This Digicel team or World Cup Team for Gold Cup ??

[pardners]

I cannot believe some of the shit men talking here boy.  Like man feel because the locals beat a couple teams in the CFU...teams ranking over 100th spot in FIFA rankings that we reach, and we could take on the likes of Mexico, USA and Canada.  Even with experimental teams themselves, their players are still better equipped at that level.  Look at what happen at the last GC with more experienced players.
We more experienced team loss to Japan and fight up with Panama the other day.  Like is so long men eh hear about a T&T side beating teams by more than two goals we feel we reach.
How many of our US based players playing on their first team in the MLS ?  The stats not really encouraging eh ?

It is good to groom the young players, but going into a competition like the GC is not for amateurs unless your team is Brazil and you could send an U23 squad...that is the kinda disrepect the big guns have us.  We should always go into competition with the best AVAILABLE squad...whoever the players are...and the intention should always be to win the competition.

When you want to groom players you play select international friendlies where they could learn something and grow in confidence.  That is why the Costa Rica game is a good test.  We would then see how the locals fear against a top side...bearing in mind Costa Rica rebuilding themselves.

A poor showing in the GC would not help our cause for the 2010.  As a matter of fact, it could actually harm our progress.  We would certainly drop in rankings, crowd support, less opportunities for playing big teams, less sponsorship and less contracts, and the players could even lose confidence and get a fear for facing bigger teams.

Fellas this team of locals just good enough for the present competition, we should give them a chance to blossom, but sending this same team to the GC is like sending the lambs into the wolves den...we will be eaten alive.

[Big Magician]

hey coops....how tings mate .....i know this happened to you back in 89 with the shell team and strike squad.....and oh god TI....yuh turn meh topic into a market bachanal

[Coop's]

A poor showing in the GC would not help our cause for the 2010.  As a matter of fact, it could actually harm our progress.  We would certainly drop in rankings, crowd support, less opportunities for playing big teams, less sponsorship and less contracts, and the players could even lose confidence and get a fear for facing bigger teams.

       You sure is GC you meant to say because this is what happened to us after the WC.

[Big Magician]

one thing i stated in the orignal post is the issue of the world cup team needing a rest after going for 3 years  with out a break...i am not getting any views on this aspect....let me know

[TrinInfinite]

I cannot believe some of the shit men talking here boy.  Like man feel because the locals beat a couple teams in the CFU...teams ranking over 100th spot in FIFA rankings that we reach, and we could take on the likes of Mexico, USA and Canada.  Even with experimental teams themselves, their players are still better equipped at that level.  Look at what happen at the last GC with more experienced players.
We more experienced team loss to Japan and fight up with Panama the other day.  Like is so long men eh hear about a T&T side beating teams by more than two goals we feel we reach.
How many of our US based players playing on their first team in the MLS ?  The stats not really encouraging eh ?

It is good to groom the young players, but going into a competition like the GC is not for amateurs unless your team is Brazil and you could send an U23 squad...that is the kinda disrepect the big guns have us.  We should always go into competition with the best AVAILABLE squad...whoever the players are...and the intention should always be to win the competition.

When you want to groom players you play select international friendlies where they could learn something and grow in confidence.  That is why the Costa Rica game is a good test.  We would then see how the locals fear against a top side...bearing in mind Costa Rica rebuilding themselves.

A poor showing in the GC would not help our cause for the 2010.  As a matter of fact, it could actually harm our progress.  We would certainly drop in rankings, crowd support, less opportunities for playing big teams, less sponsorship and less contracts, and the players could even lose confidence and get a fear for facing bigger teams.

Fellas this team of locals just good enough for the present competition, we should give them a chance to blossom, but sending this same team to the GC is like sending the lambs into the wolves den...we will be eaten alive.

and say we beat costa rica with this present team, what will be your response would you take back your comment or will you still say our local team doesnt deserve to play in the gold cup? one of the bess tings ever for our football program right now and in the future is for this team to participate in the gold cup.... bc i know they will exceed expectations....

God is de BOSS...

