June News

May News

Friday June 29th, 2001

By IRVING WARD

Technical director and stand-in Trinidad and Tobago coach, Rene Simoes, yesterday put the hammer down, taking a stand which may either make or break this country's 2002 World Cup effort.In a move which took some testicular fortitude, given the desperation of his team, the Brazilian coach dropped star players Russell Latapy and Dwight Yorke for tomorrow's crucial World Cup qualifier against Jamaica after another tumultuous 48 hours in which both players' commitment to the cause once again came under scrutiny.Both Latapy and Yorke turned up at T&T's training session at the Queen's Park Oval yesterday afternoon dressed down and obviously not prepared for training.

But, as the media would learn afterwards, it was because they had been notified by letter from Simoes earlier in the day of their sacking.Confirming Simoes' move last evening was T&T manager, Neville Chance, who added that the pair was notified before hand that falling afoul of the Brazilian - known to be a hard-nosed disciplinarian - would result in such sanctions."I think it is obvious that the squad that will be playing on Saturday is the one you see here in red and black," Chance said, while Simoes took his squad, minus Latapy and Yorke, through its paces on the Oval turf.

"But it (sacking of the duo) is not an acrimonious sought of thing," added Chance, who said the decision holds for tomorrow's game only."It is something that the coach had identified before, that the players who will be considered for selection are those who would be in the camp from the Tuesday, when we get back (from Bermuda), to the day of the game (against Jamaica)."Once again, Latapy and Yorke ran afoul of Simoes for similar reasons; not fully committing themselves to the team, now in a desperate situation to save a campaign many have already given up on.

Latapy, following the team's warm-up game in Bermuda, had journeyed to Scotland on Tuesday to finalise a new deal with Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers. Yorke, who scored in a 5-0 victory over the Bermudans, meanwhile failed to join the team camp at the Emerald Apartments, St Augustine, since its return to the country on Monday night.
In both cases, Chance said the players - who held discussions with Chance and Simoes during their brief visit at the Oval yesterday - were fully aware of the ramifications of such actions.Taking up each man's case, Chance explained: "In the case of Russell (Latapy), we all know he had an engagement where he had to go to Scotland to sign a contract.

"What the coach said was that he (Latapy) had his responsibility and, certainly, the technical staff and the team has theirs. He (Latapy) chose to go there (Scotland) and that's not a problem."The thing is that we (squad) have to move on. He has to be concerned with his future and Trinidad and Tobago has to be concerned with its future, in terms of football."He added: "I know it had been a difficult decision for Russell, but certainly, when he made that decision I'm sure he would have been aware of the consequences of that decision."

Yorke, who only two weeks ago was sacked and re-instated by former coach Ian Porterfield after a public apology over his absence from the team's last friendly against Panama, meanwhile came with his own excuse.
According to Chance, the Manchester United player is now trying desperately to cope with the events of the past couple months, a whirlwind ride which he is yet, it would seem, to recover from."Dwight (Yorke) is of the view that, at this present point in time, mentally, he is not well prepared (to play). Having considered all the things that are happening in his life, he is not mentally prepared.

"And he always wants to be mentally and physically prepared when representing Trinidad and Tobago. He therefore feels that he will not be doing justice to himself and Trinidad and Tobago at this time if he takes the field."
This from a man who had promised, in a stirring letter of apology which convinced all, including Simoes, that he would fight to the end, to redouble his efforts in helping the team in its bid to reach a first ever World Cup Finals.
The 29-year-old Yorke, whose name was again linked to a move to his former club Aston Villa in England yesterday, bluntly refused to speak to the media during his brief salvo at the Oval.

Latapy meanwhile promised to make a press release on the issue surrounding his decision to fly to Scotland later on.
However, he did offer a few words, urging his teammates to focus on the task at hand, stopping the Reggae Boyz tomorrow."I just want the team to stay focussed on the task at hand, which is playing Jamaica and winning against them," the 32-year-old midfielder said.

Asked if he regretted getting the chance to line up against the visitors, Latapy explained: "Obviously, I'm a football player and I want to play football. But I have to respect all decisions made by the technical staff for the better of the team and I wish the team all the best."But, according to Chance, the squad has already adjusted to the loss of two of its most experienced players.Noting that the team spirit in the camp remained high even after Simoes alerted them to the decision, Chance said: "The mood in the camp is very good. I think they are all prepared to go on Saturday and defeat Jamaica."

Thursday June 28th, 2001

Latapy, Yorke upset Simoes

‘Little Magician’ signs for 
Glasgow Rangers

By MARK POUCHET

TRINIDAD and Tobago senior team coach Professor Rene Simoes was upset last night and pondering on whether to retain Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy in the squad for the World Cup qualifying match against Jamaica on Saturday.

Yorke and Latapy have failed to turn up for training since their arrival in Trinidad last Monday following the national team’s tour of Bermuda. And they had no permission to be absent.

The duo have also not been in camp at the Emerald Plaza hotel on the Eastern Main Road along with the rest of the Soca Warriors.

And yesterday, while “Little Magician” Latapy was in the United Kingdom to finalise contract negotiations with Scottish Premiership team Glasgow Rangers, Yorke was a no-show at the national squad’s training session at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, which was originally scheduled for the Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain.

Last night, when the Express contacted Brazilian Simoes, who steered Jamaica to the 1998 World Cup in France, he was terse in his responses.

Simoes, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) technical director who took over as coach following Scotsman Ian Porterfield’s dismissal on Monday, simply replied “no” when asked if Yorke and Latapy had given a reason for their absence from yesterday’s practice.

Asked if Yorke will be selected for Saturday’s game against the Reggae Boyz, Simoes stated: “I’ll take that decision tonight (last night).”

Simoes was more generous, though, in his utterances for TV6.

In that interview, Simoes stated that “he did not agree” with Latapy’s decision to fly out to the UK on Tuesday night since he believed Latapy’s trip could have been delayed until after the Jamaica encounter.
“Why not think about the team?” Simoes inquired. “He could have gone on Saturday, Sunday, Monday or Tuesday after the match.” However, Latapy’s local agent Wayne Mandeville claimed that he informed both Simoes and team manager Neville Chance of the former Hibernian player’s need to leave right away.

Mandeville was reported to have said if the negotiations could be done at a later time, it would have been.

However, Chance did not seem to know of Yorke and Latapy’s whereabouts.

“They have not reported to camp or training,” was Chance’s concise response to Express inquiries.

It is not the first time that Yorke and Latapy have gone missing in action.
Yorke skipped the Panama warm-up game some three weeks ago after missing his flight to the Central American country and returning to Trinidad.

Latapy’s previous absence was at a training session before the Soca Warriors’ World Cup qualifier against Honduras when he failed to show, citing a mix-up with the schedule for his non-appearance.

But yesterday, Latapy’s mind would have been occupied with his contract with Rangers.

The Scottish Premier League runners-up signed the midfielder yesterday, getting the nod ahead of Scottish champions Celtic, who had been widely tipped to give Latapy a quick return ticket to Scotland following his acrimonious departure from Hibernian.

And according to the Internet site, Teamtalk.com, the move to Ibrox could be worth some £8,000 a week for Latapy.

Latapy’s contract at Hibs was abruptly terminated prior to the Scottish Cup final, after he was allegedly found to have broken the club curfew of drinking within 48 hours of a match.

Oliver Camps, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) has denied that sacked senior coach Ian Porterfield was treated unfairly."I don't think so at all. We gave him his best shot. He lost four matches at the helm when coaches all over are replaced for less," Camps said yesterday.Porterfield had said on Tuesday that he was very upset at the way he was treated after learning from Manchester United's striker Dwight Yorke that he was fired while in Miami, intransit from Bermuda to Port-of-Spain on Monday.

"We stuck with him and now we feel that enough was enough. We thought that changes must be made," said Camps.
The TTFF President also rejected Porterfield's assertion that the state of the game in T&T was much better (now) than he met it.Porterfield said this was evidenced by the current ranking of the team, recently listed at 25th in the world by FIFA.Camps said yesterday that T&T's best ever rating is more the result of the quality of organisation at the Federation level than performance on the field."It had nothing to do with the fact that Porterfield was coach of the team. The fact is that the Federation has been actively promoting its showpiece senior team," said Camps.

He said he shared the view of new senior coach Rene Simoes that T&T is still in with a mathematical chance of qualifying for the World Cup finals."We can't give up. In a competition of this kind we have to go down to the wire and give our best shot or risk allowing a lesser team into the finals," said Camps.He said he was optimistic that T&T would beat the Reggae Boyz and is counting on the "inside" information possessed by former Jamaican coach Simoes.T&T play Jamaica in the return leg of the CONCACAF Zone tie on Saturday at the Queen's Park Oval.

Russell Latapy, national football captain, flew to Scotland on Tuesday and signed a contract to play next year for the Scottish Premier League runners-up, Glasgow Rangers. He is due to return to Trinidad today to prepare for the World Cup qualifying match against Jamaica, scheduled for Saturday at the Queen's Park Oval.Latapy, who was sacked by Hibernian, another Scottish Premier Division club, has missed the first session under the new coach Rene Simoes, who said he had not agreed for Latapy to go at this time as he could have signed after the match."There is a time for self and a time for the team," he said.

Wednesday June 27th, 2001

TRINIDAD and Tobago Technical Director, Professor Rene Simoes, has expressed sadness over the loss of colleague Ian Porterfield.Simoes was given control of the senior team on Monday after the TTFF sacked Porterfield following the team's dismal start to the campaign.

