Coach Maturana brings in his staff.
By: Ian Prescott (Express).Trinidad and Tobago interim head coach, Colombian Francisco Maturana, has been getting outside assistance in preparing the national team for upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers, which begin in July when T&T take on the winners of a first-round CONCACAF tie between Cayman Islands and Bermuda.
Trainers Jorge Ruiz and Caesar Maturana have been in Trinidad helping with the preparation of the players and were both involved yesterday when the local component of the senior national team resumed training in preparation for Wednesday's friendly international against El Salvador at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.
At yesterday's session at the "Marvin Lee", assistant coach Anton Corneal gave some background information on Caesar Maturana, brother of Francisco.
"He (Caesar) used to be the coach of Panama," Corneal said. "Actually, Panama's improvement in the game started when he was there. Both of them (Ruiz and Caesar Maturana) have actually been here four weeks now."
Yesterday, both Corneal and Francisco Maturana took active roles in a scrimmage at the Macoya venue, with Maturana showing that he can still play football by giving at least one of his young players a "shake".
Corneal said it was important that some of the young players step up against El Salvador, since it will determine whether they make the squad for the March 26 friendly against Jamaica's Reggae Boys in Kingston. Several of Trinidad and Tobago's foreign-based pros have been recalled for that match.
"We are actually using eight to nine different players from the ones that played Guadeloupe recently. So, it's a different team that is playing them and we don't know what they are coming with. The last time we played El Salvador, they played with a couple of young players and we actually had a good result (0-0) against them. It was a good game. We don't know what they will come with this time. We don't know if it's a full senior team that will have a lot of young players in between. But, it is also a chance to see our young players."
Among those given the chance to impress Maturana yesterday were Kevon Neaves, the left-footed former St Anthony's college winger who is at University of South Florida in the United States. Neaves has been with the national Under-20, Under-23 and also with the senior team in the past.
Stopper Makan Hislop, another US-based player, makes a return after playing in the 2007 Digicel Caribbean Cup Finals under suspended T&T head coach, Dutchman Wim Rijsbergen.
Also present were Akeem Adams, from the national under-17 team which participated in the 2007 FIFA Under-17 World Cup, and El Dorado Senior Comprehensive striker Jamaal Gay, who is now on the national under-20 team.
T&T 2006 World Cup midfielder Aurtis Whitley was also at "Marvin Lee" yesterday.
"One of the things we did was just trying to get the fellas into quick, match shape...intense and short. Of course, there are a couple of new players and from what we have seen so far they are workable material," Corneal said, while also explaining why both he and Maturana decided to take a run yesterday.
"Coaches are different in their approach. For instance, the English coaches play a lot, especially when they have to make up numbers, for instance, when you have a drill and you want to use one more player. It happens all over the world at every level.
"Asked if he enjoyed his run with the youngsters, Corneal quipped: "Of course, because I play."
OLD MOVES: Colombian Francisco Maturana, centre, Trinidad and Tobago's interim head coach, shows the members of the national team how its done during a training session yesterday at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya. T&T will play El Salvador next Wednesday at the same venue. - Photo: IAN PRESCOTT
