TTFF News - T&T footballers make strong comeback vs Guadeloupe

T&T footballers make strong second half comeback vs Guad.

Issued on March 25, 2007

 

Stade Municipal Gosier, Guadeloupe: A young developing Trinidad and Tobago side showed real determination to come back and draw with an experienced Guadeloupe National tam  side in this very entertaining Digicel International Match in Gosier on Saturday night.

 

T&T started the game very brightly and with so many new young faces brought in to impress coach Wim Rijsbegen they wasted no time in showing him their worth in his side. With Densill Theobald unable to travel due to injury, Gary Glasgow had the honour of taking up the captain’s armband and he quickly set about in an attempt to opening his account for the evening.

 

After only 14 minutes Fausta was called into making two fine stops. The first of which came from Glasgow after a nice combination with Christian Baptiste, and the second when he was confronted by Andre Toussaint on a one-on-one situation but managed to get his hands behind the pacey centre forwards stinging shot.

 

On 16 minutes, and against the run of play, Guadeloupe opened the scoring. When Dwayne Jack gave the ball away under pressure from Xavier Bematol, his team mate Seon Power stepped in to assist, but, his attempted clearance rebounded off the unfortunate Jack and fell perfectly into the path of the on-running Bematol who coolly slotted the ball home from the left edge of the 18 yard box as Marvin Phillip came out to claim the wicked rebound.

 

The "Soca Warriors" gained composure quickly and looked to gain parity as fast as possible. The chance came on 20 minutes when a free kick was awarded to the visitors on the edge of the Guadeloupe box. Baptiste of Defence Force stepped up and hit a thunderous left footed drive just the wrong side of the right hand post for his first goal for T&T

 

After 36 minutes Guadeloupe almost took advantage of another disastrous defensive error when Seon Power’s attempted header back to his keeper under pressure from the experienced Jocelyn Angloma, left the former French International knicking the ball over the advancing Phillip but fortunately for the T&T keeper the effort went just over the bar.

 

Guadeloupe did get their second though on 41 when Steve Bizacene played a delightful ball through the centre of the T&T defensive to the lethal Bematol who did again what he did earlier and ran through to coolly slot the ball past the onrushing Phillip.

 

Baptiste had a golden chance to peg one back for Rijsbergen’s side when he controlled the ball beautifully on the left edge of the box but drilled his shot into the side netting when it seemed more likely he would score.

 

The lanky left sided midfielder made amends when 2 minutes into the restart he pulled one back for T&T  after a well worked free kick.

 

Nigel Daniel played the free kick short to Glasgow who stopped the ball dead for Baptiste to step up and hit a thunderbolt of a free kick at goal which proved too hot for Fausta to handle as his attempted save simply bounced off his hands and fell gently into the corner of the net.

 

T&T  seemed to take the initiative and almost had a superb equalizer moments later when Power’s run and cross from the right was controlled beautifully on the thigh of W Connection’s  Toussaint who met the ball sweetly on the full with a thunderous volley that flew just inches over Fausta’s bar.

 

The visitors showed true grit and started to really take control of the game and on 62 minutes drew level with a moment of individual brilliance from Toussaint. With his back to goal and 20 yards out, Toussaint received the ball from Trent Noel, turned sweetly to his left and thumped an unstoppable shot to the bottom left corner of Fausta’s net to bring parity to this very exciting game.

 

The French West Indies side were determined however to make the home crowd go home happy and when presented with a free kick just 18 yards out they looked to former Marseille, Valencia and French international Angloma to put them back in front. However the French superstar could not find anyway past a determined Phillip in the T&T goal as he went full length to punch the free kick wide to safety.

 

Angloma called Phillip into action only moments later again when he saved one handed from a tight angled shot which seemed as if it may sneak into the roof of the net.

However it was Nigel Daniel who had the last chance of the game when his free kick from 18 yards out was destined to go into the top corner but for a one handed superb save from a flying Fausta.

 

Level pegging it ended and a fair result for two sides that seem to be preparing well for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup with this first Digicel International Match.

 

The T&T is scheduled to return home on Sunday night.

 

Line Ups

 

Guadeloupe: - Matius Fausta, Kevin Delannay (Jean Yves Baltyde 65th), Alain Vertot, Lerry Hanany (Eric Mocka 85th), Xavier Bematol, Luedovic Gotin, Steve Bizacene (Constant Theresine 75th), Mickael Laurent (Cedric Fiston 45th), Jean Luc Lambourde, Jocelyn Angloma, Marving Onesta.

