The way I see it, winning the Gold Cup is not the objective, for the simple reason that, be it with the Digicell Cup players, the World Cup players (minus retirements) or a mixture of both, we won't be able to win it as we are not the strongest team in the region by any stretch of the imagination.
In any case, the Gold Cup has never been anything than a training exercise for the stronger teams, and a valuable international outing for the smaller ones. Winning it has never been more than a bonus, even though the first large tournament with no guests might have some added prestige.
The way I see it, this tournament is supposed to mark the changing of the guard. There are exactly 4 guys from the World Cup team that NEED to be on this team for different reasons altogether.
The BEST Warriors need to be there for World Cup qualification. What we need right now are tactical choices from a team mangement point of view.
Kenwyne Jones has to take his place as the logical successor to Stern John.
This is not to say that Stern is washed up, just that we need to stop for him to be the go to guy at this stage. He would be much better off being like one of the million "old penalty area foxes" that Italy goes to every world cup with, guys like del piero and inzaghi are obviously past their best but always capable of turning on the class and finishing off a wounded opponent.
Glenn is too injury proned, Roberts is too inexperienced, Sealy is too inconsistent, Scotland is already to old to be groomed as a pointman when you're gunning for 2010 and 2014
Chris Birchall must instill the work ethic in the whole team. This is the same work ethic that got us to Germany. Chris has 2 advantages, he is young and he is hardworking. He's the kind of player that doesn't say much but can inspire his teammates to good thing by the simple example he puts on the field. I don't see him becoming captain anytime, but i think he has the capacity to be the silent leader, the guy who forces everyone to lift their game by osmosis.
Right now he is going through a bad patch in his club and i wonder if he isn't thinking to himself that he made the wrong choice since this pay dispute started. Worst yet, he may feel used. All of this can't do anything for his confidence. Playing in the Gold Cup, and being seen as a senior member of the team in the tournament where he scored his first goal for the country can only help him boost his morale. And we need a confident and match fit Chris Birchall when qualifying comes around. Outside of the top 3 countries in Concacaf, I don't think any other team has a player who brings the same qualities to his team, whatever his technical shortcomings.
Brent Sancho will probably be the only WC defender with the right mix of experience and freshness when 2010 comes around and as such will be called upon to be the anchorman of the defense, in the same way the Marvin Andrews used to be.
Like Chris, he has been having problems with his club - he is in fact looking for one - and a good international tournament might be just what the doctor ordered. Like Chris, we need him match fit and confident when qualifying comes around.
Colin Samuel is in his prime footballing years right now and has just been released by his club. One of our few attacking options on the left, he can, sparing injury, partciipate in 2 World Cups again, given his age. We need to elaborate a consistent left side attacking strategy, get our strikers used to receiving balls from that side (and take pressure of of Carlos). For this Colin needs to get his confidence back. This is another guy we will need during qualifying, and he needs to know that he is no longer on the fringe of the team but he is an integral part of it.
Anyone else can be fit in as needed (older guys for a last hurrah/younger guys for experience/hardest by default etc) Whatever happens, this should be the backbone of the team
Ince will be the starting keeper simply because non of the rest are ready for this level, jack needs to work on his fitness and shaka should bow out on his wonderful wc perfomances
Telesford could should partner sancho in central defense if tallest don't get a bligh; avery should go on the left until someone finds a better option than depriving the right side of cyd gray (if gray plays he stays on the right). One of the digicell cup guys or atiba charles/anton pierre will go back behind carlos on the right.
Carlos can be on the rigt wing because he is an automatic selection. put birchall in defense mid next to him. I would have loved Whitley to be next to Me Mum, but slackness can't be helped. if we play with one defensive mid, me mum will be in the centre and we will put theobald (by default) in front of him, if we play 2, theobald (or tiger) will partner him on the left defensive mid.
samuel is compulsory on the let wing
The attack is a choice : if we play two defensive mid, i would put hardest (for spite) to feed Jones, if we play 1, put Scotland or Roberts on the same line with Kenwyne and leave out Theobald with Hardest playing his position in front of Birchall (poor ME Mum)
Whatever happens, if we're leading after the first half and we need to conserve the lead, there's no way that Hardest will play the whole game in the second scenario; Theobald will replace him
-------------------------------------------------Ince-------------------------------------
---Gray/Pierre/Charles/?-------Sancho-----------Telesford/Tallest-------John
-------------------------------------------------Birchall------------------------------------
-----------Edwards------------------------Hardest(Theobald)----------------------------------Samuel----------
----------------------------------------Jones----Scotland (Roberts)------------------------
-------------------------------------------------Ince-------------------------------------
---Gray/Pierre/Charles/?-------Sancho-----------Telesford/Tallest-------John
-----------------------------------Birchall---------Theobald--(Tiger)---------------------------------
-----------Edwards------------------------Hardest--------------------Samuel----------
------------------------------------------------Jones---------------------------------------------
I real wish we could play with only 3 defenders to free up a slot for Roberts or Scotty up top, but i have serious doubts about that...
I'let someone else handle the other subs, but as far as i see it this is the core of the team we should be playing with
