Trinidad and Tobago’s footballers made a low key return home on Sunday night as there was a most noticeable absence of local media but rather an influx of Costa Rican reporters and photographers arriving on the same flight from Miami for Wednesday’s 2006 World Cup qualifier at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Led by captain Dwight Yorke, the 19-man squad had a 4-hr stay in Miami and could not get away from fans, some Trinbagonians including Soca star Bunji Garlin, who could not resist from expressing their disappointment with the scoreline from Saturday’s encounter.
“This should be a reality check, you ‘fellas’ need to step up. Look at Jamaica, if they can do it, why we can’t do it too,” the trolley man at Piarco said openly as the players exited the airport upon their arrival home. Some still urged the team to move on and promised to turn up at the Stadium on Wednesday to see a revamped performance from the wounded “Warriors”. Locals were not able to see the game as there was no television coverage while the game was televised in Jamaica.
The Costa Ricans were taking photos of the T&T players and conducting interviews with Bertille St Clair at the waiting area in the Miami Airport and also upon arrival at Piarco.
Yorke confessed that the journey was made longer following Saturday’s result as he made his way off the American Airlines 1819 flight. For the three and a half hours on board, he and others tried to keep a straight face with a rare smile before he eventually decided to make a statement.
“It’s a huge blow to our campaign and everyone is disappointed in the team right now,” Yorke told TTFF Media. “Everyone involved in the football is not feeling good at the moment but you have got to look at the positive side meaning that we can change things around starting from the next game on Wednesday. We have to pick ourselves up to ensure that we can bounce back quickly or else we can find ourselves in a very critical position.”
Undoubtedly the most experienced player in the current line up, the former Manchester United star intends to see a strong showing of character in the matches to come.
“It’s important that we stick together and do things the right way. The work ethic must remain the same and even though we conceded so many goals away from home we must continue to stay strong as a team. It’s very hard to describe how hard it is for us but as an experienced player, I have got to try and help as best as I can in this time,” Yorke added.
Looking back at Saturday’s match, Yorke still felt that T&T could have avoided such a heavy loss.
“Looking at us from an attacking point of view, we obviously didn’t look too bad, certainly not as the scoreline indicated. We needed something to defend and we didn’t give ourselves that opportunity because we failed to convert at crucial points. Everytime we looked like we are going to change things around, we just end up being knocked back. Hopefully we can learn collectively and return to winning ways.”
Asked what the scenario could be were to be a change in the man at the helm of the team, Yorke responded: “As a player, you never want to see something of that nature but whether we like it or not the people in higher places will make a decision as they see it. We as professional players just need to keep doing what we are here to do and maintain that focus of trying to achieve that ultimate goal.”
Meantime, Glasgow Rangers made a statement on Monday regarding the knee injury to defender Marvin Andrews.
“Marvin Andrews sustained cruciate ligament damage to his left knee in the game against Dundee on Sunday,13 March. It is the medical opinion that he requires an operation. Marvin fully understands the advice he has received, however, has declared himself fit and wishes to continue training and playing," the statement read.