Carlos unfazed by marquee status.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Carlos Edwards is looking forward to shouldering what he says is an overwhelming responsibility as being this country’s new marquee player on the international football scene.
Growing up following the careers, adoring in more ways than one and lining up alongside the celebrated likes of Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy and others including his teammates from the “Soca Warriors” line up, Edwards added that he feels privileged to be considered a key figure in T&T football at this time.
Sunderland manager Roy Keane recently likened him to Manchester United star Ryan Giggs, Yorke has tipped him to continue steady progress and John has had some flattering stuff to say about him.
“Carlos has been massive at the club. He is having the best run of his career in my view. I think Carlos can definitely be on any Premiership team. He has the natural engine and can play at the top level. He has loads of potential and there are always players who don’t fulfill all of it but he has a strong mindset and has a places to go,” John said.
“That’s the beauty of the game. As a young player coming into a team or trying to make your name you might get a bit worried when there are others around doing well. It’s natural. It’s not about being bad mind or anything like that because at the end of the day it’s all about the team. For me now, I have matured and when you mature you understand more that there will be players who get better, be better and worth more,” John added.
Edwards isn’t being overly fazed by any of the extra attention or expectation.
“It’s good to be described this sort of way after the World Cup. I don’t see it as a burden but more as a responsibility and it’s a good feeling,” Edwards told TTFF Media on Friday while with some of his T&T teammates at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
“I am one of the leading players at this time and I haven’t made it a big deal but a lot of people have spoken about it. They will be looking at me. I’m just taking a backseat right now because of the current situation but on good note, I am always committed to representing my country. It’s tough now with the situation and we hope this can be resolved in the best interest of both parties and it can lead to us returning to being the kind of family that we were before,” added the former St Anthony’s College and Defence Force workhorse.
With the Premiership stage awaiting his presence now, the 28-year-old Edwards will soak up all the sun he can while back home before returning for a preseason tour of Republic of Ireland in July. Yorke’s influence on him and the company of John will make his Premiership status even sweeter.
“It was always a dream of mine to play in the Premiership. I never thought I would even play in a World Cup but I proved myself wrong. I am looking forward to the challenge and at the same time I’m overwhelmed and ready to go.
“Even though I played with Dwight at Sunderland he still looks after me and respects me at the same time. His guidance has been encouraging. There are lot of things I still learn from him, I came into the national team when guys like him, Stern and Russell were in their prime and now for me to step in where they left of is just something I am happy and feel privileged to be part of,” he concluded.”
News from the 16th of May 2007
Senior & Olympic squads back on the training pitch on Thurs.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]
National team head coach Wim Rijsbergen will head back to the training pitch on Thursday as both the national Senior and Olympic squads resume training ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Olympic qualifiers.
Rijsbergen has already commenced training with a squad but Olympic team head coach Jan Van Deinsen has adjusted his squad of Under 23 players for the morning session at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
“This is really an adjusted list for the screening session,” Van Deinsen explained. “We have had a look at several players and we have called these players back to continue the preparations. It is important to have a closer look because the tournament is at the end of August in Suriname,” he added. The list of Senior team players remains the same as announced earlier this month for the first session which took place last week.
The U-23 List
Adrian Foncette, Christon Thomas, Corneal Thomas (Superstar Rangers), Larry Bacchus, Simeon Augustus, Devon Drayton (United Petrotrin); Silas Spann, Thorne Holder, Dion Peters, Dwayne Baird (Joe Public); Johan Roberts, Keon Samuel, Marvin Wright, Trevin Caesar, Kevon John, Delano Davis (Tobago United); Marcus Ambrose, Carlyle Mitchell, McKenzie Cadette, Hayden Tinto (Caledonia AIA), Akil Edwards, Sean Narcis (Defence Force); Marcelle Francois, Kevin Mussio, Lester Peltier, Carlon Murray, Elton John (San Juan Jabloteh); Shane Calderon, Kerron Smith (W Connection); Kareem De Freitas (Harvard); Rondell Ronwick (Caroni FC); Colin Belgrave (unattached).
News from the 15th of May 2007
Digicel Shield kicks off May 28.
... Request goes out to Yorke.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
Trinidad and Tobago’s Senior footballers will warm up for this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup international with two international matches at the Hasely Crawford Stadium later this month as Digicel announced their staging of the inaugural Digicel Shield.
Three international teams, the senior teams of fellow Gold Cup participants Cuba and Haiti and the National Olympic team of Mexico and T&T will contest the semi-finals at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on May 28. This contest is also being hosted by Digicel as part of their one-year anniversary in T&T, as announced at the launch on Monday at the Crowne Plaza, Port of Spain.
In the opening game the Mexicans will tackle Cuba from 5pm and then the “Soca Warriors” will battle Haiti in a repeat of the Digicel Cup final. The losers will meet in the third place playoff at 5pm on May 30 at the same venue with the other two teams contesting the final from 7pm.
