2022/23 Concacaf Nations League Thread

[kounty]

umh. not sure what i learned this match. good for kristian lee him that he got a second chance, which i don't think he seized either...but also didn't play himself out of another look or two. Hackshaw and Muckette just play negative passes all the bloody time man. (almost ready to call it quits on Hackshaw, depending on age). Again I like Telfer and Moore up top, I think they feed off each other well and if they get used to each other Telfer would pass the ball more often, fall into a more creative role.  Auvray does try to do too much sometimes -- need a coach to encourage him to make a nice pass after doing all the good work. Andre Rampersad growing on me fast - workhorse. Have to go back on my opinion that our use for Aubrey done, cuz even though the mistakes still there, look like the back need a marshall like him. Good job Natty, still raw but hopefully improve with more minutes...even let him start next game [bring on malcolm shaw?]. I think I good on Andre Raymond: still young so time to improve, but not deserving of NT callups imo. Get fit R Russell Jr! did the ask on overlapping runs as well as decent defending. Dan Phillips remind me of Eve. I hope he keep improving, but i realize I might not be fully appreciating his defensive role, though i do see the scrapp in him. wish we could use this phase of the league to see some more young players.

[asylumseeker]

Ah, kounty ... but for Raymond's enterprise there would have been no keen delivery of the ball that produced the goalscoring opportunity. That counts for more than a lil bit.

[asylumseeker]

Eve's post match comments after 3-0 loss at home:

" We were outplayed by Curacao. They call their foreign born players for this match. 85% of them playing top flight football in Europe. While our guys are playing in the USL and Pro league. We are at an disadvantage because of the laws around getting a TT passport. ."

Eve has the potential. BUT he will be better suited working as an assistant AFTER he gets mentorship. THEN he might be ready to coach a small Island team and slowly move towards coaching the national team.

On the other hand, to be fair to Eve, can it be that we  don't produce quality players anymore?

Eve is trying his best. But his lack of experience coaching outside of Trinidad and Tobago is why he can't transform a poor performing team into a mediocre team.

I feel we go take licks tonight. It feels like the day of the USA game. I hope I'm wrong. Best luck team

He is coaching a small island team. With small island tactics at that! Doh get tings twisted.

[asylumseeker]

I done oui.

A better team would have blasted us with 7-10 goals.

I started rooting for Curacao

Wisdom!

[asylumseeker]

nice goal by natty

I wrote home about it.

[asylumseeker]

On the other hand, to be fair to Eve, can it be that we  don't produce quality players anymore? That is the crux of the matter right there.

Wanna bet? Eve isn't even being fair to himself.

[asylumseeker]

This is some embarrassing stuff T&T putting down dey. EVE please go back to Junior Sec football. Yuh outta yuh depth. Too painful to watch this stuff.

Might as well let Anton coach the team?

[asylumseeker]

Hadad is the new DJW.

There's about 6 key fellas missing, which will prove costly.

Not even close.

[asylumseeker]

thanx for the livestream. who is #17? [terrible we so amateur now no names on shirts again]

The federation would have to have its own "printing press". Revolutionary idea.

[lefty]

PTSC national team in full effect........BIG coach football and ah not talking about eve

[Trini _2026]

Sitting back in the frist half then having players express   in the second  half.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/iSOjYPd-1B4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/iSOjYPd-1B4</a>

[Peong]

We sit back and allow possession too much, Curacao was allowed to complete passes over and over again. That first half was ugly. Several times Daniel Phillip was the only one pressing quickly which does not work unless others join in. Rampersad is good, he solid and physical. Hackshaw still have a belly.
Our wing play through Auvray and Telfer is decent, but since we playing the inverted wingers on each side I would expect more support from the wing backs in overlapping runs and central midfielders to play 1-2s off of. We have no attack through the middle.
In this game like in the gold cup I feel like a lot of players playing to not get tired; fraid to commit to runs because it's a long run back if we lose possession.
Congrats to James on his goal, looks like he had a chance for a second as well.

[frico]

Mr.Eve must be doing something right because many on here if they are honest expected us to lose.The statistics showed we had the better of the game so I don't see a big problem.Sometimes football could be made more complicated than it's supposed to be,I heard AE,telling the players,"if every player do what he is supposed to do we should not have problems"that,I must admit is true.We won and some are not satisfied,we beat a good team with players in better leagues than ours.

