We need Stern to step up

[Jah Gol]

In light og recent critticisms of Stern John I would like submit this post in his defence. There has been a lot of talk on this forum about about dropoing Stern to the bench because he has not been playing well. Everyone has the right to make a judgement but I want to ask a question. Who should we play in front of Stern.

I prefer an out of form Stern John over and out of Glen or Scotland or Sealy. I believe Stern John is the best foward we have and in order for Trinidad and Tobago to qualify we especially need Stern John to step up. After the bermuda game when he missed about 5 chances i was still sure that if we were going to get goals against Panama it would Stern would be involved. I was proven right , he scored and made the through ball to Lawrence. He did however miss a glaring chance in the first half.

This is what I think, you see it in almost every sport, BIG PLAYERS STEP UP IN BIG MATCHES. Stern John is our Biggest foward. He needs get fitter if he is to step up. Moreover Stern's contribution in the approach play has been severly undervalued. Look at the Yorke and Stern control the ball and distribute it. Honestly, will we get that from Sealy and Glen? I admit that I would like to see some more pace up front but I believe that if want to qualify we need our best players on the pitch.Use Glen or Sam or Jones off the bench they are not starters at all.

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

stern rules

[dreamer]

Well said.  His value is more than just scoring although that is what he is there for. The Stern bashing is getting overboard. He probably does need to lose a little weight.  We'll see in the Gold Cup. Lincoln and Beenie will sort him out.

[dcs]

How he manage to be unfit....if in fact he is unfit?

That by itself might be grounds to drop a player even though in all seriousness he not in a complete mess.  Somehow he just not in the kind of shape we need.  He didn't have a very hectic season, didn't have many injuries.

[Trini _2026]

 Stern need to be more creative in my opinion.also i have to ask does our team have any long range shooters guys who can buss  LONG ACCURATE shots ON GOAL out side the box  eg like gerrad scholes etc.

[arrow]

Stern need to be more creative in my opinion.also i have to ask does our team have any long range shooters guys who can buss  LONG ACCURATE shots ON GOAL out side the box  eg like gerrad scholes etc.

Birchall try one that was deflected.  Rahim had a nice one that came close.  Glasgow took one that flew high and wide.  But in general we reluctant to shoot when de ball INSIDE the box, far less outside.

[LICKS4SO]

YES....STERN SHOULD STAY BUT....DAMM..SHOOT THE FLICKIN BALL PLEASE!!

[Observer]

In light og recent critticisms of Stern John I would like submit this post in his defence. There has been a lot of talk on this forum about about dropoing Stern to the bench because he has not been playing well. Everyone has the right to make a judgement but I want to ask a question. Who should we play in front of Stern.

I prefer an out of form Stern John over and out of Glen or Scotland or Sealy. I believe Stern John is the best foward we have and in order for Trinidad and Tobago to qualify we especially need Stern John to step up. After the bermuda game when he missed about 5 chances i was still sure that if we were going to get goals against Panama it would Stern would be involved. I was proven right , he scored and made the through ball to Lawrence. He did however miss a glaring chance in the first half.

This is what I think, you see it in almost every sport, BIG PLAYERS STEP UP IN BIG MATCHES. Stern John is our Biggest foward. He needs get fitter if he is to step up. Moreover Stern's contribution in the approach play has been severly undervalued. Look at the Yorke and Stern control the ball and distribute it. Honestly, will we get that from Sealy and Glen? I admit that I would like to see some more pace up front but I believe that if want to qualify we need our best players on the pitch.Use Glen or Sam or Jones off the bench they are not starters at all.

Some good points but i don't think it would be fair to ask Glen or Sealey to play in that manner, that is not their strengths. They would run on too passes or simply pick up and run at defenders. They may in fact complement Yorke or Stern.

[spideybuff]

We hadda back Stern to the end.Under all the small talk and missing chances he have has 3 goals in his last 4 internationals, which is more than anybody else on thee team...not to mention he is our all time top scorer now. When Ronaldo was playing shite and not scoring(for bout 8 games), brazil stick by him despite having adriano benching and robinho in the wings. When owen was doing crap, eriikson stick with him despite defoe hotting up. Tha's what you do with your big strikers, stand by them til they out of thier slump not discard them and damage their confidence forever.

