Maturana targets World Cup midfielder.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).
WHITLEY WANTED
New Trinidad and Tobago head coach Francisco Maturana is ready to offer maverick midfielder Aurtis Whitley a return to international football in an effort to strengthen his squad before the South Africa 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign kicks off this June.
Whitley, who represents Pro League outfit Vibe CT 105 W Connection, played in all three matches at the 2006 World Cup but made just one outing in four fixtures under suspended coach Wim Rijsbergen before a Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) blacklist ruled him out of contention.
Maturana, a two-time World Cup coach with his native Colombia, pored through scores of national games played over the last three years and, according to a T&TFF source, has decided that Whitley is too gifted to be ignored.
If Whitley accepts and impresses, it will increase competition for the playmaker's role that was shared between his Hungary-based World Cup teammate Densill Theobald and 32-year-old Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA star Marvin Oliver in Wednesday's goalless draw with Guadeloupe.
However, the Colombian is understood to be well aware of Whitley's penchant for sudden absences from duty and his supposedly relaxed view on training ground discipline.
"His call-up would come with certain commitments, dedication and passion even before the football (side of things)," said the anonymous source, who hinted that some other World Cup players are also being considered.
The 30-year-old Whitley was described as "the Brian Lara of Trinidad football" by CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh coach and ex-England international Terry Fenwick in the build-up to the showcase 2006 tournament. A thigh injury hampered the gifted midfielder's contribution in Germany although coach Leo Beenhakker still started him twice.
He has not been the same since, according to who you listen to. Fenwick discarded Whitley last season citing the player's lack of motivation and Jabloteh went on to win the Pro League title. The midfielder showed flashes of brilliance as he steered Connection to the FCB Cup but he missed several key games for injury and "personal reasons".
Theobald, who emerged as a mainstay in the national midfield since the World Cup, might have enough on his mind already after being pipped to the captain's armband just minutes before kick-off on Ash Wednesday.
Maturana told the Express, on the eve of the friendly encounter, that Theobald would keep the armband for now as he was wary of making drastic changes too early. But the message did not seem to get through to striker and record goal scorer, Stern John.
John was team captain in his last outing-a 2-1 win over Panama on October 11, 2006-although his promotion over Dennis Lawrence for that fixture was thought to be ceremonial as the poacher was making his 100th appearance for the country. Lawrence is now retired from international duty.
Perhaps John assumed that he would retain the armband but the technical staff was said to be surprised when the Southampton striker strode on to the Queen's Park Oval pitch with the accessory, which is normally set down on the dressing room table by the equipment manager.
Assistant national coach Anton Corneal would not be drawn on the apparent mix-up while he insisted that the striker's withdrawal at the interval was merely to allow Swansea striker Jason Scotland an extended run rather than a signal of discontent at John's performance.
"I really prefer not to say (how John ended up with the armband)," said Corneal, "but we are not going to make an issue about that when there are so many other more important things to work on if we want to qualify (for the 2010 World Cup).
"In the end, as Francisco (Maturana) explained, the captain will show himself through his play and his ability to lead."
Neither John nor Theobald could be reached for comment on the temporary transfer of captaincy. Almost certainly, the captaincy issue pales in significance to the return of a fit and motivated Whitley.
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