Maturana concerned about Yorke's inactivity.

[elan]

Maturana concerned about Yorke's inactivity.
...but Pro League fitness levels worse.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).

Trinidad and Tobago national football team coach Francisco Maturana expressed concern yesterday with the inactivity of "Soca Warriors" captain Dwight Yorke in the build-up to next month's 2010 World Cup qualifier away to El Salvador.

But Maturana is even less impressed with the fitness level of the T&T Pro League players--in or out of season.

"(Yorke's lack of playing time at Sunderland) is a concern," said Maturana, "but I always live with a concern... Even without playing, I am confident that (the Europe-based players) are in better shape than the guys locally."

Maturana insisted that his verdict on the condition of the Pro League players held true even in the middle of their season.

Yesterday evening, the national team finished their final session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium before leaving for a camp in Argentina today.

Maturana claimed that ten members of the touring party, which includes assistant coach/player Russell Latapy, will be selected for the El Salvador qualifier. The other eight players will come from the European leagues.

The Colombian declined comment on Latapy's role within the team.

"Mr (Jack) Warner has already explained Russell's role within the team," said the two-time Colombia World Cup coach. "For me, he is a very important player."

One player who has already been ruled out is promising teenaged midfielder Khaleem Hyland, who is on trial in Belgium.

Maturana confirmed that Hyland, who has not played competitively since he left CLICO San Juan Jabloteh in 2007, will not be invited to join the squad next month.Warriors looking to impress coach.
By: Kern De Freitas (T&T Express).

The competition is stiff for places in the senior Trinidad and Tobago football team ahead of the CONCACAF final round of 2010 World Cup qualifiers, beginning next month away to El Salvador.

Some new faces and more established names will be aiming to impress coach Francisco Maturana during the national squad's camp in Argentina--which begins today--for one of ten spots available to local-based players on the T&T team, with eight foreign-based players to join the final squad.

One such name is Errol McFarlane Jr, who showed good form for T&T at the Digicel Cup, even though the national team embarrassingly fell out of the competition in the group stages.

McFarlane said the trip to Argentina is a huge opportunity for players to show their worth after a poor showing in the regional tournament.

"I think coming off our recent disappointment with the Digicel (Cup), all the guys are eager to show the country that we have what it takes. I think we're gonna go out there, do our best, and try and stamp our authority back on the national team."

He also pointed out that veteran Russell Latapy's presence in the team is also a plus for the players.

"I think there is good vibes in the team. Russell is back and the guys are highly motivated with that. He adds a tremendous lot of intensity and togetherness in the team, so the guys are just geared up for the opposition, geared up for the challenge.

"...I think that we are much closer now that Russell's with us."

McFarlane also has personal motivation for performing well on the big stage, expressing his hopes to attract interest from international clubs.

CLICO San Juan Jabloteh striker Cornell Glen, recovering from a calf strain, is one of the players upbeat about the opportunity the trip to Argentina brings.

"It's an opportunity for the guys to impress the coach and try and get a spot on the team," Glen said. "We've been working hard for the last week and a half and we're only going out there to do our best and represent (T&T).

"Basically it's (the trip) to get fit, get up to international standard. We have a big game on February 11 (versus El Salvador) and we need to win. We need the three points to start the campaign off on a good note."

 
'MAGICIAN' SPEAKS: Trinidad and Tobago player/assistant coach Russell "Little Magician" Latapy, fourth from right, speaks to teammates during a training session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium yesterday. T&T leave for Argentina today to attend a training camp ahead of next month's opening CONCACAF final round World Cup qualifier away to El Salvador. -Photo: CURTIS CHASE

[Big Magician]

oh gorm...look dwighty get drop... fuh Hyland

[PATRIOT]

I guarantee that while not MATCH fit, Dwight's will STILL end up as one of the fittest men on that team! I not worried about him at all!!!

As for the foreign-based, my eight would be:-

1.Ince
2.Jones
3.Carlos
4.Dwight
5.Dennis
6.Scotland
7.Birchall
and between...

8. Stern...Roberts or Samuel depending on who in form/playing the most...BUT I feel Stern will get the nod based on experience, scoring record and the Latas/Yorke influence.