However, the Brazilian was not at all happy when he spoke of the loss of one of his technical staff yesterday.
"First let me say that I feel uncomfortable because I think that coach Porterfield is a very decent person and he's a worker and he tried his best," Simoes said in a TTFF release yesterday."But unfortunately, sometimes in our life, things don't happen as we want it to. By saying that, I think that a coach's life is very difficult. There are moments when we have to stand and face the problems."

Simoes, who will get a chance to revive T&T's floundering hopes on Saturday against Jamaica-the team he led to the 1998 World Cup-also noted that it was critical for the fans to keep hope."I want all Trinidadians and Tobagonians to believe that the possibility (qualifying) is there. The dream is still alive. So let us fight for that. I will not give up until mathematically, there is no way to qualify."Simoes also remains unfazed by the recent turmoil within the team, saying it is unlikely to affect the players psychologically.

Noting, though, that he did see some signs of low morale around the team, Simoes said: "They can't be like that now. They must enjoy the professional way and they must enjoy the country and must make their family and friends very proud about them."When asked if he thought there was a fitness problem for some of the players, Simoes replied: "I am not sure about that. This is something very scientific. "So we have to go for specific tests to see if it is that they are fit or not. We have to understand they are coming off long seasons."

Simoes also ruled out any changes to the squad which lost 2-0 to the United States last Wednesday in Boston, saying time would not allow for it."There is no time to change. There is no time to make any preparations for any player coming into the squad for the game against Jamaica," he said.Meanwhile, Simoes' compatriot, Julio Cesar Leal, arrived in Trinidad on Monday night and will serve as an one of his assistants for the game against the Reggae Boyz.The other two Brazilian assistants coaches who arrived last month, Francisco Santos and Alfredo Monteso, will also be on duty with the senior team.

Meanwhile, Porterfield, while expressing disappointment at not being able to carry on, has revealed he will continue to follow T&T's progress with great interest.Porterfield said yesterday it was England-based striker Dwight Yorke who broke the news of his dismissal to him at Miami International Airport while the team was preparing to return home on Monday night from Bermuda. The Scotland-born coach added he is awaiting a meeting with the TTFF on Friday, during which time his contract agreements will be sorted out. There were nine months left on his contract.

By Valentino Singh

PREPARATION.That's the key to success. Not ole talk about commitment and the other flowery language that the So(called) stars have been pitching at us over the last few days.At the expense of being called a few names myself, I am not too sorry about the results of Saturday's nor Wednesday's matches against Honduras and the United States.To put it mildly, we damn well deserved to lose and who vex...well, that's their problem.Both teams were not only two goals better than Trinidad and Tobago but demonstrated a unity of purpose that was so emphatic that I'd be surprised if that alone was not enough to beat that disorganised group of people who poor coach Ian Porterfield threw on the field to represent my country.

Not that I have any sympathy for Porterfield and his technical staff. How could I?Didn't they allow their decision to ban Yorke and Rougier to be overturned? And wasn't it their decision to put an unfit Latapy on our Trinidad and Tobago team? A Latapy and Yorke, mind you, who preferred to spend the weekend prior to the game, scouting the night clubs of Trinidad instead of going to Panama where there was a chance we could have gelled a team...not a group of players, to do battle against Honduras.

As one fan who called in on the pre-match build-up which I hosted on the Vibe CT 105, remarked, the Honduras game was really the warm up match for the United States.Now that the starboys have recognised that Japan and Korea has evaded them, their tone has changed considerably. It seems as though the realisation has just dawn that they won't be qualifying for the next World Cup final.They are now speaking in desperate tones about winning the next five matches and still having a chance to qualify. HUH!

Which five matches, may I ask? Are they going to the Azteca under a coach recently introduced to Mexico, in the altitude that usually makes mice out of men on the football field, and beat them?Do they really think that they can beat a Honduras team, sensing sushi and other Japanese delicacies, in their own back yard.As a matter of fact, we'd be very lucky if we were to leave the Hasely Crawford Stadium on the weekend with a point from our home game against the Reggae Boyz.This, of course, leaves us with Costa Rica and the United States, none of whom this current team, can beat in its current state.

So where do we go from here?Okay, Jack Warner is going away to make his contribution on the international scene where it is more appreciated. Porterfield is going back to Scotland. And Yorke and Latapy will make room for the many Rahims and Spanns that are just waiting in the wings to take over.As they fade into the background, as draconian as it may sound, we must start building for 2006. And this effort must be approached with the same feelings, the verve and vitality which was attached to the Strike Squad in 1989.The people must have the say. No one else!

Tuesday June 26th, 2001

Coach Porterfield fired

By Keith Clement

National football coach Ian Porterfield has been fired by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) with immediate effect.

And technical director Brazilian-born Rene Simoes, who guided Jamaica to the 1998 World Cup finals in France, takes over.

Simoes is also coach of the Under-17 Soca Warriors preparing for the FIFA Championships here in September.

Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation president Oliver Camps said, "the TT Football Federation has agreed to reduce the technical and managerial staff of the national senior team.
"Letters of resignation have been accepted from Messrs Jimmy Blanc (assistant coach) and Neil Mollineau (assistant manager). We wish to publicly thank them for the unstinting service which they have given to the national team over the past few months. Other letters of resignation are being awaited".

Camps, together with secretary Richard Groden, vice-president Raymond Tim Kee and technical director Simoes, made the decision to relieve Porterfield of his duties with immediate effect.
Simoes, who assisted Porterfield during the Honduras and USA games which Trinidad and Tobago lost 4-2 and 2-0 respectively, will take charge of team against the Reggae Boyz at the Queen's Park Oval on Saturday.

He is the fourth Brazilian coach assigned to Trinidad and Tobago, and the third national coach appointed in three years, the second in 15 months.

Porterfield was not at yesterday's meeting having not yet returned from Bermuda where his team defeated the Bermudians 5-0 in a friendly international.
Porterfield, an ex-player with Scotland's Raith Rovers and England's Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday, took over on March 1 last year from Tobagonian Bertille St Clair, who was fired after reaching the Confederation Gold Cup semi-finals in the USA.

The 55-year-old Scotsman who coached the national teams of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia and Oman from 1993-99, will be remembered for leading Trinidad and Tobago to top of the standings in the semi-final round of the current CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, losing only once to Mexico 7-0 in Mexico City last year.

Porterfield, who was paid an estimated US$12,000 per month (TT$74,400), had a record of 20 victories, six draws and eight defeats from 34 matches during his tenure.
Defeats were to Canada 1-0, Jamaica 4-2, Martinique 2-1, and in the World Cup qualifiers Mexico 7-0, Jamaica 1-0, Costa Rica 3-0, Honduras 4-2 and USA 2-0.
Since the start of the final qualifying phase which involves Jamaica, Mexico, USA, Costa Rica and Honduras, the general public has been calling for the coach to be replaced, especially following defeats by Jamaica and Costa Rica.

There is no word from the TTFF concerning trainer Wayne Lawson, physiotherapist David Cumberbatch and Dr Calvin Inalsingh who complete the technical staff.
Trinidad and Tobago are in last place in the six-team qualifying group with one point from five matches.

The top three teams in the CONCACAF zone advance to the 32-team World Cup 2002 finals in Korea and Japan.


...COACH VRANES STEPS DOWN

Yugoslav Zoran Vranes quit the coaching staff of the Trinidad and Tobago Soca Warriors yesterday.
Vranes became the first member of the senior technical staff to sever ties with the squad following the team's failure to win a match after five games in the final stage of the CONCACAF zone World Cup qualifier.

Asked whether he was fired or resigned, Vranes said yesterday, "I was not fired and no I did not send a letter to anyone. I told Mr Warner (Austin Jack Warner), the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation adviser and coach Ian Porterfield I could not help anymore and it was best I go back to Joe Public.

"I was asked to help the team two months ago, but I cannot help anymore".
Technical director Rene Simoes, coach Ian Porterfield, assistant coaches Jimmy Blanc and Michael Murice, manager Neville Chance, assistant manager, Neil Mollineau, trainer Wayne Lawson, physiotherapist David Cumberbatch and physician Dr Calvin Inalsingh comprise the current technical staff.

Vranes, who was appointed an assistant coach by an emergency committee of the TTFF along with Alvin Corneal, as technical director following the Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 defeat by Costa Rica in San Jose, in March said, "I did not see my way to stay any longer.
There were differences in ideas towards team strategy, but I did not leave because I was angry with anyone. Not at all.

"I just felt that not much could be done so it was better to go".
Vranes made his announcement about leaving the team before the Honduras World Cup qualifying match with the Soca Warriors were beaten 4-2 and four days later the team lost to America 2-0.
Less than a month later Corneal's appointment was revoked.

Vranes led Trinidad and Tobago to Shell Cup titles in 1995 and 96, coached the 1998 World Cup squad. He said, "I think I did help the team against Mexico and in the Copa Caribe tournament which Trinidad and Tobago won, but I cannot help no more."

The ex-Antiguan national coach explained, "while I agreed Porterfield was the man in charge, I think Mr Simoes needed to get more involved."

Trinidad and Tobago ranked at an all-time best of 25th in the world by FIFA face Jamaica at the Queen's Park Oval on Saturday.

U.S. jumps on Trinidad early, cruises to 2-0 win

FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- Even the U.S. soccer team seems stunned: At the midpoint of the World Cup qualifying finals, the Americans nearly have a berth clinched.

"We're pretty close to being at the big dance next year," U.S. coach Bruce Arena said following Wednesday night's 2-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago.

The Americans, looking like the region's dominant team, went ahead just 74 seconds in on a goal by Ante Razov -- the fastest U.S. goal in qualifying in at least 12 years -- and Earnie Stewart added a goal on a breakaway in the 20th minute.

