Christmas with Team T&T.
T&T Express Reports.
T'is the season to play "footie", as the Brits refer to their beloved past time and the world's most popular sport. The Trinidad Express Newspaper caught up with members of the Trinidad and Tobago national football team, at home and abroad, and asked how they planned to spend their Christmas and what was on their menu. This is what they had to say:
Leo Beenhakker (National coach/Holland):
I will spend the day at home (13 kilometres from Amsterdam) with my family; my wife and kids. Everyone will each have (his or her) favourite meal for Christmas. I will have fish and other seafood for my lunch.
Dennis Lawrence (Wrexham/Wales):
I planned a very quiet day because my wife (Gloria) and daughter (Celine) are back in Trinidad for the holidays. Luckily enough, we (Wrexham) got Christmas Day off so I will just stay home and relax because after Christmas we have four games in eight days. I have to cook something for myself since my wife isn't here so you looking at something very simple. I will probably make macaroni pie, stew chicken and potato salad. The ham already baked so I will have that for breakfast and that will do me.
Kelvin Jack (Dundee/Scotland):
I have training as usual on Christmas morning so I have to get in at 9.15. So there is chance of me waiting up for Santa on Christmas Eve. I will probably go over by Jason Scotland for dinner later in the day with my girlfriend (Shelly) and her sister (Sharmaine). I will have normal Trini food for lunch; macaroni pie, some different stews and everything.
Densill Theobald (Caledonia AIA Fire/Trinidad):
I supposed to go by Nigel Pierre in the morning to play in a "fathers against non-fathers" football match in Cocorite. I will lime there for half of the day and then lime with my family. After that, I'm going house to house. I plan to eat everything except pork. You're talking fish, baked chicken, stew chicken, turkey; once my belly can consume it, I'll be having it.
Shaka Hislop (West Ham/England):
My kids will be up at the crack of dawn as usual and then we will have breakfast together as a family (wife Desha, daughters Maalana, Khazia, Talia, Nia, brother Kona and his girlfriend Maria). Then, I have to go to training for 10 a.m. In my 14 seasons as a professional in England, I only once had Christmas off. It is hard on the kids because they have to sit around and watch their presents under the tree but can't open them until I get back. But my training should only take about two hours and it would be a normal Christmas Day from then on. My wife always cooks a traditional "Trini" lunch; so there will be turkey, pork, beef, macaroni pie, pigeon peas. I got my pastelle brought up from Trinidad and my wife made sorrel from some fresh sorrel we got from Trinidad too; so everything ready and waiting.
Marvin Andrews (Glasgow Rangers/Scotland):
I am training on Christmas Day so I have to head for the training ground for 10 am. Training starts at 10.30. After that, I will just go by some Scottish and Nigerian friends and hang out. I'm eating whatever they cook. Most likely it will be a traditional Scottish dinner with turkey and potatoes and so on.
Cyd Gray (CLF San Juan Jabloteh/Trinidad):
First of all, I am going to play in a game at the poor house in Cocorite with Nigel Pierre. After that, I'm just relaxing at home with home in El Socorro with my family (girlfriend Natakie and son Jardel). Basically, I don't eat too much. I am not sure what I am having. Whatever my girlfriend cooks.
Jason Scotland (St Johnstone/Scotland):
I have training at 10.30 in the morning. Then (my girlfriend) Nimpha is making a meal for me and (Kelvin) Jack and his girlfriend (Shelly) and her sister (Sharmaine) will come over to hang out. I think (Nimpha) is making baked chicken, red beans, macaroni pie and two Christmas salads (not sure what she was talking about when she said "Christmas salads"). She was hoping to make callaloo too but we couldn't get callaloo bush from Trinidad in time.
Brent Sancho (Gillingham/England):
We have training in the morning at 9 a.m. My mom (Pearl) is here for Christmas so I plan to spend the day with her and then go by Coxie (T&T teammate Ian Cox). Coxie is married and has three kids. It will be very low keyed. I won't drink anything too festive because we have a game on Boxing Day but, as far as food goes, that is something different. My mom is cooking turkey, curry goat, fried rice and macaroni pie. I have to eat within reason, of course, which means half the turkey and not the whole one.
TTFF/LOC teams up with Graphix to put Soca Warriors in the shops.
By: Shaun Fuentes.[/b]
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation and the Local Organising Committee 2006 has formed a partnership with Graphix Advantage Limited, a Chaguanas-based company to produce and sell “Soca Warriors” paraphernalia from January 2006.
