Maturana not out of the woods yet
Lasana Liburd
Friday, October 17th 2008
under pressure: United States defender Heath Pearce heads the ball away between Trinidad and Tobago captain Dwight Yorke, left, and defender Keyeno Thomas during Wednesday's 2010 World Cup qualifier at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. T&T won 2-1. -Photo: ROBERT TAYLOR
A former Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) insider made an interesting observation in the wake of the country's embarrassing 3-0 2010 World Cup qualifying loss away to the United States last month.
FIFA vice-president and TTFF special adviser Jack Warner, he noted, remained silent on the ineptitude of the "Soca Warriors" despite cries of outrage from fans and former players. Warner's hasty utterances have brought harm to himself and his various organisations over the years.
But a quiet Warner, the former insider felt, was twice as dangerous.
Eleven days after the USA defeat, the Football Federation announced that national icon and 40-year-old midfield star, Russell Latapy, would end his international retirement and rejoin the Warriors as a player and assistant coach.
His terms of reference, according to the TTFF release, were for the two qualifiers against Guatemala and the United States "in the first instance".
Latapy was surprised to learn, when he touched down at Piarco International Airport, that T&T head coach Francisco Maturana would not permit him into his technical staff. But "the Little Magician" stuck around anyway to help his country to a goalless draw away to Guatemala on Saturday and Wednesday's 2-1 win over the United States that virtually assured the Warriors' spot in the final CONCACAF qualifying round.
Maturana described Wednesday's win as a proud and historic moment for Trinidad and Tobago and said he was "very, very contented". He would be well advised to watch his shoulder blades, though.
Because Warner, who hastily called a press conference to herald a 2-2 friendly draw for Maturana's troops against Jamaica in March, has made no attempt-thus far-to publicly display confidence in the coach and is again holding his tongue.
Latapy's terms must be re-negotiated before Trinidad and Tobago's final group outing against Cuba, next month, and it is likely to make for interesting reading.
On paper, Maturana's position seems strengthened by the team's relatively comfortable perch in the standings. But no one with even passing knowledge of the machinations of the TTFF would be fooled by that. Not after Bertille St Clair was fired despite taking his country to an unprecedented top-four finish at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2000.
A coach's job almost always ends in tears. It is a question of when rather than if. The important bit is his conduct between the appointment and his inevitable sacking.
Maturana, whenever he does return to his horses in Colombia, will be remembered as a gentleman. The qualified dentist is the epitome of calm and grace. If scientists were to create an exact opposite to the two-time Colombia World Cup coach, his name would be Wim Rijsbergen.
But that is Maturana's public face.
Privately, he is a contradictory fellow who can drop a promising young player or a respected veteran as quickly and quietly as one discards a used tissue. His selection policy could not be more bizarre if he invited a phone-in for the starting XI to face Cuba.
On Wednesday, 2006 World Cup veteran and Miami FC left back Avery John was the latest victim of his tinkering.
John, who appeared solid in both drawn legs against Guatemala, was replaced by Defence Force player Aklie Edwards who was ripped to shreds in Chicago.
It was just as well that the United States did not travel with their full-strength team. In the debit column, Edwards completed three passes over ten yards-not counting three to goalkeeper Clayton Ince-and managed two successful tackles. But there were also eight errant passes from Edwards, while the visitors managed five crosses from his vacant post in the first half.
Maturana's decision to swap left backs could have easily rivalled his demotion of six-foot-seven defender Dennis Lawrence in the Chicago fiasco.
Luckily, US coach Bob Bradley did not bring a team capable of punishing such obvious flaws.
Perhaps Maturana was not the one to leave out John. That seems plausible too since it is difficult to envision the Colombia's recall of players who he publicly condemned like Southampton striker and national record goal-scorer, Stern John.
Maturana admitted that his only previous knowledge of Latapy was his 25-minute cameo against Paraguay in the 2006 World Cup. It would stand to reason, then, that the 40-year-old's stunning return was not scripted by the Colombian.
The Warriors' response to every setback, thus far, has been to summon more World Cup players. Wrexham full back Silvio Spann's sudden recall brought the list of returning veterans to seven since their June loss to Bermuda.
Before the campaign started in earnest, the TTFF were cooing about Maturana's introduction of schoolboys like Jamal Gay and Akeem Adams. But, when things got dicey, even undeniable young talents like Keon Daniel, Khaleem Hyland and Marvin Phillip-all mainstays of the Colombian's tenure-found themselves sidelined.
So if Maturana is not in charge of selection, which has been the most important factor of the campaign, then what can we credit him for?
It would be a miracle if Maturana retains the respect of his dressing room under such circumstances and, particularly, when there is a charming Little Magician in the ranks.
Warner's decision to woo Latapy back looked inspired on Wednesday. But it will soon be time for a long-term decision.
His silence on the matter, so far, suggests he knows as much.
