Rijsbergen: Best team for Gold Cup
Daily Express
-Ian Prescott
Friday, April 13th 2007
WIM RIJSBERGEN, Trinidad and Tobago's national senior team head coach, has reiterated that home-based players need to play alongside our footballers who play professionally in England, Scotland and the United States.
"If you want to improve the local players, you have to involve the foreign-based players, who are exposed regularly to a higher level of football," Rijsbergen said. "Of course, if we go to a Gold Cup we have to get the best team."
Rijsbergen was speaking on Wednesday night at the launch of the local Professional Football League. He hopes to see a few local players emerge from the Pro League to challenge for places on the national team. Rijsbergen will soon be resuming training for the June 6-24 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and said he will be meeting soon with the Pro League to streamline their fixtures.
"It's very important to everyone that we solve the problems, so that the best team is fielded. If we are going to win a Cup, it's important that we get the best team possible," said Rijsbergen.
The Dutchman also called on each local professional club to actively begin building a fan club, so that they can carry a few bus loads of their fans to away games. He said playing before a crowd builds the confidence of the players and makes them want to lift their standard
