as we believe that in the last WC we were really at a high level we will continue to delude ourselves. We are not now starting from a position of strength as some will have us believe ...but from one of good fortune.
That Trinidad and Tobago played in the last WC is a fact ..that T&T were world or even regional beaters is not !!
We finished 4th in the final group of 6 earning a playoff with Bahrain , the only country smaller than us in the final reckoning stage ...we got past Bahrain and went to the WC . With the exception of Carlos, Yorke and latapy ( who in 20 mins proved his worth ) and the goalkeepers the other players were far below standard. Is this writer suggesting that the inclusion of these players would make our team stronger ?
I saw Theobald against guadeloupe in the oval ...Maturana obviously saw what I saw .... he is not now in the picture. The same could be said for many of the others. Those who find themselves there have shown themselves to be better than the locals but they have not earned any guarantee picks based on past performances !!
Without the heroics of Shaka and Jack we could have been laughing stocks at the WC !! The outfield players with the exceptions I have mentioned ,the majority  who have since retired made no mark !
Seems like folks are now blaming the coach for the lack of quality in the team . The best players are now no longer with us, what is left are not good !!! We must try to look for replacements ....
I hear men talking bout Birchall...where is he playing ? I dont want to get into a player bashing but the basket is not filled with talent folks ..we really scrunting for talent here !
A midfield general wont sove our problem ..... we need more support staff in very many other positions.
What I see the coach trying to build.... is a team. That, for me is our only hope, rather than looking for a Russel latapy who is non existent.
we still into the individual rather than the team ...you know somebody to save we !
I guess the writre's  approach and ideas are much different to mine !

[saga pinto]

I really cant see much in this article about a midfield general ..... is that what it has boiled down to ? another armchair coaching assessment without solution ?
I wonder when folks will wake up to the fact that Latapy is 40, retired  and not going to be part of this or any WC campaign !
As long as we believe that in the last WC we were really at a high level we will continue to delude ourselves. We are not now starting from a position of strength as some will have us believe ...but from one of good fortune.
That Trinidad and Tobago played in the last WC is a fact ..that T&T were world or even regional beaters is not !!
We finished 4th in the final group of 6 earning a playoff with Bahrain , the only country smaller than us in the final reckoning stage ...we got past Bahrain and went to the WC . With the exception of Carlos, Yorke and latapy ( who in 20 mins proved his worth ) and the goalkeepers the other players were far below standard. Is this writer suggesting that the inclusion of these players would make our team stronger ?
I saw Theobald against guadeloupe in the oval ...Maturana obviously saw what I saw .... he is not now in the picture. The same could be said for many of the others. Those who find themselves there have shown themselves to be better than the locals but they have not earned any guarantee picks based on past performances !!
Without the heroics of Shaka and Jack we could have been laughing stocks at the WC !! The outfield players with the exceptions I have mentioned ,the majority  who have since retired made no mark !
Seems like folks are now blaming the coach for the lack of quality in the team . The best players are now no longer with us, what is left are not good !!! We must try to look for replacements ....
I hear men talking bout Birchall...where is he playing ? I dont want to get into a player bashing but the basket is not filled with talent folks ..we really scrunting for talent here !
A midfield general wont sove our problem ..... we need more support staff in very many other positions.
What I see the coach trying to build.... is a team. That, for me is our only hope, rather than looking for a Russel latapy who is non existent.
we still into the individual rather than the team ...you know somebody to save we !
I guess the writre's  approach and ideas are much different to mine !

Agree to some extent,but there's no easy solution,what the person was trying say was that without the core players from the last WC it seems impossible to do it with what we have at present and I personally see no harm in including older experienced players together with younger upstarts,it adds for some interesting dynamics.

The point you made that at least he's building,the problem with that is you don't build all at once but in stages.....

[Bitter]

hardest and guerra, complimented by yorke in the holding mid or bleeder

God is de BOSS...

That took a whole 6 hours. Yuh slipping...

[Coach]

Simple DWIGHT YORKE

Any player that is playing in one of the world's top league (PL) should be a must on our National team, butttttt it takes someone who knows the game and the importance of one player making a difference on a team, but we don't have anyone in TTFF that has this knowledge of the game so I will shed some light to Yorke as a representative for TTFF.

Yorke you know that our team is young and lacking experience and guidance, I know that you have 2 -3 years left in your career that you can play at the top level, at the end of your playing career you don't want to have any regrets and I think that you should lead our team to 2010, TT is your country and we need you, I know lots of players represented their country in their late 30's and this is another opportunity for you to show the world your greatness on the field and also if we had the players to lead our team I would not have propose this option hope you would give it some thought, I would also like you have some input to the coaching staff.