 

Trinidad and Tobago: - Marvin Phillip, Dwayne Jack, Seon Power, Nigel Daniel, Christian Baptiste, Trent Noel, Thomas Nickelson, Kerry Baptiste (Silas Spann 81st), Romauld Aguillera, Andre Toussaint, Gary Glasgow (capt) (Abiola Clarence 64th).

TTFF News - Rijsbergen credits good comeback by young T&T team

Photo shows head coach Wim Rijsbergen with assistant Jan Van Deinsen at the start of Saturday's friendly vs Guadeloupe.




Rijbergen credits good comeback by young T&T team



Issued by Shaun Fuentes, TTFF Media Officer, March 26, 2007



The majority of this country’s senior team which played to a 2-2 draw with Guadeloupe on Saturday will return to their various clubs this week to continue preseason training for the start of the 2007 Pro League season.



A full local-based team took on the French islanders in a CONCACAF Gold Cup tune up put on by Digicel and T&T head coach Wim Rijsbergen said credit was due for the young bunch for putting on a brave display in what was a rare appearance on the international stage for them.



The new look “Soca Warriors” were trailing 2-0 at the halftime interval after two defensive lapses but bounced back with second half goals by Defence Force’s Christian Baptiste and W Connection striker Andre Toussaint in the 48th and 62nd minutes.



There were other debutants in the match with W Connection’s Nicholson Thomas, Joe Public’s Silas Spann, Petrotrin’s Romauld Aguillera, striker Abiola Clarence and goalkeeper Marvin Phillip all wearing the T&T shirt in a senior international for the first time.



“We started the match pretty well for the first minutes and that is something we worked on and discussed so that was good for us,” Rijsbergen told TTFF Media.



“But not for the first time we made some defensive mistakes which allowed Guadeloupe to get into the game. We had chances to put away in the opening quarter and there’s a rule in football that if you don’t score yourself and then make easy mistakes then you will lose confidence and maybe lose the game. We lost confidence with both goals but we came back,” the Dutchman added.



“I was happy that after a little talk at half time we were able to come right back into the game and we had a good free kick by Nigel Daniel which could have won the match near the end. We also held them off in the closing stages. A draw was okay for both teams in the end.”



Rijsbergen, missing the services of several of his World Cup overseas-based players and locally based in Aurtis Whitley and Cyd Gray as well as the injured Densill Theobald, added that he felt the exercise suited the debutants who were skippered by Gary Glasgow on Saturday.



“I have seen some new faces and that’s a plus. It’s been a good experience bringing in some of the younger guys, seeing how the fit into the set up and how they react together on the international stage. For the rest of it we will keep looking and working towards getting the right selection for playing on the international level. We will look again and maybe invite some new players. For the time being they will go back to their clubs and hopefully keep up the intensity and then we will try to get some more sessions over the next few weeks and keep on preparing,” Rijsbergen concluded.



The next scheduled match was originally against El Salvador on April 7 but event sponsors Digicel have since pushed the match date back to a date to be announced.

TTFF News - T&T footballers make strong comeback vs Guadeloupe

T&T footballers make strong second half comeback vs Guad.

Issued on March 25, 2007

 

Stade Municipal Gosier, Guadeloupe: A young developing Trinidad and Tobago side showed real determination to come back and draw with an experienced Guadeloupe National tam  side in this very entertaining Digicel International Match in Gosier on Saturday night.

 

T&T started the game very brightly and with so many new young faces brought in to impress coach Wim Rijsbegen they wasted no time in showing him their worth in his side. With Densill Theobald unable to travel due to injury, Gary Glasgow had the honour of taking up the captain’s armband and he quickly set about in an attempt to opening his account for the evening.

 

After only 14 minutes Fausta was called into making two fine stops. The first of which came from Glasgow after a nice combination with Christian Baptiste, and the second when he was confronted by Andre Toussaint on a one-on-one situation but managed to get his hands behind the pacey centre forwards stinging shot.

 

On 16 minutes, and against the run of play, Guadeloupe opened the scoring. When Dwayne Jack gave the ball away under pressure from Xavier Bematol, his team mate Seon Power stepped in to assist, but, his attempted clearance rebounded off the unfortunate Jack and fell perfectly into the path of the on-running Bematol who coolly slotted the ball home from the left edge of the 18 yard box as Marvin Phillip came out to claim the wicked rebound.