[Bourbon]

4kin Wim. How de ass he could say we pro league players not fit? Steups.

[Trini _2026]

maturana is concerned about Yorke's inactivity  .... but latapy has no club so that means he will not be on the pitch .... Oh yes Daniel better find a club soon

[Sam]

So, play more international games then ? we have 3 weeks before SLV, play more international games....

Call de foreign players who not playing for their clubs to go on tour in Argentina ?

Do something Maturana and stop being concern, de ball in your court....

De pro league on break, call de players and play more international games, get them fit then...

Steups !!!!!!!!!!

[Saltanfresh]

Maturana concerned about Yorke's inactivity.
...but Pro League fitness levels worse.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).


But Maturana is even less impressed with the fitness level of the T&T Pro League players--in or out of season.





McFarlane said the trip to Argentina is a huge opportunity for players to show their worth after a poor showing in the regional tournament.

"I think coming off our recent disappointment with the Digicel (Cup), all the guys are eager to show the country that we have what it takes. I think we're gonna go out there, do our best, and try and stamp our authority back on the national team."

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought the coach and his technical staff were responsible for preparing the players including their match fitness? So Mr Matrana should be putting them fellahs through their paces with a goal to getting them to the required fitness level instead of voicing concerns.

On another note, I am so fed up of our national players stating the obvious and then not delivering. Mr. Mc Farlane has stated the obvious here but the fact is everytime you get a call up to the national team as a professional footballer you should view this as an opportunity, the results in the recently concluded Digicel except (against Jamaica) did not look like the local based pros took advantage of that opportunity......

[Tallman]

But Maturana is even less impressed with the fitness level of the T&T Pro League players--in or out of season.

I hear dat only two players passed de fitness test dat de national squad was recently given.

[Jumbie]

isn't yorke still part of Sunderland and training with them? EPL level training is not worth anything?

mataburro have more unfit men around him.. that he supposed to be overseeing.

[WestCoast]

4kin Wim. How de ass he could say we pro league players not fit? Steups.

aye...you goin an get one setta cuss up eh

[Dinner Mints]

4kin Wim. How de ass he could say we pro league players not fit? Steups.

aye...you goin an get one setta cuss up eh

Oddly, de likely cussbuds never cuss up Mats for saying black people cyah concentrate. I guess only white man does offend dem.

[Brownsugar]

4kin Wim. How de ass he could say we pro league players not fit? Steups.

 
Boy yuh take de words right off mih keyboard!!...how dey goh be fit, dey only spend time liming under coconut trees....

Ah love it!!... (copyright Andre Samuel)

[Daft Trini]

Dwight only need 2 make ah run with some local skets and he will be fit again....

[Daft Trini]

But Maturana is even less impressed with the fitness level of the T&T Pro League players--in or out of season.

I hear dat only two players passed de fitness test dat de national squad was recently given.

How much ah dem could touch they toes is the real question....

[palos]

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought the coach and his technical staff were responsible for preparing the players including their match fitness?

Yuh wrong.  At the Senior Men's National team level in the modern game, it's not the responsibility of the coach or his staff to "get players fit".  That's the responsibility of their respective clubs.  For those without clubs, the onus is on them to acquire the desired level of fitness to compete in the international arena.

As for those who say play more international matches to get players fit, isn't that the purpose of this Argentine tour?  And even self, I wonder if daz de coach job too?  On top of coachin de team, he must arrange dey international matches, get the players fit, find clubs for them, and bring down players who contracted to foreign clubs.  And oh yeah...if de foreign clubs doh want to let de players go because is outside official FIFA tournament dates, dem jes have to humble because de National coach say dey have to come.

I guess he should be wipin de players ass when dey put dong a pile too.

[kingman]

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought the coach and his technical staff were responsible for preparing the players including their match fitness?

Yuh wrong.  At the Senior Men's National team level in the modern game, it's not the responsibility of the coach or his staff to "get players fit".  That's the responsibility of their respective clubs.  For those without clubs, the onus is on them to acquire the desired level of fitness to compete in the international arena.

