Time For Maturana To Go!!!!
By: Andre Baptiste (AndreBaptiste.com)
When people hear of Bermuda, everyone thinks about –Bermuda shorts-
Many Trinidad and Tobago citizens actually wear these shorts regularly.
On Sunday (14th June), A Bermudan national football team made all of Trinidad and Tobago “wear’ red on their faces from embarrassment, shock and dismay, following a 2-1 defeat.
Add in a few tears for the four children, I saw sobbing uncontrollably at the Marvin Lee Stadium and you know just what “Football” means.
Trinidad and Tobago clearly did not do their homework.
Khano Smith from the Major League Soccer in the United States terrorized our defenders, with his measured control and talented left boot. His running at defenders left his opposite number Kareem Smith, a mere admirer, when his deft cross found an unmarked John Barry Nusum.
Perhaps though the deciding point in this match, was made off the field, and no it was not the posturing of the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs- Gary Hunt -or that of the special advisor to the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation -Austin Jack Warner -and their (yes, both of them) “petty” antics, as it relates to Stadiums, costs, advertising and freeness. Neither man has any authority on all these matters to make them on their own, without thinking about the people of this Country. Jack Warner though has experience and knowledge on his side and should not allow Hunt, to draw him out so much.
The real problem was the decision to play a formation of 3-5-2. A system our team will clearly not be comfortable with. Against Jamaica we used 4-4-2, against England, we used 4-4-2. So was it that the technical Team, led by the non English speaking coach.
Fransisco Maturana devised this “bright” plan on their own.
It was a disaster.
A lot of this Team, seem disinterested in the game, it was as if they believed, they should not have been on the same field with the team from Bermuda.
How wrong they were? How wrong indeed?
The nippy winger Damon Ming, was also having his way with 33 year old Dennis Lawrence, who looked out of sorts.
In fact apart from a brief spell of energy from Carlos Edwards, it was a woeful performance from all bar possibly – Goalkeeper Clayton Ince-.
Stern John was his usual errant self with more misses than hits on targets.
So what made Maturana do this madness, did he make this decision on his own, or was he aided by Anton Corneal, the assistant coach?
In fact, the elder Corneal (Alvin) was on a technical FIFA committee with Maturana some years ago.
Also during the game with our team 2-1 down at half time, Maturana correctly introduced Ancil Farrier to stop the hemorrhaging, but unwisely substituted Khaleem Hyland instead of the hapless Keon Daniel.
Another, glaring error by the Colombian. Is there smoke in his eyes?
Maturana also demonstrated his lack of vision in utilizing only two (2) of his three (3) available substitutes.
Bermuda’s less experienced and much cheaper coach Kenneth Thompson utilizes all three of his substitutes.
Is he saying or sending a signal that his bench is so bad, so poor, what does that say of the future of Daryl Roberts?
It is clear now in my mind, win (by the required 2 goals on Sunday 22nd) or lose, that Fransisco Maturana is not the “man” for us. This country deserves more.
Any talk of Chemistry among the team is a significant disclosure that everything is not okay in the camp.
Sometimes, too many cooks block
He is not able to inspire these players and maybe it is time to revised the Blacklisted players and swallow your pride, Jack and ask them to come back. It may be too late…………
However if there is no Blacklist , and the coach Maturana can pick any player , he wants , that is a faster reason to have this man out of here, because, he has not selected our best team.
But Maturana should go, should go and never come back.
Faith alone will not help us in the future , it may on Sunday coming , but that is short term thinking .
So Maturana Please Go and take some with you!