 

The "Soca Warriors" gained composure quickly and looked to gain parity as fast as possible. The chance came on 20 minutes when a free kick was awarded to the visitors on the edge of the Guadeloupe box. Baptiste of Defence Force stepped up and hit a thunderous left footed drive just the wrong side of the right hand post for his first goal for T&T

 

After 36 minutes Guadeloupe almost took advantage of another disastrous defensive error when Seon Power’s attempted header back to his keeper under pressure from the experienced Jocelyn Angloma, left the former French International knicking the ball over the advancing Phillip but fortunately for the T&T keeper the effort went just over the bar.

 

Guadeloupe did get their second though on 41 when Steve Bizacene played a delightful ball through the centre of the T&T defensive to the lethal Bematol who did again what he did earlier and ran through to coolly slot the ball past the onrushing Phillip.

 

Baptiste had a golden chance to peg one back for Rijsbergen’s side when he controlled the ball beautifully on the left edge of the box but drilled his shot into the side netting when it seemed more likely he would score.

 

The lanky left sided midfielder made amends when 2 minutes into the restart he pulled one back for T&T  after a well worked free kick.

 

Nigel Daniel played the free kick short to Glasgow who stopped the ball dead for Baptiste to step up and hit a thunderbolt of a free kick at goal which proved too hot for Fausta to handle as his attempted save simply bounced off his hands and fell gently into the corner of the net.

 

T&T  seemed to take the initiative and almost had a superb equalizer moments later when Power’s run and cross from the right was controlled beautifully on the thigh of W Connection’s  Toussaint who met the ball sweetly on the full with a thunderous volley that flew just inches over Fausta’s bar.

 

The visitors showed true grit and started to really take control of the game and on 62 minutes drew level with a moment of individual brilliance from Toussaint. With his back to goal and 20 yards out, Toussaint received the ball from Trent Noel, turned sweetly to his left and thumped an unstoppable shot to the bottom left corner of Fausta’s net to bring parity to this very exciting game.

 

The French West Indies side were determined however to make the home crowd go home happy and when presented with a free kick just 18 yards out they looked to former Marseille, Valencia and French international Angloma to put them back in front. However the French superstar could not find anyway past a determined Phillip in the T&T goal as he went full length to punch the free kick wide to safety.

 

Angloma called Phillip into action only moments later again when he saved one handed from a tight angled shot which seemed as if it may sneak into the roof of the net.

However it was Nigel Daniel who had the last chance of the game when his free kick from 18 yards out was destined to go into the top corner but for a one handed superb save from a flying Fausta.

 

Level pegging it ended and a fair result for two sides that seem to be preparing well for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup with this first Digicel International Match.

 

The T&T is scheduled to return home on Sunday night.

 

Line Ups

 

Guadeloupe: - Matius Fausta, Kevin Delannay (Jean Yves Baltyde 65th), Alain Vertot, Lerry Hanany (Eric Mocka 85th), Xavier Bematol, Luedovic Gotin, Steve Bizacene (Constant Theresine 75th), Mickael Laurent (Cedric Fiston 45th), Jean Luc Lambourde, Jocelyn Angloma, Marving Onesta.

 

Trinidad and Tobago: - Marvin Phillip, Dwayne Jack, Seon Power, Nigel Daniel, Christian Baptiste, Trent Noel, Thomas Nickelson, Kerry Baptiste (Silas Spann 81st), Romauld Aguillera, Andre Toussaint, Gary Glasgow (capt) (Abiola Clarence 64th).

TTFF News - Young T&T team meets Guadeloupe in Gold Cup warm up

Photos show Wim Rijsbergen, Anton Corneal and Trent Noel leaving the practice field. And Kenwyne Jones in conversation with national players Kerry Baptiste and Jan Michael Williams, Silvio Spann and Jose Seabra of W Connection. Photos courtesy TTFF Media



Young T&T team meets Guadeloupe in Gold Cup warm up

Issued by Shaun Fuentes, TTFF Media Officer, March 23, 2007

Having seen their Jamaican counterparts outplayed by Switzerland in a friendly international on Thursday night, this country’s young bunch of senior footballers will be hoping to settle in quickly and come away with a businesslike win when they meet Guadeloupe at the Gosier Stadium from 7pm on Saturday.

