TT Soca Warriors stronger than ever.
By: Peter O’Connor (Newsday).[/size]
Well the draw has been made and the die is cast. Trinidad and Tobago now know their opponents through the semi-final stage of CONCACAF qualifying for the next Football World Cup.
As a participant at Germany’06, we were given a preliminary- round bye, and start our safari in June 2008, against the winner of the Bermuda-Cayman Islands clash.
Assuming Bermuda comes through, we need to remember that they are one of our “nemesis” teams, always difficult for us to beat, from way back in the Strike Squad days.
However, the current Soca Warrior line-up is the strongest we have had since the France 1998 team, which won their semi- final round with a match in hand, only to collapse completely in the CONCACAF Final Round, allowing Jamaica to take “our” place in France.
With the retirement of Marvin Andrews and Dennis Lawrence, we may be a bit inexperienced in the centre of defence, but we do have strong young contenders, who with experienced wing backs and mid-fielders, should do the job for us.
We will be without the experience of Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy in mid-field, but will be at our strongest up front and on the wings, where we have choices and support.
Kenwyne Jones is rapidly developing into a major international star. If he moves to Liverpool as is being suggested, his UEFA Champions League participation will develop him even more. He is strong and quick, and can head the ball with the best. With other in-form strikers Stern John, Jason Scotland, Darryl Roberts in Holland and Scott Sealy in the States scoring regularly for their clubs, we should be scoring more goals than we did four years ago.
With the natural wing play of Carlos Edwards on the right, and the speed of Collin Samuel or Cornell Glen on the left, our strikers will be well-fed.
I would like to see Silvio Spann take over the role of midfield general. I know he was used as a wingback/midfielder before he got injured before Germany, but I think he has developed into the kind of thinker we will need in the absence of Dwight and “Latas”.
With supporting roles coming from Theobald, Whitley, Birchall, and the possibility of challenges from the Pro-League and the younger players, I believe we can prevail through the semi-final round.
Our semi-final round will see us up against a far stronger trio than we faced in 2004 when we began the Journey to Germany. USA, Guatemala and Cuba are a formidable trio for us to play and, at worst, finish second.
Our semi-final round in 2004 was Mexico—indeed formidable—but then St Kitts and St Vincent. Coming second should have been a “walk through”, but we were not playing well, and our squad was unsettled, and we barely got through. This time, while we play three strong opponents, we are also potentially a much stronger, and indeed following Germany, a far more experienced squad.
At this point, we need not think about the CONCACAF Final Round of six teams, to be played during 2009, other than working to eliminate the USA from that group!
You can bet that Cuba will help and play their best ever in their Home and Away against the Americans! However, we must beat Cuba and Guatemala on our own, and while they will be tough, they are teams we have beaten before.
And they have beaten us!
However, while we may be a potentially better squad than we were in 2004, we are, compared to our opponents, less prepared at this stage than they are.
Self-inflicted wounds—in the form of an Administration/Player dispute—have seen us without a squad for over a year. We did place second in the Digicel Cup, behind Haiti, in January, using a mostly reserve squad.
But our top players have not worn the Red White and Black for over a year. However, with the dispute referred to arbitration, and all parties re-committed to the cause of being part of the Soca Safari to South Africa, I expect that the TTFF will be announcing a programme of warm-up matches for every FIFA “off-day” between now and our first matches in June.
The “critics” clique has been quick to spell out their gloom, stating that the federation must get itself organised to start their warm-ups.
But it neglects to acknowledge that the first step has already been taken, and the players are available, awaiting their first fifa “window”.
it would be better if these critics would begin to appeal for the government and the corporate community to rally around this team, and this mission.
