Defence Force remains hungry for success

After a lengthy absence from national football competition, the gold and blue-clad football legacy reminded T&T just who they are with another remarkable achievement; winning the inaugural T&T Premier League Football League and Cup double.

Guardian Media Sports senior Sports reporter/producer Jovan Ravello, who visited the team’s training session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Training Ground on Wednesday morning, and spoke to captain Jamali Garcia, and former skipper Curtis Gonzales, together with midfielder Justin Sadoo and coach Lloyd Andrews about the success of the team so far for 2023.

Q: How does it feel to be the champions going into the new season of the TTPFL Tier 1 League?

Jamali Garcia, Captain Defence Force FC: Well, it’s always good to be a champion going into any tournament, but we know it will be a difficult season because everybody always wants to be the champion. So we just have to prepare ourselves going into this tournament so that we can come back out as champions once again.

You’re one of the leaders of this team. How have you been able to keep your teammates focused throughout the season, and how do you keep them focused on the task at hand?

Curtis Gonzales, Midfielder: Well, last season my main focus was to keep the youngsters together and show them the right way. Make them have a perfect attitude, and go out and play good football.

Now you’re smiling, and I know the team had a great season in the Premier League. Can you describe it for me as a coach?

Lloyd Andrews: Well, it was nice to qualify for the Caribbean Club Championship. We had a long-term goal. We fell short but we expect to achieve it in the coming years.

Justin Sadoo: It wasn’t an easy road but we grind through most games as all teams do in a title-winning season. For me personally, it wasn’t the best of times, but we came out with a victory, and that’s the most important thing.

What were some of the challenges that you had to overcome as a team towards achieving your goal?

Sadoo: As you see in leagues on TV, the team that is second on the table most of the time like how we were, we always knew, the fight and the grit that was needed as it came down to the last game.

How does it feel to lead such a storied successful team?

Jamali: Well, it feels great because coming into the season, I wasn’t the skipper of the team. It was a great responsibility on my shoulders and I had to adjust to it and deal with the boys it was good because they accepted me as their captain. It was just for me to continue to lead them to glory because we all wanted the same goal.

What were some of the key moments for you in last season?

Sadoo: There were many against Police we came back to secure a draw in the 90th minute, like against La Horquetta Rangers we won 1-0, and most important was the last game against AC which we won 2-1.

What was the mood like before that final league game?

Gonzales: Well, during the training sessions leading up to the game, the most important game is always the next game. So we were just like boys, we need to come up with a victory. It was like, let’s just put in the work on the training park and leave the rest on the field, and everything was history after that.

Talk to me about that final night atmosphere.

Jamali: Well, I’m from Diego Martin, so it was good for me to be home playing in front of people that I grew up among, people who knew me coming up. So it was good for me to see that everybody came out to support us, and we were able to come out with the victory.

You had a chance to do the treble this season. How do you feel about your team’s performance?

Gonzales: Well, in the Caribbean tournament it had games where we played up and down, but as you can see, it was a very young team. It was a learning experience for the future, but when we get our title this year, and we go back to the Caribbean Cup, we’ll have a more experienced bunch of players, and I’m sure, we’ll reach further.

How do you feel about next year and potentially going there again?

Andrews: Well, this was the first time for me as a coach in the Caribbean Club Championship. We thought we had it, and we gave it away by not converting our chances, we are looking forward to putting these things together and being a championship team next season.

Sadoo: The team grew from the Caribbean club experience, and everybody was disappointed. So, I think that hurts everybody, I know. But I think we grew as a team.

Is there a particular plan for this next season or anything to improve on from last season?

Gonzales: We need to work on being more together as a team, getting closer as a unit, and most importantly getting another title.

What are your personal goals?

Garcia: My personal goal is to get back into the national team and become a mainstay on that team.

Sadoo: Last season, I had a few assists but not many goals. So, I think goals are what I want this season. I’ve improved, and that can add more to our team.

Andrews: I have two great assistant coaches, and a very, very excellent ancillary staff, the masseuses, the medics, etc. We all work together as a team.

Do you see anybody else taking you guys off your perch?

Andrews: Everyone is challenging the Defence Force, and everybody comes to play and win against us. So, we’re always on our A game.

He concluded: I want to thank the staff and the players for their commitment, and for everything they have done to bring the team to where it is. And hopefully, we can go further.

Thanks to my assistant coaches, Hutson “Barber” Charles, an outstanding former national midfielder, and Devin Elcock, the Chief of Defense Staff, the managers, Colonel Charles, and the entire management group that continues to be behind the team. I cannot forget the fans who come out to support us game after game.

SOURCE: T&T Guardian