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Photo Credit to: Anthony Harris (T&T Guardian Newspapers).

Like a beached whale out of its natural habitat and perishing under the spotlight, Trinidad and Tobago head coach Francisco Maturana can be most awkward when expressing himself in the English language.

But few West Indian cricketers can produce a straight drive to equal the fluency of the Colombian when back in his Spanish-speaking element.

Maturana looked in trouble when the aggressive Honduran media bore down on him Thursday evening at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, where T&T's Soca Warriors were having a training session ahead of today's 2010 World Cup qualifier against Honduras, which kicks off from 7 p.m. at the same venue.

Like most of Central and South America, Hondurans love their football, and so 20-odd media workers are in Trinidad to cover tonight's match.

On Thursday, Maturana's permanently-assigned English translator had his easiest workday yet, having to interpret for the one local journalist present, while Maturana faced the Central American sharks on his own.

With a smile on his face and a soft tongue, "Mats" handled himself like a master batsman, sometimes aggressively dispatching the opposition to the boundary, and other times, playing forward defensively.

First came the suggestion that the Warriors had gotten a bit of a let-off, now that Honduras are without their injured star striker, David Suazo, currently at Benfica on loan from Inter Milan.

A truly-feared player with tremendous pace, Honduras lost Suazo when he was injured playing in Portugal on the weekend.

"That is Honduras' problem...not mine," Maturana declared. "That is their pressure. The pressure on us is to produce a team that is compact and a team that does what the coach imparts."

Then there was the analogy about the game being a battle between two Colombians, Maturana and his compatriot, Honduras' head coach, Reynaldo Rueda.

It was a trap, probably meant to test Maturana's ego and maybe get him to boast that he was the better Colombian.

Maturana tucked the question around the corner without a second glance and also swept aside suggestions that the absence of suspended Trinidad and Tobago players Dwight Yorke, Chris Birchall and Clayton Ince from tonight's match was a major worry.

It produced a respectful smile on the face of the Honduran reporter who had posted the comment. He knew he had been beaten.

"I don't think this is a personal challenge against the other team's coach. This is Trinidad against Honduras," stated Maturana. "We don't think about the players that we don't have... we think about the new players that are in and how we can get them up to mark. I don't worry about Honduras...I worry about Trinidad and Tobago and what we have to do to win this game."

It was almost breathtaking how Maturana looked when "back in water".

During a similar situation in Miami at the 2006 CONCACAF Gold Cup, former T&T head coach Leo Benhakker, a speaker of many languages, was almost disgusted with the Latin media at times.

But the smile never came off Maturana's face, and by the end of the session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, he had charmed quite a few with his demeanor.

Following are some of the interactions between Maturana and the Honduran media:

Q: How do you plan to play?

A: I plan to play smart. To play with a compact structure, a structure that will enhance the capabilities of each player.

How did you bring your style of football here (to Trinidad and Tobago)?

The coach does not bring his style of football...the players determine the style of football. All I have to make sure is our ideas are in a similar way.

How important is it to win this game?

It is key; we must win this game. I have 258 games as a national coach and my object is always to win.

How much have you studied Honduras?

I don't study the other team ...I mainly study what we have to do. I am not worried about Honduras; my main concentration is on what Trinidad has to do to win.

Are Trinidad players strong players?

Trinidad and Tobago has always had teams that play with a lot of strength, but they also have players that play very good football.

Finally, Maturana painted a picture of Trinidad and Tobago that was worthy of an ambassadorship.

Well acquainted with the hostility of places in Central America when World Cup matches are played there, Maturana assured all present that in Trinidad and Tobago, there would be no repeat of the scenes of February 11 when his Warriors faced a barrage of debris thrown onto the field during a 2-2 draw in San Salvador against El Salvador, or last year in Guatemala where T&T fans huddled under police protection long after the match ended in a 0-0 draw.

Maturana believes that Trinidad and Tobago will never face a US$25,000 fine as was handed down to El Salvador, in the wake of their fans' poor behaviour last month.

"The crowd here is an excellent crowd. They come here and they take it as a party, and they come here to enjoy good football. So there is no lack of respect...you are not going to find people getting disrespectful. People come out and they have fun. But, they are very strong culturally and you will see a nice crowd."

