As we look to the game tonight and hope for a win ( I definitely am hoping), whom amongst us can dare to be honest and call it like it really is i.e. our beloved soca warriors are just not good. No, not 'not good enough', just plain not good.
We have average players at best (and even that is a stretch), and lost the last members of the talent pool when Dwight, Russell and Shaka retired.
C'mon ppl, be honest. Not only with ourselves, but with the country and all who peruse this site regularly.
Clayton Ince is a second rate goalie. Of course he pulls off the odd great save, but EVERY goalkeeper in the world has at least one or two of those moments. He is not and was never agile, and fails repeatedly to save any well directed shot. Not to mention his penchant for berating his defence unnecessarily.
Marvin Andrews was never ever any true footballer. He still can't make an accurate pass in excess of 5 metres. Ridiculous.
Abu Bakr seems to have potential and as such will be spared scrutiny reserved for others as an accurate assessment cannot be reasonably done.
Avery John is a left back from the 60's. He is at an absolute loss when he crosses into the opponents half, very quick to go to ground (a hallmark of a non thinking defender) and poor passer.
Cyd Gray was touted as a speedy player yet never showed this speed ppl so exalted and poor positional sense. Cruelly exposed in Costa Rica, even though he gained my respect and admiration for how he made a concerted effort to improve.
Carlos Edwards is our favourite player. Yet he consistently sends wayward crosses and seems to enjoy his ability to spin like a top. Granted, he often gets behind players, but then what? Championship division player.
Keon Daniel is an absolute waste of time. Scored a couple free kicks and was regarded as the next great thing. Steups. I've seen SSFL players score great free kicks. It happens to any and all footballers at some point. Keon is slow, weak, and slow in thought.
Trent Noel was our PFL player of the year once. I've seen him play a few times and he has yet to show why he should be anywhere near the national team. He hasn't made any incisive passes or important tackles. What is his purpose?
Densil Theobald is plain and simple not good at all. When you are left out of a jokey Scottish team, it signals time to decide if football is what you're really good at. What does he really do on a field?
Chris Birchall is perhaps the best out of the bunch, but solely on work rate. Cant control or pass to save his life and doesnt seem to have an idea of when to calm down. I love him for it though...its all or nothing.
Kenwyne Jones is what we call a functional striker. He has no technical ability or skill whatsoever. But his imposing frame lends itself to knocking in a few now ad again. Any one with a footballing mind will attest that the English game is about being functional as opposed to talented.
Cornell Glenn cannot play under pressure. He will fall to ground, feign or actually get injured or generally try to bulldoze his way through with no success at all. Yes he shows flashes of brilliance, but as I said earlier, it happens to any footballer in the course of his career.
Jason Scotland is a nice player. He however, doesn't seem suited to any type of game. He isn't fast enough to blow past defenders, not skilful enough to dribble them, cannot play very well with his back to goal, and isn't big enough to intimidate. He seems to be able to finish well against lesser opposition though.
Hayden Tinto is hungry, but he is an absolutely brain dead footballer. He tries the same dribbles without success over and over and crosses poorly. I think he has potential, so I will put his displays down to eagerness to prove his worth.
Russell Latapy is perhaps our best ever player, but he is quickly proving to be on his way to our worst ever coach. Absolutely devoid of any tactical awareness, he hasnt played the same starting team for any of his games in charge. Chopping and changing the back line is not the sign of a coach who knows what he is doing. Keeping underperfroming players on the field for 90 mins is not a sign that he knows waht he is doing. Keeping in form goal scorers on the bench in a must win game is not a sign that he knows what he is doing.
This U20 team that everyone seems to be pinning their hopes on fall into a similar category. We seem to have quickly forgotten that we qualified with a singular victory. While getting all the necessary exposure to improve, they are just not good. At least not at this point. I hope that we are not obscenely exposed at the youth world cup.
Anyone dare to be honest?
