Chris Birchall steps to Gold Cup call.
By: Shaun Fuentes.[/size]
Trinidad and Tobago’s latest English recruit Chris Birchall arrived in Ft Lauderdale on Monday evening to join the rest of the National team in preparations for the coming CONCACAF Gold Cup eager to put on a good show in an international competition while his club teammates were getting set for preseason training in England.
The 21-year-old Birchall took up the invitation from head coach Leo Beenhakker to join the team for the Gold Cup despite pleads from Port Vale manager Martin Foyle for him to sit it out in order to be fully energized for Vale in the upcoming season.
Foyle was earlier eager for Birchall to make his international debut leading up to the 2-0 win over Panama but is apparently not as pleased over his schedule with the “Warriors.”
“Chris has made his decision and decided to go, so there is no point getting angry about it. I hope he learns from the experience and can rest at the right time. I also hope they get knocked out of the Gold Cup early so he can come back,” Foyle said in the Sentinel newspaper on Monday.
Birchall however wasn’t the least fazed by the remarks from Foyle.
“It’s great to be back here with the boys because it’s like coming to a family again since I haven’t seen them since the game in Mexico. Coming out here is also a good experience for me because it’s the first time I’ll be playing out here in America and especially being involved in the Gold Cup is a big occasion for me,” Birchall told TTFF Media.
“We’re here to get things right again before the World Cup matches start back,” he added
Birchall arrived in Ft Lauderdale along with Shaka Hislop, Brent Rahim, Marvin Andrews, Kelvin Jack and Dennis Lawrence while the rest of the team flew in from Trinidad earlier on Monday. Defender Brent Sancho was due in later in the evening while Luton Town midfielder Carlos Edwards arrives on Tuesday. Cornell Glen and Stern John also met the team at the hotel on Monday in time for the 5pm training session.
Beenhakker conducted a session at the training pitch located within the Hilton compound which was merely one to get the players to shake off the three-hour flight out of Piarco and the camp is expected to increase pace from Tuesday.
The Dutch-born coach has already indicated that his experience will have an impact on the preparation of the team and he will not back down to managers who think they can convince players from representing T&T.
On the days of training ahead, Beenhakker added “We have all the players we requested and that shows how much they want to play and get it right as a team. There might be some who may not like it, but for us, doing the right thing and having everyone showing that commitment is what is a plus for us.”
News from the 26th of June 2005.
Glen gunning, fans wait on ‘Warriors’ in Miami.
By: Shaun Fuentes.[/size]
Columbus Crew striker Cornell Glen is gunning to wear the Trinidad and Tobago colours in the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup.
So pleased is the speedy striker on being recalled by head coach Leo Beenhakker, the former CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh man is promising to pull out all stock in an attempt to cement a spot on the team.
Glen has been a regular starter in the Crew team for the past six matches after being signed from Dallas FC earlier in the season. It took a while for head coach Greg Andrulis to fit him among the starters but now it seems Glen has left an impression. His latest exploit was a set up for Crew's goal in last week's 3-1 loss to New England Revolution.
“This Gold Cup is going to be a turning point for me,” Glen promised. “Honestly I’m just beginning to catch back myself and playing more and more for Columbus has played a big part in my form at the moment,” he told TTFF Media. “It was obviously disappointing not to be in the team for the last two games but now getting another chance is a good break for me.
“The coach at Columbus told me he had been looking at me for some time now and then he spoke to Stern (John) who apparently had some good things to say and the rest is history now. I am looking forward to making it happen good this time with him up front. I think a lot of people are accustomed with me coming in the side and taking things a bit easy maybe with a lot of jokes and stuff but it’s all serious business now and maybe the current coach will see his philosophy getting results from us as a team,” Glen added. His Crew teammate Luis Gallardo is in the Panama squad as well as Frankie Hejduk in the US team for the tournament.
