David Nakhid somehow has a penchant for making everything he does seem the most important thing in the world.
An astute passer of the ball in his heyday, Nakhid, 41, is now doing his most productive work, not from the midfield where he served the national team faithfully for many years, but in the stands as a scout.
Even as the Warriors go through their final paces before entering a hostile environment in San Jose against Costa Rica, Nakhid is in Panama. His job there is to look at the Panamanians who will be T&T's next World Cup opponents on October 8 in Panama City. Nakhid has to pick out Panama's weakness and possibly procure a DVD tape of their match against Costa Rica. His work might well be crucial to helping T&T's Dutch national coach Leo Beenhakker formulate a plan for beating the Panamanians.
"When Trinidad and Tobago had their home game against Panama earlier this year, I was in Guatemala watching our next opponents, Mexico. Against Mexico, I was in Panama watching the United States, who we had to play next," Nakhid said.
"During the Gold Cup, I saw eight games in five American cities".
Obviously, Nakhid has been busy. But although his new role is one which he relishes, the former T&T captain and Caribbean Footballer-of-the-Year, admits missing the on-the-field action.
But like everything else, Nakhid realises that very few things last forever.
And, he also recognises the importance of his new assignment.
"I look at the teams that we play next and see their weakness and where we can exploit them to win the game. I also look at their strengths and report on where we have to be careful."
It is obvious that Nakhid is taking his job as a scout seriously; so seriously, that he travels all the way from his Lebanon home base to pick up assignments on the other side of the world. He has also alerted his Lebanese club so that at this point in time, T&T can be his first priority.
A player/coach at the club, Nakhid said his Lebanese employers were not too pleased with the arrangement. But he said: "This is a World Cup we taking about. You don't get to go to that every day. As you know we are in pre-season, but that is the sacrifice I have made."
Obviously, Nakhid still has a hunger to get to the World Cup, even if he does not do it as a player. However, he still intends to lend his support to the players and usually joins Beenhakker's training sessions.
"I am there for the younger players. I am there to pass on my experience and answer questions that they might have. And they do ask questions. Otis (Aurtis Whitley), Densil (Theobald) and Chris (Birchall) all come from time to time and ask me questions. I also make suggestions, to any player, who I see needs some help in certain areas.
There is a lot that they can learn from me."