Frenzy building on the sister isle... Warriors won't take 'Ticos' for granted
Trinidad and Tobago’s Senior National Team will have a final training session at 4:30 pm on Friday on the eve of their all-important 2010 World Cup Qualifier against Costa Rica at the Dwight Yorke Stadium on Saturday.
Head Coach Russell Latapy is expecting Saturday’s encounter to be a very tactical one and has urged his players to pay particular attention to the calculated style play of the Costa Ricans who will go into the encounter on a high following their convincing 3-1 win over the United States on Wednesday night in San Jose.
“We expect the game to be a very tactical one and we have the respect for Costa Rica because right now they are on top of the group. They have always been a difficult side to break down and the results show that because we have never beaten them in a World Cup qualifier before,” Latapy told TTFF Media on Thursday.
“Our approach will also have to be sound and good tactically because they will obviously consider themselves favourites in this one,” Latapy added.
Sunderland midfielder Carlos Edwards echoed similar sentiments but he still wants to see the “Soca Warriors” take the game to the Costa Ricans. Already, Mexican and Costa Rican media have started arriving on the island. A couple Mexican media correspondents cleverly checked in unannounced at the Blue Haven Hotel where the T&T team is based and have had to be warned over their filming of the T&T contingent on the premises. Overall though the spirit among the T&T faithful has been upbeat so far with Trinidadians arriving here in their red gear. Even some of Latapy’s fans and teammates included from Scotland and Portugal have touched down on the sister isle to support the “Little Magician” and his troops.
“Things are shaping up quite well. Russell has had a fair amount of time and for us to come together for such a crucial game and for it to be Russell’s first as a manager.. things are definitely looking positive,” Edwards told TTFF Media.
“They are one of the favourites and coming away with a 3-1 win over the USA is a big boost for them. We will have to try our best to get on top of them. We know what we are capable of at this stage.”
Looking back at the 0-0 draw with Costa Rica in Port of Spain in 2005, the former Defence Force and Wrexham star says he believes the hosts can end on Saturday’s game on a brighter note.
“There’s no reason why we shouldn’t believe we can do it. We were in a similar position back then and we have to keep level heads. I will be satisfied with nothing less than a win on Saturday,” Edwards added.
In light of Steve Bruce’s appointment as manager of Sunderland, Edwards had the following to say: “Managers and players come and go. It’s going to be new challenge for Steve Bruce and the rest of the players like Kenwyne and myself. We’ve never played under him so we don’t know what to expect. But I will hope it’s a bright future for Sunderland and myself as a player.
“It was good to survive for a second successive season in the Premiership and we did it in nail biting style. Hopefully the squad can kick forward from here on. Money has a lot to play in the football but then it’s down to the players to make it happen on the pitch,” Edwards said, adding the Dwight Yorke will be missed at the club.
“He’s one that will be badly missed because of his experience and the way that he gets on with the rest of the guys. And I’m not saying this as a countryman but because I think all the other players feel that way about him,” Edwards concluded.
The Costa Ricans are carded to train after T&T at the match venue on Friday evening.
Head Coach Russell Latapy is expecting Saturday’s encounter to be a very tactical one and has urged his players to pay particular attention to the calculated style play of the Costa Ricans who will go into the encounter on a high following their convincing 3-1 win over the United States on Wednesday night in San Jose.
“We expect the game to be a very tactical one and we have the respect for Costa Rica because right now they are on top of the group. They have always been a difficult side to break down and the results show that because we have never beaten them in a World Cup qualifier before,” Latapy told TTFF Media on Thursday.
“Our approach will also have to be sound and good tactically because they will obviously consider themselves favourites in this one,” Latapy added.
Sunderland midfielder Carlos Edwards echoed similar sentiments but he still wants to see the “Soca Warriors” take the game to the Costa Ricans. Already, Mexican and Costa Rican media have started arriving on the island. A couple Mexican media correspondents cleverly checked in unannounced at the Blue Haven Hotel where the T&T team is based and have had to be warned over their filming of the T&T contingent on the premises. Overall though the spirit among the T&T faithful has been upbeat so far with Trinidadians arriving here in their red gear. Even some of Latapy’s fans and teammates included from Scotland and Portugal have touched down on the sister isle to support the “Little Magician” and his troops.
“Things are shaping up quite well. Russell has had a fair amount of time and for us to come together for such a crucial game and for it to be Russell’s first as a manager.. things are definitely looking positive,” Edwards told TTFF Media.
“They are one of the favourites and coming away with a 3-1 win over the USA is a big boost for them. We will have to try our best to get on top of them. We know what we are capable of at this stage.”
Looking back at the 0-0 draw with Costa Rica in Port of Spain in 2005, the former Defence Force and Wrexham star says he believes the hosts can end on Saturday’s game on a brighter note.
“There’s no reason why we shouldn’t believe we can do it. We were in a similar position back then and we have to keep level heads. I will be satisfied with nothing less than a win on Saturday,” Edwards added.
In light of Steve Bruce’s appointment as manager of Sunderland, Edwards had the following to say: “Managers and players come and go. It’s going to be new challenge for Steve Bruce and the rest of the players like Kenwyne and myself. We’ve never played under him so we don’t know what to expect. But I will hope it’s a bright future for Sunderland and myself as a player.
“It was good to survive for a second successive season in the Premiership and we did it in nail biting style. Hopefully the squad can kick forward from here on. Money has a lot to play in the football but then it’s down to the players to make it happen on the pitch,” Edwards said, adding the Dwight Yorke will be missed at the club.
“He’s one that will be badly missed because of his experience and the way that he gets on with the rest of the guys. And I’m not saying this as a countryman but because I think all the other players feel that way about him,” Edwards concluded.
The Costa Ricans are carded to train after T&T at the match venue on Friday evening.
posted by Andre @ 1:11 PM
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