Ok my underlying problem with our national team really isnt that the players lack attitude or grit or skill but the inherent mentality style of the players that are being picked to represent T&T. for instance iam 34 yrs old and i started watching ball seriously around the time of the 89 world cup qualifiers or just before and as my football education grew, to me it seemed that the players were tougher back then both physicall and mentally ..they played for the shirt first and for most part gave the public a good showing...They didnt win all their games obviously but for the most part i was hardly ever dissapointed in the effort that was put out by our players. regardless of our opposition our players played hard and gave 100% thats why in many cases we were able to pull out victories when defeat seemed imminent. I remember for certain players like that i admired like hudson charles, marvin fustin, brian williams, elliott allen, leonson lewis, kerry jameson too name an few ...made the national team through hard work and played hard and tough every game because the country was watching and they had pride when they put on the red white and black. The team was a team of "workmen" firstmen that came out to battle for a victory as any national team worth their salt did. so therefore everyone knew what it took to make a national team and what was expected when u step on the pitch. To get there you had to have the right mix mentally and physically and u have to be able to play the game. as the old guard changed and new players like anthony rougier, richard theodore, jerren nixon, reynold carrington angus eve etc came in they played with the same "never say die" attitude because the same influences from the former era still remaind therefore they carried on that tradition. Now our national team has been watered down with horrible players over the years maybe horrible to strong a word, but players that had no business being on a national team anywhere such as and i will call their name , terry st louis, ricardo aleong, kerwyn jammot, "chubby" i forgot his real name, derrik king, gary glasglow, brent rahim, nigel pierre, just to name a few and constantly neglect players of real quality,.For instance how is it possible a player like "aurtis whitley" flew below the rader for so many years although he was on a national u17 team a player like him should have been on the national senior team along time ago it should be a shame on our local coaching establishment, now he is in his 30's with not much more to offer. But i digress, my point being we managed to pull out spectular victories to take us through to the world cup because "leo" basically galvanised us by getting the team to believe in his philosophy and having a workman like attitude together with the influence of yorke and latapy from a bygone era. they are gone now and now it is glaring that our team has no identity no team chemistry and no clear leadership on and off the field.There is no good national team is comprised of 11 sunday league players and our present team has roughly 8 as i see it. We need to go back to the time when men were picked to represent our country and not boys.
Go warriors!!!