And the word for Stern is not unfit...he put on too much weight in the gym so he a step slower. Tha's what he need to work on, but i figure is them men in England try to turn him into a big target man, having him playing with his back toward goal and wanted him to put on some more muscle for dealing with them defenders..and now ruin his game as we know it. In other words, he not taking athat weight off for Trinidad if his employers paying him to follow their fitness and nutrition program

[football king]

ah like stern and always have.  the man used to work/fight real hard growing up on he game to get success, but not seeing tha same fight now-don't know what his problem mental, physical whatever.  But sometimes a lil benching could reignite a player. could always bring him on after he build tha anger on the pine hopefully it boil over onto the field.
another thing why everybody always knocking this back toward goal thing-that is a difficult, necessary and many times valuable thing. feel defenders does just let a man turn just so and say go ahead run at goal. but he may want to mix it up a little.
shoot maybe bench him a game in the Gold cup bring samuel in for a run, would love to win it but we could take 10 per in the GC as long as come August we in shape.

[andre samuel]

well said, ah hope touches and patriot read this  ....dem does real bash meh fuh defending stern  !!

I remember when we went de bermeda game and i only cheering on stern and dem boy and dem (cowen, touches, patriot and hyperhotJ included) watching me and nodding dey head 

Sealey eh ready for this level and cannot play in front of either stern, sam, glenn, yorke, jones or scotland!

[dcs]

I want to see Cornell step up and challenge for a starting position.
Everybody counting him out but we will see.  The week before the Gold Cup and the Gold Cup itself will be key.  I hope he make it to the training camp cuz he have a game June 29 and July 2nd.

Stern still have the start but a lil competition for spots good for the team.

So if fit is not the word then it hadda be fat den.

[Preacher]

Fellas ah hear wha allyuh saying but remember.....Stern is a STRIKER....NOT A FORWARD!!!...there is a big difference.....A striker need balls played into them so that they can stike.  If you don't have a supporting cast to make certain things develope your striker does look shitty.  We don't have that supporting cast. I don't think.

E.g 1 .  Mexico game when Yorke head that ball was the mark of a true striker.....Remeber a man put he big head in front ah Yorke an miss....So Yorke ent see that ball till late and lok wha happen....What if he was served the ball right.....

E.g 2...One of our players make a run down the line...Stern breakway from he marker get in front of him....with an accurate pass that is a sure goal....just of momentum and positioning....but what happen man kick the ball far post and thing...  So you see my point?  You have to World class strikers you need a more organized engine room or trade one of your strikers for a forward.    Ah guess that is where some men does get tie up they expecting Stern to do forward type things....He ent that

[Trini _2026]

what!!!!

[football king]

SUPPORTING CAST is needed but in colubus when he was hungry that cast was not all that either.

 we have nothing zilch coming from the left side and to be frank tiger and rojas not the answer over there-i said this b4 tha left could end up haunting we bite we in the you know what later on.

i woulda bench in the gold cup just to stir things up see if another man go seize the chance

sealy i ent know a few coaches who see him in college say he was ok not all that special(their opinions) i never see him so i don't know-glenn off the bench with tha pace when opposition a lil tired could be trouble.
use the gold cup to look at other options so come august yuh have a good idea of what we want to do and we not guessing cause no time for that make or break.

[pass(10trini)]

King, spidey, magics and jah, preach to dem fellah nah........dey ain't ketchin dis ting yet. Ah like dat one jah.............'ah out ah form stern better than any other striker out dey'. PEOPLES REMEMBER ''FORM IS TEMPORARY CLASS IS PERMANENT''. One might be out of form but is the will to win that does decide ah winner or Champion from the other players out there. Is who have the greater possibility to win ah match for we that go be out dey. Who allyuh go put you money on ? Always go with the tried and true.

[Preacher]

I know Stern tried and true cool....but I agree wit King that the Gold Cup should shake things up a little bit.....Because frankly if Glen waken one morning and decide to start scoring everything (like Stern once did).....Glen go be the tried and true....So I say the Gold Cup should be the measuring stick.     Come Aug. I do want to see man missing sitters and holding they head an thing.

[pass(10trini)]

I agree preacher. True , true.

[kounty]

Nobody saying nobody better than stern, but stern and yorke playing the same style and they kinda predictable up front.  What men really saying is that we need one of stern and yorke up front (group A) and another fella who does run at defenders with speed and dribbles and so forth (group B).  I personally think that at half time of every game we should change up the striking pair…change up the perspective…confuse the defenders.  WE have enough good enough strikers to choose from.
Bring back Errol MCFarlane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Preacher]

I ent know bout the MacFarlene fella but I agree with everything else Killa

[Cowen]

In football ...you only as good as your last performance. Frankly Stern not performing. All ah allyuh who talking bout 'WE NEED STERN" ain't looking at the overall picture. Stern of old would benefit the team ......but not the one we have now.