CONCACAF President Jack Warner also announced that at the weekend CONCACAF Congress in Toronto it was agreed that T&T’s World Cup captain Dwight Yorke will be honoured at the upcoming Gold Cup and as such he is expected to join the senior team for the tournament. Warner added that an invitation went out from him to Yorke on Sunday, requesting his services for the Digicel Shield and the Gold Cup.
Warner added that the Digicel Shield gives competing countries some much needed international experience.
“I want to compliment Digicel because once again that have responded to the call. They are going the distance in furthering the development of football and the support they have shown throughout the last two years have been countless. Digicel have funded the development of youth football throughout the Caribbean and have always been in there whenever I have had to make a request for support to ensure football is progressed in the Caribbean,” Warner added.
Digicel CEO Kevin White also agreed to assist Warner in the payment of salaries to the National coaches for the past two months.
“After the successful series of Digicel International matches held during the FIFA window in March, the Digicel shield offers further opportunity for national teams for both regions to ensure they are successfully prepared to represent their region as well as possible,” White stated.
T&T head coach Wim Rijsbergen, while listening to Warner’s assurance that the T&T team will be best supported as possible, even if without some of its World Cup players, did extend gratitude for the upcoming matches which includes a friendly international away to Honduras prior to the team’s arrival in the USA for the Gold Cup. But he made it known that he still would be happier man if he has the best players at his disposal.
“The Digicel shield is the perfect warm up for us before the hugely important Gold Cup in June and the whole team is looking forward to putting in a first class performance on home turf. Digicel’s support of the Soca Warriors has been phenomenal over the last year with the Digicel Caribbean Cup and now the Digicel Shield,” Rijsbergen added.
Admission for both days of action will be $100 (covered), $50 (uncovered) and $20 in uncovered for kids. Digicel will have further promotional events over the coming days leading up to the matches.
News from the 12th of May 2007
Glen signs back up with Jabloteh.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
Trinidad and Tobago World Cup team forward Cornell Glen has signed a short-term contract with CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh and has targeted late June for a return to competitive football in the T&T Pro League.
Glen who operated on an injured knee after a second injury with former club LA Galaxy following the 2006 World Cup is making steady progress and is in training with the Jabloteh team.
He explained his reasons for signing the new deal which goes up until December 2007.
“At the moment things are going okay but I am still not up to full fitness. I am in training with Jabloteh and I have been playing in the scrimmages in training. I decided that it would be a good option to sign with them and start back playing in the Pro League before anything else,” Glen told TTFF Media.
“I am aiming at playing again after the Gold Cup,” he added.
Glen added though that he had some reservations about rushing back into international football.
“Time will tell because things have been rough since the injury. There was no set up for any form of compensation or anything for me since the injury and this has me thinking otherwise for the time being. I could well take a back seat from the national team and focus on my club career before making a return. But time will tell,” Glen concluded.
News from the 09th of May 2007
High praise for Junior Soca Warriors.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
Trinidad and Tobago’s National Under 17 footballers will soon be back on the training pitch to kick start their preparation drive for the 2007 FIFA Under 17 World Championship which kicks off on August 19.
Following a hectic last few months during which the preparation of the team for the final round of qualifiers left hardly a day off for the young players and followed by an intense 12-days of competition, head coach Anton Corneal will allow his players some days off but before long, following the Draw for the finals at a date to be confirmed, the TTFF and the team’s management will outline a programme to ensure the team’s readiness for the FIFA Finals.
Some 12 players will also take the CXC O’Level examinations in between training sessions at home.
“We will ensure a programme that is in tune with the teams that we have to face in the opening round which of course we wouldn’t know until the draw takes place,”Corneal told TTFF Media as he and the team contingent arrived home to a warm reception at the VIP lounge, Piarco International Airport on Monday night. Several official led by Minister of Sport Roger Boynes, family members and other guests received skipper Ryan O’Neil and his players. A few fans also waited outside arrivals with flags to recognize the team.
“Before we were preparing for the qualifying phase but now we actually have to prepare for a World Championship so there will be a different approach in some ways and a very detailed outline as to how we go about getting the team ready. We expect too that there will be distractions coming on now that were not there before but we will handle it in a clever manner and we have recently played in a senior World Cup as well so there will be a lot of things that is no longer a first time for us in terms of the preparation and management of the campaign,” Corneal added.
T&T will be among 24 countries at the finals which now includes England and Belgium which were celebrating on Monday night after qualifying for the Championship. The first European team to make sure of their place in the August and September tournament were Spain. After enjoying wins against France (2-0) and Ukraine (3-1) in their opening group games, a goalless draw with Germany was enough to take them to the finals. Germany, however, must play-off for a place against the Netherlands on Thursday. The other qualifiers for the Finals include Japan, hosts Korea, Korea DPR, Tajikistan, Syria, Nigeria,Togo, Ghana, Syria, Haiti, Honduras, Brazil, USA, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Argentina and New Zealand.