[gawd on pitch]

@Peong . Good analysis.

Daniel Phillips is a hard worker. I would have loved to seen him up against the Reggae brits.

Telfer should be playing in the MLS. He's willing to take chances and dribble the ball at the right time.

Auvray is crafty. I wish he can grow about 3 to 4 inches. Despite his size, he's fearless against players bigger than him.

James is another player I think should be in USL at least. I hope he get to go overseas. Good attack minded player. Also I seen him come back and defend.

@ Frico. Yes I was one of the guys on here that downplayed Eve. I still don't agree with some of his tactics. But it worked for this game. The majority of Curacao's starters all play top flight in Europe. The quality was well on display. However, Curacao can't play scrappy Caribbean football. St Kitts brought the same type of game to Curacao and knocked them out of the Gold cup qualifiers.

Curacao played the better game up until the 60th minute. After that, we started to grow in the game. This ultimately tipped the scale in our favor.

Whatever happened to Khaleem Hyland? At 34 years of age, I don't think he is done.

Next game is El Salvador. I say we go big, strong and speedy for that game. That's how Jamaica gets the results over them Central Americans.

[frico]

gawd on pitch Thank you borse!

[gawd on pitch]

My pleasure Frico

[injunchile]

Congrats and a good three points . We are giving the opposition too much time on the ball in our third. I like the Moore/ Telfer  up front. Someone  in midfield needs to take the ball and run into the opposition  Third. Hackshaw and Auvray did it and created problems for the centre backs.Leandro Bacuna got player of the match and Hackshaw got a 7.5 rating Rampersad 7.4 and David a 7.4. Source FOTMOB.

[gawd on pitch]

I forgot about Moore. He's another talent that should be playing abroad. I hope he can find something in the USL or Canadian Premier League.

[Brownsugar]

Just peeping een........ah see Trini_2026 changed his handle again.....you eh giving up hope boy.....

[asylumseeker]

I forgot about Moore. He's another talent that should be playing abroad. I hope he can find something in the USL or Canadian Premier League.

Doh overlook that he had a recent opportunity in Guatemala.

That stated, it is my view that the team, on balance, loses more than it supposedly gains by not including Moore as a starter.

Everything comes out in the wash of coaching preferences, but just looking at defending (in a vacuum) and attacking (also in a vacuum), without exploring transition (through various "interpretations" ... not just "hard" forward running), isn't going to cut it without variation(s).

[asylumseeker]

Mr.Eve must be doing something right because many on here if they are honest expected us to lose. The statistics showed we had the better of the game so I don't see a big problem. Sometimes football could be made more complicated than it's supposed to be,I heard AE,telling the players,"if every player do what he is supposed to do we should not have problems"that,I must admit is true.We won and some are not satisfied,we beat a good team with players in better leagues than ours.

The statistics or the score? Even the stats in the public domain show more shots and more shots on target by the opponent, more passes by a factor of 2 by the opponent, higher passing accuracy by the opponent, more offside positions and a higher number of defensive interventions by the opposition. Oh and 2/3 of the ball possession! If we get more sophisticated than that, it would be a slam dunk indictment. So, frico, dahis WHY there is a level of dissatisfaction and skepticism revolving around a lone [somewhat] opportunistic goal.

[asylumseeker]

We sit back and allow possession too much, Curacao was allowed to complete passes over and over again. That first half was ugly. Several times Daniel Phillip was the only one pressing quickly which does not work unless others join in. Rampersad is good, he solid and physical. Hackshaw still have a belly.
Our wing play through Auvray and Telfer is decent, but since we playing the inverted wingers on each side I would expect more support from the wing backs in overlapping runs and central midfielders to play 1-2s off of. We have no attack through the middle.
In this game like in the gold cup I feel like a lot of players playing to not get tired; fraid to commit to runs because it's a long run back if we lose possession.
Congrats to James on his goal, looks like he had a chance for a second as well.

Structural and philosophical problem in the anglo Caribbean. You would cringe when senior coaches in the region explain why. Being dispossessed in central areas figures as a concern.  It is what it isn't. Concede a critical area of the pitch at your leisure. ... as if no solution other than flank play exists.

