From 'Manzan' to Miami.
By: Shaun Fuentes.While one of his long time idols was enjoying his much publicized arrival in Sydney to kick off a new club tenure, young wingback Glenton Wolfe was still soaking in the feeling of breaking into a National Team for a training camp in Ft Lauderdale before heading off to Miami on Monday for the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
T&T skipper Dwight Yorke was the man of the moment in Sydney on Thursday as he met with several distinguished guests, club mates and mediamen. On the other side of the Globe, for Wolfe, it has been a week of intense double session days under head coach Leo Beenhakker, the man he is trying to convince that he is worthy of a pick on the National team. Safe to say so far, Beenhakker has seen something in this member of National Quarries North East Stars team to still have him in the set up.
Wolfe was born December 31, 1981 and grew up in North Manzanilla, same area as Scottish-based striker Collin Samuel who was a teammate of his at the Manzanilla Government School before both had to part ways because the former was unable to afford to attend Secondary School while Samuel went on to Mayaro Composite before joining the professional ranks. Wolfe also grew up playing with his younger brother Anthony who is also a member of North East Stars and has also been a training member of the National team.
But Glenton’s story has been an up and down one, having come from an extremely humble family background where having to spend time in the garden and selling on the roadside was a way of making ends meet before he got the break to play for North East. Before that, at age 16 after missing out on a chance to attend Mayaro Composite to play in the SSFL due to lack of funds, Wolfe had stints with Manzanillia United and East West FC in Five Rivers. Then the chance to try out for Stars came after a recommendation from friend Keston De La Rosa. Since then, he has been one of the key members of Jimmy McLean’s Stars outfit, helping them to the 2003 FA Cup title and 2004 Pro League title.
When asked who is his most admired coach, Wolfe replied: “Leo Beenhakker because he’s shown faith in me and he’s willing to give me the chance to make that breakthrough. But Jimmy has also been the one sticking behind me all the time before that.”
With his favourite players being Samuel, because of having him seen him move up the ranks from “Manzan” to Dundee, as well as Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho, Wolfe is determined to keep riding the waves after making his debut on May 25 in the 4-1 win over Bermuda and also traveling with the team for the recent match against Mexico.
“I’ve grown up eating saltfish and dumpling, planting in the garden and running ball on the beach. And now to get a chance to do something and be recognized for it is a real amazing feeling. I’m here in Miami now with a chance to play for Trinidad and Tobago and make something good happen,” Wolfe told TTFF Media at the Hilton in Fort Lauderdale. “I have done the hard things, playing with North East and not getting paid because we didn’t have a sponsor during that season when we won the FA and the Pro League and then to finally get something for all the hard work. The club is now in a better position and I want to thank everyone there for working to make something good happen”
Wolfe also had the chance to meet Harvey Borris, Consulate General of T&T in Miami at the Hilton on Thursday as he paid a courtesy visit to the team, wishing the players well and offering any support necessary during their stay in Miami for the first stage of the Gold Cup.
“You guys are making us very proud with what you are doing on the football pitch. Tears came out my eyes when I looked at the game against Mexico and saw how well you all played and were able to hold them down. It showed just how capable we are of achieving success and we have all belief that once you can keep this up, we can definitely get to the World Cup stage,” Borris addressed the players.
Beenhakker, after an early morning training session on Thursday, allowed Wolfe and company the evening off before taking the pitch once again at 9am for another double session day leading up to the weekend.
Q&A with Glenton Wolfe:1. What’s your most memorable moment or match, whether for Country or Club?A: FA knockout final in 2003 and when NE Stars played practice game vs National Team.
2. Name two persons, whether relative or not who have been an inspiration to you.A: Bigger brother Fitzroy and mother Angela- off and on worker in hospital.
3. Any favourite player or team.A: Collin Samuel, Ronaldinho and Brazil.
4. What would be your preferred other profession.A: Football. To be an electrician. I'm hoping to complete a course in that field.
5. What do you hope to accomplish either in next 5 years or end of playing career.A: To be a player and playing in an overseas Pro league.
6. Who’s been among your most admired coaches and why?A: Leo Beenhakker, he is giving me a good break.
7. What do you think of T&T’s chances of making it to the 2006 World Cup.A: We stand a very good chance at this point and I'm very excited to be part of it.
8. Any instances or plays that you always reflect on?A: Winning the FA Cup. Playing without payments for four months with NE Stars. It was a lot of sacrifice. We had no sponsor at the time but now we have one and we are getting better payment on time. Even through the 2004 season, we weren’t being paid on time.
9. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?A: Jimmy McLean always telling me I can do it.
10. What do you do to relax away from the game?Hang out with friends on the beach which is walking distance from home. Run on the beach. I grew up playing on the beach.
