W Connection off to Mexico.
...hoping to create history.
By: Joel Villafana (ttproleague).[/size]
In the heights of the 2007 Carnival festivities, a disciplined bunch of footballers from Couva left all the thrills and excitement behind, seeking to create history.
The 2007 TT Pro League runners-up Vibe CT 105 W Connection departed the Piarco International Airport just after 6 a.m. on Carnival Monday morning full of confidence in their chances to move past the quarter final round of CONCACAF Champions Cup for the first time in their club’s history.
W Connection are scheduled to face Mexican Champions Chivas in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter final round on February 28.
The ‘Savonetta Boys’ brought joy to home fans last Tuesday when they rose above all expectations to defeat the Mexican champions Chivas 2-1 at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in the first leg of the home and away quarter final tie.
Looking ahead to the return leg, Club President David John Williams called it the biggest game in his club’s seven-year history.
Speaking to ‘ttproleague.com’, Mr. John Williams said, “This is no doubt our biggest game thus far, I see it as the most important game in the club’s history, we have a real chance of moving on to the semifinals of the tournament and becoming one of the top four teams in CONCACAF in 2007.”
The W Connection owner continued, “Not only is this game important for us, but I believe it is very important for the TT Pro League and Trinidad and Tobago’s football, this is an opportunity to show the world that we have a quality professional league in Trinidad and Tobago and we are capable of producing players to compete at the highest international standard.”
He confirmed the team trained up until Sunday night, before leaving for Mexico on Monday morning and said everyone in the camp was in high spirits.
“The guys are all upbeat, the sprit in the camp is high, and they have an opportunity to get into Mexico nine days ahead of the match, so they can properly acclimatize to conditions.”
Williams reflected on his team’s battle with Toluca, another top Mexican club back in 2003 in the CONCACAF Champions Cup where W Connection were edged out at the quarter final stage, having lost 3-2 in Mexico, and was only able to pull off a 3-3 draw at home.
However, David John Williams says a lot is different this time around, “First to begin with this time we played our home game first, and we are traveling to Mexico with an advantage. Another important factor is that this time the game in Mexico is not at high altitude as it was back then,” and while he admits his squad in 2004 was a much more experienced bunch, he strongly believes his crop of young players has what it takes to get the required results.
He told ‘ttproleague.com’, in no uncertain terms, “Most definitely, I am very confident that the boys can pull off the result we need, coming off the performance in the first leg where we played 71 minutes with 10 men and only committed three fouls, it shows the level at which the team is currently performing, and I am expecting nothing less than the required result to propel us through to the semi-finals.”
Pro League teams throw full support behind W Connection.
By: Vinod Narwani (ttproleague.com).[/size]
TT Pro League powerhouses Vibe CT 105 W Connection have received full support from United Petrotrin head coach Brian Williams and North East Stars President Darryl Mahabir ahead of their return leg quarterfinal clash against Mexican powerhouses Chivas in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Connection, who beat Chivas 2-1 in the first leg at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, left for Mexico on Carnival Monday to prepare for the crucial encounter against their opponents on February 28.
Looking back at Connection’s opening triumph over the Mexican giants Williams believes it’s a sign of good things to come for the TT Pro League.
“Every bona fide football fan who has an interest in the Pro League will see that it was a good victory for the sake of the league on the whole,” said Williams.
“It was good to see a local side being competitive against Chivas and getting that type of result. It was a great victory for Caribbean football, and the Pro League teams can only build from here on, as it will give all of us that sort of firepower to emulate such a feat, as we aim to raise the standard of football in Trinidad and Tobago.”
The former Strike Squad defender was however; quick to add that the return leg was going to be tough for the ‘Savonetta Boys’, but he admitted the Couva-based side could reach the semi-final stage of the prestigious CONCACAF club tournament once they remain focused.
“Going out to Mexico is going to be pretty difficult for Connection, but they must play the game according to the situation as they try to qualify for the next round.”
“W Connection only need a draw out there, but I am not suggesting that they must go out there and play a totally defensive game. If Connection apply themselves properly, concentrate and be disciplined in their approach, they can pull off the necessary result,” said the National Under-20 Coach.
Even though Connection and United Petrotrin are archrivals at local level, Williams gave the Earl Jean-led side his full backing to bring glory to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
“W Connection are going there to represent T&T which means all our support at that level is needed. They have achieved a lot in such a short space of time in Trinidad and Tobago football, so we must give Connection our support and hope they do well… at the end of the day it’s all about country.”
Darryl Mahabir was also full of praise for W Connection, stating that a victory for the club augurs well for the TT Pro League on the whole.
“We at North East Stars will give our support to W Connection based on the fact they are one of the top clubs in the country, and we expect that they would pull off a win in Mexico,” said Mahabir.
“The clubs in the TT Pro League would expect to be given a big boost if W Connection wins, because it would show that the level of football that we play in Trinidad and Tobago can match that of other countries in the world.”
Mahabir felt that Connection’s participation in Mexico in the CONCACAF Champions Cup four years ago when they played Toluca could come in handy for the upcoming clash.
Connection went under 3-2 to Toluca on that occasion in their quarterfinal round of 16; the Mexicans eventually went on to win the competition.
Mahabir said, “Their past experience in Mexico should give them a little knowledge as to how they must go about their business across there.”
“I think they are playing great football at this time, and I think once they continue playing the game they are accustomed to, they stand a good chance of overcoming the Mexicans,” ended Mahabir.
