yep..he was really that good.
when the portuguese came to scout Latas in Jamaica, they said they'd take him only if they could get the #11. They were that impressed by him, that Latas move to Portugal at the time hinged on Leo going..as told by Leo in an interview. By the way, Leo in the same interview said he ddin't see himself in the same class as Latas..so lewwe set that record straight before man get tie up wit what I saying.
doh matter if you think the game against CPalace was a fete match. Real ballers get transfers to leagues after roughing up a club in a friendly. Plus they wanted him and his agent asked for way too much money. CPalace was a decent side then as well. wasn't the only time his agent kill a move to a higher league. Leo had to eventually fire the man.
Leo was top foreign scorer in Portuguese first division one season and the best striker for T&T in my lifetime.
If you never see the man play in his prime..nobody could convince you. BUt doh try and rate him by level of success he achieved abroad. De man is a Trini who had a shite agent who he eventually had to fire,and he was relatively old for team's to take a risk on when he started to come into his own as a striker. You really find Latas club career match his ability. Man like Christian Karembau who play for Real madrid for years and fellas like Fabio Rochenbach and Giovanni who was starters at Barca..dem men were better than Latas? The list is a long one. Club success hinges on a lot more than just ability and even performance.
When you from a small nation with no int'l pedigree, get notice relatively late and have poor management..well bredda..de man do reaal good to be one of the top strikers in Portugal in his prime. And he was only in the POrtuguese 2nd division one season longer than Latas.
And please doh compare the man to Jerren Nixon. Portuguese league much stronger than the Swiss..and Leo was far more accomplished at national level. Plus, he give us our only win ever against the US
(ok..dat doh matter but i felt like squeezing it in there).
LEO was de man at one time. Real boss