We will win," said one Bahraini football fan yesterday, in downtown Manama. "No problem. 3-0." The confident statement seemed to reverberate around the Middle Eastern country.
Many Bahrainis were unaware of the host nation's opponents this evening for their crucial 2006 World Cup Play-Off qualifier (which kicks off at noon T&T time), but it did not dent their enthusiasm.
Those who knew were even happier.
"Yes, we play Trinidad and Tobago," said one self-proclaimed fan. He smiled broadly as though he had just shared a joke.
The cocky attitude was not confined to the supporters either.
Some Bahraini journalists also seemed slightly amused.
"Your team scored a freak goal," said one translator. "If you asked (Chris Birchall) to do that again, he could not. It was luck." Although Bahrain and Trinidad and Tobago are virtually on even footing after a 1-1 first leg finish at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Saturday, the Arabic hosts believe they saw nothing to overly concern them. The fact that Bahrain now also have home advantage is a clincher.
"You have three good players," said one reporter, who pointed to Aurtis Whitley, Carlos Edwards and Dennis Lawrence. "After that " He contorted his face as though sucking on a lemon.
So, Bahrain are boosted by their home crowd. But Trinidad and Tobago may also have the advantage of their guests' over-confidence.
The Bahrain Football Association (BFA) announced that today's historic encounter at the Bahrain National Stadium will be free for all patrons, while buses will collect interested fans from all across the island.
They expect to see Caribbean lambs. They are likely to be surprised.
Trinidad and Tobago coach Leo Beenhakker ridiculed the idea that away matches were more difficult since, he insisted, the rules of the game are no different wherever a fixture is played.
Whatever the merits of Beenhakker's sermon-if any-the players hardly seemed to need motivating.
National captain and ex-Manchester United star Dwight Yorke said that today's game was the most important in his career.
Yorke won every major prize in English and European football but hinted that he would retire unfulfilled if he did not atone for November 19, 1989, when Trinidad and Tobago came within a point of the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
"I had to wait 16 years for the chance to come again," said Yorke, who now plays for Sydney FC in the Australian A' League. "And I cannot let it go When the players look at me, they can see the fire in my eyes." At Manama's Crowne Plaza hotel, where the Trinidad and Tobago players are confined, the squad are like wounded lions.
Yorke, 35, admitted he was in the twilight of his career. But there were more than a dozen compatriots brooding in their hotel rooms who are also at the crossroads.
Star striker Stern John has not featured in English League Championship club Derby County's last two fixtures.
Defender Marvin Andrews is in the final year of his contract at Scottish Premier League defending champs, Glasgow Rangers, and playing for an extension, as is reserve goalkeeper Shaka Hislop at English Premiership outfit West Ham.
Beenhakker's first-choice custodian, Kelvin Jack, has seven months remaining on his deal with Scottish First Division outfit Dundee and is desperate for a promotion, while defender Brent Sancho's decision to turn out for international duty might have damned his career at English League One club, Gillingham.
There are similar stories of dented pride, perceived slights or fading appeal throughout Beenhakker's dressing room.
Today is the time to get even and, for most of the squad, the opportunity will not come again. They are well aware that a nation of 1.2 million people is united behind them.
Bahrain coach Luka Peruzovic intimated at a press conference yesterday that he would change nothing from Saturday's performance against Trinidad and Tobago, which earned them a 1-1 draw.
He is also satisfied that his two suspended players can be adequately replaced from his reserves.
For all Peruzovic's brave words, it should be noted that Bahrain have never won a match under their new coach.
The former Yugoslav international oversaw three successive draws against Uzbekistan (twice) and Trinidad and Tobago.
Bahrain's bravado is also not easily married to the Asian team's performances.
Their Manama venue has not witnessed a victory since November 12, 2004 when Bahrain whipped Tajikistan 4-0.
They lost twice to Japan and North Korea at home this year, while also holding Iran and Uzbekistan to goalless draws.
A similar 0-0 draw would be enough to see Bahrain through and Trinidad and Tobago are generally poor travellers.
But Beenhakker can point to last month's qualifier away to Panama when T&T ground out a result with their World Cup place on the line. Who is to say they cannot repeat the feat?
Bahrain believe that destiny would take them to Germany and point to a replayed fixture away to Uzbekistan, which they initially lost 1-0 but drew 1-1 at the second attempt, as well as their good fortune in again playing the second leg at home.
Trinidad and Tobago once felt the same way. It was on November 19 when we believed that Kerry Jamerson's spectacular winner against Guatemala in the preceding fixture had already guaranteed our place in Italy.
One way or another, the ghost of November 19 will stay with one of the two competing nations tonight at the Bahrain National Stadium.
Trinidad and Tobago have carried that blight for 16 years. It might be time someone else took a turn.