Jones everything but tired as T&T look for full points vs Honduras.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF Media).

Trinidad and Tobago’s top English-based striker Kenwyne Jones says he’s not going to let comments by Sunderland manager Rick Sbragia over his recent fitness level be a judging factor pertaining to his showing for this country in its 2010 World Cup efforts.

Jones spoke following T&T’s final training session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Friday morning. The entire squad took part including regular captain Dwight Yorke and Francisco Maturana described it as a satisfactory one ahead of Saturday’ encounter.  View Kenwyne's pre-match comments

“To me the session was maybe one of the better ones for us and I am pleased with the way things looked. Now the important part is execution because what happens in the 90 minutes tomorrow against Honduras matters the most to all of us,” Maturana told TTFF Media.

“Everyone must believe that we can get everything possible from this game. At home you are under pressure to get all the points but I think we need to use it to our advantage. We must play the game using everything to that we have in our hands and I think if we can minimize our mistakes and capitalize on our chances then we can be happy tomorrow night.”

Jones thinks T&T can pull it off and he wants at least four games from the next two matches.

“I think every game is vital at this point. There’s a decent spirit in the camp leading up to the match and hopefully we will be able to bring forward that energy in these two upcoming games,” Jones told TTFF Media on Friday.

“Just like everyone else when they read the story, I read it as well. IT seems that every time we seem to be going away from an international there is a story that a player might be tired or he’s carrying injuries. It’s been happening in the past and I don’t think it’s going to stop. I feel very good with myself and I feel strong and confident enough that coming into these two games I’ll be able to put forth all my energy into. I’m not worried about the comments.”

“We’re at home and we want to get three point. I think Honduras are very similar to the teams we have played in the past. We just need to focus on the way we play and the things that we need to get what we want from this game,” the ex-Southampton striker added.

“We have players to take up the mantle with Dwight and Chris missing. In training this week you can see that we have the talent and potential but it’s about maximizing all of it. At the end of the day, that’s the nature of the job as it relates to preparing for two crucial back to back matches. What would make us happy would be six points or even six but moreso we’re not going to lose any matches,” Jones concluded.

The last time these two teams met, which was a warm up encounter prior to the 2007 Concacaf Gold Cup, Honduras came from a goal down to win 3-1 at home. In the two previous World Cup qualifiers in the 2002 campaign, Honduras were 4-2 winner at the Hasely Crawford Stadium while a Stern John winner gave T&T a 1-0 victory on the road in the second encounter. Both teams also drew 1-1 in the 2005 Gold Cup in Miami.

Warriors to break Honduras jinx.
By: Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).

The Soca Warriors will look to break a three-match winless streak at home to Honduras when both teams face off on match day two of the 2010 South Africa World Cup Concacaf Final Round qualifier tonight from 7 pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. However, at Mucurapo, history will not be on the side of the hosts who have failed to muster a win in three home matches against the Central Americans, the last of which was a World Cup qualifier in 2002 which ended in a 4-2 defeat at Mucurapo. In the other two matches, T&T battled to 0-0 also in a World Cup qualifier back in 1990 at the Queen’s Park Oval, and a 1-1 draw in 1971.

Overall, T&T has only managed to beat the Hondurans twice, the last of which came via a Stern John strike in a 1-0 win away to end the host hopes of 2002 World Cup qualification while the last time both teams met Honduras won 3-1 in Honduras in a 2007 friendly. A win for T&T tonight will go a long way in helping on the road to South Africa, but the job will not be an easy one as the Soca Warriors go into match without suspended trio of captain, Dwight Yorke, Christopher Birchall and goalkeeper Clayton Ince.

Yorke was banned by Fifa for four matches for allegedly abusing Mexican referee Marc Rodriguez after the El Salvador match, but the ban has since been reduced to two matches while Birchall and Ince picked up yellows cards and will miss the match through suspension also. With the void left by Yorke and Birchall in the middle, coach Maturana will have to decide from Anthony Wolfe, Densill Theobald, Clyde Leon, Trent Noel, Russell Latapy and Khaleem Hyland to fill gap while goalkeepers Marvin Phillip and Jan-Michael Williams are in line to take Ince’s spot in goal.