The local squad, all home-based players, arrived in Basse-Terre on Friday morning before checking in at the Le Relax Hotel and were expected to have one evening training session before meeting fellow CONCACAF Gold Cup finalists Guadeloupe which finished fourth in the Digicel Caribbean Cup earlier this year.

While Saturday’s opponents in the Digicel sponsored match may not be as powerful as the Swiss, head coach Wim Rijsbergen and his players would have observed the “Reggae” Boys” at this stage and will want to ensure that they earn some form of respect before going into action against the United States, Guatemala and El Salvador in the Gold Cup. T&T are scheduled to meet the latter in another Digicel arranged friendly next month, some time after the originally mentioned April 7 match date. Digicel’s Group sponsorship manager Kieran Foley said this week that an appropriate date was still to be set.

Rijsbergen though, missing the likes of injured midfielder Densill Theobald who suffered a knee injury in training on Wednesday, Andrei Pacheco off to trial in America, the absent Kerwyn Jemmot and several other overseas-based professionals, was still grateful for the opportunity on the French island which has a rich culture in arts, particularly painting and sculpture and a widely accepted interaction of African, French and Indian[8] cultures. On the football side, they are well linked, with French star Thierry Henry regularly visiting the homeland of his father and Lilian Thuram and Louis Saha being born on the island.

“They are a French island of course and they have qualified for the Gold Cup. We will see what will happen and we are hoping for a good match which will give some of our players to get some match practice on the international level,” Rijsbergen told TTFF Media.

“A lot of them are young and we have some new faces. This gives us a chance to open it up a bit and see how they have come along since the Digicel Cup. Of course we know that they are all into preseason training so the match fitness will not be all that great but we will see.”

Surely Rijsbergen will be keen to see if anyone is showing any signs of moving on to bigger things like Kenwyne Jones who made his senior international debut four years ago against Finland in a team that was also minus several regular starters. He would next wear the national shirt a year and four months later against Iraq. Jones though has progressed to being lethal up front both for country and club and at the moment Southampton are banking on his services to reach the playoff for promotion.

“Right now that’s what we are aiming for. We are a few points off the playoff spot and we still have to play the teams that are on top of us so it is in our hands,” Jones said as he passed by a training session at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Wednesday, also showing eagerness to know when the well known ones like himself will be back in the mix.

The T&T squad for Saturday’s friendly includes debutants Romauld Aguillera (Petrotrin), Nicholson Thomas (W Connection), Khaleem Hyland (CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh), Keon Daniel (Petrotrin), Joe Public midfielder Silas Spann and striker Abiola Clarence who was in the training squad for the Digicel Cup. Joe Public striker Gary Glasgow will shoulder the goalscoring responsibilities.

The rest of the squad is: Marvin Phillip (unattached), Jan Michael Williams (W Connection), Seon Power (Joe Public), Dwayne Jack, (CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh), Nigel Daniel (CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh), Glenton Wolfe (North East Stars), Kwame Wiltshire (Joe Public),Christian Baptiste (Defence Force), Trent Noel (Jabloteh), Kerry Baptiste (Joe Public) and Andre Toussaint (W Connection).

TTFF News - Densill injured out Guadeloupe match

Theobald injured out of Saturday’s friendly

 

Issued by Shaun Fuentes, TTFF Media Officer, March 21, 2007

 

Trinidad and Tobago’s National Senior team, already minus several of its well known overseas-based professionals will go into Saturday’s friendly international against Guadeloupe without the services of captain Densill Theobald.

 

The former Falkirk midfielder, the only World Cup player in the current squad selected by Wim Rijsbergen suffered a knee injury following a late challenge by Petrotrin player Chevaughn Frederick in a training match at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Wednesday.

 

The injury occurred in the first half and Theobald was immediately taken to hospital for x-ray and treatment. Doctors indicated that he suffered ligament damage and will be out for at least three weeks. Theobald, following Saturday’s match was scheduled to fly out on Wednesday for commitments in Austria.

 

“It’s disappointing but fortunately nothing is broken. The doctors said I need at least two weeks treatment and rest. My agent is aware of it and the trip to Austria will need to be rescheduled,” Theobald told TTFF Media.

