Charles: They don't care.
T&T coach regrets late change of plans.
By: Ian Prescott (Trinidad Guardian).
"They don't care," Marlon Charles declared, "referring to the attitude of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) towards the national women's football team.
"But I am undaunted...I am not quarrelling. When things like this happen, you hear people talking after a tournament, but they don't know what is happening. We have many talented footballers, but they are not being given the opportunity to give their best performance through proper preparation." Charles was venting his feelings, but not angry. The head coach of the T&T national women's football team had expected to leave Trinidad for Miami today, play two warm-up matches against an American professional team and the Jamaican national team before facing Mexico on Sunday at the 2006 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup.
But, his squad's lack of preparation was made even more threadbare when the T&TFF took 48 hours out of his intended build-up on US soil. Two days might not seem much, but since the bulk of his players are based at universities in the United States and Canada on football scholarships, Charles felt it vital to get some playing time with them before the tournament.
"Canada, Mexico and the United States are coming into the tournament after playing in the Peace Queen's Cup. We now have to leave on Friday, just two days before the tournament. We leave on the 17th, face the hassle of going through immigration, jet lag, and also wait for a bus to go to the hotel. What can I do with these players on the afternoon of the 17th? Nothing!" he declared.
"I will want to train on the Saturday, but I can't do anything much because the game is the next day. We are going into a World Cup qualifying tournament without preparation. How can that be good enough?"
Charles has consistently said that the T&T Soca Warriors' qualification for the 2006 FIFA Men's World Cup in Germany was the best thing to happen to football in this country. He must now be wondering whether all the resources are going to the men, while other national teams are neglected.
He probably is also wondering if the Soca Warriors had the same problems going into today's friendly international against Austria in Vienna.
"We saw it recently with Brian Williams and the national under-20 footballers, who are meeting teams like St Kitts, who had gone to Brazil before a tournament. Anton Corneal said the same thing about the under-17 footballers not being prepared properly. Yet, they (T&TFF) want good results. Football is not about magic, it's about preparation," stated Charles.
Forced to alter his plans, the T&T coach leaves on Friday with eight locally-based players, including two goalkeepers, who will join 12 foreign-based players in Miami.
Five footballers from local women's champions Real Dimension are in the national team, including Tasha St Louis, Jamila Mathlin, Niasha Reyes, Rae Ann Elder and Nadia James.
Also in the squad are Leslie Ann James (Joe Public), goalkeeper Kemica Forbes (St Clair Coaching School) and Lisa Joe Ramkisson.
Charles has chosen a big locally-based contingent as he has had at least two days a week to work with them and is pleased by what he has seen. He is hoping the American college circuit will at least have brought the T&T foreign-based players to a high level of fitness.
"I am not discouraged," he said. "In fact, I am very optimistic. We are going to do the best we can, with the resources we have. We know it's going to be tough, but the girls are all up for the fight. We are going out there to do our best for Trinidad and Tobago."