As for those who say play more international matches to get players fit, isn't that the purpose of this Argentine tour?  And even self, I wonder if daz de coach job too?  On top of coachin de team, he must arrange dey international matches, get the players fit, find clubs for them, and bring down players who contracted to foreign clubs.  And oh yeah...if de foreign clubs doh want to let de players go because is outside official FIFA tournament dates, dem jes have to humble because de National coach say dey have to come.

I guess he should be wipin de players ass when dey put dong a pile too.

 

At the professional level and/or international level, coaches have limited time on their hands to get players fit. Their schedule is so demanding with games, that they have to be MAINLY tactically and technically prepared for each encounter. Each player is therefore responsible to keep his level of fitness high (whether is means playing pick up games, as well as, training individually when possible and putting in the work during each training session to maintain a certain level of fitness).

When they come into pre-season camp or summons to National duty they should be fit and ready to get right into the playing and adjusting to tactical ideas the coach may have. Rather than have to spend 2-3 week to do fitness work to get players prepared.

Kingman

[elan]

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought the coach and his technical staff were responsible for preparing the players including their match fitness?

Yuh wrong.  At the Senior Men's National team level in the modern game, it's not the responsibility of the coach or his staff to "get players fit".  That's the responsibility of their respective clubs.  For those without clubs, the onus is on them to acquire the desired level of fitness to compete in the international arena.

As for those who say play more international matches to get players fit, isn't that the purpose of this Argentine tour?  And even self, I wonder if daz de coach job too?  On top of coachin de team, he must arrange dey international matches, get the players fit, find clubs for them, and bring down players who contracted to foreign clubs.  And oh yeah...if de foreign clubs doh want to let de players go because is outside official FIFA tournament dates, dem jes have to humble because de National coach say dey have to come.

I guess he should be wipin de players ass when dey put dong a pile too.

Yuh right, and according to Tallman SpyNet only 2 players pass the physical so we should be looking at a new squad of players unless the players who fail could eat some spinach and pass the test.

he may not be rtesponsible for them being fit, but now that he know they are not fit, he responsible for not picking them.

[Saltanfresh]

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought the coach and his technical staff were responsible for preparing the players including their match fitness?

Yuh wrong.  At the Senior Men's National team level in the modern game, it's not the responsibility of the coach or his staff to "get players fit".  That's the responsibility of their respective clubs.  For those without clubs, the onus is on them to acquire the desired level of fitness to compete in the international arena.

As for those who say play more international matches to get players fit, isn't that the purpose of this Argentine tour?  And even self, I wonder if daz de coach job too?  On top of coachin de team, he must arrange dey international matches, get the players fit, find clubs for them, and bring down players who contracted to foreign clubs.  And oh yeah...if de foreign clubs doh want to let de players go because is outside official FIFA tournament dates, dem jes have to humble because de National coach say dey have to come.

I guess he should be wipin de players ass when dey put dong a pile too.

Well Palos, if that is the case then crapaud-smoke-we-pipe! Cause with the exception of the eight foreign based who playing in the UK, the local based were expected to stay fit over Christmas and the begining of "fete-season" in T&T?

Oh laarrhhdd! Now I understand why we local national players sometimes seem to be bun with (a very few exceptions)....maybe we callin them professional but they acting amateur? This asks another question, how come man like Birchall and Yorke who only playing a few times for their clubs or none at all, could come home and out-work some of the local players when comes to fitness?

So man don't run sand-track, work out on the beach, hit the gym, and all them tings again?

[Big Magician]

remember my tnt players fitness thread .... i eh know how to find and put up link...so if someone can ...please ??

[pardners]

4kin Wim. How de ass he could say we pro league players not fit? Steups.

aye...you goin an get one setta cuss up eh

We really do need an icon for sarcasm.

[Daft Trini]

TnT has the talent.... not the fitness... we need a dutch coach or a korean to help us out here

[Mose]

Ah tink some of allyuh getting tie up with de difference between "not fit" and "not fit enough". Because de coach say dey level of fitness not up to international standard doh mean man doh run sand-track, work out on de beach and hit de gym on a regular basis. I could do all of dat and never reach international standard because that standard requires an extremely high level of work. Why yuh tink Birchall could run like dat whole game? I seem to recall Whitley who used to be one of the fittest men on de side went Portsmouth on trial and come back saying de training was too hard. And trust me, dat eh de kinda work yuh could just do in 2-3 weeks.