My opinion is that your knowlege of the game far exceeds Anton!

[Disgruntled_Trini]

hardest and guerra, complimented by yorke in the holding mid or bleeder

God is de BOSS...

[TrinInfinite]

hardest and guerra, complimented by yorke in the holding mid or bleeder

God is de BOSS...

  nice one breddah but my statement is the truth... i know that hurting yuh, my condolences

God is de BOSS....

[Disgruntled_Trini]

TI, the sooner you adhere yourself to the reality that Hardest will never play for the Warriors again, the better off you will be.

[kiffysmooth]

Bleedah in de middle will solve all de damn problems..........Yorke will obviously be de best bet, but we cyah guarantee he return....And even if Yorke cyah make by de time de world cup start...so what? at least he help we qualify.....he could sit dong and enjoy de world cup after...jes like Latas

[weary1969]

Yeah Yorke could lime wit d WN in SA help oui qualify and we go b thankful, grateful etc etc etc

[ttcom]

Check the US or British Army 

[Quags]

I really cant see much in this article about a midfield general ..... is that what it has boiled down to ? another armchair coaching assessment without solution ?
I wonder when folks will wake up to the fact that Latapy is 40, retired  and not going to be part of this or any WC campaign !
As long as we believe that in the last WC we were really at a high level we will continue to delude ourselves. We are not now starting from a position of strength as some will have us believe ...but from one of good fortune.
That Trinidad and Tobago played in the last WC is a fact ..that T&T were world or even regional beaters is not !!
We finished 4th in the final group of 6 earning a playoff with Bahrain , the only country smaller than us in the final reckoning stage ...we got past Bahrain and went to the WC . With the exception of Carlos, Yorke and latapy ( who in 20 mins proved his worth ) and the goalkeepers the other players were far below standard. Is this writer suggesting that the inclusion of these players would make our team stronger ?
I saw Theobald against guadeloupe in the oval ...Maturana obviously saw what I saw .... he is not now in the picture. The same could be said for many of the others. Those who find themselves there have shown themselves to be better than the locals but they have not earned any guarantee picks based on past performances !!
Without the heroics of Shaka and Jack we could have been laughing stocks at the WC !! The outfield players with the exceptions I have mentioned ,the majority  who have since retired made no mark !
Seems like folks are now blaming the coach for the lack of quality in the team . The best players are now no longer with us, what is left are not good !!! We must try to look for replacements ....
I hear men talking bout Birchall...where is he playing ? I dont want to get into a player bashing but the basket is not filled with talent folks ..we really scrunting for talent here !
A midfield general wont sove our problem ..... we need more support staff in very many other positions.
What I see the coach trying to build.... is a team. That, for me is our only hope, rather than looking for a Russel latapy who is non existent.
we still into the individual rather than the team ...you know somebody to save we !
I guess the writre's  approach and ideas are much different to mine !

So you dont think after that experience playing in the WC ,that unbroken team would have played great against regional foes .? That team really gelled with the exception of wise and bleeder  .All we had to do was plug the hole made by the retiring players with men like Peltier Guerra Noel ect , we coulda been the bomb ,even with Wim .

[jai john]

I really cant see much in this article about a midfield general ..... is that what it has boiled down to ? another armchair coaching assessment without solution ?
I wonder when folks will wake up to the fact that Latapy is 40, retired  and not going to be part of this or any WC campaign !
As long as we believe that in the last WC we were really at a high level we will continue to delude ourselves. We are not now starting from a position of strength as some will have us believe ...but from one of good fortune.
That Trinidad and Tobago played in the last WC is a fact ..that T&T were world or even regional beaters is not !!
We finished 4th in the final group of 6 earning a playoff with Bahrain , the only country smaller than us in the final reckoning stage ...we got past Bahrain and went to the WC . With the exception of Carlos, Yorke and latapy ( who in 20 mins proved his worth ) and the goalkeepers the other players were far below standard. Is this writer suggesting that the inclusion of these players would make our team stronger ?
I saw Theobald against guadeloupe in the oval ...Maturana obviously saw what I saw .... he is not now in the picture. The same could be said for many of the others. Those who find themselves there have shown themselves to be better than the locals but they have not earned any guarantee picks based on past performances !!
Without the heroics of Shaka and Jack we could have been laughing stocks at the WC !! The outfield players with the exceptions I have mentioned ,the majority  who have since retired made no mark !
Seems like folks are now blaming the coach for the lack of quality in the team . The best players are now no longer with us, what is left are not good !!! We must try to look for replacements ....
I hear men talking bout Birchall...where is he playing ? I dont want to get into a player bashing but the basket is not filled with talent folks ..we really scrunting for talent here !
A midfield general wont sove our problem ..... we need more support staff in very many other positions.
What I see the coach trying to build.... is a team. That, for me is our only hope, rather than looking for a Russel latapy who is non existent.
we still into the individual rather than the team ...you know somebody to save we !
I guess the writre's  approach and ideas are much different to mine !