The former New York/New Jersey MetroStars player will team up with the rest of the T&T team on Monday at the Hilton, Ft Lauderdale for the commencement of a training camp ahead of the opening CONCACAF Gold Cup fixture against Honduras on July 6 at the Orange Bowl, Miami. His other strike partners selected by Beeenhakker include Stern John, Kenwyne Jones, Jason Scotland and Collin Samuel. Both Scotland and Samuel have expressed delight on getting the picks but their Dundee United boss Gordon Chisholm stressed on Friday that he hopes they can return in good form for their club.
“Once before, Jason was away for a couple of weeks and came back overweight, but, even if they are not involved in games, we need them to be doing a bit of training at this time of year. I expect they will make good use of the tournament across there,” said Chisholm.
The “Warriors” can expect a good backing in the stands as a group of T&T.
A group of fans living in Miami have arranged to occupy a section in the stand at T&T’s matches with a “Warrior Girls” posse along with steel pan, tassa and iron rhythm sections in association with fetebusters.com, a non-profit organization in Miami as well as a socawarriors.net crew.
W Connection back to winning ways.
By: Nigel Simon (Guardian).[/size]
W Connection got a goal each from its three foreign imports to end a two-match losing streak in the T&T Professional Football League Senior Division at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, yesterday..
Brazilians Ronaldo Viana and Gefferson Goulart and Earl Jean of St Lucia got strikes for the “Savonetta Boys” to cool off Caledonia AIA/Fire 3-0.
Viana opened the scoring in the eighth minute for his second of the season, while Jean, the team’s captain, doubled the lead in the 28th minute with his seventh of the campaign.
Goulart ended a three-match scoring drought by firing in his team’s third goal in the 76th minute, his eight of the year to complete the win.
W Connection’s eight league win from nine matches carried its point tally to 24 from nine matches, nine ahead of second placed Defence Force.
At Sangre Grande Recreation ground, the return of Jerren Nixon failed to spark champions National Quarries North East Stars, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Defence Force.
Kayode Mc Kinnon handed Stars the lead in the 19th minute, only for Kwesi Smith to earn Defence Force a share of the points, three minutes later.
Nixon, last year’s league top scorer and “Most Valuable Player” award recipient, got his first taste of action for the season during the last 10 minutes of the match, but could not find a winner.
Over at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Kelvin Hernandez denied Tobago United a first win this year with an 84th minute goal for United Petrotrin to draw 2-2.
Yesterday’s PFL Senior Division results:
W Connection 3 (Ronaldo Viana 8th, Earl Jean 28th, Gefferson Goulart 76th) vs Caledonia AIA Fire 0.
North East Stars 1 (Kaydoe Mc Kinnon 19th) vs Defence Force 1 (Kwesi Smith 22nd).
Tobago United 2 (Marlon Laidlow 19th, Devon Edwards 71st) vs United Petrotrin 2 (Dave Charles o.g 45th, Kelvin Hernandez 84th).
News from the 25th of June 2005.
Gold Cup recalls for Scotland, Eve, Spann.
By: Shaun Fuentes.[/size]
National Football Team Leo Beenhakker has included Scottish-based strike duo Collin Samuel and Jason Scotland in a 23-man squad to travel to Ft Lauderdale for a one-week training camp ahead of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup which kicks off in Miami on July 6.
Beenhakker, on the heels of guiding T&T to two of their more convincing performances in recent times, will have just about the same team from the recent affairs against Panama and Mexico with the exception of skipper Dwight Yorke who has been excused after indicating the need to be with Sydney FC for preseason from early July. Veteran midfielder Angus Eve makes a return to the squad which will be cut to twenty for the tournament.
Also making a return to the squad is goalie Shaka Hislop with Kelvin Jack and Duarance Williams also making the trip but there is no place for Crewe Alexandra’s Clayton Ince. There is also no place for Real Salt Lake duo Marlon Rojas and Leslie Fitzpatrick nor Wrexham striker Hector Sam. Japan-based midfielder Silvio Spann is also back in the mix with Cyd Gray.
