New look Warriors chase ninth CFU crown
...face Bajans in Digicel Cup opener
BY NIGEL SIMON (Guardian)
T&T forward GARY GLASGOW, second from right, shrugs off tackles from NIGEL DANIEL and LESLIE FITZPATRICK during a practice session at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on Tuesday.
T&T, eight-time winners, meet Barbados in the opening match of the Digicel Caribbean Cup Final Sedley Joseph Group at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 6 pm today. Photo:Anthony Harris. A NEW look Soca Warriors, led by midfielder Densill Theobald and comprising 11 debutants will begin their quest for an unprecedented ninth line on the Caribbean Football Union crown in the second edition of the Digicel Caribbean Cup Finals.
Since the first CFU tournament was held in Barbados in 1989, T&T has captured the region’s most coveted title on eight occasions, with five coming on home soil.
However the last of those eight titles came in 2001, a 2-1 win over Martinique at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
And beginning today, coach Wim Rijsbergen, in charge of the team for his first tournament since taking over from Leo Beenhakker at the end of the World Cup, will be anxious for his players to get off to a positive start against the Bajans in the first match in the Sedley Joseph Group at the Mucurapo venue from 6pm.
Prior to the first match, an official opening ceremony will take place involving all eight teams with Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his wife, the Honourable Senator Hazel Manning, Minister of Education meeting the teams.
Forced to select an 18-man squad minus a number of players from local club CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh, Rijsbergen’s final team comprises only one member of the Soca Warriors which participated in Germany in newly appointed captain Theobald.
In addition to Theobald, the only players with some senior team experienced but cannot be labelled as senior team regulars are strikers Scott Sealy and Gary Glasgow, goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams, midfielders Leslie “Tiger” Fiztpatrick, Kerwyn ‘Hardest” Jemmott, Nigel Daniel and defender Dwayne Jack.
Today’s match will also be the first time the T&T team will be participating in a tournament since their involvement at the World Cup Finals in Germany.
During that time, the locals have played four international friendly matches, losing away 2-0 and 4-1 to Japan and Austria respectively while beating St Vincent and the Grenadines (5-0) and Panama (2-1) at home in mid-November.
While the T&T team will be without its top European-based players, coach Rijsbergen said he was still confident that his players would be able to put on a good showing as this was an ideal chance for them to prove their worth.
The Bajans meanwhile boast four English-based players in their line-up and are unbeaten in their last six international matches, all Digicel Cup qualifiers.
Led by top scorer Paul Ifill, who was signed by English Championship Division club Crystal Palace from Premiership side Sheffield United earlier this week, the Bajans had wins over Antigua & Barbuda (3-1), Anguilla (7-1), Bahamas (2-1) and St Vincent and The Grenadines (3-0). They also drew 1-1 with Bermuda and St Kitts/Nevis respectively.
Despite their recent good record which has seen them climb up the CFU and Fifa rankings, as oppose to T&T, the Bajans will be mindful that their record against T&T is not one they can boast about.
T&T has a stellar record against Barbados who have won just three of 26 matches between the teams since 1973. T&T has won 16 times with the other seven matches ending in draws.
The last of those wins for T&T was a 3-2 triumph in Bridgetown during the round-robin finals of the Digicel Cup last year.
That win also guaranteed T&T the third and final spot behind Jamaica and Cuba at last year’s Concacaf Gold Cup.
But this time, the Jamaicans failed to reach the final paving the way for a new champion to be crowned and with the top four teams gaining qualification to the Gold Cup later this win, a win for either team will go a long way to getting their campaign off on the right track.
The second match at 8.30 pm, will feature two of the three French-speaking teams in the tournament, Martinique against Haiti.
The Bobby Sookram Group, to be played at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella comprises Cuba, Guyana, St Vincent and The Grenadines and Guadeloupe.
The winning team will walk away with US $120,000 while second gets US $70,000; third —US $50,000 and fourth—US $30,000.
T&T squadJan-Michael Williams (W Connection), Marvin Phillips (Starworld Strikers), Seon Power, Gary Glasgow (Joe Public), Makan Hislop (University of South Carolina), Osei Telesford, Darryl Roberts (Liberty University), Keeron Benito (University of Tampa), Dwayne Jack, Kwame Wiltshire (Tobago United), Densill Theobald, Hayden Tinto (Caledonia AIA), Kerwyn Jemmot (Superstar Rangers), Joel Bailey (Monreal Impact), Leslie Fitzpatrick (unattached), Scott Sealy (Kansas City Wizards).
Stand-by: Anonth Noreiga Christian Baptiste (Defence Force), Nigel Daniel (San Juan Jabloteh), Kerry Baptiste (San Juan Jabloteh).
Barbados squad: Alvin Rouse, Morrison Taylor (goalkeepers); John Parris, Dwight James, Renaldo Fenty, Bryan Neblett, Jonathan Straker, Ramuel Miller (defenders), Gregory Goodridge (utility), Romelle Burgess, Norman Forde, John Hawkesworth, Jeffrey Williams, Louis Soares (midfielders), Ryan Lucas, Neil Harvey, Paul Ifill, Mark Mc Cammon (strikers).
