Hmmmmmm, well it is with real sadness I bring myself to make this post.
Like most, I was saddened by the level of play on the field but unlike many I am sympathetic to the players because to me the players who let us down should not be selected to represent us at this level and those who should be selected for the most part did their best.
Our technical staff (LATAS included) are the ones who must take the blame because they know all the US players by now and we had a previous 3-0 dress rehearsal in Chicago before, not to mention a confidence-booster in HCS more recently, to still be playing men who are more liabilities than assets to our cause.
I have to include Latas because he is now the assistant coach, so unless Maturana just totally ignoring him, he is involved with team selection and tactics....if it isn’t so then Latas better off being called Player/ignored-advisor.
The game is broken down into individual battles and from watching the game live at the stadium I have to tell you that Carlos Edwards, Clayton Ince, Keyeno Thomas, Dennis Lawrence, Chris Birchall, and to a lesser extent Clyde Leon won their battles but none of the others even placed in their duels.
None of our players up front could control the ball properly on the night and none took on their markers let alone put any fear into anyone.....but they all have big reputations right..hmmm. I wonder if we could qualify based on reputation alone?
To qualify for a World Cup you have to be talented enough, be lucky enough, work hard enough, and do enough "big things". Last time for Germany, it was the game in Panama, the one in T&T against Guatemala, and later Mexico..but they were big results with players doing big things...things that deserve the earning of a reputation and qualifying.
I have now resided in the US since 1995 and been to countless WCQ in Chicago, Virginia, all over, and one thing that strikes me about the US players compared to the T&T players is that the US players play as if they are always trying to prove themselves every time, whereas we sometimes play as if we have nothing to prove.......if you have nothing else to prove on the national side anymore then I suggest you retire from internationals and give someone else a go.
So after making huge sacrifices to go to the game last Wednesday night in Tennessee, it was difficult to witness the difference between the US effort and the T&T effort....but what was even worst, was to hear some of the US supporters chanting a song with the lyrics..."Jozy's got a girlfriend"..and why shouldn't they?...When compared to the likes of the others in the HEX we treat the US like a special date on lover’s lane....."come on Baby, I am yours, have your way with me..."
What else is there to come? It is hard to be a T&T supporter...but I will continue to support my country and our team. I just hope we select players who will play with honor and a "never give up" attitude instead of players who are not at the required level or worst, players who do not mind coming second to their adversaries... We need players who understand that it is a big deal to represent T&T, and not just show up but actually give your best for the Red, White, and Black, not the ones who Josie and company just dropped back home this morning and with a gentle kiss goodbye saying "until we meet again in Port of Spain eh DouDou Darlin....."
We better start making those big decisions soon, otherwise it eh go be Jozy alone, we might move from being Jozy's girlfriend to "CONCACAF Jamette"......