[elan]

Ah tink some of allyuh getting tie up with de difference between "not fit" and "not fit enough". Because de coach say dey level of fitness not up to international standard doh mean man doh run sand-track, work out on de beach and hit de gym on a regular basis. I could do all of dat and never reach international standard because that standard requires an extremely high level of work. Why yuh tink Birchall could run like dat whole game? I seem to recall Whitley who used to be one of the fittest men on de side went Portsmouth on trial and come back saying de training was too hard. And trust me, dat eh de kinda work yuh could just do in 2-3 weeks.

So is "Donkey in Horse race" then, cause if they loking to play international games, against international players and they not internationally fit, what you think the outcome will be?

[Saltanfresh]

Ah tink some of allyuh getting tie up with de difference between "not fit" and "not fit enough". Because de coach say dey level of fitness not up to international standard doh mean man doh run sand-track, work out on de beach and hit de gym on a regular basis. I could do all of dat and never reach international standard because that standard requires an extremely high level of work. Why yuh tink Birchall could run like dat whole game? I seem to recall Whitley who used to be one of the fittest men on de side went Portsmouth on trial and come back saying de training was too hard. And trust me, dat eh de kinda work yuh could just do in 2-3 weeks.

Mose, I must be missing somthing here so please enlighten me because if a man doing all them fitness preparations (that I mention) to get ready for football how could he still not reach international standard as you mentioned? Are you referring to the type of fitness techniques applied or the actual professional attitude and work-rate of the individual?

I was merely referencing some of the old ways of fitness training but I presume that most of these men are professionals who are training with locally-based foreign coaches like Fenwick at Jabloteh or with local trainers and coaches who have been exposed to the international fitness requirements. 

Why have we not adopted the fitness preparation techniques that could take us to that international level. More specifically, what do you think makes the difference?

Parlos and company mentioned that national coaches at the senior level do not have time for fitness training and I concur but if you paying a whole technical staff with tax payers money and you have a bunch of locally based national players hanging around with nothing to do after the season done, maybe a fitness regiment should have been the order of the day.

[Mose]

Ah tink some of allyuh getting tie up with de difference between "not fit" and "not fit enough". Because de coach say dey level of fitness not up to international standard doh mean man doh run sand-track, work out on de beach and hit de gym on a regular basis. I could do all of dat and never reach international standard because that standard requires an extremely high level of work. Why yuh tink Birchall could run like dat whole game? I seem to recall Whitley who used to be one of the fittest men on de side went Portsmouth on trial and come back saying de training was too hard. And trust me, dat eh de kinda work yuh could just do in 2-3 weeks.

So is "Donkey in Horse race" then, cause if they loking to play international games, against international players and they not internationally fit, what you think the outcome will be?

The outcome will be what it has been. Licks from teams like Austria and Scotland. Regular beatings from sides that we consider to be less talented like the US. And inconsistent displays.

[daryn]

remember my tnt players fitness thread .... i eh know how to find and put up link...so if someone can ...please ??

I think this is it

http://www.socawarriors.net/forum/index.php?topic=40545.0

[Mose]

Ah tink some of allyuh getting tie up with de difference between "not fit" and "not fit enough". Because de coach say dey level of fitness not up to international standard doh mean man doh run sand-track, work out on de beach and hit de gym on a regular basis. I could do all of dat and never reach international standard because that standard requires an extremely high level of work. Why yuh tink Birchall could run like dat whole game? I seem to recall Whitley who used to be one of the fittest men on de side went Portsmouth on trial and come back saying de training was too hard. And trust me, dat eh de kinda work yuh could just do in 2-3 weeks.

Mose, I must be missing somthing here so please enlighten me because if a man doing all them fitness preparations (that I mention) to get ready for football how could he still not reach international standard as you mentioned? Are you referring to the type of fitness techniques applied or the actual professional attitude and work-rate of the individual?