 

The scrimmage ended 1-1 with a late Trent Noel equalizer for the national team  after Rijsbergen changed his team at half time. Also missing was Andrei Pacheco, who got a late call for a trial to MLS team Columbus Crew and left the country on Wednesday. He is  not be available for Saturday’s match against Guadeloupe which is being sponsored by Digicel.

 

The T&T team is currently preparing for upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup in which it faces United States, Guatemala and El Salvador in the opening group phase from June 6 in Boston and California.

 

There was some better news regarding Silvio Spann who has been out of action after undergoing shoulder surgery in Brazil in January. Spann is involved in preseason training with W Connection and said he will start the season with the 2006 Caribbean Club champions.

 

“The doctors have given good reports on the progress of the shoulder since the surgery and I am heading towards full readiness for the start of the Pro League season. I am looking forward to that and my next aim is to make the team for the Gold Cup in June,” Spann said.

 

Also stopping by at the training session was Southampton striker Kenwyne Jones who is in the country with the international break on. Jones took some time to touch base with some of his local teammates, adding that while he was enjoying the time home, he was anticipating the restart of the League with his club’s chances of making the playoffs for Premiership promotion still very much alive. Southampton are eighth on the table and next face Wolverhampton Wanderers on March 31.

 

Portsmouth open up talks for Peltier

 

English Premiership club Portsmouth have indicated their intentions to open up negotiations for CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh striker Lester Peltier.

 

The National Under 20 striker, was scheduled to return from England on Wednesday but had his flight pushed back because of passport problems and will now arrive later in the week. But Jabloteh head coach Terry Fenwick was least worried over Peltier’s passport woes as he revealed that Portsmouth have declared their interest in the player. Also in line, according to Fenwick, have been Arsenal and Cardiff City.

 

“CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh will enter discussions with Portsmouth and the individuals doing the talking will be chairman Jerry Hospedales and vice chairman Wilfred Espinet,” Fenwick said. “The club has shown that they are interested in the lad and we are awaiting the outcome of this.”

 

The former England international also shared news that midfielder Aurtis Whitley continues to impress at Vietnamese club  Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) arriving there last week. Whitley scored and set up three goals in a training match on Thursday. “The management of the clubs seems delighted with him and he’s being treated like Royalty there at the moment.”

 

And this week also, Jabloteh announced the signing of Tobago-born defender Dwayne Jack. The former Tobago United player cemented a spot in the team during the recent Digicel Cup and is in the current national squad.

 

“We think we have got now one of the best centre backs in Trinidad and Tobago. He’s big, quick and strong and as a coach I think with better development he can move on to bigger things,” Fenwick said. He could become formidable for Jabloteh and the national team once we can get him thinking and doing it the way like the other guys at Jabloteh. He could be a force at the back with players like Cyd Gray, Ian Gray and Nigel Daniel.”

FLINTOFF

Rachael is ready to give Freddie a ticking-off.

Andrew Flintoff's wife Rachael says the first thing she'll say to him when they meet up next week is "Stupid bugger".

The 28-year-old is due to fly out to join her husband in the Caribbean, and has told The Daily Mirror she's ready to rap him over that infamous eight-hour bender.

Freddie was benched for Sunday's showdown with Canada and stripped of the vice-captaincy after a booze binge on Friday night.

Despite being ready to let him know how foolish he's been, mum-of-two Rachael says remorseful Freddie is now desperate to help his team to World Cup glory.

She told the tabloid: "Andrew is extremely hardworking and extremely loyal. What you see is what you get. You can see how hard-working he is with his cricket.

"He can be in complete pain and covered in blisters and will still keep going for five more days."

 

MUTTIAH

Muralitharan - race against time.

Sri Lanka spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan admits he faces a race against time to take 1,000 Test wickets before retiring.

The 34-year-old, who will face Bangladesh in Tuesday's World Cup Group B clash, lies second in the all-time rankings with 674 wickets - 34 behind Australian spinner Shane Warne.

With the Hampshire skipper now retired from international cricket, Muralitharan, who last year became the first ever bowler to take 1,000 international wickets in Test and ODI cricket combined, has targeted Warne's record and still harbours dreams of breaking the magic barrier.

But Muralitharan, who made his Test debut in 1992, believes reaching the landmark will prove far easier said than done.

He said: "It is hard to get to 1,000 wickets. But I will play for at least for another two years.

"It is harder to get wickets in Test cricket. One-day cricket is carnival stuff and wickets come easy."

