Carlos unfazed by marquee status.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Carlos Edwards is looking forward to shouldering what he says is an overwhelming responsibility as being this country’s new marquee player on the international football scene.
Growing up following the careers, adoring in more ways than one and lining up alongside the celebrated likes of Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy and others including his teammates from the “Soca Warriors” line up, Edwards added that he feels privileged to be considered a key figure in T&T football at this time.
Sunderland manager Roy Keane recently likened him to Manchester United star Ryan Giggs, Yorke has tipped him to continue steady progress and John has had some flattering stuff to say about him.
“Carlos has been massive at the club. He is having the best run of his career in my view. I think Carlos can definitely be on any Premiership team. He has the natural engine and can play at the top level. He has loads of potential and there are always players who don’t fulfill all of it but he has a strong mindset and has a places to go,” John said.
“That’s the beauty of the game. As a young player coming into a team or trying to make your name you might get a bit worried when there are others around doing well. It’s natural. It’s not about being bad mind or anything like that because at the end of the day it’s all about the team. For me now, I have matured and when you mature you understand more that there will be players who get better, be better and worth more,” John added.
Edwards isn’t being overly fazed by any of the extra attention or expectation.
“It’s good to be described this sort of way after the World Cup. I don’t see it as a burden but more as a responsibility and it’s a good feeling,” Edwards told TTFF Media on Friday while with some of his T&T teammates at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
“I am one of the leading players at this time and I haven’t made it a big deal but a lot of people have spoken about it. They will be looking at me. I’m just taking a backseat right now because of the current situation but on good note, I am always committed to representing my country. It’s tough now with the situation and we hope this can be resolved in the best interest of both parties and it can lead to us returning to being the kind of family that we were before,” added the former St Anthony’s College and Defence Force workhorse.
With the Premiership stage awaiting his presence now, the 28-year-old Edwards will soak up all the sun he can while back home before returning for a preseason tour of Republic of Ireland in July. Yorke’s influence on him and the company of John will make his Premiership status even sweeter.
“It was always a dream of mine to play in the Premiership. I never thought I would even play in a World Cup but I proved myself wrong. I am looking forward to the challenge and at the same time I’m overwhelmed and ready to go.
“Even though I played with Dwight at Sunderland he still looks after me and respects me at the same time. His guidance has been encouraging. There are lot of things I still learn from him, I came into the national team when guys like him, Stern and Russell were in their prime and now for me to step in where they left of is just something I am happy and feel privileged to be part of,” he concluded.”