[TrinInfinite]

one thing i stated in the orignal post is the issue of the world cup team needing a rest after going for 3 years with out a break...i am not getting any views on this aspect....let me know

breds you mean we need new life in we football, this team selection has provided the people and our football with a change, a breath of fresh air, a new beginning to see our youths and unproven talent to see what they can offer, the team needed a rest bc even though they achieved alot, they still lacked and we have other players who need to be seen and heard on the field, beenhakker started it and wim has continued the trend of exploration which is so far doing well, i think if we had gone to japan with this team and plus a few other locals, we would have won or at least drew with japan...

[Trini _2026]

dont address as if i am an idiot, i take offence to when ah man feels he knows more,

Ha touches know yuh place boy yuh cyar have more knowledge than TI

[TrinInfinite]

dont address as if i am an idiot, i take offence to when ah man feels he knows more,

Ha touches know yuh place boy yuh cyar have more knowledge than TI

i never said that, i not all knowing, i not God, but when man try tuh talk to you like if your at a lower level than them, is when i get vex, if man talking, talk on a equal level with someone....show respect, we are all brothers and sisters, many however on this site dont feel that way...

[UPRISING]

TI friendlies is for developing depth and giving exposure. In competitions we need to put our best foot foward wheter it is foreign based or local. Performing in the Gold Cup helps the team ranking and makes the team more marketable.

You doing as thought it have no benefit for the locals in playing in the CFU. They get caps and international exposure. They get to see how a different coach does operate. Maybe the national team staff point out some things somebody else didn't see. Some men even getting the chance to get match fit

If they ready then by all means let them contend for a Gold Cup spot. If they at the same level as a foreign based I say let them play cause the foreign based already have they contract. If they not ready they not ready. We will organize some friendlies and let them get exposure.

My one gripe with the TTFF is that historically they do not organise enough friendlies. It doh have to be against Brazil and Argentina. Let the players play against teams at a slightly higher level. Costa Rica is a good start.

lets see now, so I guess the locals and US based should do all the work then get cut by a UK based squad to come into the gold cup and get praise, to me that is unfair, if you lack faith and confidence in our locals then by all means, let the uk based come back and play in the caribbean cup and also qualify for the gold cup, dont send the local and US based to qualify for the gold cup, then disregard them after they qualify, some fellahs on here dont understand the logic behind grooming a team and forming a squad, chopping and cutting is just going to kill the formula, let the locals and US based play in the gold cup and do their best, I think they will surprise alot of people, bc i see it in their play, alot of other people are obsessed with the uk based but they havent done anything to deserve playing in the gold cup, if they had got us there, then they have the right to but since they not sacrificing then why de hell should they walk on the squad, you should earn that priviledge to play and the locals and US based have earned that priviledge to play in the gold cup...

Sooooo..if the Local/US based squad, win the Gold Cup..what then?  Let them play the next tournament or set of matches....TI let the coaches coach, you...sit back and enjoy the games with the rest of us...Is footbal you talkin bout breds...The Gold Cup is the highest profile tournament we have..pick the best squad from the players that are AVAILABLE... From the success of the Digi we are showing that the pool of players is getting bigger..the POOL...so when selection time comes ..at least you in the POOL...if you don't get pick this time, depending on your attitude and commitment to the National team ... you keep training, make yourself available and try to make it next time....

Dis en the village team yuh trying to make...dis is big boy football.. send your best team AVAILABLE!

[Deeks]

Please don't get carried away because we beat them team.. Pick the best 22. Hopefully it will be a mixture of the WC and Digicel team.

[TrinInfinite]

TI friendlies is for developing depth and giving exposure. In competitions we need to put our best foot foward wheter it is foreign based or local. Performing in the Gold Cup helps the team ranking and makes the team more marketable.

You doing as thought it have no benefit for the locals in playing in the CFU. They get caps and international exposure. They get to see how a different coach does operate. Maybe the national team staff point out some things somebody else didn't see. Some men even getting the chance to get match fit

If they ready then by all means let them contend for a Gold Cup spot. If they at the same level as a foreign based I say let them play cause the foreign based already have they contract. If they not ready they not ready. We will organize some friendlies and let them get exposure.