"Now we can really say one more win will get us in," U.S. captain Claudio Reyna said. "To be at this position at this stage is incredible."

The United States (4-0-1) leads the North and Central American and Caribbean region with 13 points, probably one or two short of the amount needed to qualify for next year's tournament in Japan and South Korea.

Costa Rica (3-1-1) is second with 10 points, followed by Honduras (2-1-2) with eight, Jamaica (1-2-2) with five and Mexico (1-3-1) with four and Trinidad (0-4-1) with one. The top three nations advance to the 32-nation field.

"We're real close, but we have to push forward until we're mathematically there," Arena said. "Who knows how many points are needed to qualify?"

At this pace, the United States is likely to clinch either on Sept. 1 at Washington against Honduras or on Sept. 5 at Costa Rica.

"You want to qualify as fast as possible. That's the most important thing," said Stewart, who became the American career scoring leader in World Cup qualifying with his seventh goal, one more than Willy Roy scored from 1966-74.

The Americans are unbeaten in nine straight qualifiers since a last-minute loss at Costa Rica last July 23, allowing only one goal over that stretch. They are 14-0-5 in home qualifiers since the Costa Ricans beat them on May 31, 1985, at Torrance, Calif.

On a night with lightning but no rain, Jeff Agoos created the opening goal with a long, looping pass behind the defense in the second minute. Razov, a former Major League Soccer player who spent last season with a small team in Spain's second division, was one-on-one with goalkeeper Clayton Ince and easily beat him with a left-footed shot from 10 yards out.

"Early in the game, they weren't ready for balls over the top, and we surprised them," Agoos said.

"Early in the game, they weren't ready for balls over the top, and we surprised them," Agoos said.

It was the fastest U.S. goal in a qualifier since Bruce Murray connected in the third minute against Guatemala at New Britain, Conn., on June 17, 1989.

Stewart scored when he stripped the ball from Marcin Andrews and came in alone on Ince and easily beat the beleaguered keeper. The Americans dominated, except for the final 10 minutes of the first half and the first few minutes of the second, outshooting Trinidad 15-8.

Trinidad, which has never advanced to the World Cup, probably must win its five remaining games to qualify.

"The hopes are very slim now," coach Ian Porterfield said. "It's a long shot."

Notes: Reyna received a yellow card for the second straight game and will be suspended for the Americans' next qualifier, July 1 at Mexico. ... Kasey Keller started in goal for the second straight qualifier -- it had been thought Brad Friedel would start in a rotation -- and turned in his fifth straight shutout. ... The U.S. team is 6-0-3 at Foxboro, including 3-0-1 in qualifying. ... Moore came in as a sub, then left with swollen right ankle. ... Mexico coach Enrique Meza quit immediately after a 3-1 loss at Honduras, which got three goals from Carlos Pavon. Costa Rica beat visiting Jamaica 2-1.

Summary

Foxboro, Mass.
Trinidad       0  0-0
United States  2  0-2

First half -- 1, United States, Ante Razov (Jeff Agoos), 2nd minute. 2, United States, Earnie Stewart, 20th minute.

Second half -- None.

Yellow Cards -- Rahim, Tri, 43rd; Reyna, US, 52nd; John, Tri, 66th. Red Cards-None.

Referee -- Ali Bujsaum, United Arab Emirates. Linesmen-Nasser Abdulla Al Hammadi, United Arab Emirates; Hussain Abddul Hassan, United Arab Emirates.

Attendance -- 31,211.

Lineups

Trinidad and Tobago -- Clayton Ince; Ancil Elcock, Marvin Andrews, Dennis Lawrence; Dale Saunders, Reynold Carrington (Avery John, 46th), Angus Eve, Russell Latapy, Brent Rahim (Arnold Dwarika, 55th; Stern John (Mickey Trotman, 74th), Dwight Yorke.

United States -- Kasey Keller; Steve Cherundolo, David Regis, Jeff Agoos, Eddie Pope; Chris Armas, Tony Sanneh, Claudio Reyna, Earnie Stewart; Ante Razov (Joe-Max Moore, 71st, John O'Brien, 88th), Jovan Kirovski.

End of the line

Whole system broke down,
say local coaches

EDGAR Vidale, Steve David, Alvin Corneal and Oliver Camps discuss Trinidad and Tobago’s dismal 2002 World Cup campaign

By LASANA LIBURD

“I DON'T think we have a chance,” said Edgar Vidale, of Trinidad and Tobago’s 2002 World Cup aspirations. “There is nothing in their game that makes me feel they could recover.”

Vidale has given over three decades of his life to national football and he is disgusted by recent events. At present, the “Soca Warriors” have only a mathematical chance of qualifying for the World Cup with just one point from five qualifying games. But Vidale, who coached T&T to within one game of the 1974 World Cup, has already called time on the 2002 campaign.

Former national coach and stand-out player Alvin Corneal and all-time national leading goalscorer Steve David both agreed.

“There’s many things that went wrong,” said David, of the Korea/Japan campaign. “The whole system broke down. The management, players, everything. Basically, if we had won the first game, things might have been different. We didn’t and the whole system begun crumbling.”

It is, he explained, the fickleness of professional sport with which David is well acquainted.

In the red, white and black strip, David plundered goals at will and is arguably the most talented striker that Trinidad and Tobago has ever produced.

His 16 World Cup qualifying goals remains a formidable local record while two MVP titles during the glory days of the North American Professional Soccer League—among the likes of Brazilian legend Pélé and German libero Frantz Beckenbauer—was even more remarkable.

David believes that it was momentum more than meticulous planning which took the Warriors into the final qualifying round. The team simply was not strong enough to successfully rebound from defeats.

Also then the negative things start coming out, like players not staying in the same hotel so on.

“If this is true, then it’s a shame that the management allowed this to happen.”

There were also some barbs for the current national squad.

“I don’t think the players play for the love of the game anymore,” he said. “When we played, money wasn’t important. We played for the coach, manager, fans, family and yourself. I played for Oliver Camps because, as the manager, he was a big inspiration for me... “I think that maybe the players are not trying hard enough to bail out their coach.”

Corneal, who was summoned by the T&TFF to assist the technical staff in mid-campaign, had a bit more to say about the management.

“Our losses have not been because of bad luck or better opponents,” said Corneal. “We have shot ourselves in the foot with ill-disciplined players, a poor training programme and the ignorance of not analysing our opponents. “The folly of using players in strange positions in the last game was the literal end of the line.”

Vidale, who headed the technical advisory committee for the 1998 campaign, also pointed fingers at the technical staff.

“A lack of proper strategies by the present technical staff is the problem,” said Vidale. “They failed to acquire the respect of the players, therefore they could not get the best out of the players.”

The ex-Petrotrin coach disagreed with national senior team coach Ian Porterfield’s assertion that the fruit of his work was evident in the country’s best ever Fifa ranking of 25th.

Instead, he said, the Scotsman’s haphazard approach to discipline eroded the work done by former national coach Bertille St Clair.

“Imagine a crucial qualifier coming up,” he said, “and players asking for time off to spend with sick sister and family. We have to be tough. So the Hondurans don’t have family too?”

Still, Camps insisted that the players were more culpable than the staff in this regard.

However, he opined that the players should be the ones to be held accountable for their lack of commitment and mediocre displays. On the field of play, he blamed the midfield for failing to impose themselves more regularly.

“The midfield has not been moving as a team,” he said. “They have been putting pressure on the defence by marking poorly while they have not been giving enough support to the forwards.”

Camps revealed that Porterfield’s position is being discussed by the T&TFF at present, and it not yet certain that the Scotsman will remain in charge for Saturday’s qualifier at home to Jamaica. Should he go, the post seems likely to pass to Brazilian René Simoes who steered Jamaica to the 1998 World Cup tournament. But can a foreign coach be successful here as well?

David stopped short of passing judgment on Porterfield who, he suggested, was not given as much time with the team as Simoes had had with Jamaica.

Still, he is not sold on the importance of a foreign coach.

“I don’t agree that we need a foreign coach to take us there,” said David. “Everald Cummings did a good job. It’s just what the players respond to.”

Vidale and Corneal agreed wholeheartedly although the former admitted that there is simply no local at the moment who is experienced enough for the job.

He pointed to the likes of Peter Granville, Jamaal Shabazz, Mohammed Isa and Brian Williams who should be groomed for the post in the near future.

No British coach, Vidale opined, can take the national team as far as a local.

“Culture has a lot to do with the way we play football,” Vidale explained. “The closest we have reached is Cummings. People would have paid $300 to see the team under Cummings because they were playing the way people wanted to see us play. “No other coach, not even Simoes, could do that.”

“It is also strange to observe that the discipline of our national team has deteriorated whenever one of these foreigners is in charge.”

Simoes and Porterfield both have a little time to convince the local counterparts otherwise. But one of the pair, it is almost certain, has considerably less time to play with than the other

By IRVING WARD

Trinidad and Tobago skipper Russell Latapy is hoping to go out on a high note.
With just one point from five matches T&T, which suffered its fourth loss in the campaign at the hands of the United States 2-0 last Wednesday in Boston, has already been knocked out of contention in the CONCACAF Zone.
Although victories in all of its last five matches can raise some hope, T&T will have to depend on too many other variables to steal one of the three spots available in Japan and Korea next year.

And with his international career possibly set to come to an end after the team's final match in November, also against the US, Latapy is hoping to go out in style.
"After losing Wednesday, there's 15 points to go," he said following the team's 5-0 win in a friendly match against Bermuda on Saturday night.