[asylumseeker]

Congrats and a good three points. We are giving the opposition too much time on the ball in our third. I like the Moore/ Telfer  up front. Someone  in midfield needs to take the ball and run into the opposition  Third. Hackshaw and Auvray did it and created problems for the centre backs. Leandro Bacuna got player of the match and Hackshaw got a 7.5 rating Rampersad 7.4 and David a 7.4. Source FOTMOB.

Clear as day, but inherently a "deliberate tactic" that "arguably" is tied to re/organizing the defense. Let's see how the argument stands up when the ball circulation is faster and really vertical.

It is reactive football rather than proactive football and when up against players whose reaction times and instincts are more enhanced than ours, well ... foregone conclusion?

I tend to think every day is not Christmas Day. I also tend to think everyday is not July 10, 2021 (Mexico 0 - T&T 0).

[Trini _2026]

Gawd James should keep away from the USL as long as possible. This USL 

[gawd on pitch]

You're right Trini. I just think it better than where he's at now.

Interesting thing I was reading about the USL to MLS  transition for players. Apparently the chances of going to the MLS from the USL, is less than 8%. Once you get in the USL , you either stay or sink down further.

[real madness]

I was wondering the same thing. Stats further proved we were outplayed. Putting aside the stats, we just looked awful but credit to the team for getting the 3 points. El Salvador will be a very tough game especially on the road.

[Flex]

David salutes team effort in Warriors win.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).

T&T Soca Warriors captain, defender Aubrey David, was full of praise for his teammates following their narrow 1-0 win over Curacao in their opening Concacaf Nations League A Group A match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Thursday night.

Substitute Nathaniel James, making his debut, got the decisive strike for the Angus Eve-coached Soca Warriors in the 86th minute to grab all three points in their first match since exiting the Concacaf Gold Cup at the group stage in July with a 6-0 loss to host USA.

The 32-year-old Guyana-born David, who has featured 72 times for the T&T squad speaking after the narrow win before a crowd of 5,181 spectators said, “As I was emphasizing before the match it was very important for us to win our home game and leave here with the three points and start on the right foot knowing that we have a tough game away to El Salvador.

“So, it's now for us to stay focused, get recovered as fast as possible because we know it’s going to be a challenging game."

Reflecting on the match, David who plies his trade with CS Cartagines in the Costa Rica Primer Division Clausura, applauded the team effort saying, "It was a great job by each and everyone that played, and including the substitutes that came on and changed the game for us.

"It was a great effort by the staff and players and I’m so grateful for that and I just want to say wonderful job by the boys."

With regards to the caution and defensive approach from the T&T team at the start of the match, David defended the team tactics saying, "Basically, before the game, we knew the technical team and how they approach the game, and we knew that there were going to be moments in the game that we were not going to have the ball and we set our minds that when we reached to that stage and we don’t have the ball we would work and we stay disciplined and we keep shape, and then after we will catch them on the counterattack.

"Because we have very fast wingers, and we have willing strikers who are willing to run behind the defence, so we knew that there were going to be times that we would be under pressure, and we also knew there was going to be a time that we were going to have possession of the ball, and we saw that in the second half, so it was just about game management and managing the moments and staying discipline.

"So, yes we were under pressure, but I think the lads dealt with it very well and in the second half, we had good spells of possession and thankfully we came out with the victory."

The T&T captain was also in high praise of match-winner Nathaniel James for his impact off the bench.

"I would like to say congrats to Nathaniel on his first goal, he did an excellent job when he came on, and we continue to move on," noted David.

"It shows that we have a lot of willing and new players who are willing to raise their hand up and say that they deserve to be on the national team, and I think that is what we showed tonight (Thursday) with the effort from the new guys, and the guys that made their debut.

"For me, it was a well-rounded performance by the team, and each and everyone performed their shift, whether they started or whether they came on and it was good discipline and good concentration because we know sometimes that concentration lets us down in some important games.

"But, today (Thursday) we stayed concentrated for 90 minutes and everybody just put in their shift and did a good job.”

Commenting on the performance of goalkeeper Denzil Smith, 23, of Tiger Tanks Club Sando who made his debut in the win, David said he had some important saves during the match.