My one gripe with the TTFF is that historically they do not organise enough friendlies. It doh have to be against Brazil and Argentina. Let the players play against teams at a slightly higher level. Costa Rica is a good start.

lets see now, so I guess the locals and US based should do all the work then get cut by a UK based squad to come into the gold cup and get praise, to me that is unfair, if you lack faith and confidence in our locals then by all means, let the uk based come back and play in the caribbean cup and also qualify for the gold cup, dont send the local and US based to qualify for the gold cup, then disregard them after they qualify, some fellahs on here dont understand the logic behind grooming a team and forming a squad, chopping and cutting is just going to kill the formula, let the locals and US based play in the gold cup and do their best, I think they will surprise alot of people, bc i see it in their play, alot of other people are obsessed with the uk based but they havent done anything to deserve playing in the gold cup, if they had got us there, then they have the right to but since they not sacrificing then why de hell should they walk on the squad, you should earn that priviledge to play and the locals and US based have earned that priviledge to play in the gold cup...

Sooooo..if the Local/US based squad, win the Gold Cup..what then?  Let them play the next tournament or set of matches....TI let the coaches coach, you...sit back and enjoy the games with the rest of us...Is footbal you talkin bout breds...The Gold Cup is the highest profile tournament we have..pick the best squad from the players that are AVAILABLE... From the success of the Digi we are showing that the pool of players is getting bigger..the POOL...so when selection time comes ..at least you in the POOL...if you don't get pick this time, depending on your attitude and commitment to the National team ... you keep training, make yourself available and try to make it next time....

Dis en the village team yuh trying to make...dis is big boy football.. send your best team AVAILABLE!

after we beat the full strength haiti team in the final, i will once again say go with this team to the gold cup..... this same full strength haiti team has given teams like the US trouble, plenty trouble, so I think we are capable of playing with the US, mexico and soon to see costa rica. If the local and US based win thr gold cup, why wouldnt we stick with them? In otherwards you are saying regardless of how well they do, we shouldnt stick with them, but isnt it in our bess interest to qualify for south africa? so if this team wins the gold cup, why would we upset a winning formula, maybe a few additions here and there but why disregard a winning team, especially since the uk based couldnt do it...

[Midknight]

When you have a cold you go to a normal doctor. When you heart bad you go to a specialist.

The normal Dr. has his value and he need some experience before he specialize.

you dont replace a player who playing with heart and soul for a player who on de money tip, right now these locals and US based qualified, i am a fair person, maybe your not, would you like if you worked hard for something and got the opportunity to play in the gold cup but then you were told you cannot go bc you need to make room for the uk based, how would you feel, knowing you did all the hard work?

You wasn't the same one saying hardest shoulda make the world cup squad? What happen to the man who do the hard work in the hex and the semis and bahrain that would get leave out?

[dwn]

it shouldnt have anything to do with local or foreign, or who got the team there. the goal of the team for the gold cup is probably to be competitive while at the same time giving the 2010 prospects international experience. after the decision Wim made on the Colombia and Mexico games, my guess is that we will want to include some of the foreign based players. which is probably the best thing because of the experience it will add to the team.

whether or not you feel the current squad can compete with the best in CONCACAF doesnt matter, what matters is:
1. whether the inclusion of some of world cup players will make us a better team; and
2. whether they can help the development of the less experienced players who will be playing alongside them.

some fellahs on here dont understand the logic behind grooming a team and forming a squad, chopping and cutting is just going to kill the formula

actually, i think at this stage, chopping and cutting is probably necessary. if 2010 is the greater goal, u have to consider the following:

1. there are young and talented players on the current team that are not necessarily going to be integral parts of the 2010 campaign.
2. as things stand, there are players like glen, carlos, birchall, jones, wolfe, samuel (and maybe even some of the older players) from the world cup squad who probably integral parts of the 2010 plan.
3. there are many other players local (spann, marcano, whoever) and foreign (johnson, shakes, norville, findley, elcock, the belgium based, whoever) based players who can probably still be considered.
4. in the space in the next three years there are probably going to be new faces.

what i trying to say is that sticking with the current digicel squad probably achieves little in the long term. unless you are saying that this team is represents a major part of formula for 2010. and to decide that from now, imo, doesnt make sense.

