Stadium swansong for Little Magician
(Express Editorial)
Wednesday, May 10th 2006
Russell Latapy, the "big little player'' who began playing his football in the so-called high-risk area of Laventille, plays his last home game at the National Stadium today. Fittingly, there will be tens of thousands to give him an emotional farewell as the game against Peru happens to be Trinidad and Tobago's final game before the World Cup Finals in Germany.
From that Laventille beginning when, in truth, the district was a far more kinder and gentler place, Latapy went on to not only capture the imagination of compatriots but football fans wherever he played, notably in Portugal and Scotland, where he did more than hold his own, the boy from the so-called "ghetto'' having grown up to become a stellar player wherever he had the room to showcase his skills.
Perhaps, more than most, football is a "blue-collar game'' so that its history is replete with tales of young men who lifted themselves literally by their bootstraps, going on to fame and, in today's world, considerable fortune. Along the way a few, new to the big time, have fallen off the rails but while there have been some indiscretions on Latapy's part both as a national player and as a foreign professional, he has always managed to land on his feet, the more so as he has matured.
His saving grace has always been his charming, giving personality and the widespread recognition that his is a special skill, he being one of those players, as Trinidad and Tobago's coach Leo Beenhakker has pointed out, "who are not only able to play good football based on their skills and their talent'' but who "also understand the game... He is one of those few players who will bring to every team something extra...''
Trinbagonians who have seen him play over the years will attest to this and even here, in the twilight of his career, he has been able to motivate the Trinidad and Tobago team to a place in the World Cup Finals with the considerable help of captain Dwight Yorke with whom he has shared an unbreakable friendship beginning around the age of 12.
It remains a source of some fascination that the third member of what was to become Trinidad and Tobago's most famous sporting triumvirate is Brian Lara, arguably, the greatest batsman of his generation. These three jointly began their pursuit of fame and fortune at the same age. When Latapy does bow out at the end of this country's German adventure, he will be signalling the beginning of the end of a memorable era in this small country's sporting history. Whatever the feelings of sadness there will also be feelings of pride - not least in "high-risk'' Laventille, where a pivotal part of it began.
Magician disappears
Fact File
Name: Russell Latapy
Position: Midfielder
Date of Birth: August 2, 1968
Place of Birth: Laventille, T&T
Height: 1.69m
Weight: 72.5kg
Club: Falkirk FC
Nickname: Little Magician, Latas, Stompy
Caps: 100+
Clubs/Schools: Dundee United, Glasgow Rangers, Hibernian, Boavista,
Porto, Trintoc Academica de Coimbra, Port Morant United, San
Fernando Technical Institute
Football icon Russell Latapy is looking forward to playing under Leo
Beenhakker at the 2006 World Cup. But having announced his retirement
after the Finals, Latapy is eying a chance of coaching the national
team in the future.
He made this clear on the even of his final appearance on home soil
in today's friendly international against Peru.
"I don't think this is the end, but the beginning of something new.
And I know the coach is not ready to leave yet, but, hopefully, I can
work in another capacity and continue to represent T&T. I'm not
pushing him out of the door yet, but I would love to have the
opportunity to come back and give something to Trinidad for all the
things that Trinidad has given to me," Latapy told a gathering of
local and foreign media and football officials at a
breakfast meeting at the Crowne Plaza on Saturday morning.
The event was organized by TT/Germany 2006 to allow Latapy to say
"farewell" as well as to preview today's friendly against Peru and
launch TT Post stamps in commemoration of T&T's qualification for Germany.
Beenhakker, who saw Latapy inspire to a T&T come from behind 3-2 win
over Guatemala last year, spoke only good about the "Little Magician."
"Russell is one of the few players of whom every coach dreams. They
not only can play good football based on their skills and their
talent, but they also understand the game. In this way he was a great
support for me and the team. As a coach you can give him the message
and he is able to translate the message on the field. He is one of
those few players who will bring every team something extra. It was a
pleasure to work with him.