"That means we have to win every game and if we are being honest and realistic, that makes our chances very difficult, not impossible. I think if we are going to play, we have to play with the belief that we can win."
Latapy, now 32, and Dwight Yorke are the only two remaining players from the 1989 Strike Squad, which failed to qualify for the 1990 World Cup in Italy by a single point.
And just like they did more than a decade ago, the "Little Magician" is hoping that the younger players on the current squad will be able to benefit from this current experience.

"It's been a fantastic experience and one in which we can all learn from in different ways," he said.
"It's good for the younger players like Brent (Rahim) and Stern (John) in that they will still be at the age where they can definitely be around for the next World Cup."
However, the former Hibernian star, who is still looking for a contract with a new club, is not guaranteeing he will be around till the end of the campaign either.

"I want to play out the rest of qualifying games as long as it doesn't interfere with the club situation. It's always a situation where there is a club versus country scenario. As long as there isn't a clash then I surely will be available."
Many people were of the belief that the current squad would have had the best, and perhaps only, chance of taking the country to a first ever World Cup.

But, noting there was still a lot of talent around, Latapy said: "There's always going be a good crop of players in T&T and with the experience that people like myself have had, a lot of people will look to T&T so a lot more players will get the experience of making football a job and learning the tricks of the trade. It's difficult now but I think we just have to make it (World Cup Finals qualification) happen the next time around."
He also re-iterated the point that the squad gave its best shot.

"We are football players and what we do is go out and play football to the best of our ability," he said.
"Sometimes, as hard as you try, things don't go for you. We have to keep going anyway. In the last round we were strong but this time around we had a hard time."

Pointing out that "things just went against us" in this final round, Latapy added: "I don't want to make excuses and I don't want to take away from the other teams. What I can say is that people think it's (World Cup qualifying) only the responsibility of the players. I think it's also the responsibility of the nation as a whole. We have to do it all together.
"We have to fight for each other and encourage each other. Maybe that's one of the things (if we can learn as a nation and implement it), that will give us an additional boost."

As far as his own professional career is concerned, Latapy said he is hoping to go two more season, ending it at the age of 34. Thereafter, he hopes to continue on in the sport but is not sure what area he will branch off into.
"It's (life after retiring) something that I really have to think about. What I can say is that I love football, I love being around the whole atmosphere of football," Latapy said.

"That's what I've been doing my whole life so I will definitely stay in football. At 32 going onto 33, I'm just going to concentrate really hard and enjoy the last couple years of my playing career."

Friday June 22nd, 2001

By Irving Ward

The coaching transition which will eventually see Scottish-born Ian Porterfield surrendering his job to Brazilian Rene Simoes has already started here in Boston.Simoes who is touted to take full control of the team soon - even if the "Soccer Warriors" had a positive result in its do or die World Cup qualifier against the United States here, has already begun to take over the mantle.

Previously, Simoes, also at the helm of team 2001 had kept himself out of Porterfeld's sessions offering advise only at the end.However, in the last few hours, Simoes has taken control, conducting sessions and playing a crucial role in a team meeting on Tuesday night which the Brazilian said helped the team thrash out its off the field problems. While the members of the technical staff have been side-stepping questions from the T&T media on the issue, the players have recognised that a new era has already begun.

"It's clear that Porterfield is no longer in charge," said one player."Simoes has been in charge of the last couple of sessions here. Even the body language of the technical staff suggests that they are preparing themselves for changes."FIFA vice-president and TTFF adviser Austin Jack Warner has already stated that major changes would be coming. He is yet to back down on that stand and it would seem that even a win last night would not convince him otherwise. "We have to do some damage control quickly to spare the country and its football further embarrassment ," he told USA Today.

Porterfield meanwhile, who never seems to show his uneasiness, publicly tried to keep the aura of calm when asked if he felt he would keep his job. "I am not really looking at that. My priority right now is to try and win against the US. It's been sad the last couple of weeks... things have been difficult for us. It's worse that we have been unable to perform the way we are capable of doing in this phase. If the right results come, then, that will be good for all of us."
Porterfield's comments are a far cry from those he had echoed earlier, after steering T&T to first place in the semifinal stage of the competition when they lost only to Mexico.

He had such an air of confidence that he treated the T&T media with contempt when questions about some of the technical problems within the team, visible even then and totally exposed now against the big Concacaf guns were raised.Now, his swagger is no more and he admits to failing, bitterly disappointed about the team's run in its opening games where it lost to Jamaica (1-0), Coata Rica (3-0), Honduras (4-2) and drew once to Mexico (1-1). And then there's the mounting pressure."I think I've always been under pressure," he said of his current situation, adding, "I think football coaches are always under pressure, but I'm not thinking about that just now. I'm not thinking about me.

"I just want to see T&T win the game because I feel if we can win, there's three home games left and you never know the team might get back into contention again. I know it might be a longshot in a sense, but it can happen."
The TTFF is expected to make an announcement on the technical staff before the end of the week.But the team is scheduled to head for a camp in Bermuda immediately after the USA game, in preparation for its clash against Jamaica on June 30.And many feel the writing is on the wall for Porterfield. Evidence here over the past 72 hours seems to back that up.

By Valentino Singh

NOW that the drunken stupor that clouded the minds of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) last week has been sobered up by Saturday's 4-2 thrashing from Honduras, it will be interesting to see how Mssrs Dwight Yorke, Russell Latapy, Anthony Rougier and the many others who possess the credentials to be considered "big boys" will react to football here in T&T. As I write this column, less than a day after all that we hoped for in the past 12 months came predictably crashing down on the weekend, I am aware that by the time it appears in the ink on Wednesday, a lot will change as far as the footballing landscape here is concerned.

In 1973, as a mere boy, I listened to the reports of our footballers as they courageously threw down the challenge to the world and were robbed of the opportunity to play in the World Cup finals for the first time.Five goals against hosts, Haiti. Four disallowed, only one counted and so we lost that game 1-2, and Haiti were the lone representatives from the region in Germany 1974. T&T second. It was so close and..oh well, yes, so far.In 1989. It was far more painful. We needed just one point from the USA in front of an overcrowded National Stadium and nothing was expected to stop us.

After all, we had drawn with our opponents in their own country so it was unlikely that they could stop us in front of the sea of red that was certain to intimidate them in T&T.Except, of course, that we needed to finish the 90 minutes on the field of play before the celebrations began. And we also needed to put some thought into how we were going to leave the National Stadium that afternoon with the one point with which we began the game. On both fronts, we failed miserably. Unlike 1974, it could hardly be so close and yet so far, instead it was the one we gave away.One would have thought, therefore that, those experiences would have taught us a thing or two.

In 1974 and 1990, it was raw talent on show. Our players did not have had the kind of preparations which some of the other teams did, nor did they have the international exposure or experience.Not so in 2001. Mssrs Yorke, Latapy, Hislop, Rougier, John, Andrews, Lawrence, Ince, Elcock and company have all graduated into the professional ranks.Football is now their life. They are expected to eat, breathe and sleep football. When Tobago-born Yorke played in 1989, he was living in Port-of-Spain, thanks to the generosity of Jack Warner. Today, he rates as high or perhaps higher than Warner, both in international stature and financially, such is the heights he has climbed.

But success has a price. And from my perspective, that price was effectively paid last week when despite all the talk about committed to T&T football, Yorke and Latapy - both present in Trinidad and conspicuous by their nightly rounds in the numerous clubs in the country - found a multitude of reasons why they could not be in Panama, preparing for Saturday's game against Honduras.Could they have done that in 1989? Obviously not! The Association as it was then would never have tolerated it. Coach Everald "Gally" Cummings would not have allowed it and perhaps more importantly Latapy and Yorke would never have thought of it. That is why Mssrs Warner, Camps, Simoes, Porterfield, Chance et al, must accept responsibility for what happens to the country's football in the next few days.

Their actions in reinstating the pair, were gutless and shows exactly where the balance of power is as far as this national team is concerned.To forgive is divine but forgiveness must be served only after a convincing outpouring that reflects remorse. And even then, one must understand that the penance must be an uncompromising commitment not to sin again.Given his track record, I'd be surprised if Yorke is capable of not making those same mistakes a second time. And what of reports of Latapy's threats to withdraw from the team in solidarity with Yorke?

Latapy must know that his actions over the past few weeks are being monitored by Celtic, with whom he is engage in negotiations, and any other club which his agent may be pursuing on his behalf.Perhaps he thinks that his actions as a T&T player would not affect these negotiations. In this day and age when information travels as quickly as it does and considering his age and the reasons why he was dismissed at Hibernian, he would do well to think again.Perhaps the real question to be asked from all that happened last week is: do these players feel that they have a responsibility to Trinidad and Tobago football?

And if so, what sacrifices are they prepared to make in the interest of the national effort.On the evidence of the past few days, one would have to conclude that they could not really be serious about getting T&T to Korea and Japan in 2002.As I see it, the most realistic opportunity for Trinidad and Tobago to reach a World Cup final in my lifetime, ended on Saturday because the main men who were expected to inspire our success, conspired by their actions to throw the whole campaign into a "dead mode."Is there room for revival? The results of today's game against the USA will certainly provide that answer.

Wednesday June 20th, 2001

By Irving Ward

NEWLY­appointed Trinidad and Tobago skipper Marvin Andrews and his teammates go into tonight's crucial World Cup qualifier against the United States knowing fully well that unless they get full points, they will have to pack their gear and look towards Germany in 2006. Indeed, tonight is put up or shut up for Andrews' men.After mustering only one point from its four games so far, the Soca Warriors must dig deep to pull off a desperately needed win.On the evidence of their latest outing against Honduras last Saturday, many will not give them a chance against an American team doing all the early running in the zonal playoffs.