[TrinInfinite]

it shouldnt have anything to do with local or foreign, or who got the team there. the goal of the team for the gold cup is probably to be competitive while at the same time giving the 2010 prospects international experience. after the decision Wim made on the Colombia and Mexico games, my guess is that we will want to include some of the foreign based players. which is probably the best thing because of the experience it will add to the team.

whether or not you feel the current squad can compete with the best in CONCACAF doesnt matter, what matters is:
1. whether the inclusion of some of world cup players will make us a better team; and
2. whether they can help the development of the less experienced players who will be playing alongside them.

some fellahs on here dont understand the logic behind grooming a team and forming a squad, chopping and cutting is just going to kill the formula

actually, i think at this stage, chopping and cutting is probably necessary. if 2010 is the greater goal, u have to consider the following:

1. there are young and talented players on the current team that are not necessarily going to be integral parts of the 2010 campaign.
2. as things stand, there are players like glen, carlos, birchall, jones, wolfe, samuel (and maybe even some of the older players) from the world cup squad who probably integral parts of the 2010 plan.
3. there are many other players local (spann, marcano, whoever) and foreign (johnson, shakes, norville, findley, elcock, the belgium based, whoever) based players who can probably still be considered.
4. in the space in the next three years there are probably going to be new faces.

what i trying to say is that sticking with the current digicel squad probably achieves little in the long term. unless you are saying that this team is represents a major part of formula for 2010. and to decide that from now, imo, doesnt make sense.

sticking with this team for the gold cup make sense, adding other players who have not been given a chance like the findley's and elcocks make sense, seeing players we already know about doesnt make sense.... in the ending it would be great to have a mix, it will be in our bess interest, will it happen is left to be seen...

[TrinInfinite]

When you have a cold you go to a normal doctor. When you heart bad you go to a specialist.

The normal Dr. has his value and he need some experience before he specialize.

you dont replace a player who playing with heart and soul for a player who on de money tip, right now these locals and US based qualified, i am a fair person, maybe your not, would you like if you worked hard for something and got the opportunity to play in the gold cup but then you were told you cannot go bc you need to make room for the uk based, how would you feel, knowing you did all the hard work?

You wasn't the same one saying hardest shoulda make the world cup squad? What happen to the man who do the hard work in the hex and the semis and bahrain that would get leave out?

hardest was there for the first round of games in the 2006 qualifying, he should have always been there or should have been selected bc he had the talent and also was apart of the campaign from b4....

[fitzinho]

My personal opinion is that the best team should go. Just because this team got us to the Gold Cup doesnt mean it is the BEST team. We all know that Wim used this competition in order to try out some new and old faces just like Beenie used te Gold Cup to do the same before the real objective. Surely any of you with personal biases towards certain players can also see that putting our best players on the field benefits the BIGGER picture, which is right now hopefully winning the Gold Cup. I don't see why a man who sweat blood and tears for us before should not get a chance just because he was not called up for the Digicel Cup. Any way at the end of the day the decision is up to the coach and the TTFF.

[pardners]

I cannot believe some of the shit men talking here boy.  Like man feel because the locals beat a couple teams in the CFU...teams ranking over 100th spot in FIFA rankings that we reach, and we could take on the likes of Mexico, USA and Canada.  Even with experimental teams themselves, their players are still better equipped at that level.  Look at what happen at the last GC with more experienced players.
We more experienced team loss to Japan and fight up with Panama the other day.  Like is so long men eh hear about a T&T side beating teams by more than two goals we feel we reach.
How many of our US based players playing on their first team in the MLS ?  The stats not really encouraging eh ?