Chairman of the LOC Jack Warner met with Imam Baksh and Ramesh Ramdhan, representatives of Graphix Advantage on Thursday to finalise the exclusive license and authorization agreement.
Last month it was announced that Graphix would be producing Car Sun Visors to highlight the success of Leo Beenhakker’s team but now Graphix has added more items and has received the blessings of Warner and company with proceeds going towards the TTFF and Dwight Yorke and his teammates.
Baksh was delighted on getting the TTFF/LOC’s approval as he revealed the list of items that will be available to the public in a few weeks time.
They range from Kids Pencil sets to calendars, key chains and key rings, fleet wraps, banners, travel mugs, bandanas and billboard wraps among other items.
“This is truly a great opportunity for us to ensure that most if not every household has something relating with the Soca Warriors by the time the World Cup comes around next June,” Baksh told TTFF Media. “We have agreed to produce a wide selection of items which of course will be available to a cross section of the public and to corporate Trinidad and Tobago.” Baksh can be reached at his offices located at 199 Caroni Savannah Road, Chaguanas, at 671-1248 / 665-8763.
Warner, aware that there has been a huge demand for Soca Warriors paraphernalia, expressed his pleasure in the production of such and hopes that it reaches Germany by the time the team arrives there in the first week of June. He explained that it could not have been available earlier because of certain arrangements which had to be put in place for the production of official products as he sorted to ensure that the players were also involved in final agreements.
“We know there has been a huge request for items like shirts, caps, key chains, you name it and we want to assure the people that they will have the opportunity to have the Soca Warriors with them in some form in the very near future,” Warner told TTFF Media. “You will be able to get all these products not just at Graphix in Chaguanas but also in other well known public outlets like the KFCs and other sports shops and then of course we know there is also a huge demand for items in other countries so we will ensure they can also be part of this,” Warner added. Adidas T&T shirts will also be available in due course to the T&T faithful.
With that aside, Warner and TTFF President Oliver Camps wished to thank all of T&T and fans in other parts of the globe for the tremendous support they extended over the last 12 months.
“No one person could imagine how we all feel during this time of the year not only because of the success of qualifying for the first World Cup but also because of the way in which we did it together as a people. To see how we came together to beat Mexico and then to hold Bahrain and to see how we hugged each other when we beat Bahrain and now to see how we shall rally together again to get ourselves ready for England and Sweden is the best Christmas reward for all of us from Beenhakker to Dwight Yorke to Chris Birchall and Aurtis Whitley to myself and to everyone else who made this all possible. We also hope we made a happy Christmas for our people by getting to Germany,” Warner said.
News from the 22nd of December 2005.
Aurtis Whitley gets New Year trial in England.
By: Shaun Fuentes.
National midfield wizard Aurtis Whitley will be heading off to England at the end of this month to partake in a trial with English Premiership club Portsmouth FC.
The 28-year-old CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh star, coming off a series of hit performances for the “Soca Warriors” in its successful 2006 World Cup qualifying quest, could end up spending up to two weeks at the club of which goalkeeper Shaka Hislop is a former member. And it’s being arranged by former Jabloteh coach Ricky Hill who is also arranging for defender Cyd Gray to head off to the UK for trials later this month.
Whitley was originally carded to go on trial with Southampton FC but after manager Harry Redknapp made the switch to Portsmouth, Whitley was informed that he will also have to make the change over to Redknapp’s current location.
Redknapp is reportedly keen on seeing what the explosive midfielder has to offer in the English conditions which the player himself is looking forward to with great interest.
“My intentions are to give it my best shot because these opportunities don’t come by on any normal day,” Whitley told TTFF Media on Wednesday.
“Throughout the recent months playing for the national team, this kind of opportunity is also something I have been aiming for and now it is here for me to take advantage of. I think once I can maintain my focus and stay fit then definitely I will be able to give a good account this time. If not, I’m pretty sure something else could come my way.”
He added that English Championship club Luton Town remains interested in him but the first stop will be at Fratton Park. Also going on trial Panathinaikos Polish striker Emmanuel Olisadebe.
Whitley also spoke of his desire to line up against T&T’s Group B opponents England, Sweden and Paraguay.
“I particularly can’t wait to play England. The draw for us players is a dream come true because it gives us a chance to play against some great players and teams that we grew up following. I know we have a lot of players who have adapted well in England and have also changed their style of play. But I want to show them how I play and to give them a taste of our style. It’s going to be a hard task but we won’t back down. To tell you the truth, I love it and I can’t wait to be in Germany,” Whitley added.