Coach Ian Porterfield said that much has changed since the reinstatement of Dwight Yorke and Anthony Rougier against Honduras. The squad held a "gut check" meeting on Monday at their base at the Sheraton Hotel, airing their problems and sorting things out.But according to Porterfield there was a change in attitude and mood even before this. "Things are a lot better now. The lads have picked up. Training was a lot better yesterday and the mood was back again. Hopefully we can take that into the game."

However, it will take more than just team spirit to beat the Americans who have never lost at the Foxboro Stadium.
Porterfield accepts that it is a big match situation. "It would be nice to get the right result," he said."If we play the way I know we can, there's no reason why we can't do so."A good result is easier said than done for a T&T team that has had its confidence shattered in the past few weeks. Porterfield acknowledged this. "In this last phase, we are not as confident as we should be but we've got to try to win."

Porterfield said his team must overcome the good organisation expected from the home team and shut out playmaker Claudio Reyna. This suggests a 3-5-2 system. Porterfield will however be without Anthony Rougier who is on an automatic suspension after receiving two consecutive yellow cards. This will leave room for Avery John. Skipper Russell Latapy who missed the first half against Honduras may also be in the starting line-up while Angus Eve is back after suspension.

With Dennis Lawrence and Andrews at central defence and Ansil Elcock on the right flank, Porterfield's problems may be whether to bring in Shaka Hislop and if he should split the Stern John and Dwight Yorke combination which has proven ineffective so far.Technical director Rene Simoes was optimistic that the team meeting on Monday where Latapy took centre stage, could put the squad at ease.Simoes pointed out that it was the tension of the Yorke/Rougier situation that led to the disappointing effort against Honduras but insisted that today's effort would be improved."If we don't win, we die," he said "We must win, there's no choice."

Defender Anthony Rougier said last night that all is well in the Trinidad and Tobago camp going into today's crucial 2002 World Cup qualifying match against the United States.Speaking at the Sheraton Hotel, the Reading player was optimistic of T&T's chances."I'm not sure where everyone keeps getting the stories of a rift in the camp. We have always stuck together as a team and we will keep doing that even after losing to Honduras at home last Saturday.

It's unfortunate that we were not able to get the result that we were hoping for. But now is no time to dwell on that," said Rougier."I am confident of us getting the right result tomorrow. We know that things have not gone the way we wanted it to in our last few matches but we must prove that we are capable of going the distance," added Rougier.The former Hibernian winger even went as far as predicting a 3-1 scoreline in favour of the "Soca Warriors.

Liberty or death for Warriors

By LASANA LIBURD
From Foxboro

“IF WE don't win, it’s die.”

Brazilian Rene Simoes, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation’s technical director, was describing—in his broken English—the gravity of the situation facing the “Soca Warriors”.

Trinidad and Tobago challenge the US national team in a decisive 2002 World Cup qualifier from 7.30 this evening at Foxboro Stadium, Massachusetts.

And, after four qualifiers, the Warriors are already bordering on elimination with only a solitary point to show for their efforts.

National senior team coach Ian Porterfield, as usual, tried to put a brave face on the situation.

“Things are a lot better,” said the Scotsman yesterday. “...The mood is back again. Hopefully we can take that to the game tomorrow.”

His job is likely to depend on it.

On Sunday, Fifa vice-president and Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) adviser Jack Warner expressed dissatisfaction with the work of the technical staff after their 4-2 loss to Honduras at the Hasely Crawford Stadium last Saturday.

The suggestion from Concacaf’s most powerful official was that heads will soon roll.

Porterfield would not be drawn into comment on the situation, though, and preferred to focus only on the USA.

“Football coaches are always under pressure,” he said obscurely.

Still, this evening’s qualifier is as big as they come.

There has been some added excitement after the local weatherman predicted a thunderstorm which would disrupt the present sunny conditions.

The Warriors, at the bottom of the Concacaf six-team table, must beat the zone’s top team in their own backyard to preserve their qualifying ambitions—although a draw would not mean total disaster.

The US, though, have never lost to T&T in a competitive football match, save the Under-20 1991 World Cup qualifying series.

The winning goal then came from Jerren Nixon, whose eagerly anticipated return to national duty was dashed by a nagging groin injury.
But, while Nixon misses out, the talented Russell Latapy seems likely to get back into the starting line-up.

Latapy came off the bench to bag T&T’s first item against Honduras. However, Porterfield made a point of mentioning how sharp Latapy appeared in training and may decide to test his fitness over the 90-minute period.

There are likely to be more changes as well as the technical staff consider adjusting from a back four to the 3-5-2 system.

This, they believe, may offer more protection against the guile of US playmaker Claudio Reyna and his offensive wing backs.

Unlike Honduras, the US do not possess a dominant striker and rely more on collective play and tight defence. Simoes revealed that the Trinidad and Tobago technical staff had been working on its collective attitude as well.

On Monday night, they chaired a meeting with the players which allowed both parties to speak frankly about team affairs.

The dropping and re-instatement prior to the Honduras game of key players Dwight Yorke and Anthony Rougier was raised, as was the team selection.

Simoes said he was happy with the exercise.

“The spirit of the team is very strong again,” he said.

But, despite the positive words, it was frowns and drooping shoulders that were in evidence among players and technical staff.

Boston natives, on Monday, celebrated Bunker Hill Day in memory of the US Revolution that began there.

Less than an hour’s drive away, the Warriors are fully aware of the magnitude of the battle that awaits them.

Unconsciously, Simoes had already paraphrased from the great war cry of that 18th century battle— “Liberty or death!”

Tuesday June 19th, 2001

Alex McLeish has angrily hit out at sacked star Russell Latapy's claim that the Hibernian manager encouraged a drinking culture at the club.The Trinidad and Tobago striker was sensationally kicked out of Easter Road last month for missing training and drinking less than two days before a match, and accused his former club of having a drink culture.Latapy told a local newspaper on Sunday: "Me and my coach (McLeish) go out often when we have things to talk about. We drink and get high, all the other players drink heavily when they feel the need to."

The comments sparked an angry reaction from the Easter Road boss, who denied encouraging such behaviour.
According to a story on Sky Sports, McLeish stressed that he was not a fan of footballers and alcohol mixing.
"But players are adults and provided they restrict their consumption and keep it to the appropriate times I am okay with it."Latapy who is currently with the T&T national team in the United States was also linked to Celtic Rangers.
According to the report, Celtic boss Martin O'Neill was busy on the weekend going through the transfer market and has his eyes on the "Little Magician."

Latapy has been linked with a move to Celtic since his acrimonious axing by McLeish before the end of last season for breaking a club alcohol ban prior to the last Edinburgh Derby of the campaign.Bradford manager Jim Jefferies was the first to get in touch with agent Jim McArthur, but he believes the Trinidad and Tobago international has set his heart on a move to Parkhead.McArthur said: "Russell is basically away on international duty until July 3 and he will talk to Celtic when he comes back."

However Latapy, who would link up again with former Easter Road colleague Didier Agathe if he switches to Celtic seems to be top of their list.McArthur added: "There is nothing that Celtic can do at the minute but wait for him to return."Then Russell is free to talk to Celtic and if they want to sign him, he will join them. Jim Jefferies still wants him but I think Russell is holding out for a move to Celtic."Latapy has scored 29 goals in 98 appearances for Hibs since he arrived from the Caribbean in 1998.

Latapy annoys McLeish

By MARK POUCHET
Sports Desk

RUSSELL LATAPY'S former boss at Hibernian FC Alex McLeish reacted angrily to the Little Magician’s claims that the Scottish club and the league has “a drinking culture”.

The 32-year-old midfielder, whose contract with Hibs was terminated following a night out in Edinburgh with long-time pal Dwight Yorke, told the Sunday Express that McLeish often joined him out to “drink and get high”, adding that “all other players drink heavily when they feel to.”

In the Sunday Express interview, the former Porto player denied having an alcohol problem, responding “definitely not” to a direct question and adding that “for months” he had refrained from having a drop of alcohol.
The allegations by the Trinidad and Tobago skipper, whose team’s hope of qualifying for the 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup was seriously undermined after their 4-2 loss to Honduras over the weekend, were strongly challenged by McLeish and Hibs players in an Internet story.

“Russell is an experienced professional player,” McLeish said, “and he was well aware of the rules but chose to break two of the most important: he missed training before a vital game and he was out drinking less than 48 hours before a game.”

The Hibs boss explained that while Latapy accepted full responsibility for his wrongdoing in the drink driving matter, his statement now “is puzzling”.

“I am not a fan of footballers and alcohol mixing but players are adults,” McLeish stated, “and, provided they restrict their consumption and keep it to the appropriate times, I’m okay with it.”

He continued: “I have no problems with any other players at this club. But that is not some sort of carte blanche.”

Latapy’s contract was abruptly terminated shortly prior to the Scottish Cup final after he was found to have broken the club curfew of drinking within two days of a match.

The T&T skipper, currently in Foxboro, Massachusetts, for tomorrow’s World Cup qualifier against the United States, also found himself in some trouble before the Honduras encounter.

Latapy failed to turn up at a national training session and put his absence down to a mix-up in the times of the training sessions. The national captain had been spotted at a night club in the wee hours of the morning of the same day.

There was also controversy leading up to that game when his friend Yorke and Anthony Rougier, who had been cut from the roster for the Honduras match after missing the warm-up match against Panama, offered apologies to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation and were re-instated on the eve of the game.