It is good to groom the young players, but going into a competition like the GC is not for amateurs unless your team is Brazil and you could send an U23 squad...that is the kinda disrepect the big guns have us.  We should always go into competition with the best AVAILABLE squad...whoever the players are...and the intention should always be to win the competition.

When you want to groom players you play select international friendlies where they could learn something and grow in confidence.  That is why the Costa Rica game is a good test.  We would then see how the locals fear against a top side...bearing in mind Costa Rica rebuilding themselves.

A poor showing in the GC would not help our cause for the 2010.  As a matter of fact, it could actually harm our progress.  We would certainly drop in rankings, crowd support, less opportunities for playing big teams, less sponsorship and less contracts, and the players could even lose confidence and get a fear for facing bigger teams.

Fellas this team of locals just good enough for the present competition, we should give them a chance to blossom, but sending this same team to the GC is like sending the lambs into the wolves den...we will be eaten alive.

and say we beat costa rica with this present team, what will be your response would you take back your comment or will you still say our local team doesnt deserve to play in the gold cup? one of the bess tings ever for our football program right now and in the future is for this team to participate in the gold cup.... bc i know they will exceed expectations....

God is de BOSS...

TI, I was going to comment, that you probably didn't read where I mention that the best AVAILABLE team should go to GC...no matter where the player hail from... but I see other men do that for me already.

[dwn]

sticking with this team for the gold cup make sense, adding other players who have not been given a chance like the findley's and elcocks make sense, seeing players we already know about doesnt make sense.... in the ending it would be great to have a mix, it will be in our bess interest, will it happen is left to be seen...

when i say we shouldnt stick with this team i mean the whole team. cause on a certain level, sticking with this team = seeing players we already know about.

im of the belief that the digicel cup is enough for Wim to come to a verdict (even if tentative) on the future roles of SOME of the players on hand. i think he suggests this one of his post-match interviews where he said he will be continuing to look for new players in certain positions.

[TrinInfinite]

My personal opinion is that the best team should go. Just because this team got us to the Gold Cup doesnt mean it is the BEST team. We all know that Wim used this competition in order to try out some new and old faces just like Beenie used te Gold Cup to do the same before the real objective. Surely any of you with personal biases towards certain players can also see that putting our best players on the field benefits the BIGGER picture, which is right now hopefully winning the Gold Cup. I don't see why a man who sweat blood and tears for us before should not get a chance just because he was not called up for the Digicel Cup. Any way at the end of the day the decision is up to the coach and the TTFF.

so i guess when the ttff wanted zamora and maybe ellington, if we had got them and our rule in tt was different, we should have dropped stern,  scotland, or kenwyn, since at the time he was our best available striker, playing in the epl, depsite stern playing the majority of the games and scoring for the national team?

[Jefferz]

TI friendlies is for developing depth and giving exposure. In competitions we need to put our best foot foward wheter it is foreign based or local. Performing in the Gold Cup helps the team ranking and makes the team more marketable.

You doing as thought it have no benefit for the locals in playing in the CFU. They get caps and international exposure. They get to see how a different coach does operate. Maybe the national team staff point out some things somebody else didn't see. Some men even getting the chance to get match fit

If they ready then by all means let them contend for a Gold Cup spot. If they at the same level as a foreign based I say let them play cause the foreign based already have they contract. If they not ready they not ready. We will organize some friendlies and let them get exposure.

My one gripe with the TTFF is that historically they do not organise enough friendlies. It doh have to be against Brazil and Argentina. Let the players play against teams at a slightly higher level. Costa Rica is a good start.

lets see now, so I guess the locals and US based should do all the work then get cut by a UK based squad to come into the gold cup and get praise, to me that is unfair, if you lack faith and confidence in our locals then by all means, let the uk based come back and play in the caribbean cup and also qualify for the gold cup, dont send the local and US based to qualify for the gold cup, then disregard them after they qualify, some fellahs on here dont understand the logic behind grooming a team and forming a squad, chopping and cutting is just going to kill the formula, let the locals and US based play in the gold cup and do their best, I think they will surprise alot of people, bc i see it in their play, alot of other people are obsessed with the uk based but they havent done anything to deserve playing in the gold cup, if they had got us there, then they have the right to but since they not sacrificing then why de hell should they walk on the squad, you should earn that priviledge to play and the locals and US based have earned that priviledge to play in the gold cup...