Samuel has not appeared for T&T since June 2003 in a 2-0 win over the Kenyan Olympic Team while Scotland’s last bit of action was in the semi-final round World Cup qualifying 3-1 loss to Mexico last year at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. Scotland ended the Scottish season strongly for Dundee United with 5 goals while Samuel’s input also reportedly helped the club to a fifth place spot and runners up spot in the Scottish Cup which they lost to Celtic.
Glasgow Rangers’ Marvin Andrews, Wrexham’s Dennis Lawrence and Port Vale’s Chris Birchall, despite pleads from their respective clubs to rest up, are all set to appear in the region’s top championship. Defender Brent Sancho is also back from a hamstring injury which forced him out of the Panama and Mexico games.
Beenhakker has stressed the importance of the Gold Cup campaign, using it as a build up to the rest of the World Cup campaign which continues against United States on August 17 in Connecticut.
“Of course we will go to the Gold Cup with an aim to win our matches but more importantly it is a very good chance for us to prepare for the remaining matches in the World Cup campaign. We will be looking to make full use of the matches we have there,” Beenhakker told TTFF Media. “It is my intention to have all the players involved because it’s the only way we can get it better as a team,” he added. Yorke meantime is banking on the “Warriors” going from strength to strength in the Gold Cup.
“I will not be available but I expect that the boys will keep the improvement rate going. We have done quite well as a team over the past two games and without a doubt I think we can only get better,” Yorke told TTFF Media. “I think it’s a chance for some of the younger guys to get a chance to show what they can do and it also gives the coach further options. He’s done a really good job since he’s been in charge and I’m sure this will go on for the benefit of all of us,” the Sydney man added.
The T&T team has been told by the Pro League that the locally-based pros cannot be released until June 28 even though the contingent is expected to leave here the day before for Ft Lauderdale. However, the MLS is releasing all players taking part in the Gold Cup from June 26 and Beenhakker is hoping to have his full list of local-based pros travel from the scheduled departure date of June 27.
T&T, with a best performance of reaching the semi-finals in the 2000 Gold Cup, opens the 2005 edition in the second game of a double header versus Honduras which they defeated 3-1 in the 1998 tournament. T&T plays Panama at the Orange Bowl on July 9 and Colombia on July 11. The Colombians are coming off 3-0 and 5-0 wins over Ecuador and Peru in World Cup qualifying action as well as a close 1-0 defeat to Argentina.
Full TnT 23-Man Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Shaka Hislop (un-attached), Kelvin Jack (Dundee), Duarance Williams (San Juan Jabloteh).
Defenders:
David Atiba Charles (W Connection), Marvin Andrews (Glasgow Rangers), Dennis Lawrence (Wrexham), Brent Sancho (un-attached), Avery John (New England Revolution), Cyd Gray (San Juan Jabloteh), Anton Pierre (Defence Force).
Midfielders:
Angus Eve (San Juan Jabloteh), Aurtis Whitley (San Juan Jabloteh), Brent Rahim (un-attached), Christopher Birchall (Port Vale), Carlos Edwards (Luton Town), Densill Theobald (Caledonia AIA Fire), Silvio Spann (Yokohama FC), Glenton Wolfe (North East Stars).
Forwards:
Kenwyne Jones (Southampton), Collin Samuel (Dundee United), Cornell Glen (Columbus Crew), Jason Scotland (Dundee United), Stern John (Conventry City).
TnT Gold Cup Schedule & TV-Viewing.
T&T vs Honduras (Galavision, 9:15pm).
6th-Jul-2005 - Orange Bowl-Miami, Florida.
T&T vs Panama (Galavision, 7:05pm).
9th-Jul-2005 - Orange Bowl-Miami, Florida.
T&T vs Colombia (Telefutura, 7:05pm).
11th-Jul-2005 - Orange Bowl-Miami, Florida.
Tickets:
For ticket information on the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ please call 1-888-480-2005.
