Footballers get run of Oval

TRINIDAD and Tobagos footballers have begun serious preparations for their World Cup qualifier on Ash Wednesday with the United States at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain. The footballers were engaged in an intense two and a half-hour training session in sweltering heat yesterday under coach Bertille st Clair and his assistant David Nakhid. St Clair began proceedings with a “team talk” ahead of the practical work which saw assistant Nakhid working specifically with the midfielders and defenders. St Clair concentrated on “finishing” with the strikers.

The squad was mostly made up of locally-based players including defenders Anton Pierre and Marlon Rojas — two of the more improved players —  interim captain Derek King, midfielder Densil Theobald, Angus Eve,  Kerry Baptiste, Stephen Cruickshank, Michael Celestine, Conrad Smith, Duarance and Jan Michael Williams. US-based players Cornell Glen, Avery John, Leslie Fitzpatrick and Gary Glasgow were also present. Pierre of Defence Force felt the session went well particularly as the team is now getting to train on the Oval surface. Putting his personal game in order is also his main objective. “The session went pretty decent. It was tough out there in the sun but it’s similar conditions to what we will be playing in on Ash Wednesday and the coach is rightly trying to ensure that we get it all right for the big day,” Pierre said.

“I’m not going to get too confident but I think I can safely say that I am feeling better these days and hopefully I can make a valuable contribution to the team in the matches to come,” he said. Assistant coach Nakhid said he was impressed with the players at the session. “It was an excellent session and I was very impressed with the attitude of the players. The commitment is there which is important because that shows that everyone wants to be a part of it,” Nakhid said. “The conditions were suitable as well and we were able to work on fitness and different segments of the team from midfielder to defence and attack,” the former national captain said.

He said he was happy to be able to work closer with some of the players with fellow assistant Ron La Forest nearby. “It was good to be involved in this regard and generally it is good for the team with a specialised sort of training. We were able to have a look at the Oval because I know this venue well but some of the present players may not and it is important that we get accustomed to it. We will not take long to adapt to it,” Nakhid said. Meanwhile, former Joe Public defender Keyeno Thomas has recovered from a hamstring strain and will rejoin the team in training today at the same venue. TT take on Haiti in the first of two friendlies next Tuesday from 3.30 pm. The teams will meet again at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on February 3 from 6 pm.