The back four is expected to comprise Andrei Pacheco, Dennis Lawrence, Keyeno Thomas and a surprise role for Anthony Wolfe at right back. Yesterday, the T&T squad had its final training session at the match venue. Captain and coach Francisco Maturana revealed that the session was satisfactory. “To me the session was maybe one of the better ones for us and I am pleased with the way things looked. Now the important part is execution because what happens in the 90 minutes against Honduras matters most to all of us,” Maturana said. “Everyone must believe that we can get everything possible from this game.

At home you are under pressure to get all the points, but I think we need to use it to our advantage. We must play the game using everything to that we have in our hands and I think if we can minimise our mistakes and capitalise on our chances then we can be happy at the end of the night.” T&T and Sunderland FC striker Kenwyne Jones added “We’re at home and we want to get three points. I think Honduras are very similar to the teams we have played in the past. We just need to focus on the way we play and the things that we need to get what we want from this game,” Jones said.

“What would make us happy would be six points but moreso we’re not going to lose any matches,” Jones concluded. Honduras, who warmed up for the T&T match with a 2-0 win over American First Division club, Montreal Impact on Sunday will be without striker David Suazo, on loan to Portuguese club, Benfica from Italy’s Inter Milan, due to a serious knee injury.

With Suazo out injured Honduras’ Colombian coach Reynaldo Rueda will hope that in-form Italian Serie B striker Julio “Rambo” Cesar of Parma, midfielder and captain Amado Guevara, Necaxa striker Carlos Pavon and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Wilson Palacios pick up the slack. Following tonight’s match the Soca Warriors depart tomorrow morning at 6am for Nashville, Tennesse where they meet USA in another qualifier on Wednesday night. In the other matches, Costa Rica 2-0 winners over Honduras on match day one travels to Mexico while El Salvador, who came from behind to draw 2-2 at home with T&T is at home again to USA, which won 2-0 at home to Mexico on February 11.

‘Soca Warriors’ have winning plan.
By: Freddie Kisson (T&T Newsday).

“Soca Warriors” coach Francisco Maturana called on his charges to execute the game plan to the letter and win tonight’s 2010 World Cup CONCACAF Zone final round qualifier against Honduras at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

Kick off is 7 pm, and a “Sea of Red” will greet the Hondurans. And nothing short of victory tonight would satisfy the thousands of fans expected at the match.

But the Hondurans will be no walkover, and a difficult battle will be on tap for the Soca Warriors who would be without inspirational captain Dwight Yorke.

The “Soca Warriors” captain is serving a two-match suspension for a red card received in the disappointing 2-2 draw with El Salvador in round one, while mid-field enforcer Christopher Birchall and goalkeeper Clayton Ince are serving one match suspensions.

The absence of three key players could be a severe blow to the Warriors’ chances and has provided coach Maturana with a selection problem.

A final training session was held yesterday morning and Maturana expressed satisfaction with his Warriors. “The session was maybe one of the better ones for us and I am pleased with the way things looked.

“Now the important part is execution, because what happens in the 90 minutes against Honduras matters the most to all of us,” Maturana said.

Meanwhile, English-based striker Kenwyne Jones said he is fit and raring to go despite claims by Sunderland coach Ricky Sbragia he is tired. Jones is optimistic the Warriors can get the desired result even without three starters.

“We have players to take up the mantle with Dwight and Chris missing. In training this week you can see that we have the talent and potential but it’s about maximising all of it,” Jones said.

Honduras boasts two wins and a draw in the last four meetings with the Warriors, while veteran striker Stern John will remember scoring the only goal in a 1-0 victory in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, in 2001 in the 2002 World Cup campaign.

Former Caledonia AIA mid-fielder Densil Theobald has been given a second chance by Maturana to impress on the national team while Russell Latapy, Clyde Leon, Trent Noel and Attaullah Guerra are all vying for a place in the central midfield.

National Under-20 goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel has been called up for the match but Maturana is unlikely to hand him his first cap. Scotland, the TTFF “Player of the Year” has returned for the match after missing round one due to club commitments and is tipped to line-up alongside Jones.

Honduras are without star striker David Suazo, who is out with a knee injury but the Central Americans will still be a handful wily Tottenham Hotspur mid-fielder Wilson Palacios in their line-up. Honduras will be going all out for maximum points to get their 2010 campaign on track after a 2-0 defeat in round one to Costa Rica.