National Senior Team head coach Leo Beenhakker is expected back in Trinidad around January 15 as he sets off on having a further look at some of the home-based players before finalizing selection of the Team for preparation matches leading up to the 2006 World Cup.
Beenhakker will also be here to be part of Franz Beckenbauer’s visit to Trinidad as part of the World Cup promotion during which the actual World Cup winners trophy will be on display.
Prior to Beenhakker’s arrival, assistant coach Wim Rijsbergen will fly in about a week before to start working with a selected number of home-based players alongside recently appointed assistant coach Anton Corneal.
“The preparations with the local players will begin during that period and it gives us an opportunity to not only work with the guys who are currently on the team but also to see some others because we are also looking at one or two from other leagues in Europe,” Beenhakker told TTFF Media.
Added to that, on Beenhakker’s request, another Dutch coach, Mario Been, has been given the role of chief scout for the senior team. He will be overseeing the progress of T&T’s other World Cup opponents and will also be involved from a viewer’s perspective in what the “Soca Warriors” are doing on the field of play.
Been is attached as a coach with current Dutch First Division leaders S.B.V. Excelsior Rotterdam and is also a former coach with Feyeenord FC.
For the build up and the duration of the World Cup appearance, T&T will also have Walsall team doctor Ralph Rogers working with current team doctor Terence Babwah. Rogers of the English club has been named the medical advisor to T&T. Dr. Rogers will be contributing his medical and nutritional know how to T&T’s efforts to progress out of the group stage where they have of course been paired with England, Sweden and Paraguay.
His work starts over the next few weeks before the World Cup as several of the players campaign in the UK and he is expected to serve as T&T’s advisor while also handling the medical affairs of Walsall.
Meantime, Sydney FC has stated that it intends to have Dwight Yorke in good shape for the World Cup but denied any interest from Scottish club Falkirk to have the player there on a three-month loan deal from January.,Sydney chairman Walter Bugno said on Wednesday that no official approach has come from Falkirk.
”Any [loan] deal would need to be concluded before January's transfer window closes but we want to make sure Dwight goes to Germany in the best possible condition. Sitting idle is not an option for him. But there has been no approach from Falkirk to date, or anybody else for that matter,” Bugno said.
Yorke also received an offer from Australian national team assistant coach Graham Arnold to train with the country’s home-based pros vying for selection in Guus Hiddink’s final team for the Finals. He would have the chance to do so while in that country ahead of the June 10 opener against Sweden.