So you dont think after that experience playing in the WC ,that unbroken team would have played great against regional foes .? That team really gelled with the exception of wise and bleeder  .All we had to do was plug the hole made by the retiring players with men like Peltier Guerra Noel ect , we coulda been the bomb ,even with Wim .

We did not carry a young team to the wc and the best players have retired while the rest have not done much since ...is it any wonder that a new coach finds himself screening up to today ?
Could you for example say who should make up that team based on the last WC ? ..and when you have finished naming them ..say what they have done since the WC.
I would be grateful for such info...

[ribbit]

They are asking too much of these young players in so short a period. The middle is a disaster and carries no authority to really challenge the competition in the semi-finals.

In Germany, Dwight Yorke controlled the middle and offered more organisation for Beenhakker to work. Carlos Edwards now looks a shadow of himself without that quality support in the middle.

The skipper Aurtis Whitley seems inspired but is not up to the level of a Russell Latapy who can freeze the ball, delay the play, dictate directions and create better options for the players moving forward. We need a ball general in the middle.

latapy is a once in a generation player. like jai john said, the current squad doh have a substitute for latapy. this article seems like a lament that no player has shown they can step up and fill that role; which isn't all that surprising. this talk of midfield general doh seem to apply with the strengths of this squad.

[trinikev]

I really cant see much in this article about a midfield general ..... is that what it has boiled down to ? another armchair coaching assessment without solution ?
I wonder when folks will wake up to the fact that Latapy is 40, retired  and not going to be part of this or any WC campaign !
As long as we believe that in the last WC we were really at a high level we will continue to delude ourselves. We are not now starting from a position of strength as some will have us believe ...but from one of good fortune.
That Trinidad and Tobago played in the last WC is a fact ..that T&T were world or even regional beaters is not !!
We finished 4th in the final group of 6 earning a playoff with Bahrain , the only country smaller than us in the final reckoning stage ...we got past Bahrain and went to the WC . With the exception of Carlos, Yorke and latapy ( who in 20 mins proved his worth ) and the goalkeepers the other players were far below standard. Is this writer suggesting that the inclusion of these players would make our team stronger ?
I saw Theobald against guadeloupe in the oval ...Maturana obviously saw what I saw .... he is not now in the picture. The same could be said for many of the others. Those who find themselves there have shown themselves to be better than the locals but they have not earned any guarantee picks based on past performances !!
Without the heroics of Shaka and Jack we could have been laughing stocks at the WC !! The outfield players with the exceptions I have mentioned ,the majority  who have since retired made no mark !
Seems like folks are now blaming the coach for the lack of quality in the team . The best players are now no longer with us, what is left are not good !!! We must try to look for replacements ....
I hear men talking bout Birchall...where is he playing ? I dont want to get into a player bashing but the basket is not filled with talent folks ..we really scrunting for talent here !
A midfield general wont sove our problem ..... we need more support staff in very many other positions.
What I see the coach trying to build.... is a team. That, for me is our only hope, rather than looking for a Russel latapy who is non existent.
we still into the individual rather than the team ...you know somebody to save we !
I guess the writre's  approach and ideas are much different to mine !

So you dont think after that experience playing in the WC ,that unbroken team would have played great against regional foes .? That team really gelled with the exception of wise and bleeder  .All we had to do was plug the hole made by the retiring players with men like Peltier Guerra Noel ect , we coulda been the bomb ,even with Wim .

We did not carry a young team to the wc and the best players have retired while the rest have not done much since ...is it any wonder that a new coach finds himself screening up to today ?
Could you for example say who should make up that team based on the last WC ? ..and when you have finished naming them ..say what they have done since the WC.
I would be grateful for such info...

Jai, the only players who retired since 2006 are Yorke, Latapy and Shaka. Great players yes, but the fact remains that 'the rest' have not done much since solely because of the blacklist. If it were not for that situation, for the past 2 years we would have had a steady core of players to build around.