Overseas players feel the joy too
Meantime, some of this country’s senior overseas-based professionals sent congratulatory messages to the team following Sunday’s win. Among them being Sunderland duo Stern John and Carlos Edwards who are also celebrating promotion into the Premiership. Former T&T captain Dwight Yorke, who captained T&T’s Under 20 team to the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship in Portugal also indicated his delight on the qualification.
“We were aware that the youth team had World Cup qualifiers going on and it was great to hear that they were able to make it through after the last game against Jamaica. We heard that they had to win the last two games and that was always going to be tough ask for them but it seems that they kept their heads up and they showed a lot of heart to come through it,” Edwards told TTFF Media. “That is a very positive sign for the future of Trinidad and Tobago football,” he added.
And John and Brent Sancho also joined in, stating “We had a final game to play against Luton Town on the weekend and after we won that game to take the League the day got better when we found out later on that the boys have pulled it off. We are really happy for them and hopefully now this can act as a way of encouraging more development for football in the country,” John added.
Warner Camps hail Junior Soca Warriors
FIFA Vice President Jack Warner has heaped praises on the members of the Trinidad and Tobago National Under 17 team for achieving its success in qualifying for the FIFA Under 17 World Championship 2007 in Korea.
Warner, who T&T head coach Anton Corneal mentioned was a firm supporter of the team’s efforts ever since he was part of the initiation of the team’s set up in 2004, was in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday night when he received the news of T&T’s 1-0 win over Jamaica courtesy of Kevin Molino’s 13th minute goal.
“On behalf of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) and on my own behalf as Special Advisor to the sport's local governing body, I would like to make public our heartiest congratulations to the Under-17 team on the occasion of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Final,” Warner stated.
“As reiterated at last Saturday's gathering during the Northern Football Association's awards ceremony, while my confidence in our team never waned, the odds had become overwhelmingly acute as the elimination stage advanced, forcing our Young Soca Warriors into a crucial corner from first whistle in Sunday's game against Jamaica, but the combination of prayer and performance clearly triumphed.
“Receiving the good news while en route to Kuala Lumpur was especially delightful, as I would be meeting with senior delegates from 43 football playing nations convening the AFC Congress who, in standard FIFA tradition, added their congratulations and best wishes to our team and, in confident anticipation that the ritual will be repeated at the CONCACAF Congress in Toronto Wednesday, I wish to convey those salutations as well; along with my own praises and those of the TTFF,” Warner added. He had also spoken to the players via a tele-conference call at the Knutsford Hotel on the eve of the tournament as well, telling them “The world and Trinidad and Tobago will remember you for your efforts on the field of play. The future of our country is now at your feet.”
TTFF President Oliver Camps also expressed his sentiments on the team’s success, saying “It was indeed a great accomplishment by our Under 17 team and the staff, others who worked around the overall effort and especially the players must be complimented and acknowledged for the achievement. I wish to salute them and say to them that now we must go on to represent in a most determined and passionate manner on the world stage just as Dwight Yorke and his team of Soca Warriors did in Germany a little less than a year ago.” He also mentioned that the qualification was proof that the TTFF had maintained its commitment towards a youth development programme and will continue to work further towards realizing more success in the future.
Govt to honour U-17 footballers.
T&T Guardian Reports.[/size]
Roger Boynes, Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs stated that government intends to honour coach Anton Corneal and the T&T Under-17 football team for qualifying for the Fifa Under-17 World Cup.
Boynes made this disclosure at an official welcome reception held for the team at the VIP Lounge, Piaro International Airport on Monday night after arriving their arrival from Jamaica where the Concacaf Group B qualifying series was held.
On Sunday, the T&T Under-17 football qualified to participated in Korea in August with 1-0 win over Jamaica to finish in third spot in the Concacaf Group B qualifiers behind winners USA and Costa Rica.
The three teams in Group B joined Group A qualifiers, Haiti and Honduras for the 24-team Fifa tournaments which runs from August 18 to September 9.
Asked to elaborate some more on what kind of reward will be given to the team, Boynes said that government have some idea of what they want to give the team, but it will first have to be discussed.
Last year the Soca Warriors players were rewarded with $750,000 cash and $250,000 in bonds for their qualification for the World Cup Finals in Germany along with the Chaconia Gold medal.
National coach Leo Beenhakker was also presented with $1 million and a Chaconia Gold Medal.
Corneal who served as an assistant at the World Cup was also presented with a Chaconia Gold medal, the nation’s second highest award.
However it is less likely the Young Warriors will be presented with cash rewards for their achievement, with a national medal and some form of governmental scholarship more likely to be offered.