UNFAIR?

Grow some f**king testicles nuh!

the best make the squad... is dog eat dog when yuh playin top international teams... I could careless if is unfair...


I want the best possible team...

You feel we playin is special olympics awa!?


you cyah be serious... unfair!?... stewps...


your mind in la la land.

[TrinInfinite]

sticking with this team for the gold cup make sense, adding other players who have not been given a chance like the findley's and elcocks make sense, seeing players we already know about doesnt make sense.... in the ending it would be great to have a mix, it will be in our bess interest, will it happen is left to be seen...

when i say we shouldnt stick with this team i mean the whole team. cause on a certain level, sticking with this team = seeing players we already know about.

im of the belief that the digicel cup is enough for Wim to come to a verdict (even if tentative) on the future roles of SOME of the players on hand. i think he suggests this one of his post-match interviews where he said he will be continuing to look for new players in certain positions.

i definately think players like findley, elcock and patterson should be given a try at striker bc we have seen what dr.evil(glasgow) and roberts can do, we need to see more of bailey though, i definately could see findley and elcock in thw costa rica set-up...

[dinho]

i dont understand... i confused

if we send a local team to the gold cup, then what really is our goal?? Is it ultimately to create the best pool of players for the 2010 campaign?

ok fine, but isnt the role of our national team to win tournaments? so why would we be interested in not sending our best team available??

does brazil send youths to copa america or does france send a local-based only to the euro championships?? how come all pros MUST COME BACK for african nations?? any confederation cup is a premier tournament...

we have to send our best team to try to win this tournament hands down.. this is the best tournament we have in concacaf and we want to win it not give lesser players experience or scout talent...

from this current digicel crop, i only taking Roberts, Tinto, Baptiste, Wiltshire, Theobald, Telesford and Williams for CONSIDERATION for inclusion to de gold cup team.... and i axing that down plenty further before i make up the final gold cup 22 comprising foreign based men, jabloteh man and digicel men..

jmho

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

Mix the side...  i would say bring Jan... Osei.. Nigel daniel.. Kerry... Bleeder... Glasgoal and Roberts with the Overseas..  maybe 1 or 2 more from the digicel cup also

[fitzinho]

My personal opinion is that the best team should go. Just because this team got us to the Gold Cup doesnt mean it is the BEST team. We all know that Wim used this competition in order to try out some new and old faces just like Beenie used te Gold Cup to do the same before the real objective. Surely any of you with personal biases towards certain players can also see that putting our best players on the field benefits the BIGGER picture, which is right now hopefully winning the Gold Cup. I don't see why a man who sweat blood and tears for us before should not get a chance just because he was not called up for the Digicel Cup. Any way at the end of the day the decision is up to the coach and the TTFF.

so i guess when the ttff wanted zamora and maybe ellington, if we had got them and our rule in tt was different, we should have dropped stern,  scotland, or kenwyn, since at the time he was our best available striker, playing in the epl, depsite stern playing the majority of the games and scoring for the national team?

I realise that you seem to relish confronting those of us who diagree with you, but just to clarify, maybe you didnt read the entire post. As I said before, men who sweat blood and tears a.k.a. stern, scotland kenwyn et al. It is you who think that all of a sudden these guys dont warrant national selection, maybe because some of them can challenge yuh boy "Softest" for his spot on the team. I just want us well represented in the tourney, and if that means some of this current squad have to get dropped then so be it because competition is healthy and it can only result in the BEST team on the pitch. This is in no way meant to be an attack on Hardest, although he is yet to "dazzle" me and exhibit his supposed likeness to Latapy.