"When I accepted this job last year May, we had a very long
conversation. I invited him to come over and support the team. He had
to think about the actual situation, his future and so on, and
preferred to concentrate a little bit more on the coaching part. In
other words, he was interested in taking over my chair. I said, hey
wait, you have many years to go," Beenhakker said much to the laugher
even from Latapy.
"He prefers to play in the middle, but sometimes I put him a little
bit on the side because it's better for the team.
"As everybody knows, it will be his farewell game. I am very happy
that a great player like Russell Latapy has the chance to say a final
farewell of his international career in Germany. I think that it is
really big for every player to do it once in his career."
Latapy said it would be difficult to describe himself as a player but
said his days at FC Porto were the best.
"Definitely my time at FC Porto. I was fortunate enough to be the
first Trinidadian player to play in the Champions League. I had a
fantastic time there under another fantastic coach Bobby Robson and I
learned about the game at that time. I think it was then that I grew
as a player."
When asked why he felt that the local public was attracted so much to
him, Latapy replied: "Must be the hairstyle, it's dreads now but it
used to be Afro," sparking more laughter from the onlookers.
And as to how he saw the match ups for T&T in Germany, particularly England.
"I always looked at football as eleven against eleven. I think they
have a lot of good players but we are quietly confident in our
ability. We have confidence as well in the tactics and football
knowledge of our coach. If we play to the best of our ability and do
what he's asking us to tactically, I think we will be well capable of
performing well."
Could he compare the Soca Warriors to the 1989 Strike Squad.
"That's difficult. Two completely different teams and different
coaches. We didn't have the experience of international football back then.
"Obviously it was very disappointing in 1989 but now we have been
able to bury that ghost and we want to look forward to this occasion.
This is the light at the end of our tunnel and we want to focus on that."
He also confirmed that he is not carrying any injuries and is ready
for the Peruvians and the rest of the build up schedule to the World Cup.
A dynamic midfielder and one who excites the crowd, Latapy has a
natural gift and is one of the rare things in the game of football, a
playmaker and up to this day continues to be one of the most exciting
players to watch.
He has been on the national scene since his days as an Under-10
footballer and has produced many a sparkling performance that has
inspired onlookers to dub him "The Little Magician."
He became the first Trinidadian to appear in the European Champions'
League during his second season in Portugal with FC Porto.
Following his announced retirement from the National Team in 2001,
Latapy, following the influence of his close pal Dwight Yorke and
administrator Jack Warner, decided to make one final return to the
Team and did so in fine fashion, scoring in T&T's 3-2 win over
Guatemala in World Cup qualifying action in September, 2005.
He is also focusing on the coaching aspect of the game and is current
attached as an assistant coach with Falkirk FC.
Scotland's Division 1 winner's medal with Falkirk in 2004/2005
Scotland's Division 1 Player of the Year in 2004/2005
Bell's Cup winner's medal with Falkirk in 2004
Nominated for the BBC Scotland "Off The Ball" Overseas Player of the
Year in 2004
Bell's Player of the Month April 2004
Nominated for the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2000
T&T Olympic Committee Sports Personality of the Year in 2000
Hibernian's Player of the Year in 1999/2000
Scotland's Division 1 Player of the Year in 1999/2000
Scotland's Division 1 winner's medal with Hibernian in 1999/2000
Hibernian's Player of the Year in 1998/1999
Portuguese Super Cup winner's medal with Boavista in 1996/1997
Cup of Portugal winner's medal with Boavista in 1996/1997
Portuguese Super Liga winner's medal with FC Porto in 1995/1996
Portuguese Super Liga winner's medal with FC Porto in 1994/1995
T&T Chaconia Medal Silver (World Cup Squad) in 1989
Edinburgh Evening News Sports Personality of the Year in 1999
T&T Footballer of the Year in 1996
T&T Humming Bird Medal Gold (for Sport) in 1996
T&T Footballer of the Year in 1989
T&T Footballer of the Year in 1985
T&T Footballer of the Year in 1983