Sri Lanka could give a recall to fit-again Marvan Atapattu, but the batsman knows he will have his work cut out fighting his way back into Tom Moody's squad after their impressive opening 243-run win over Bermuda.

He said: "I have recovered quite well from my back problem. I would love to open the innings. But Upul Tharanga is performing well and I would love to bat in any position."

Atapattu has warned his side to underestimate Bangladesh at their peril following their surprise five-wicket victory over India.

"Bangladesh's victory over India did not come as a surprise to us. They play the game hard and they deserved to win," he said.

"Both Bangladesh and India are two crucial games for us. Just because India had a bad day does not mean that they can be written off."

And with India requiring a win from their final Group B game to guarantee qualification, fellow batsman Sanath Jayasuriya is cautious his side avoid a repeat of their early ICC Champions Trophy exit in 2004.

He said: "India too is a good team and we will have to play at our best to beat them.

"When we went to the ICC Cup in India we were the favourites to win the cup but sadly came a cropper. Having to play in different pitches and islands here in the West Indies will be a big challenge."

 

Boycott blames management

Boycott - questioned England management.

By Jamie Gardner, PA Sport

Former England opener Geoffrey Boycott believes coach Duncan Fletcher and his management team should have clamped down harder on Andrew Flintoff's past misdemeanours before his latest World Cup embarrassment.

Flintoff was fined, dropped from the England side to face Canada and stripped of the vice-captaincy after a late-night drinking session involving five other players on the evening England had lost their World Cup opener to New Zealand.

Fletcher revealed at the weekend that Flintoff had "been given warnings about his conduct and disciplined for previous incidents of this nature", but Boycott said: "That begs a question about the management.

"Can you imagine Sir Alex Ferguson telling someone three or four times? Alex Ferguson supports his players 100%, but if they don't act unprofessionally, (he doesn't) wait three or four times.

"If the coach is trying to tell us he's done it three or four times so this time I'll smack his bottom, well it doesn't fall very well with me - why did it take him three or four times? You are supposed to be in charge of the players and if they can't discipline themselves you should damn well discipline them. That is his job."

Boycott saved most of his disdain for Flintoff himself however, and told BBC Radio Five Live: "Losing is a part of the game but when you go and do silly things like staying out late and thinking it's a holiday and not work, then that doesn't sit well with supporters.

"I was surprised (by the incident). They are professionals, or they are supposed to be. It's easy to get sucked in in the West Indies - it's paradise.

"The sea is turquoise blue, the hotels are right on the beach, it's really picture-postcard. It's easy to get sucked in that this is a wonderful holiday place, well it is if all you are doing is holidaying.

"They have got to focus. It is all right to have a drink or two but it's not all right to have a skin-full and be out at 4am when you're playing a day later."

New Yorkshire captain Darren Gough, an international team-mate of Flintoff, felt the worst thing about the drinking incident was the timing of it.

"I love Freddie, he is one of the lads and a great team man," Gough said.

"He does like to let his hair down and I do as well. He will be the first to admit that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He shouldn't have been there after a game, but I'm sure Freddie wants to get out there and perform for his country."

 

FLINTOFF

Rachael is ready to give Freddie a ticking-off.

Andrew Flintoff's wife Rachael says the first thing she'll say to him when they meet up next week is "Stupid bugger".

The 28-year-old is due to fly out to join her husband in the Caribbean, and has told The Daily Mirror she's ready to rap him over that infamous eight-hour bender.

Freddie was benched for Sunday's showdown with Canada and stripped of the vice-captaincy after a booze binge on Friday night.

Despite being ready to let him know how foolish he's been, mum-of-two Rachael says remorseful Freddie is now desperate to help his team to World Cup glory.

She told the tabloid: "Andrew is extremely hardworking and extremely loyal. What you see is what you get. You can see how hard-working he is with his cricket.

"He can be in complete pain and covered in blisters and will still keep going for five more days."

 

DANCING BRAVE COLUMN FOR SUNDAY 4TH MARCH, 2007

While, I was in Jamaica (for the West Indies World Cup opening match arrangements), a lot of things were left undone, so as I began the remedial work, I thought of all the sportsmen in Trinidad and Tobago

who travel all over the world and leave others to perform the mundane

everyday tasks at their homes, like their wives, girlfriends, brothers,

sisters and parents.