I was merely referencing some of the old ways of fitness training but I presume that most of these men are professionals who are training with locally-based foreign coaches like Fenwick at Jabloteh or with local trainers and coaches who have been exposed to the international fitness requirements. 

Why have we not adopted the fitness preparation techniques that could take us to that international level. More specifically, what do you think makes the difference?

Parlos and company mentioned that national coaches at the senior level do not have time for fitness training and I concur but if you paying a whole technical staff with tax payers money and you have a bunch of locally based national players hanging around with nothing to do after the season done, maybe a fitness regiment should have been the order of the day.

I in work so ah cyah get into details, but let me put it dis way: If I going de gym 3 days a week for 2 hours each time and you going to de gym 6 days for 3 hours a day with a extra 2 hour work out session every other day, who yuh tink go be fitter? Not you? Dat doh mean to say dat I eh go be fit. Just not at your level. So plain and simple it comes down to de amount of effort put into the training/workouts.

[palos]

I believe especially locally, we doh have much of a clue regarding just how FIT one needs to be to play professional football in this day and age.

I feel men truly believe they working and training hard and puttin in de extra work dat it takes jes to be able to compete as a professional in the modern game.  Take a look at Birchall....a man who does run all day fuh we national team, but who is described this season by every one of his coaches as not being match fit and therefore often couldn't find he way on to de bench far less to start.  Yet Birchall when playin for T&T does look like de only man who does cover every blade a grass.

I think when we players go abroad, dey does get a real eye opener as to what is required to be a professional footballer.  Dat kinda life not easy.  Is a SERIOUS kinda discipline dat yuh need to have.  Not jes physical discipline, but mental discipline.  Coaches in today's game adopt a more strategic approach when assigning roles for their players depending on the system being employed and the opposition that they play.  Some of these roles require players to perform certain tasks.  A wing back in a particular formation for example may need to perform the dual role of attack and defence.  In addition to stamina, they have to keep their discipline & their shape with the rest of the backline when defending, they track the forward runs of their opposing player and in turn put them under pressure going forward.  You're supposed to understand what positioning to take to minimze the opponents effectiveness.  How to exploit their weaknesses.  But all this is rendered moot if the opposing player is fitter than you are...because at some point during the game, that edge your opponent has on YOU is going to cost YOUR TEAM.  That's just on the tactical side of things.  Training has become increasingly scientific as well.  There are a multitude of training methods out there and some of the old way of doing things have been discarded because they've been found to be inefficient.

I was reading an interesting story on Jermaine O'Neal the Centre for the Toronto Raptors.  His is a somewhat typical NBA body....tattooed, sculptured, bulging biceps etc.  He works out faithfully with his weights doing bicep curls, bench press, flies etc.  But the trainer for the Raptors says that those training methods are inefficient.  He said that the bicep curl is the singularly most pointless exercise there is.  It's pure vanity and does nothing but maybe boost one's ego.  There's no cardio vascular benefit.  No strength benefit.  The emphasis these days increasingly is on strength training.  The single leg squat and pull ups are amongst the new exercises that are favoured by these strength coaches.  Strength programs aim to build what's known as functional strength, an overall increase in the body's ability to handle the grind of the modern day professional footballer.  This results in less injuries which is the main goal.  Consider the cost to a club that has invested millions in players only to have them sidelined because of injury.  Injury is a fact of sporting life but whatever you can do to minimize that is going to give you a positive return on your investment.

We might have players who train hard.  But do they train smart?  A player who trains 5 days a week in the gym for 4 hours a day is not NECESSARILY fitter than one who trains 3 days a week for 2 hours a day.  It depends on WHAT YOU'RE DOING WHEN YOU TRAIN and does it provide you with the maximum benefit for your sport?  Footballers may train different than NBA athletes who may train differently than cricketers.

Men does watch dem fellas on TV and say..."I can do that"....without having an inkling as to what goes on behind the scenes to prepare someone to be on that stage in the first place.  For those who lucky enough to get a glimpse of what's involved, it's often a rude awakening.

[dinho]

good post palos..

[Jumbie]

good post palos..

i 2nd dat. good post agent.