Technical Consultant Graham Taylor has emphasized to members of the Trinidad and Tobago team that their main objective over the next few months will be getting to the 2006 World Cup Finals which means that they must now pick themselves up from the losses to lowly Antigua and Barbuda and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Taylor, who spent just under a week with the Soca Warriors up until the weekend, spoke about his involvement with the team before returning to London.
The real purpose of my trip was to have a look at the home-based players because I dont know any of them other than what I have seen on tape. I do know the European-based players. Ive also been here to listen to Bertille on what he would like to do and then offer some advice to him, Taylor told TTFF Media.
Having spent the time with skipper Angus Eve and his teammates, the former England manager said he is now in a better position to analyze the overall structure of the team.
During the four days I have been with these players I have found that they are very proud to play for Trinidad and Tobago and they all want to do well. But there is also a little bit of nervousness because they know that there are a lot of European-based players who can come into the team. It means that these home-based players are being asked to do certain things in some of the games now and then they might not be in the squad for the World Cup games. Thats not an easy thing to deal with as an individual. I think all of the players must be credited for dealing with this. Its a great credit to them for their current attitude, Taylor said.
Getting to know the players now is very important for me because I have now spent time with them and I have a good comparison to make.
He also stressed the need to maintain focus going into the final round beginning at home to the United States on February 9.
There is also a danger that with all these other games playing now, people can lose sight of the fact that World Cup qualification is the most important. Bertille has to have the right balance here between playing sides where he is looking at different formations in certain games so that he has the knowledge as to what is the best thing to do when the big matches come around.
Its not an easy position for the team nor Bertille to be in because a lot of people will not understand what is happening right now. The only way to judge your manager and I have been in this position before, is after the World Cup campaign. I cant emphasize too strongly how hard it is, having been an international manager myself, it is a very difficult position to hold. But what I do know is that with all the inter-island rivalry, it is even harder for Bertille, the former Aston Villa boss added.
And for those who may be pressing the panic button or questioning the teams chances based on recent performances, Taylor had the following to tell them.
What I have found in my many years in football is that sometimes when you win you never play as well as you thought you may have but when you lose you never play as badly as everybody tells you. There are four more games coming up before the first match against the US. If we are to be honest, if you are a fan looking at the six teams in the group then you probably are going to back the States, Mexico and maybe Costa Rica. Then we have to look at Panama and Guatemala which I will find out more about. But what is important is seeing how we can get a result against all the favourites at home. Because realistically it is going to be difficult to go into places like the States and Mexico and get a result. As much as playing these games and getting ready is good, the most important thing is to try and arrive at the World Cup qualifying phase with the right squad and the right method of play. That is the whole object is to get to the World Cup out of this final qualifying group.