Monday June 18th, 2001

Warner: Changes are coming

By IAN PRESCOTT

THERE IS to be a shake-up in the Trinidad and Tobago senior football team following Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier against the United States.

The changes come in the wake of last Saturday’s result when the Soca Warriors were beaten 4-2 by Honduras at the Hasely Crawford Stadium to remain at the bottom of the six-team Concacaf Zone standings with a single point, after three defeats (to Jamaica, Costa Rica and Honduras) and a one-all home draw (against Mexico).

Yesterday, Austin “Jack” Warner, FIFA vice-president and adviser to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF), told the Express that following discussions it was decided that changes have to be made.

Warner disclosed that a decision was taken after talks with T&TFF president Oliver Camps and the federation’s Brazilian technical director Rene Simoes.

“Whatever the results on Wednesday,” Warner said, “I assure you the changes shall be made.”

He described Trinidad and Tobago’s performance against Honduras as totally disappointing and added that they were also going to assess the commitment of some of the key players to the team.

Warner said the Hondurans gave a committed performance despite several factors acting negatively against them.

At one point, he said, the Hondurans could not even afford to travel to Trinidad and wanted the game postponed. It was only when their government provided a last-minute private charter flight that the Central Americans were able to come for the match.

Added to that, one of the journalists who travels with the Honduran footballers had a heart attack in their hotel on Friday and subsequently died.

Warner suggested that if anyone should have been under pressure, it would be the Hondurans.

He remarked that if Honduras—who Warner pointed out had finished last at the 2000 Gold Cup in the United States—could “embarrass” Trinidad and Tobago the way they did on Saturday, then “something was wrong” with the national team.

“We did well at the Copa Caribe, but this level of football is much higher than that,” stated Warner. “It is felt following the performance against Honduras that there are technical deficiencies within the team which must be addressed now.”

Warner stated that during the discussions with Simoes and Camps it was agreed that team selection was “puzzling” and “there appeared to be a total lack of tactical play”.

He said the recent recruitment of Simoes to coach the under-17 team in the build up to September’s FIFA Under-17 World Championship in Trinidad and Tobago augurs well for the future and that squad and the under-20 footballers would play a role in the “rebuilding process” of the senior team.

Warner said that young talent such as current national midfielder Brent Rahim will form the next team and it would be built around him and other youngsters.

Asked whether Simoes will take over from Ian Porterfield as coach of the Soca Warriors for the World Cup qualifying home game against Jamaica on June 30, Warner would only reply: “By Wednesday everyone will know what is being done.”

The national squad left Trinidad yesterday on their way to Foxboro Stadium, Massachusetts for Wednesday’s qualifier against zone leaders USA.

The time is right for Dwight

By LASANA LIBURD

WHETHER or not Dwight Yorke should be allowed to wear the Trinidad and Tobago strip has been open to debate of late.

The twin-island republic’s most successful footballer was a controversial inclusion in the “Soca Warriors” line-up against Honduras last Saturday, after being initially cut for missing a warm-up match against Panama the week before.

But an apparent indifference to friendly matches—the Panamanian tour was certainly not the first he turned down—may no longer be the only reason that his superiors are questioning his worth to the team.

Yorke’s returns for the Warriors, of late, have been inadequate at best, while his partnership with Nottingham Forest striker Stern John has fallen woefully short of expectations.

In five appearances this year, Yorke has failed to register an international goal and he managed just one shot on target from two qualifiers at home to Mexico and Honduras.

John’s late item in Saturday’s 4-2 defeat to Honduras at the Hasely Crawford Stadium was the first goal scored by either striker under coach Ian Porterfield while they both shared the pitch.

Porterfield first paired the talented front runners in last September’s 4-0 World Cup qualifying win against Canada, but it was Russell Latapy, Reynold Carrington, Stokely Mason and Angus Eve who got the goals on that occasion.

The two were equally ineffective against Jamaica, Mexico and for the 26 minutes they were on together against Costa Rica.

It is uncertain whether Porterfield would keep faith with the pair for Wednesday’s qualifier away to the United States at Foxboro Stadium, Massachusetts.

Although both are undoubtedly the country’s most talented forwards of the past decade, it is not inconceivable that the Scotsman would experiment up front with their toughest challenge awaiting.

Time is against him.

One point from their first four matches has left the Warriors gazing hopefully into pocket calculators. “Soca Worriers”, it would seem, is now a more appropriate sobriquet.

Trinidad and Tobago must win all three remaining home matches against Jamaica, Costa Rica and the United States, while also picking up four points on the road to have a chance at qualifying as the third-placed team in the Concacaf Zone.

There are just three away games—against the US, Mexico and Honduras—from which to secure those four points.

The Warriors play Mexico at Azteca Stadium, Mexico City, on September 5, just four days after a home qualifier against Costa Rica at sea level.

With no time to acclimatise to the high altitude, Fifa may as well award three points to “El Tricolor” and spare the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) the expense.

The match against the United States may therefore prove decisive.

Lanky T&T stopper Dennis Lawrence would be relieved to know that the “Yankees” do not possess a striker with the quality of Honduran David Suazo. Although US coach Bruce Arena is sure to consider allowing the speedy Cobi Jones, who is back from suspension, to run at the often sluggish Warriors backline.

But the visitors will need more than good fortune to penetrate the stingiest defence in the Concacaf region.

The Yanks have conceded just one goal in their last eight qualifiers—a long-range strike from Honduran midfielder Julio Cesar De Leon—and are unlikely to be bothered by the straightforward, post-up tactics employed by Yorke, and John, thus far.

It is time for Yorke, the £12.6 million man, to show his mettle.

Surely none can ignore the evidence of 40-plus goals on Europe’s grandest stage with Manchester United in the 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 seasons.

Few would have harboured the thought of the talented striker shirking his responsibility when, as a precocious teenager, he led the “Soca Babes” to the 1991 Fifa World Youth Cup in Portugal.

But the goals have not come regularly for Yorke in the red, white and black strip since then.

The late 80s and early 90s were dominated by leading national goalscorer Leonson Lewis.

Latapy’s midfield genius commandeered the mid-90s, while the explosive marksmanship of John characterised local football at the turn of the century.

Yorke must show his class now.

The British tabloids cooed about the Tobagonian striker who played with a smile on his face and scored goals for fun.

The proof would be in the bulging of the net. And Foxboro Stadium is as good as any place to start.

By Irving Ward

TRINIDAD and Tobago skipper Russell Latapy is refusing to throw in the 2002 World Cup towel.
T&T suffered a near fatal blow to its World Cup hopes on Saturday after a stunning 4-2 loss to Honduras at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

With one point from four matches, T&T must now win its remaining six encounters and hope for a combination of poor results from the front-runners and luck, including the USA (10 pts), Costa Rica (7 pts), Honduras and Jamaica, both with five points, to steal a berth.

However, the "Little Magician" says that this only means the hurdle is a bit higher.
"Things have just gotten difficult for us now," Latapy said after Saturday's loss.

"The results in the other two matches today went well for us, but we didn't take advantage of it. Now we have to pick ourselves up again and go into the next match against the US. It's a long road to go now but we must believe that we can still do it."

Latapy was left out of the starting line-up for Saturday's match with coach Ian Porterfield, now under fire from the public and T&TFF alike, choosing instead to entrust Arnold Dwarika with the responsibility of building the plays.
The move failed miserably but Porterfield, who revealed afterwards that Latapy's poor fitness was what led to the decision, only brought on the Little Magician in the 53rd minute.

Still, Latapy managed to score the team's opening goal three minutes after coming on. And while it was clear that he was not up to his full fitness level, he made a big difference during his appearance.

England-based striker Stern John meanwhile, admitted that he let his fans down by not converting the many chances he had in the game.

The Nottingham Forest marksman, who did manage to find the target in the closing stages of the game, was far from his usual optimistic self at the end of the match.

But he too admitted that the team owed it to the country to give a better performance against the United States.
"I really must say that even though it was a tough match for us, we had the chances to score and I for one should have done better," John said.

"We know we have disappointed the fans who turned up at the Stadium to watch us play. Now we have to go and take the game to the US. We must give everything in this game."
John also felt Latapy should have started the match.

"It (his absence) showed that we needed someone like Russell to serve the ball to us. Even if he's not fully fit, Russell is capable of doing something which we missed in the first half.

"He always brings something to the team. But it's no sense pointing fingers at anyone. We have to get on with things now." John will be very familiar with the Foxboro Stadium, having scored there several times during his Major League Soccer career with the Columbus Crew. And he will be looking to reproduce that form on Wednesday.
T&T squad: Clayton Ince, Shaka Hislop, Marvin Andrews, Dennis Lawrence, Anthony Rougier, Ansil Elcock, Avery John, Dale Saunders, Reynold Carrington, Arnold Dwarika, Russell Latapy, Brent Rahim, Carlos Edwards, Mickey Trotman, Lyndon Andrews, Nigel Pierre, Stern John, Dwight Yorke.

By RICHARD LORD

Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Manohar Ramsaran, is standing firmly behind Scotland-born Trinidad and Tobago senior football coach, Ian Porterfield.

Many fans have been calling for Porterfield's dismissal following Trinidad and Tobago's humiliating 4-2 World Cup qualifying loss to Honduras at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Saturday.

Admitting that he too was disappointed over the result, Ramsaran stressed that all was not lost for Trinidad and Tobago.

"Now is not the time to take decisions and we have to be careful of (making) judgments," Ramsaran said yesterday.
Responding specifically to calls for Porterfield's sacking, Ramsaran said: "We shouldn't react in a panic situation. Who could we put? What could he bring?