I don't feel we must sacrifice someone who will perform for us up front in the hope that we play Stern and he somehow manage to perform. Yes we need a scoring Stern but until that Stern is available .... drop his ass on the bench.

The man play the last 5 or so games for his club as a starter plus all some warmups in TRinidada and still say he blasted unfit. In case nobody here ever play even small goal football ..... that is an insult to greater intelligence. The man is a flicking professional and talking bout he not fit. If Dwight come and say he not fit ah go take that. The man was active in in any gkinda football till he come back on the national team. Not from Flicking Stern. Do better than that.

When Stern capable again we will play him. Don't get me wrong ah Striking Stern is a deadly weapon. But when your main weapon miss firing what yuh go do.

Go Warriors Go !!

[Trinimassive]

I believe that Leo will evaluate everyone and determine who fits where. He is a credible coach who will put the best team out...not the best individual players....but the best team.

If Stern finds himself in the starting lineup that either says a lot for Stern or not much for the other strikers or both.

I believe that Stern's biggest competition is going to be K. Jones.
Jones is Big, Strong, Fast, Athletic, Good control, good header of the ball and improving and still learning.

The Gold Cup will be very telling as to who is performing and who isn't.
And as we saw with Ince....it doesn't matter if you're the most competent. Yuh could be dropped.

[arrow]

I don't feel we must sacrifice someone who will perform for us up front in the hope that we play Stern and he somehow manage to perform.

The problem is finding who that someone go be!

[Savannah boy]

I agree wit Jah Gol. Allyuh watch de Guatemala game..at least a hattrick throw way...all de rest of de games, glaring chances missed...if it continues, then what, is only so many games left...and de dream will die...Stern could step up...he has the ability...but will he at this time when we need him the most? His boots will give us the answer real soon.

[StoreBayLimer]

Stern is injured and should be in the starting lineup or possibly not on the squad.  His condition  can be  diagnosed by looking at his performance, and most on this board would agree that the present Stern John is inferior to the recent and past Stern.  Hoping that things will improve ….. well we can all hope. But as a practical matter he should be dropped.

[Sam]

Maybe Kerry Noray might get de chance.

[andre samuel]

Maybe Kerry Noray might get de chance.

Kerry Noray? nah man sam.  He eh ready atall.  He too small and he does get bump off de ball real easy.  He is good at making a little room for himself at times but it is only effective when he is in de box!  He is very skillfull but not good enough for this team.  He cyar play in front ah either Hector Sam, Glenn, Jones, Scotland, (even glasgow) or antohony wolfe!

[Sam]

Kerry is small yea, but de man scoring against big hard stones man from de Army, he just score a hattrick against Defence Force, how bad can he be ?? he score 2 against Chicago Fire also.

What about Josh Johnson, is he now playing striker for Jabloteh.

[andre samuel]

All his goal are as i described (make ah lil room and shoot in de box).  He does usually score toe poke goals, de kind ah goals yuh does give up when yuh defence eh good.  I remember dem goals against chicago fire.  One was a toe poke and de next one was ah fake and shoot in de box (around de 10-12 yard mark).  I fine he is ah good player but who yuh go replace? jones? sam? glenn? scotland? john? Yorke?

[Sam]

Sounds like a player we could do with then ? we need these type of players on the team, if he cant score atleast he go create goals or dead ball situation, like Dwarika.

Glen, Jones, Glasgow and Scotland is NOT prolific goal scorers, they might be bigger and stronger, but they are not proven goal scorers for T&T.

I eh saying Noray is a must, because I hate to see small small man constantly getting kick off de ball, like Jemmott and Baptiste once. Every year Noray does good in the PFL, but you might be right, we dont need players who does run on they hand and hit toe-pee whole day. We lacking infront goal these days, if not Noray then who, Josh Johnson ? Leo went to that game for a reason, Josh just scored his 7th goal for the season and he plays or use to on the right wing, very interested....

We need a spark of de bench bad bad.

Saviola (Barcelona) is small too and real good... so sometimes small isn't bad once yuh heart big.


Argentina's striker Javier Saviola stretches during their training session in Troisdorf, June 14, 2005. Argentina will play the Confederations Cup in Germany from June 15 to 29. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci. Barcelona's Saviola wanted by Atletico Madrid.