Warriors tackle Barbados in second qualifier today
Story Created: Sep 5, 2011 at 11:51 PM ECT
(Story Updated: Sep 5, 2011 at 11:51 PM ECT )
Trinidad and Tobago's footballers will attempt to overcome the less than perfect conditions at the National Stadium in Bridgetown and collect the three points up for grabs when they face Barbados in their second 2014 World Cup qualifier from 4 p.m. today.
After arriving on Sunday, captain Kenwyne Jones and his teammates yesterday had their first feel of the playing surface, which left a lot to be desired.
The field was heavily grassed but very bumpy and uneven, with sinks in some parts. In general, the stadium is similar to Skinner Park, San Fernando, with bleachers in place, and the venue holds no more than 4,000 seating.
"It's not the best of surfaces and it may not be conducive for good football, but we are here to do a job which is to win a match and take home three points," T&T assistant coach Anton Corneal told Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) media officer Shaun Fuentes after the session.
Additionally, it's normal protocol for the visiting team to be provided with at least five match balls by the host association for practice, but the Barbados FA passed over only one ball to the T&T team (A host association has the privilege of selecting its own match ball once it is FIFA approved).
But Trinidad and Tobago always travel with their own footballs for training and it was no different on this occasion.
All 20 T&T players came through the session without any injuries and head coach Otto Pfister will have his full quota available for selection. So far the conditions have been humid throughout since the team's arrival.
"Okay, we are here to play a World Cup qualifier and you have to be prepared for anything," Pfister told Fuentes. "We have our players here who are ready to play the game and we will approach the game like all others, which is to finish the job."
Assistant coach Hutson Charles was sent to Georgetown to see Barbados's 2-0 loss to Guyana last Friday and has provided Pfister with a report.
In a previous World Cup qualifier between the two countries in Bridgetown, T&T came away 2-1 winners, in May 1992.
Hutson Charles was on the field that day, scoring the winner in the 65th minute, with Russell Latapy scoring the other in the 18th. Other members of T&T's squad were: Dwight Yorke, Leonson Lewis, Clint Marcelle, Michael Maurice, Dexter Francis, Clayton Morris, Philbert Jones, Kerry Jamerson, Dexter Lee, Kelvin Jones and Alvin Boisson.
Trinidad and Tobago won the return leg 3-0 at the Queen's Park Oval, with Marvin Faustin, Jamerson and Lewis being the scorers.
In the most recent clash, at the National Stadium in Bridgetown, T&T came away 3-2 winners in a Gold Cup qualifier in February 2005, when Angus Eve scored a 74th minute winner. Densill Theobald is the only current squad member who played back then.
T&T's US-based midfielder Keon Daniel is expecting a rough encounter with the Bajans.
"A team like Barbados will do whatever they can to make life hard for us, especially in a World Cup qualifier. They know that on paper that we are supposed to be better than them, but it all goes down to what happens in that 90 minutes. But, mentally, we should be prepared for this and, whatever the conditions, we have to put things together and get the three points.
"I don't expect the match to be easy by any means but, as a professional, you prepare for things like this and we have to deal with it," Daniel said.
T&T fans can listen to the match on i95.5fm but the game will not be shown live on television as the Barbados FA has indicated that the arrangements for the production and uploading to the satellite, which is the responsibility of the host country, is simply not in place, which meant it was not possible for a Trinidad and Tobago station to broadcast the match even if the rights had been secured.
T&T squad:
Anthony Warner, Marvin Phillip, Julius James, Chris Birchall, Khaleem Hyland, Kenwyne Jones (Captain), Hayden Tinto, Carlos Edwards, Darryl Roberts, Anthony Wolfe, Seon Power, Clyde Leon, Jake Thomson, Akeem Adams, Andre Boucaud, Lester Peltier, Keon Daniel, Densill Theobald, Andre Toussaint, Carlyle Mitchell