[dreamer]

I cannot believe some of the shit men talking here boy.  Like man feel because the locals beat a couple teams in the CFU...teams ranking over 100th spot in FIFA rankings that we reach, and we could take on the likes of Mexico, USA and Canada.  Even with experimental teams themselves, their players are still better equipped at that level.  Look at what happen at the last GC with more experienced players.
We more experienced team loss to Japan and fight up with Panama the other day.  Like is so long men eh hear about a T&T side beating teams by more than two goals we feel we reach.
How many of our US based players playing on their first team in the MLS ?  The stats not really encouraging eh ?

It is good to groom the young players, but going into a competition like the GC is not for amateurs unless your team is Brazil and you could send an U23 squad...that is the kinda disrepect the big guns have us.  We should always go into competition with the best AVAILABLE squad...whoever the players are...and the intention should always be to win the competition.

When you want to groom players you play select international friendlies where they could learn something and grow in confidence.  That is why the Costa Rica game is a good test.  We would then see how the locals fear against a top side...bearing in mind Costa Rica rebuilding themselves.

A poor showing in the GC would not help our cause for the 2010.  As a matter of fact, it could actually harm our progress.  We would certainly drop in rankings, crowd support, less opportunities for playing big teams, less sponsorship and less contracts, and the players could even lose confidence and get a fear for facing bigger teams.

Fellas this team of locals just good enough for the present competition, we should give them a chance to blossom, but sending this same team to the GC is like sending the lambs into the wolves den...we will be eaten alive.

Strongly agree pardners.

Costa Rica (away! and at altitude!) is a different kettle of fish and a big jump from caribbean football. Granted that Costa Rica is apparently building, they will be a tough proposition for us there. Our defense will feel the strain more than other sections especially if we have a weak link in defense. Presently Jack worries me for this level so soon. Unless Wim can give him a crash course in passing off the ball quickly and avoiding clumsy dribbling at the back (at the most inappropriate times to boot) then the team will be committing suicide in Costa Rica and damaging the fragile self-confidence that they have. We cyah go back to those Bertille days when we go to central america and experience apocalypto. Rankings is also important and we need to get respect early in the game and keep our skeptical fan base fed with success.

Must admit that Telesford looks the part. He reminds me of Sancho with his composure at the back. Neat passer, comfy with the ball at his feet, avoids glaringly errors, makes it simple and does not take risks and is not clumsy or slow.  Daniel is aggresive and likes to go forward like Cyd as is decent. Hoping that we had Julius James to replace Jack and give Jack more time to make the transition as he probably has potential but just needs tactical education. I say we going to Costa Rica to give just enough exposure only to those young bloods who are talented enough to make the grade now (not next year, now!). Toughen the side with the non-UK experienced players, just enough to make the side realistically competitive. Ensure that we leave Costa Rica wiith them respecting us as we want to score some psychological points before we meet them in Gold Cup and World Cup qualifiers.

I am volunteering just a skeleton side without the famous foreign-based pool. A compromise on the best blooding potential for this level with the least amount of senior protection. Worry later about who might be some of the players on the bench. Ah putting a 4-5-1 only to show player roles easily but we could play a 4-4-2 if the defense holds up from the expected barrage.


                                                           Jan-Michael


                                     Telesford                    Julius James (or somebody as good)


                      Cyd                                                                                      Daniel


                                    Whitley                                          Fitzpatrick

                                         
                                                       Theobald (Jemmott)


                 Glasgow (Baptiste),(Tinto)                                                   Toussaint



                                                     Roberts, (Wolfe), (Sealy) 


Wish we could at least have some UK based help from Birchall as Spann is recovering from shoulder surgery. If the central strikers are not potent enough, then we go have to push Glasgow up since he is multipurpose and good enough there to cause trouble. Toussaint, if not persona non grata by Whim, is best wide on the left where his dribbling and mischief  would pull defenders away and provoke fouls/freekicks near the box. He is not quite a olding midfielder. The very imporant holding midfielders are Theobald, Jemmott. (really need 1 at a time and Theobald is most critical) Whitley can also do it but he has the best defensive skill.  Allso hope that Jackula hasn't banned socawarrior Wolfe. It would be nice to have Stern, Birchall and Carlos as if it were a FIFA game but this might just do.  If we cyah do better than defender Jack then so be it. Just pray. If no Toussaint then........... Wiltshire boy? Eh! Presshah!                               

