Cheer up Warrior fans.
By: Lasana Liburd (T&T Express).
So maybe you mouthed off a bit too much to your United States friends before kick off for Trinidad and Tobago's last 2010 World Cup qualifier and felt silly after our embarrassing 3-0 loss.
Or perhaps you are starting to feel like you planned that trip to South Africa a tad too early.
Cheer up football fans because there are still many reasons for you to happily proclaim "I am from Trinidad and Tobago and I love football".
After all, our only defeat of the hexagonal stage did come on April 1. It was a bit crude from the "Soca Warriors" but which one of us is not guilty of a bad joke?
It was the national team's first loss this year, their teenaged counterparts will play the opening fixture of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup and veteran captain Dwight Yorke will return to international duty, two games early, to face Costa Rica at home on June 6.
Still not convinced? Here are nine more reasons why all is not doom and gloom for Trinidad and Tobago football fans:
1) Marvin Phillip: Trinidad and Tobago have not had a goalkeeping crisis since Michael Maurice made a surprise return to international action in 1996. Maurice is the present goalkeeping coach and he will not have to do a fitness test anytime soon. Veteran Clayton Ince, a fine servant for his country, plans to remain an active player until his 40th birthday, but talented young pups like Jan-Michael Williams and W Connection custodian Marvin Phillip are sure to put him to pasture long before then.
2) Playmakers-in-waiting: Two years from now, Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA's Akim Armstrong, Ma Pau's Sherron Joseph, CLICO San Juan Jabloteh's Ataullah Guerra or the under-20 pair of Leston Paul and Sean de Silva will surely make supporters shake their head in disbelief that the country was ever so reliant on an ageing Russell Latapy.
3) Khaleem Hyland: Oh, so you can't wait two years, huh? Well, consider the Belgium-based "man child" as the first installment on our future. The last time a Trinidad and Tobago teenager faced the best the CONCACAF had to offer with such swagger was 1989. That kid's name was Dwight Yorke. Nuff said.
4) Russell Latapy: While the little giant is still able to lace up his boots, we would be silly not to take full advantage. So why doesn't the T&T Pro League kick off already?! Even at 40, Latapy can still bring a touch of inspiration to the international stage. But his appearance in the domestic competition should be an even bigger benefit to local football. Hands up if you can't wait to see Caledonia AIA this year.
5) Elton John: The controversial bard ruffled some feathers, a few years ago, as some Tobagonians protested the Englishman's inclusion at the Plymouth Jazz Festival. Apparently they were concerned that John's fingers over the keyboard might be a call to arms for the gay community. I'm not suggesting that T&T coach Francisco Maturana is squeamish about the "alternate lifestyle" but the unfortunately named Jabloteh player Elton John is the only guy in the country who hasn't got a shift at right back-and he can play a bit.
6) Akeem Adams: The number of right backs used by the Warriors is starting to outnumber the ticket scalpers at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. Clearly Maturana has stopped searching where the left back position is concerned, though. Might we suggest some more auditions for that spot as well, Senor? Perhaps we can look at young Adams again. Would be nice to have a left back who doesn't look as timid as an extra in a horror movie.
7) Kenwyne Jones: The tall, cocky self-made striker and the country's most high-profile player has been the target for grumbles recently. Maybe he really is ready to take up the mantle from Stern John then, who scored at a rate of two goals per boo-and he was booed a lot. Anyone but me saw a link between the dodgy coloured streaks in Jones' locks and his sudden fallibility?
For God's sake Jones, look at how well Djibril Cisse's career has gone since he began experimenting with peroxide-dumped by Liverpool and ignored by France. Hair dye is for losers. Just say "no"!
8] Jason Scotland: The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) named him as their best player for 2008. Really? Maturana played him in just eight from 28 games in 2008 and infamously preferred a schoolboy to the Swansea hot shot when England visited last June. Maybe Scotland was an unnamed third party in the armband-gate scandal that got Densill Theobald dropped last year. Perhaps "Scotty" broke Maturana's favourite Shakira CD. Or maybe the coach is suspicious of strikers who actually score goals.
Come to think of it, the last suggestion might explain why Cornell Glen (11 goals from 11 starts and seven substitute appearances in the last year) cannot get a game these days.
9) April 9: Okay, so I could only manage eight. Maybe the TTFF can give a ninth reason why local fans should be cheerful. April 9 seems as good a day as any for a pick-me-upper.