"No matter which coach we have, the (T&T) style will be the same. I think changing the coach at this time (with six games still to be played) will do more harm than good."

He also dismissed a suggestion that T&T would have won Saturday's game if it was played at the Queen's Park Oval.
In fact, Ramsaran said he felt the major problem facing the national team maybe a psychological one.
Pointing out that the players must start believing in themselves, Ramsaran added: "That's all that is missing."
He also expressed confidence that T&T would achieve something positive in the next game against the United States, noting "mathematically all is not lost."

The minister said T&T's defeat was the result of the key players not playing to their fullest ability. He said, though, that those players could not have been dropped because they were the stars of the team.

by Irving Ward

TRINIDAD and Tobago coach Ian Porterfield's days are now numbered.
Indeed, the Scotsman's tenure at the helm of the 2002 World Cup team may not last past Wednesday's fifth round qualifier against the United States in Boston.

And recently appointed Brazilian Technical Director, Professor Rene Simoes, seems to be the man who will be given the responsibility to chart the team's future.

But Porterfield's job will not be the only one in jeopardy.

The future careers of the top stars, including Russell Latapy and Dwight Yorke, may also be on the line as focus will shift on developing the younger players.

This was the word from Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation advisor and FIFA vice-president Jack Austin Warner during a telephone interview yesterday.

Still upset following what he called a humiliating 4-2 loss to Honduras, a team he considered to be one of the weakest in the CONCACAF region, Warner - while not definitively calling names - certainly forecasted the end of Porterfield yesterday evening.
"Mark my words, major changes are coming," an emotional Warner said.

"I am saying, for me, enough is enough. I have told them (TTFF) that come what may changes must come, not so much to qualify, because the more we play, it seems the less our chances are.

"While I wouldn't write off our chances, I have to be realistic and I suspect our chances now are remote at best."
The result, more or less ended T&T's hopes of advancing to next year's World Cup Finals in Japan and Korea.

With one point from four matches, T&T must now win its remaining six matches and hope for a combination of poor results from the front-runners, including the USA (10 pts), Costa Rica (7 pts), Honduras and Jamaica, both with five points, to steal a berth.

This is not the first time Porterfield's job has been on the line. There had been calls for his head after T&T lost its opening final round matches to Jamaica (1-0) and Costa Rica (3-0) earlier this year.

But this only prompted the TTFF to bring in Simoes, who is also at the helm of the Under-17 team, to help the Scotsman from the sidelines.

Now though, Warner seems ready to throw in the towel and focus farther ahead than next year.
"We must now begin to restructure our football," Warner said.

"As far as it seems, the present crop of players' commitment and attitude are not what it should be and we must now give other young players the chance."
Noting that this was his own opinion for now, Warner said he would be taking this recommendation to TTFF president Oliver Camps and his executive.

However, Camps had said before that he and Warner often share the same view on football, making any advice given almost sure to be adopted.

While stopping short at saying exactly who would be on the way out Warner let the cat out of the bag when he said: "That is why (Rene) Simoes is here. We have Simoes and three Brazilian assistant coaches and I will be talking to him about developing a future plan with specific focus now on our Under-17s and Under-21s."

Pointing out that he had also already pumped some TT$14 million into the campaign, Warner said it was time to cut his loses.
"You spend $14m to get one point, I wonder if I need two (points)," he asked out loud?

"I am not bitter, but I am now more at piece with myself because ... I have learned that whenever you feel that you have fallen on your face the time has come to pick yourself up and enter another race."
Contacted yesterday, Camps opted not to "pre-empt" any decision on Porterfield's future.

However, he noted, it was felt that they should delay any decision until after the US game as it could "disrupt the operation" of the team, which left here yesterday for Boston.
Camps too, could not hide his disappointment.

"All of us have been very disappointed. We expected much better," Camps said.
"I am sure that the entire population must be totally confused as to what has taken place. I certainly did not expect a result like this. But we cannot just lie down and die because there are still six matches to play and we must move on."
He added: "We cannot give the team the impression that all is lost. When you have these adversities, you have to get stronger and build up team morale to try and face the next opponent."

Camps also admitted the controversy surrounding the dropping and re-instatement of Yorke and Anthony Rougier must have also affected the team.

"It would be foolish to think that it (decision) did not have any effect on the team. That was very unfortunate but unavoidable. But we must know now that something is wrong and try to get better prepared for next match."

STAND-IN Trinidad and Tobago skipper Marvin Andrews and his teammates strode into the Hasely Crawford Stadium yesterday, it would seem, in a daze following a tumultuous 72 hours.

Shaken to the core in the build-up to the crucial clash, after the dropping and re-instatement of teammates Dwight Yorke and Anthony Rougier, T&T's 2002 World Cup dream was all but put to bed after a 4-2 spanking by Honduras.

With CONCACAF Zone leaders United States, Costa Rica and Jamaica all achieving positive results, the Gods will have to smile considerably on T&T now for it to achieve its goal of reaching a first-ever World Cup Finals.

The US - which drew 0-0 with Jamaica - now has 10 points, while Costa Rica jumped to seven following a stunning 2-1 victory over Mexico. Honduras and Jamaica, with five points each, are next, while Mexico has four with T&T still languishing at the bottom on a single point.

There are still those who will argue that skipper designate Russell Latapy's men still have a mathematical chance of reaching Japan and Korea next year.

Yet, it is unlikely that any of the meagre 8,000 fans who turned up at the Stadium yesterday - save the diehards -will bet in favour of a T&T recovery.

Already weakened by the absence of the suspended Angus Eve, absent Ronnie Mauge and injured Jerren Nixon, T&T coach Ian Porterfield also surprisingly decided to go without the inspirational Latapy - due to fitness fears - and experienced England-based goalie Shaka Hislop.
But the men given the responsibility to drive the team forward in midfield, Arnold Dwarika and Reynold Carrington, simply did not spark at all.

Indeed, apart from Mickey Trotman's early close range drive, which was well saved by Honduras keeper Noel Valladares, T&T was mostly under siege by a hungrier and fitter Honduras side in the first half.
The man leading the Honduras charge was speedy David Suazo, who made the T&T defence look leaden-footed whenever he approached the penalty area.

He was responsible for setting up the first goal, forcing defender Dennis Lawrence to bring him down in the penalty area in the 13th minute, after he had run almost the entire length of the field in a swift counter-attack.
Skipper Carlos Pavon then easily beat T&T keeper, Clayton Ince, to the delight of a handful of Honduras supporters.
Pavon was also at the heart of the move which put his team 2-0 up in the 22nd minute. The burly striker sent a neat through ball to teammate Danilo Turcios just outside the penalty area and he shot past an advancing Ince.
After that, the Honduran onslaught was well and truly on.

Porterfield switched to a 3-5-2 system for the second half to counter the opposition's speed. He also brought in Dale Saunders for Anthony Rougier, who had a disappointing game, and Latapy, eight minutes after the resumption.
But it would be Honduran substitute Rony Morales who would strike the most telling blow. He put his side 3-0 up in the 54th minute with a well- placed, long-range right-footer from just outside the penalty area after yet another swift counter-attack.

Latapy then produced his only piece of magic, slotting a loose ball ,which came to him off Stern John, past keeper Valladares to reduce the deficit to 3-1.

But there would be no comeback for T&T, as Amado Guevara restored the Honduran advantage from the penalty spot two minutes from the end, after Suazo was again brought down, this time by Ince, before Stern John got a consolation item in injury time.

Yorke: It’s all rubbish

FOR star footballers Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy, the struggle for privacy dominates their lives. 

Recent events in their professional lives have kept them in the news: Yorke and his fallout and restoration with the local football federation, the T&TFF; and Latapy’s fall from grace with Scottish club, Hibernian. But the two UK-based footballers appeared more concerned with the constant focus on their private lives by the media.

Yorke and Latapy were training at the National Stadium on Friday with the national team in the final warm-up game in preparation for yesterday’s big match against Honduras.

The long time friends, who have stayed close through their sporting careers, told the Sunday Express they were fed up of media interference into their lives off the playing field.

“It is just so tiring and frustrating,” Yorke lamented in-between signing autographs and accepting handshakes from fans observing the training session.

Even as he agreed that as role models, they have an important part to play, Yorke maintained that whatever they did as private individuals was their business. The Manchester United striker said the media should limit the constant probes into their private life. Both he and Latapy insisted their behaviour off the football field was nobody’s concern. 

They also cautioned that the local press be wary of reprinting foreign reports as many were distortions. 

Yorke, whose affairs and romantic romps fuel much of the British tabloid press, said he would have enjoyed coming home to a less prying media. He was particularly peeved at the perception that he only dated caucasian women, and the speculation that every woman he is seen out with is considered his latest lover.

“It’s all rubbish, just rubbish,” he says in his British accent, of the many stories carried in the press linking him to busty models.

“I don’t bother to read, I don’t read any newspaper any more. I just don’t care about what they write because it is untrue.”

Yorke explained that as a rule he never discusses his private life.

“My life, with or without women, I have never discussed with members of the media,” he says, so that unless there is claim to an interview being

exclusive, the details of the story are not necessarily true.

On his perceived preference for blondes, Yorke says he has no rules when it comes to dating.

“...Whether I want to date a Chinese, black, white or Indian woman, it’s nobody’s concern.”

The Soca Warriors’ leading striker feels that as a single man, he could do as he chooses.

“I am a young bachelor. I am free to do whatever I want, see whatever type of woman I like. What rules are there against that?”