The crack in the bathroom ceiling turned out not to be nothing, as I had

maintained. It turned out to be a portent.

Later that Sunday morning the water which had been biding its time in

the darkness of the loft poured into the light - through the light, in

fact - and drummed on to the floorboards beneath. Nasty, old water.

It was an alarming situation and one demanding of immediate action. I am

only glad I wasn't there.

My friend did what was necessary with the help of Yellow Pages. And

don't think I wasn't grateful to her. Of course I was. But I was even

more grateful that I had been out there practicing for my speech when the West Indies win the World Cup, when it all went off.

Has it ever occurred to you that we are desperately short of opposites?

Oh yes, we always think that English is a rich language, but there are

many words in our language that are crying out for a word to express the

opposite meaning, and the word simply isn't there, even if the meaning

exists.

To get you thinking about this vital topic, here is a short list of such

twins that have lost their opposite partner in sporting ways.

1. Shoplifting

Where is the word to describe the opposite of shoplifting? We know what

a shoplifter does. He or she goes into a shop, takes something from the

shelf and leaves without paying. But what of the person who goes into a

world cup cricket match with some unwanted shot concealed about their person puts

it out for the team when everyone's looking and then causes the fans to

leave? It's the opposite of shoplifting, and it's sometimes the only way

out for several of the West Indies players who cause a lot of

difficulties for their paying followers, but we have no name for it.

2. Submarine

"Submarine" means something below the water. How do you refer to things

that are above water? I don't mean Mount Everest but rather what is the

real reason for the visit from the former hockey heads to certain major players in the hockey fraternity.

3. Learning difficulties

The opposite of a child with learning difficulties is a teacher with

teaching difficulties. Every football school has got at least one. But

we never talk about them as such, particularly when they are well paid

by several friends of the rulers of football.

4. Filled rolls

We all know what a filled roll is. It's a roll that has been opened up,

smeared inside with an almost invisible deposit of yellow substance,

thinly stuffed with a mixture tasting either of the seashore at high

tide (tuna) or nothing (cheese), then closed up again and sold at a

profit, just like what we all got from the West Indies team at the 2003

World Cup. Perhaps this time around the roll could be tastier.

 But what is the opposite of it? What is an unfilled roll? Not a roll

that has never been filled, for that would be an empty roll like the

empty guts of our flaying batsmen.

It must surely be rollcoaster ride that has filled and then emptied the

public again. Who would want to do that? I hear you cry. I'll tell you

whom. People who are just playing for money and not for the region they represent.

5. An icon

 Dwight Yorke is an icon of Trinidad and Tobago football, they say.

Leastways, I suppose they do. I know nothing about his lifestyle.

As I was saying I'd love to know what the opposite of an icon is. If

someone had brought shame and degradation on cycling, and lowered

standards for a decade, what would you call this anti-icon? … just a footballer’s friend!!!

6. Weather forecast

We all know what a weather forecast is. It's the episode in which a

weatherperson predicts the weather we should be getting in our part of

the country whenever we have people who want to waste their Sundays

playing golf. What we want is something quite different. It's an episode

in which a weatherperson comes on the screen or radio, looks back at the

weather of the past day or two, compares it to the forecast he had

previously given and explains why they got it so lamentably and stupidly

wrong, and apologizes till little flags are coming out of his ears.

Forecasts even in Horseracing seem to be getting worse and worse with

the increase pricing placed by the Arima Race Club. We need a

meteorological post-mortem followed maybe the racing requiem mass.

7. Feckless, listless, gormless, etc

Some of our sports commentators occasionally say "gruntled" and "couth"

in fun, as if in fleeting recognition of this plague of missing

opposites. Feckful, listful and gormful are another three we ought to

give an airing too soon.

8. Losers

Clearly we know that losers are, The West Indies Cricket Board and

The Hockey Board of Trinidad and Tobago maybe eventually The

Football Federation and their marketing arm. The opposite is winners

such as .....

9.Disparity

The prize money and recognition in football of the football teams compared to the treatment to our young cricketers, who have not gone on strike, who have not been caught naked abroad, but instead who have been disciplined and fought as a team. Is there any truth is the fact that opposites attract, as it relates to more money but less success.

10.Girls

Footballers, cricketers , basketballers, boxers, jockeys, trainers  or hockey players, which are attracted the most to the opposite sex.

 

More non-opposites soon. All suggestions welcome

 

:: AB