11. What’s your favorite dish?Salt Fish and Dumplin, home cook style.
12. Favourite drink.A: Grapefruit Juice.
13. Favorite time of year?A: My Birthday-nice little home lime.
14. Most comfortable football boot?A: Adidas.
15. Any advice to young ones?A: Never give up. Keep believing you can achieve something in life.
News from the 30th of June 2005.Permit worries hits Jason Scotland in Ft Lauderdale.
By: Shaun Fuentes.National team head coach Leo Beenhakker was called upon to take a bit of extra interest in the mood of striker Jason Scotland in Fort Lauderdale after the Scottish-based striker learnt on Tuesday evening that he may be forced to end his career in Scotland after the Home Office turned down his application for a work permit renewal.
This has caused a block on Scotland’s new two-year contract and has left the former Defence Force player in no man’s land regarding his professional career.
Scotland is one of five strikers Beenhakker in his current squad preparing for the CONCACAF Gold Cup and he will certainly be looking to get piece of the action which could possibly strengthen his chances of winning the permit appeal.
A United spokesperson said the club were "astonished at this decision by a panel consisting mainly of ex-players".
Scotland’s agent Mike Berry has also promised to look further into the matter to try and ensure that Scotland does in fact have something to look forward to when the new season begins.
"They have deprived this player of his livelihood and Dundee United of an extremely valuable squad player. We have been told that Jason was refused his work permit because he was not of the highest calibre and would not make a significant contribution to the Scottish game.
"However, they seemed to overlook that today's football is very much a squad game and Jason was a key element of our team - he had that superb ability to turn a match by using his undoubted exceptional skills. Local politicians are already taking an interest in this disgraceful decision. Jason is deeply upset by this panel slamming the door on him. He loved his life in Scotland and playing football in Scotland and they have taken that away from him."
Though vibrant in the two sessions on Tuesday evening and Monday morning at the Hilton training pitch, Scotland is understandably down but is promising to keep himself up.
Haven’t not had as many appearances for the national team as he would have liked over the past two years, Scotland had been left crossing his fingers in hope of getting the permit. But if all doesn’t go well, he still has hopes of playing in some other overseas professional league.
“It has left me hoping for the best but I am confident that things will work out in my favour,” Scotland told TTFF Media. “I heard about the decision here and all I can say is that I’m thankful too at the moment that I’m here with the guys and I have a chance to get some more games under my belt with the Gold Cup. It’s important that I perform well and that the team does good too. I’m not going to be down over this situation,” he added.
English-based goalie Shaka Hislop was the final player to join the camp, arriving in the afternoon period and was carded to take part in the training session scheduled for 5pm at the nearby pitch. Luton Town midfielder Carlos Edwards also trained on Tuesday evening, a couple hours after arriving from London.
Photo Gallery:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida - June 28, 2005Note: All photos are courtesy forum member
Mr Mc
News from the 29th of June 2005.From Luton Town to Lauderdale.
By: Shaun Fuentes.[/size]
New Luton Town signee Carlos Edwards touched down in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday all eager to get his first taste of the region’s prestigious international tournament scheduled to kick off at the Orange Bowl Stadium next Wednesday.
Despite being a member of the T&T senior team since 1999, Edwards has never been in a team taking part in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and is hoping to obviously exhibit the progress made by himself in England over the period spent with Wrexham.
But the former St Anthony’s College boy is here with a bigger stripe on his shoulders having just been unveiled as Luton’s newest player expected to play an integral part in the English Championship next season after recently gaining promotion.
Earlier on Tuesday, coach Leo Beenhakker had his “Warriors” out on the training pitch from 9am under rainy conditions but the plush surface was in fact a part of paradise for Marvin Andrews and company. At least it was not a bad day for Andrews who has continued to be harassed by the Scottish media on his decision to join the T&T team for the Gold Cup rather than rest and join Glasgow Rangers for their preseason campaign. The day’s lunch and dinner meals was also more appealing to the “Warriors” after the kind Hilton chefs gave an unsuccessful try at curried-style chicken in hope of making the visitors feel at home on their first day at the hotel on Monday. Aside from that, the rest of the services and facilities has been just what the Dutchman ordered.
Several of the men in Beenhakker’s squad have been caught up in club business over the recent weeks but the Dutch-born coach says he knows how to ensure that they are properly focused on the Gold Cup. Brent Sancho arrived from a trip which included rehab treatment on a hamstring injury in Australia and is yet to confirm a new club deal while Brent Rahim, Kelvin Jack, Shaka Hislop and to a lesser extent Jason Scotland have not yet ironed out their plans for the new season.
