Trinidad and Tobago men’s national team will go into the second round of the CFU Caribbean Cup qualifiers with a staggering 15 goal record from its first round exploits. The Soca Warriors defied all odds and shone a bright light on T&T football after a steady decline following its participation at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
It’s no secret that T&T football is in shambles at the moment, but I believe that winning the 2012 Caribbean Cup tournament could usher in the dawn of brighter days ahead for T&T football. In order for this to come to fruition though, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) must put aside all self serving agendas and settle with the “2006 World Cup 13”, have a well publicized and fair election, aim to become a self sustaining organization with less reliance on government funding; and most of all rewrite the TTFF constitution to prevent any internal or external entity from taking control as Jack Warner has done for so many years.
The Soca Warriors meanwhile will play host to Cuba, Suriname and St. Vincent & the Grenadines from November 14-18, only 3 days after the TTFF presidential election, and it is rumoured that the venue will be Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago. The top two teams will then advance to the eight-nation Caribbean Cup final in Antigua & Barbuda during the month of December. From this tournament four teams will advance to next year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.
One must ponder though on whether or not this second round tournament will actually come off? Based on the constant rift between the TTFF and the Ministry of Sports (MoS) Anil Roberts and his mouth piece deputy and Permanent Secretary Ashwin Creed, it’s hard not to envision the possibility of this predicament. Questions like who is going to pay for the stadium usage must be asked? Maybe a call to Nicki Minaj might provide the answers.
Anyway, back to the matter at hand, Trinidad and Tobago went into the first round of the CFU Caribbean Cup qualifying literally unprepared with only one game played against Canada in August. Had it not been for the Canadian Soccer Association’s (CSA) added effort, T&T would probably have not played a friendly match as the Federation is strapped for cash.
Furthermore, the team has been inactive since February and despite not having a permanent coach T&T still managed to breeze through the first round unscathed, scoring 15 goals and conceding only one goal in the process.
Former Strike Squad midfielder Hutson Charles is currently the team's caretaker with 6 games under his belt and a coaching record of four wins and two losses. The four wins came against Caribbean opposition while the two losses were against Finland and Canada respectively. This by all means is not a poor coaching record, but it certainly does not warrant him being promoted to the hot seat.
I would like to see our team play with discipline, purpose, organization and structure and not play like individuals going through the motions on a field. Is Charles the man who can instill these qualities and successfully coach the Warriors? Only time and sterner opponents will answer this question?
In the meantime, Coach Charles seems to have his mind set on a 4-5-1 formation approach with inform striker Jamal Gay leading the attack. Talented left-footer Keon Daniel, the midfield trickster Hughtun Hector, pacey winger Kevon Carter, newly promoted midfielder Joevin Jones, and the smooth passing midfielder Densill Theobald all played the supporting casts.
Defenders Carlyle Mitchell, Daneil Cyrus, Seon Power and Robert Primus anchored the defence, while Jan “The Man” Michael Williams was preferred between the sticks to Marvin Phillip. The two lads have been competing for the number one spot since the Under 17 level. This time however, Williams got the nod.
Jamal Gay justified his pick by finishing the first round group stage as leading goal scorer with 5 goals, Keon Daniel amassed 4 and Willis Plaza grabbed 3.
The core of the team was mainly a locally based unit and although the opponents they faced were mediocre at best, T&T still managed to fly this country's flag high and definitely gave the Warrior fans something to cheer about. In spite of this success though, it’s hard to forget the adversity the team faced at the hands of the Ministry of Sports who always seems to be lurking over T&T football like the grim reaper.
Now as we look to the second round, in my humble opinion, I feel that T&T has nothing but the Caribbean Cup to play for and the TTFF needs to take this tournament seriously and channel all its resources and available players to give the Team the best chance of winning the Caribbean title.
Will it be easy? Certainly not, as underestimating our Caribbean neighbors in the past few years has lead to embarrassing eliminations from the Gold Cup and World Cup Qualifiers.
Not that these so called smaller teams are not improving to a competitive standard, but T&T football has been at a standstill and is played on a sub-par level. Our team lacks fluidity and organization especially in defence and the players seem to also lack desire and determination to play for the national team. If the TTFF does not lead by example and get its house in order, T&T football could reach a level where it would be literally impossible to revive.
What we need at this juncture is to confidently put our best foot forward in the Caribbean Cup and select the best foreign based players available. Here are some of the foreign based players that I believe can help us bring the title back to T&T for a ninth time:
Worthy of a call up
Andre Boucaud – Lately Boucaud has been in terrific form for his on-loan club Notts County (League One) and it’s puzzling that he hasn't really gotten a chance to prove his worth for the national team. A call up for the second round could quell all doubts on whether he can help enhance the team’s chances to make it to the finals. Andre is no stranger to T&T football and his never die attitude is always a welcomed bonus for the Warriors. He also stated to me recently that he is always ready and eager to represent T&T and would be delighted to receive a call up for the semi-final and/or final round of the Caribbean Cup.
Cordell Cato - Based on the games he has played for the Seattle Sounders it is easy to see that his speed on the right wing, ability to take on defenders and his crossing can be a major asset to T&T. As a starter or a super sub he has the potential to be one of the danger men for the Warriors. The MLS season is almost over and Cato will more than likely be available if selected.
Christopher Birchall - It’s no secret that this Warrior veteran provides the steel in the Warriors’ midfield (a much needed element missing in T&T teams) and it’s baffling that he was not included in the T&T squad that topped its Caribbean Cup quarterfinal group. As we face tougher opponents in the second round though, a well organize midfield with Chris as the anchor is crucial.
Foreign born who are eligible to play for T&T
Kamani Hill - This California native is eligible to play for T&T through his father and though he has been capped twice by the US in friendly matches, the Colorado Rapids midfielder can still represent T&T if he decides to don the Red, White and Black.
Nick DeLeon - The son of a T&T football legend, Nick has all the ingredients to be as good as or even better than his father Leroy. Whether or not he decides to make the switch in T&T colors, well that’s another story. Let's make the call and find out though.
Sheanon Williams - If reports are to be believed, the Philadelphia Union defender has expressed interest in representing T&T. We should at least aim to cap him before the US comes calling. At 22 Sheanon is a young and talented right-back who loves to overlap. He has good recovery speed and can cross the ball accurately.
The backbone
Then we have our core foreign based players to beef up the Soca Warriors team. These players have a lot to offer based on club form, potential, experience and/or exemplary service to T&T and include; Carlos Edwards, Jlloyd Samuel, Lester Peltier, Khaleem Hyland, Kevin Molino, Kenwyne Jones, Darryl Roberts, Julius James and Kendall Jagdeosingh.
Notable mention should also be made of some of the foreign based fringe players T&T has at its disposal. They include but are not limited to: Mekeil Williams, Jake Thomson, Sean De Silva, Leston Paul, and Justin Fojo.
I believe this combination of experience and youth players would make a solid platform for the future of T&T football. All of these players cannot be selected, but the best from this crop can certainly give us a competitive edge going into the second round of the Caribbean Cup.
Getting it right.
Just asked yourself, why was T&T knocked out off the Caribbean Cup twice in succession by Grenada and eliminated from the 2014 World Cup by CONCACAF minnows Guyana? It seems like every other Caribbean country is taking their football seriously. Isn't it time T&T does the same?
It’s now up to the TTFF to make the right decisions regarding the path our football should take. In the face of incessant failures and adversity, now more than ever is the time to get it right and put T&T football back in its place of prominence. The Caribbean Cup title can be ours again and as a Warrior fan…I believe it!