Three years ago to this day (November 16), our National Senior Footballers stamped this country’s name in the history books by becoming the smallest nation ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup by way of a 1-0 victory over Bahrain in Manama.
Three years on, it's a pain that still lingers amongst the Bahraini football fraternity as the national team knuckles down to the final phase of its 2010 qualifying campaign. On November 19th, the Bahrainis host Asia's top side, Australia, in a must-win match.
''I might be emotionally biased but I would say that it should have been a goal, obviously,'' said Ali Khalifa Alkhalifa, vice-president of the Bahrain Football Association. ''I think it should have been a draw which would have pushed us through. But what's gone is gone.''
ESPNsoccernet Press Pass analyst and former Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, who sat on the T&T bench in Manama three years ago and went on to play in the 2006 World Cup, holds the opposite view of an incident that resembled George Best dispossessing Gordon Banks at Belfast's Windsor Park more than three decades earlier (when Ahmed Hassan kicked the ball out of Kelvin Jack’s possession and into the goal)
''I didn't even get out of my seat because I knew it would be blown as a foul,'' he said. ''They were trying to make something out of nothing. It would have been an absolute travesty if the goal had stood.''
Since 2006, there have been ups and downs in the local game but Yorke and company are eager to repeat the success of the Germany campaign and again set the mark for further success.
“Looking back at what we achieved in 2005/2006 brings a lot of smiles and fine memories rushing back to not just me but I’m sure all of my teammates and every fan of Trinidad and Tobago’s football. And who would think that at age 37 and three years later I would be back leading the team trying to get to another World Cup. But that’s the beauty of the game and the thing about life where things happen and we simply have to go on with it once we are in position to do so. And at this time I feel we are on our way with another good possibility of getting to another World Cup…keeping the country’s progress going through football and we’re more than ready for it,” Yorke said.
TTFF Special Advisor Jack Warner feels the same but pointed to the fact on a broader side.
“We made history in 2005 but for me what is more important is for us to show that it was not a one off wonder. We must try to duplicate the success and become the smallest nation to qualify for two consecutive World Cups,” Warner told TTFF Media.
“This game on Wednesday against Cuba, because of the significance of the date as some people continue to say, is important for us to not only achieve a victory but also to sharpen up ourselves, the team that is, for the next round which will be no easy hurdle to overcome. And the same approach must be adopted for all our national teams. We’ve come over obstacles along the way just like we did in 2005. And on Wednesday, a good win will be the order of the day and I ask the country to join us in support and in recognition of what occurred three years ago,” Warner added.
While Yorke, Lawrence, Russell Latapy and Stern John make up the more experienced bunch from the “Journey to Germany” there’s a certain Kenwyne Jones who represents the exuberance of youth on the “Soca Safari to South Africa”. And coming two goals in successive matches on his return from injury puts him in a good frame for Wednesday.
“I’m delighted to be back with such a record. The two goals have come in good time for me. I will not be putting too much pressure on myself though. It’s just a matter of staying focused and trying to achieve good things,” Jones said.
“When you look back at the last qualification, I was a youth in the team and today despite moving up to the Premiership I can still be considered one of the younger players but this time I believe I can bring something more to the table. I think overall the team has what it takes to go on to another World Cup and it starts with our next game every time we regroup as a national team of Trinidad and Tobago,” the Sunderland man concluded.
The overseas-based players will begin arriving in Port of Spain on Sunday and head coach Francisco Maturana will conduct a session on Monday afternoon at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. The Cubans will touch down on Monday.
T&T 18-man Squad
Anthony Warner, Clayton Ince, Makan Hislop, Dennis Lawrence, Keyeno Thomas, Aklie Edwards, Cyd Gray, Dwight Yorke, Josh Johnson, Keon Daniel, Khaleem Hyland, Carlos Edwards, Christopher Birchall, Clyde Leon, Russell Latapy, Stern John, Kenwyne Jones, Jason Scotland.
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