[arrow]

When you have a cold you go to a normal doctor. When you heart bad you go to a specialist.

The normal Dr. has his value and he need some experience before he specialize.

you dont replace a player who playing with heart and soul for a player who on de money tip, right now these locals and US based qualified, i am a fair person, maybe your not, would you like if you worked hard for something and got the opportunity to play in the gold cup but then you were told you cannot go bc you need to make room for the uk based, how would you feel, knowing you did all the hard work? I think this team has a chance of making history if given the chance and support, nothing is impossible only if you make it impossible, like many on here doubted me that we would even qualify for the gold cup, many said we wouldnt even make it out of our group, we finished first bc i see something many others dont see in our players, juss like right now i stand by them and will support them over any other players at the moment, let them run out in the gold cup and play, heart and soul makes he difference, plus the fact they are playing and practising 2gether longer than our foreign based were able to... i rather 3-4 weeks training than 3-4 days as we had b4 with our uk based.....

So that's why we finished first in the group?   

To your point of it being unfair that this local squad do all the hard work and then get replaced you seem to be looking at this Digicel/Gold Cup tournament in isolation, separate from the overall picture which is T&T national team football.  The Gold Cup should not be thought of as some reward that players get for their efforts in the Digicel Cup - even if that is the process we must go through to qualify.  It should be viewed as a separate tournament from the Digicel entirely - one which has a much higher standard of football (in our context second only to the World Cup) for which we need our best players to give us the best chance to win.

Besides who has put in more hard work for the T&T national team cause?  Is it this squad which has played 3 Digicel matches or all the UK-based and other local and US-based players from the previous WC squad who were flying home to play in all those qualifiers & friendlies and then went through the most rigorous training program we've ever had to represent T&T in Germany?

Finally, to your point of this local/US squad being able to train and practice longer together - isn't it the opposite case by the time the Gold Cup comes around in June?  The PFL and US players will be in mid-season and will not be released by their clubs until 2-3 days before the tournament while the UK-based will be in off-season by early May giving them a better chance to be available to train for the Gold Cup together.

[Brownsugar]

Send de best available team....I want we to win the Gold Cup...I fed with feeling as if we does just go in dat tournament to make up numbers......

[arrow]

one thing i stated in the orignal post is the issue of the world cup team needing a rest after going for 3 years  with out a break...i am not getting any views on this aspect....let me know

I think that this is a factor which could open the doors to some of this local squad being able to make the Gold Cup squad.  The local/US players will be in mid-season form come June while the UK-based will be coming off long seasons and in some cases 3 years without break like you said.  If we want to pick the best available squad at start of the tournament - we should have practice sessions/scouting for the entire player pool.  At that stage the locals/US based should have the edge in terms of form & fitness - although some men are not playing regularly now and may not be as tired like Birchall and others.
We saw at the last Gold Cup that player fitness was a definite issue that needs to be looked at closely - men like Stern and Samuel were the brunt of many a joke on this forum during that time.

[Fyzoman]

me eh worried, at the end ah de day, de dutchman go do (hopefully) just like he predecessor and pick de best team (ah combination ah local and foreign players) to give we ah chance to win de people gold cup....local players who know what time it is, should right now be trying to get SUPER-fit an be on the A game to be one of the locals selected....blah, blah, friggin blah....so longs as de Warriors win and come and play the semis and final in meh backyard in Chi-town.....bless!!!

[Coop's]

hey coops....how tings mate .....i know this happened to you back in 89 with the shell team and strike squad.....and oh god TI....yuh turn meh topic into a market bachanal

      What ppl don't understand is some how like we are not learning,what's happening to us today is what has always been happening to us through the history of T&T Football,we are just repeating the same mistakes all the time,what's going on here is nothing new,i'm talking from my experiences you are right i got burned.