“It’s all part of football but they are all professionals and we know exactly how to deal with it. A lot of people have talked about how important the Gold Cup is for us in preparations for the remaining World Cup matches but I disagree with that,” Beenhakker told TTFF Media. “I think we are here as a team to get on with the football whether it’s Gold Cup or World Cup. We are here to try and do our best and win the tournament. The World Cup is something else and we will of course try to do better things as a team as these couple weeks go on.”
He made mention that the new faces in his team like Silvio Spann, a player he has seen only on video, as well as Scotland, Samuel and Cyd Gray will all have the chance to add something to the team and this means also in training and not just on the pitch during an actual encounter.
As for Edwards, he expects to fit back in smoothly into the set up following his performances against Panama and Mexico.
“It’s always a big occasion when you come back to be with the national team and especially as it’s a training camp for the Gold Cup, I don’t have a problem having to come out here and train. I think the idea of coming here in Miami for a camp a week before our first game was also a good one and I am pretty sure it will go a long way in our attempts to get better as a team,” the Luton Town man said.
Goalkeeper Shaka Hislop is scheduled to arrive here on Wednesday and will be last player to join the camp after being allowed some time to conduct some personal business regarding his professional career. T&T kick off their campaign against Honduras next Wednesday at the Orange Bowl Stadium, Miami.
Jason Scotland not giving up.
By: Shaun Fuentes.Expecting better news on his work permit hearing this week before he can get on with his new three-year contract, striker Jason Scotland is banking on his desire for hard work to get him through as a professional player.
The news which reached him in Ft Lauderdale on Tuesday was not so good as he got negative on his application for renewal of work permit which means his representatives will now have to appeal that decision if he is to take up the new deal with Dundee United.
Haven’t not had as many appearances for the national team as he would have liked over the past two years, Scotland had been left crossing his fingers in hope of getting the permit. But if all doesn’t go well, he still has hopes of playing in some other overseas professional league.
“It has left me hoping for the best but I am confident that things will work out in my favour,” Scotland said. He finished the season on a high for United, guiding them to second place in the Scottish Cup which push them through to the qualifying phase of the UEFA Cup next season. “That definitely will be a big stage for me but I think so far playing in the Cup final has been the best occasion for me at the club,” he added.
Defence Force held 2-2 by Tobago Utd.
By: Ian Prescott.[/size]
Defence Force almost certainly shot themselves in the foot, but survived to keep a 2-2 draw with bottom-placed Tobago United in a T&T Pro League match yesterday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
After whipping the Tobagonians 4-0 recently at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago, second-placed Defence Force became the first of the top teams to drop a point this season to the 2005 table-proppers.
Already down a man after the dismissal of striker Devon Jorslyn for dangerous play midway through the first half, the Defence Force gave Tobago United a lifeline early in the second half from a defensive mix-up.
Tobago had looked firmly second best, even against just ten Army men, until miscommunication between central back Corey Rivers and keeper Ross Russell allowed Tobago striker Ashford Leggerton to sneak between them and poach a 53rd minute equaliser.
Jerwyn Balthazar had shot the Defence Force ahead in the ninth minute, and even after losing Jorsling, Defence Force were still in control.
Pacey striker Kevon Carter almost carved out a second first half goal for Defence Force when rounding Tobago keeper Sheahn Warner on the right, laying on a pass to overlapping midfielder Ronald St Louis, then seeing his teammate "sky" the ball over the unguarded Tobago goal.
They would come to regret that miss when Rivers' lapse in judgement handed the Tobagonians their first equaliser (1-1).
Till then, Tobago had looked well on course for their eighth loss of the season, but had an equal share of the game once they pulled level.
That was until the 75th minute when Carter did what he had threatened to do all night, when beating keeper Warner to give his team a 2-1 lead.
The advantage seemed quite sufficient, as Defence Force missed a few more half chances. But just as the game seemed to be winding down, coach Kerry Jamerson galvanised all his troops into full defence, even calling back striker Carter into his team's half.
Tobago took advantage by pushing further forward and, at one point, all bar Tobago keeper Warner were in the Defence Force penalty area.
Finally, in the dying seconds, Dion Thomas dribbled through outstretched Defence Force legs and hit the ball into the net to give Tobago United a hard-fought point.
After holding Petrotrin United to a draw last time out, Tobago United have now picked up just their third point out of a possible 24 this season.
Yesterday's T&T Pro League Matches:Defence Force 2 (Jerwyn Baltazar 9th, Kevon Carter 75th) v Tobago United 2 (Ashford Leggerton 53rd, Dion Thomas 90th).
National Quarries North East Stars 1 (Anthony Wolfe-pen) v W Connection 2 (Earl Jean, Ronaldo Viana).
PFL Latest Standings.