Another man also getting set to take the plane out of Piarco is Caledonia AIA Fire midfielder Densill Theobald after Falkirk have agreed to sign Trinidad & Tobago international on an 18-month deal.
The 22-year-old, who currently plays for Caledonia AIA Fire in his homeland, will join the Bairns in January after impressing on a recent trial. Falkirk boss John Hughes said: "He did well in his two weeks here but I had to wait for my budget to open up again. "There is no work permit problem and we're all looking forward to welcoming Denzil here."
Silvio heading out of Yokohama.
By: Shaun Fuentes.[/size]
Midfielder Silvio Spann will be with a new club next season after deciding that has had enough at Japanese club Yokohama FC. Spann, a prominent member of the Soca Warriors is now back home for the holidays and is looking at options, after turning down an offer from the club to sign for an extra two years.
Spann netted in his final appearance for Yokohama, in a 4-1 loss to Belmare last month.
“The coach started me as a striker in that match because he knew it was the last match of the season and the club honoured me on that day after we qualified for the World Cup.
“The club in itself has been great for me and it’s one of the seasons in my career that I will cherish for a long time to come. But at the end of the day, I am keeping my options open and hopefully something good will come along.
“But definitely, my days in Yokohama will always be special,” Spann said.
Also back home for the holidays is American-based defender Avery John who, like his team-mates, is still walking around in smiles after playing his part in T&T’s qualification for Germany.
John will be in T&T until February, before returning for pre-season training with New England Revolution.
Also back home are Scott Sealy and Cornell Glen and both will return to Kansas City Wizards and Colorado Rapids for pre-season training.
Stern: I want DVDs for Christmas.
By: Shaun Fuentes.[/size]
Stern John has one major Christmas present he hopes to receive in time for Sunday. No, it’s not the bonus for the players for qualifying for next year’s World Cup in Germany.
The leading T&T scorer sent in a request to the T&T Football Federation this week for DVDs of T&T’s victories over Guatemala, Mexico and Bahrain, as well as an episode of Fifa’s Futbol Mundial show, which featured the T&T team in Bahrain.
“I’ve sent my requests in and, hopefully, I should be getting them up here this weekend and I’m really excited about that.
“That’s going to be a really cool Christmas present for myself and some of my mates up here,” John said yesterday.
John returned to Coventry City this week following his loan spell from Derby County and he says he’s feeling ready for club football again as the year ends.
“I’m feeling comfortable again back at Coventry and I think that has to do with a lot of the pressure being off my back now, with the team qualifying for the World Cup and so on.
“Hopefully, I can now transfer this kind of feeling onto the pitch and get my game back in order again. I know I need to stay fit and start scoring goals again.
“The fans back home and at Coventry deserve to have a really happy season and I’m hoping I can contribute to that,” John said.
Luton will try to keep Carlos.
By: Shaun Fuentes.[/size]
Luton Town management is hoping that it can secure the services of Carlos Edwards if it reaches the Championship Division play-off final in late May, in a period which Fifa has stated players must be released to their countries for World Cup preparation.
Luton is currently tenth on the Championship Division table and strong contenders for the play-offs scheduled for May 21, which is six days after the date Fifa says players selected by their countries would not be permitted to play matches.
But the English FA has since stated that it has an understanding with Fifa that players will not be forced to miss club encounters.
“I wouldn’t want to lose anybody if we got to the play-off final. If we employ the players, it wouldn’t be right for others to dictate when we could use them,” said Luton boss Mike Newell.
T&T head coach Leo Beenhakker has already said that he wants the T&T team for training camps in England and Austria during the month of May, before taking up base in Roternberg, Germany, in early June.
Poison fetes T&T players in UK.
By: Shaun Fuentes.[/size]
In celebration of their 2006 World Cup qualification, some of T&T’s pros based in the United Kingdom were feted by Poison’s UK Section at the posh Boudoir spot in London on Sunday.
Coventry City striker Stern John, West Ham United goalie Shaka Hislop, Gillingham’s Brent Sancho and Ian Cox were among the players present and treated to a fine evening by a host of Trinbagonians living there.
“I think it was a really good gesture from the people over here to have an evening out for us and it was their way of saying well done,” Hislop said.
Sancho, recently back in the Gillingham starting team line up, said:
“I think we all had a great time and the people here were really enthusiastic about the whole success and several of them are planning to come over to Germany to see our matches and we are all excited about this occasion.”
