LEO BEENHAKKER, coach of the T&T Soca Warriors, says that the door is still open to all players desirous of representing this country at next year’s World Cup Finals in Germany.
Beenhakker was speaking at a media briefing to announce his plans for the team for the World Cup, at the Garden Room, Crowne Plaza, on Saturday.
The former Holland and Saudi Arabia coach noted that the historic thing of qualifying for the World Cup was now in the past. He congratulated the players and people of T&T who, he said, can be all proud of what was achieved.
“We were the last team to qualify for Germany, and a little bit behind with our planning, but we are not that late.
“The main thing takes place after the draw for groups takes place on December 9 in Leipzig.
“From then on we will know who our three opponents will be and start doing our home work on them; set about our training camp and where we will be based for our camp in Germany.
“As a consequence of the draw, we can then make a schedule for our friendly matches in relation to our official group.
“In these matches we will try to play teams that have the same philosophy and culture as the teams that we will be actually meeting.
“With most leagues in Europe not being completed before at least a month to the finals, the T&T coach said his main part of preparations will not begin until May.
“Most of our players are in the UK and it will not be easy to get them for any sufficient amount of time before that.
So we have decided that we will be splitting up the technical staff to deal with the players who are spread around at different teams and countries.
“One of our coaches will be based in England where he will be responsible for keeping an eye on the players there, while another will also be based here in T&T to give the local players some extra training.
Noting that there would not be any conflict between his staff at the coaches of the local clubs, Beenhakker added: “We have already spoken with the coaches and the local guys will be given training schedules to follow.
“We will create a programme and from January to April we will have all the players with the possible chance to make the team doing some extra training, so they will arrive in Europe in top shape to join the rest of the squad.”
Pressed to state how many local players he intends to invite to train, Beenhakker stated that the number was not that important, but what mattered was that if they were capable of replacing someone in the team should the need arises.
He noted that he and his staff had not yet determined which one of the coaches would be based where, but assured all that everything was being done in co-ordination with the local members of the technical staff.
Asked if he felt that the amount of time to prepare for the World Cup finals from the end of May was enough, the T&T coach replied:
“No!, but we have a lot of work and we have to do it.
“On one hand we will be going there as the smallest team, but we are going there to compete with the mentally that we do everything that is necessary to go as far as we can in the tournament .
“Once again I would like to say the door is open to every player who holds a T&T passport.
“We still have some players we have to identify, we are looking for them like Sherlock Holmes. It’s my duty to bring the best team and players to represent T&T on the World Cup stage.”
However, Beenhakker he was quick to note that he would not bring in someone into the team no matter how talented they were, if they would disrupt the chemistry of the team.
“It’s all well and good to invite players who have the talent and possesses at the same time the qualities of a team player.
“But anyone who focuses on himself and not on the team is not helpful. That’s why we were very careful in not bringing in some players before the last two matches.”
Telling about some of the things that have made him proud of his players, the T&T coach said:
“It’s a real, family among the guys, a great atmosphere to be around; everybody takes responsibility for each other.”