Hockey boss says door open to Browne

Yesterday, Trinidad and Tobago Hockey Board (TTHB) president Maureen Craig Rousseau cleared the air on the ongoing impasse, saying her board stands for principle and therefore attempts are being made to have the best team to represent TT next year.

Contrary to earlier reports, Craig Rousseau said all players, local and overseas, were invited to join a squad of 36 for the World Cup including the equally talented Queen’s Park stickman Raphael Govia.

She made it clear, however, that Browne was disappointed with the omission of goalkeeper Glen “Fido” Francis from the team, and has decided he will not play.

According to Craig-Rousseau, Browne who received his schooling and played club hockey in England was used as a link to get players up on contracts and scholarships in the European country.

She said Browne would have regular conversations with national coach David Francois, who is the only Caribbean man to have received an FIH certificate in coaching.

“A relationship developed between Browne, who is considered one of the country’s better players, and was at times asked for his advice on certain hockey issues,” Craig Rousseau said.

But she explained, that because of the refusal of Browne to accept the omission of Francis from the national team, he decided not to play.

Craig Rousseau said the board had realised that Francis could now have been used in a coaching capacity, as he was past his best.

She noted that the board had also sent Francis on coaching courses in a move to recruit him as a national coach.

Meanwhile, Govia also decided to withhold his services to the country once Browne was not on the team.

Rousseau said that the board has called a weekend camp for the national players starting today at the Eastern Regional Indoor Facility in Tacarigua and all players have been invited to attend.

She claims that the two-day camp will be conducted by Dutch coach Eric Verboom, and is aimed at assisting the country’s preparation for the Pan American Games in Brazil in 2007.

The coach she said has been sent by the world governing body for hockey FIH, who is hoping to help beef up the country’s preparation for the Olympics in 2008.