“Denzil has been around the national set-up for a while, he’s just been awaiting on his opportunity. So, he was there before with the senior players like Marvin (Phillip), and Nicklas (Frenderup) who unfortunately are injured, so he learnt a lot from then, and it wasn’t that he would be scared or anything like that because he has been around, and I thought he did a tremendous job.

"He had some important saves for us and he didn’t show any nervousness, he was confident and he was very vocal for us, and he was a key player, and I just think that this is a performance for him to build on because he did a great job.”

James: I was ready to make an impact

Striker Nathaniel James, who scored the winning goal against Curacao on debut in T&T’s 1-0 win, said he was ready to answer coach Eve's call.

Speaking after the match and his match-winning strike on his senior team debut, the 19-year-old La Horquetta-born James said, “I know when coach (Eve) called me it was to make an impact to the game, and I just wanted to be explosive and I wanted to be an asset to the team, and it was a great feeling.”

He added, “The goal, and everything just happened in slow motion and it was a lot of emotions running through my mind, and head and it was a great feeling and I’m really proud and thankful for the opportunity.”

James noted his goal celebration was in tribute to a close friend who passed away recently to gun violence.

He explained, “It was a tribute to my friend who passed away in La Horquetta and I just wanted to dedicate the goal today (Thursday) to him and it was a lot of emotions, and it was just basically a message to everyone that we need to come together as a community and as a country and just be one with each other and live in harmony."

The 2023 T&T Premier Football League top goal scorer, James, formerly of Queen’s Royal College added that he can be a real asset to coach and the national team going forward.

A confident James added, "I can bring a lot of explosiveness to the team and can be used as a winger, attacking midfielder and as a striker, and I think I can also be very dynamic and help the team.

“Getting the nod to go on late in the game with the game as it was, shows a lot of confidence from the coach and showed that in a time like that, he believed in me, and it also shows that I can compete at that level," said the T&T striker.

[Flex]

Nathaniel James on goal vs Curacao: 'I wanted to be explosive'.
By Jonathan Ramnanansiingh (T&T Newsday).

Nineteen-year-old attacker Nathaniel “Natty” James was Trinidad and Tobago’s impact player against Curacao in their opening Concacaf Nations League contest on Thursday, as he netted the lone goal to give T&T a 1-0 victory to start the tourney.

James was substituted on in the 82nd minute, replacing Kaile Auvray, 19, and found the back of the net five minutes later, to grab three crucial points for T&T. This was his first goal as a senior player.

Despite being outplayed at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo in the first half, T&T upped the ante late in the second period and were rewarded for their efforts courtesy James’s timely strike.

When he was called up on by head coach Angus Eve, with just eight minutes to go before the end of regulation time, James knew what he was being asked to deliver.

“I knew when the coach called me, it was to make an impact on the game. I wanted to be explosive and be an asset to the team. It was a great feeling (to score).

“The ball came (off a downward header from teammate Ryan Telfer).

"Everything just happened in slow motion. (There were) a lot of emotions running through my mind. I’m really proud and thankful for the opportunity,” James said in the post-match interview.

The La Horquetta-born player was pleased that Eve trusted him to help turn things around.

He added, “It was a big confidence boost. The coach showed me in a time like this, although so late in the game, he believed in me, and it showed me that he thinks I can compete at this level. I want to continue doing that and be part of the team and be big in personality.”

Eve did not attend the post-match briefing since he was “unavoidably absent,” according to TTFA media officer Shaun Fuentes.

Assistant coach Derek King was grateful for the team’s efforts as they shook off a listless first half to get the win. TT struggled to string together passes in the first half and enjoyed just 37 per cent possession for the game.

King said, “We went with our game plan as well. It’s a new team, in the sense that we played with just a few experienced players and we played a team with some new players and a new coach.

“So I think we did well today. We were disciplined. The more the game went on, in the second half the players were really outstanding, and we came out with the three points.”

The five substitutions in the second half – James, Andre Raymond, Duane Muckette, Reon Moore and Kristian Lee-Him – were crucial, King said.

He said T&T’s pool of potential players remains bountiful, and sees a brighter future.

“We saw our midfield line, with the likes of Daniel Phillip, he did well. And the likes of Muckette and Moore coming on as more ball players. So I think we started to handle the ball in the second half and get joy going forward.

