stumbled pon this..didn't know where to post..not dated, but we can guess
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-390597/The-smile-hide-Trinidad--Tobagos-steel.htmlDaily Mail Online
The smile that can't hide Trinidad & Tobago's steel
Just about everything that Leo Beenhakker says is accompanied by a smile. But what is that saying about a smiling assassin?
The veteran Dutchman, now Trinidad & Tobago coach, barely stopped grinning as he jousted with the English media during an hour-long press conference.
But behind the laughs and the wisecracks he had a serious message. England, he believes, paid his adopted nation and their band of journeyman footballers insufficient respect in the days and weeks following the World Cup draw at the end of last year.
Is Beenhakker right about England? Tell us what you think in readers' comments below.
Tomorrow in Nuremberg he intends to remind Sven Goran Eriksson and his players that Trinidad & Tobago are in Germany to compete.
Beenhakker said: 'When countries from Africa and the Caribbean play the European or South American teams there's always a certain difference. But in football you can compensate for talent with passion and courage. Also with good preparation.
'That's why I never understood why people wrote off the other sides, the so-called smaller teams.
'After the draw you (the English) and Sweden were talking only of themselves and not of Paraguay or Trinidad & Tobago. It was as if we didn't exist.
'Well, we do exist and we're here just like everybody else in this tournament.
'To think like that was a big mistake. It's not so easy for the big teams to beat the smaller teams any more. Everybody has learned how to organise, how to prepare their sides mentally and physically.
'There are no easy games these days for the big teams — you see them struggle all the time, and that's why it's a real world championship now.'
Trinidad have already served notice of their capabilities by drawing with Sweden. So pleased was Beenhakker with that goalless result that he gave his players 24 hours off.
'"Go away", I told them,' he said. 'I didn't want to see them for 24 hours. And I didn't.'
Where Beenhakker's players went for their down time is hard to work out. In the small German village of Rotenburg where they are based there is a bowling alley, a tiny cinema and that's about it.
But while Trinidad's latest set of sporting heroes let their hair down, Beenhakker, 63, was watching DVDs of England.
He added: 'Just like Sweden, England on paper have much more talent than us. After the Sweden match I pointed out that their front line were from Anderlecht, Juventus, Arsenal and Barcelona. We had a back-line from San Juan Jabloteh (of Trinidad), Gillingham, Wrexham and New England Revolution.
'We compensate for that. We've a lot of respect for our opponents, but you shouldn't overestimate them.
'In the last two matches, against Jamaica and Paraguay, England scored seven goals — and five were from dead balls.
That's part of the game. But that means they're also struggling to beat opponents from open play, creating open chances. That's clear.
'So, in football, nothing is impossible and that's why we go into this game with courage and confidence. We're not here to follow the Olympic ideal of just taking part. Not at all. This is about winning.'
Beenhakker was invited to begin a war of words with the team his team meet tomorrow.
On the whole, he was having none of it. He had his own agenda and could not be persuaded to deviate from the script. There were kind words for Sven Goran Eriksson — 'one of football's top coaches' — and for Wayne Rooney — 'I hope he plays for his own sake' — but he was happy to play ball with one English question.
With his experience of work with the Holland national team, with Ajax and Feyenoord and Real Madrid, would he not have liked a call from the English FA when they were seeking a replacement for Eriksson?
'No, I would not,' he said, with the obligatory smile. 'I say that 90 per cent of my life is football, 10 per cent is private. If people are interested in that 10 per cent, I'm not interested.
'I don't feel sorry for Sven. That's a part of the job and you know that, when you go to England. It's weird, but it's understood that is what happens when you sign that contract.
'Some people have the courage to say No to offers like that. I'm like one of those. In that way, I admire Luiz Felipe Scolari for turning it down.'
Beenhakker's captain Dwight Yorke has revealed how Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson asked him to beat England for him.
The former United striker, who spent six weeks training with his old club as he prepared to lead his nation into their first World Cup, said: 'Everyone from Scotland, including Sir Alex, has made it clear they want us to do well against England.
'United got me in good nick and Sir Alex made it pretty clear who he wants to win the match with England. He also made sure I had a sense of belief because you need that on an occasion like this. I can't thank Sir Alex and his staff enough for what they've done for me. They made me feel as if I was one of their players again. At one stage, it made me feel as if I was back at United for real.'
Yorke has warned his former United team-mates that they should be wary of his team's threat. He added: 'I've spoken to Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand. I've texted them both.
'The feeling among everyone else is great. With Gary I just wished him all the best against Paraguay. He wished us the same back. The texts with Rio were a little bit more "intimate". But it's just banter.
'England are a fantastic team with fantastic players in every position, players we would die to have.'
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-390597/The-smile-hide-Trinidad--Tobagos-steel.html#ixzz2wu7PiPkH Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