Saying that he refused to be stereotyped in his taste for women, Yorke, who has even ignored admonitions to settle down from Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, said he has no intention of changing his lifestyle.

“I am far way from thinking of settling with any particular woman,” he said, identifying his only preoccupation as his work and ability on the football field.

“I play hard all round, yeah, but my real challenge is out there on the football field when I’m in the games. It’s all that matters.”

The last few days in Trinidad and Tobago have been rough, he said, given the breakdown in relations between himself and the T&TFF administrators, so the last thing he needed was to read about his escapades.

“I would really like to be free at least when I’m here,” he said.

Despite reports of his escapades, Yorke admitted to having a deep and special connection with a local girl, ironically a former journalist.

“She is truly special and I respect her a lot.” And, he said, his secret love is black and beautiful. 

“She is as special as they come ...They don’t make them like her anymore.”

Honduras hit T&T hard

By LASANA LIBURD

THE script called for them to win their home games but the Trinidad and Tobago national football team suffered a devastating blow in their 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign yesterday afternoon. The Soca Warriors fell 4-2 to Honduras at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain.

And the defeat by the visiting “Catrachos” was achieved rather more easily than the scoreline might suggest. Honduras now lie in third spot on the six-team Concacaf table with four remaining home matches.

The “Soca Warriors”, on the other hand, need a miraculous turnaround if they are to stand any chance of earning a berth in the 2002 World Cup, to be jointly hosted by Korea and Japan.

There is still a mathematical chance, though, if coach Ian Porterfield can inspire his troops to an away win and consecutive home victories over Jamaica, Costa Rica and the United States.

But on the evidence of yesterday, it is difficult to believe that either the Scottish coach or his men are up to such a task.

After being initially cut from the squad by the technical director René Simoes, Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke had promised, in the pre-game build-up, to let his feet do the talking.

He did not say much in yesterday’s match, though, managing just one shot which rolled wide to the right of the Honduran upright.

Teammate Anthony Rougier, who—like Yorke—had talked his way out of trouble with the technical staff, was no more voluble and was justifiably replaced at the interval.

A few sublime touches from talismanic midfielder Russell Latapy was as good as it got for the hosts.

Relegated to the substitutes’ bench—as was West Ham custodian Shaka Hislop—for the first half, Latapy again confounded his critics by effortlessly shrugging off the rust of over four weeks of inactivity.

The Warriors’ first meaningful shot on target came within seconds of his entrance.

Nottingham Forest striker Stern John suddenly realised there was a game to be won and let fly a blistering right-footer. Custodian Noel Valladares’s desperate block seemed to have more to do with self-preservation than the three points up for grabs.

Ironically, it was the Hondurans who benefitted from their opponents’ attack. They scored a splendid goal on the break through substitute, Rony Morales, in the 54th minute.

But two minutes later, Latapy answered with a composed finish from the edge of the area after some good approach work from Brent Rahim on the left flank.

For the next ten minutes, the small crowd of just under 5,000 patrons willed on their team who seemed to have grown in confidence.

But sent clear by teammate Arnold Dwarika in the 60th minute, John failed to keep his shot down.

Four minutes later, an ambitious effort from Mickey Trotman deflected off the wrong side of the upright after a well worked one-two with Latapy.

But it was a case of showing up at the terminus after the bus had departed. And there were only smiling Honduran faces on board.

Employing a delightful mixture of pace and creativity, the Hondurans were clearly the better prepared team in what began as a bottom of the table clash.

They needed barely ten minutes to show who were the better side. A wayward Rahim pass was picked off by Honduran skipper Carlos Pavón who sent the impressive David Suazo clear only for his shot to flash past the far post, goalkeeper Clayton Ince’s defence left to resemble mere spectators in the play.

It would be a recurring theme during the match.

Suazo, who scored four times in the 2000 Olympic Games, has made just 11 senior team appearances owing to a relentless tug-of-war between Italian Serie B team Cagliari and national coach Ramón Maradiaga.

For almost 90 minutes, the T&T defence struggled to get near the speedy, skilful forward—and rarely managed to stop him.

His pace won two penalties from sweeper Dennis Lawrence and Ince respectively which were converted by Pavón in the 13th minute and playmaker Amado Guevara in the 89th.

Suazo was also instrumental in Morales’s item, early in the second half, after another incisive Honduran counter-attack.

But while his direct approach—which has earned him comparisons with Brazilian superstar Ronaldo—regularly unsettled the T&T backline, the guile of Guevara was equally effective.

Guevara’s slipped pass for midfielder Danilo Turcios in the 22nd minute was worth at least half of his goal.

His partnership with José Luis “Thin Man” Piñeda in the midfield was irresistible and, for once, left Reynold Carrington looking woefully out of his depth.

Still, it was substitute Morales who had the visitors’ best move with just his second touch of the game.

One flick of the left boot created the necessary space, the other sent the ball crashing past Ince at his far post for a then three-nil advantage.

John managed his first goal of the qualifying campaign in stoppage time after a Dwarika through pass but it was too late to save the match.

The technical staff failed to turn up for the scheduled post-game media conference to discuss it but, obviously, a whole lot more is now needed to save the Warriors’ faltering campaign as well.

Latapy: Leave me to 
enjoy my game

SOCA Warriors captain, Russell Latapy, whose playing off the field is yet to gain as much ground as his pal Dwight Yorke’s reputation, is concerned about the lack of appreciation for professional football on and off the field.

Latapy said his troubles with his Scottish team Hibernian, were generally misunderstood by the local media and football fans.

The former Hibernian midfielder said it appeared that not even fans close to him understood the intricacies of his supposed “let-down.”

Many, he noted, preferred to focus on his run-in with alcohol a few weeks ago which resulted in him parting ways with his club.

Saying he was saddened that even seasoned sportswriters did not appear to grasp the factors at play and all the issues surrounding his dismissal, Latapy explained that his decision not to sign a new contract with the team led to him being somewhat victimised. Had the local press not spent so much time trying to build a case against him as an alcoholic, he said, they would have learnt that it is common for sportsmen in the UK to drink large quantities of alcohol.

Latapy told the Sunday Express, “it was not uncommon for any professional footballer in the UK to be high on alcohol while off the field.”

All his Hibernian teammates drink heavily socially; and, he added, both he and his former manager Alex McLeish, had often gone out for drinks while discussing the game.

“Me and my coach go out often when we have things to talk about. We drink and get high ...all other players drink heavily when they feel to.”

Did he feel he had a drinking problem? 

“Definitely not,” he said. “I tell you drinking is like nothing among teams”.

He told the Sunday Express that while headlines here lamented his drinking, there were months when he refrained from “even a drop of rum.”

“All I have ever wanted to do for all my life was play football. I am doing that now and would like to be left alone to enjoy my game and myself when and how I want to.”

He insisted, for example, that the women who were with him and Yorke in the well publicised drinking and driving incident in Scotland were simply two friends. Latapy, who has a six-year-old son with a Portuguese woman, added that he was a responsible individual with goals and dreams like anyone else. But like any other young, unmarried man, he lusts after his freedom and wants to savour life with passion. He said that in due course he would change certain things in his private life but that would remain a private matter. 

The Sunday Express understands this involves his present companion, whom Latapy says he wants to treat fairly and with respect... the kind of treatment, he said, he hoped to receive from the media someday.

DESPITE yet another disappointing loss, Trinidad and Tobago coach, Ian Porterfield, still believes that this country has a chance of qualifying for next year's World Cup Finals in Japan/Korea.

Desperately needing a win to keep its already floundering hopes alive, T&T was dealt a damaging 4-2 defeat by the visiting Honduras at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, yesterday.

The defeat left T&T anchored at the bottom of the CONCACAF Zone table with one point from four games and a big game against leaders United States, which drew 0-0 with Jamaica yesterday, on Wednesday in Boston, USA.
The USA moved to 10 points while Costa Rica (7 pts) jumped into second after stunning Mexico 2-1 at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Jamaica and Honduras are now tied on five points each while Mexico is next with four.
It will, therefore, take a Herculean effort for T&T to turn its fortunes around.
But Porterfield seems to think there is still a chance.

"I am sure we still have a chance," Porterfield said after being caught outside the players' dressing room, the technical staff having avoided reporters by not turning up for the customary post-match conference.

"We need to pick up ourselves again and try to perform well in Boston," added Porterfield, whose side leaves this morning for Boston to prepare for the USA clash.

However, the gloom which existed was easily seen as several players and members of technical staff wore long faces.
Porterfield readily admitted things did not go as planned.

"Unfortunately it wasn't our day, although we created at least three or four scoring chances. It was really sad to see the way we played, " Porterfield said.
"But all credit must go to Honduras which is a useful team."

Asked why skipper Russell Latapy was left out of the starting line-up, Porterfield said: "Russell did not train very much and is still not fit.

"It was an up-hill battle when he came on as we had to come from three goals down."

Latapy was introduced in the game by Porterfield in the 53rd minute and his arrival injected some life into his troops. In fact, he also scored the first of T&T's goals three minues after entering the match.

Newly-appointed Technical Director, Brazilian Rene Simoes, also said the defeat will make it harder for T&T to qualify.

"The loss has made life a little more complicated. But it is still possible that we can qualify," he said.

Afterwards, as the disappointed T&T team made its way to the bus to take them back to the Emerald Hotel in St Augustine, forward Stern John was the only one to swallow his pride and make a comment on the telling defeat.
"We wanted someone who could serve the ball to us properly and this is where we missed Russell in the first half," said the English-based striker, who scored the second goal in injury time when the Hondurans were already assured of victory.

Saturday June 16th, 2001