“It’s very important for us as a young team – step by step. The main thing was to get a good result at home, but we will build. We are still analysing players who will add to the team. We have a few players who are injured at the moment. Once we get the bunch together and gel, you’d see a different T&T team.”

King also praised James’s performance.

“A young player – we saw him at youth level: he’s knocking on the door for an overseas contract. He’s someone that we really had to nurture as a youth. (By) just introducing him today, he did well, and that will build his confidence going forward.”

Additionally, captain and defender Aubrey David was also in good spirits, but stressed the importance of maintaining the momentum heading into Sunday’s away match against El Salvador.

FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification, he said, is the ultimate target.

“We defended well. I think it’s more or less believing in ourselves. It’s a young team and it’s confidence (that matters) at the end of the day. Once we believe in ourselves and maintain ball possession, we will come out with a result.

“We’ll be analysing the game (Curacao), then we’ll be prepared come Sunday.

“Our main focus is 2026. Within the next year FIFA World Cup qualifiers will start so we have to now groom those young players. What we need is to expose them to international football and get proper games (practice) for them as well.

“It’s now for us to stay focused (and) recover as fast as possible, because it’s going to be a challenging game. It’s been a great job by everyone that played, even the substitutes that came on, who changed the game for us.”

[asylumseeker]

David salutes team effort in Warriors win.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).

T&T Soca Warriors captain, defender Aubrey David, was full of praise for his teammates following their narrow 1-0 win over Curacao in their opening Concacaf Nations League A Group A match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Thursday night.

Substitute Nathaniel James, making his debut, got the decisive strike for the Angus Eve-coached Soca Warriors in the 86th minute to grab all three points in their first match since exiting the Concacaf Gold Cup at the group stage in July with a 6-0 loss to host USA.

The 32-year-old Guyana-born David, who has featured 72 times for the T&T squad speaking after the narrow win before a crowd of 5,181 spectators said, “As I was emphasizing before the match it was very important for us to win our home game and leave here with the three points and start on the right foot knowing that we have a tough game away to El Salvador.

“So, it's now for us to stay focused, get recovered as fast as possible because we know it’s going to be a challenging game."

Reflecting on the match, David who plies his trade with CS Cartagines in the Costa Rica Primer Division Clausura, applauded the team effort saying, "It was a great job by each and everyone that played, and including the substitutes that came on and changed the game for us.

"It was a great effort by the staff and players and I’m so grateful for that and I just want to say wonderful job by the boys."

With regards to the caution and defensive approach from the T&T team at the start of the match, David defended the team tactics saying, "Basically, before the game, we knew the technical team and how they approach the game, and we knew that there were going to be moments in the game that we were not going to have the ball and we set our minds that when we reached to that stage and we don’t have the ball we would work and we stay disciplined and we keep shape, and then after we will catch them on the counterattack.

"Because we have very fast wingers, and we have willing strikers who are willing to run behind the defence, so we knew that there were going to be times that we would be under pressure, and we also knew there was going to be a time that we were going to have possession of the ball, and we saw that in the second half, so it was just about game management and managing the moments and staying discipline.

"So, yes we were under pressure, but I think the lads dealt with it very well and in the second half, we had good spells of possession and thankfully we came out with the victory."

The T&T captain was also in high praise of match-winner Nathaniel James for his impact off the bench.

"I would like to say congrats to Nathaniel on his first goal, he did an excellent job when he came on, and we continue to move on," noted David.

"It shows that we have a lot of willing and new players who are willing to raise their hand up and say that they deserve to be on the national team, and I think that is what we showed tonight (Thursday) with the effort from the new guys, and the guys that made their debut.

"For me, it was a well-rounded performance by the team, and each and everyone performed their shift, whether they started or whether they came on and it was good discipline and good concentration because we know sometimes that concentration lets us down in some important games.


...

Fair and reasonably accurate assessment by the captain. Perhaps, moreso than what was stated by the assistant coach post-match.

The above having being proposed at home, what would be the proposition on the road?

I don't think any regular observer will be under any illusions as to what to expect.

[asylumseeker]

You're right Trini. I just think it better than where he's at now.

Interesting thing I was reading about the USL to MLS  transition for players. Apparently the chances of going to the MLS from the USL, is less than 8%. Once you get in the USL , you either stay or sink down further.

The US concept being: it's better for the players to sink or surface than for clubs to be relegated.