National senior defender Daneil Cyrus described this country’s qualification for the 2013 Concacaf Gold Cup as the best Christmas present he could have hoped for.
The Tobago-born forward turned defender played in all of T&T’s five matches at the Caribbean Cup Finals in Antigua earlier this month after rejoining the team from his first stint in Vietnam. Cyrus missed the semifinal round in Tobago due to club commitments but fitted right back into the set-up on his return in Antigua.
“It wasn’t difficult fitting back into the team because I’ve played with all the guys before and I knew the system the coaches were using. We didn’t get off to a great start but we got better with every game and I think that was one of the good things about this team in that we stuck together and improved as the tournament went along,” Cyrus said.
Cyrus and his teammates, led by captain Jan-Michael Williams, received a few days off from the national team and their respective clubs to enjoy a bit of the festive season. “It’s all about spending some time with our families and friends.
We were away for a long time in December representing the nation and now we are just happy to be on home soil. It’s been a rough year for the sport but I think we ended on a high and we praise God for this. Reaching the final and qualifying for the Gold Cup next year is the greatest present we as national players could have wanted and I feel privileged to be part of the team.
When we get back to training, our aim will be to become a better overall team and go out there and do our best next year and try to make the country proud again at the Gold Cup,” Cyrus ended.