Warriors doing their homework

The teams meet in Panama City on October 8, with TT hosting Mexico four days later at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.

Beenhakker was speaking at a media briefing at the 2006 Local Organising Committee (LOC) Office, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain yesterday.

From the outset, the Dutch-born coach said: "We invited 21 players for the two matches, we planned the whole preparation, we saw all the DVDs and videos available from our opponents.

"We did our homework," he added. "With all the players that are playing this weekend are coming (back) without any injuries, that’s an important part and, besides that, we know what we have to do. "In relation to the Panama match, we need two things, that Mexico is doing their thing (against Guatemala on October 8) and we have to win in Panama of course."

The Warriors will converge in Panama on Monday for a week-long camp ahead of next Saturday’s battle. As far as tactics are concerned, Beenhakker emphasised, "apart from all the training sessions we (have) next week in Panama, I think the main message from when we are together (on) Monday night is, more than ever, we have to play our own match.

"Up to now, I cannot say that in the away matches we had, with Mexico, USA and Costa Rica, that the team has not (done) anything to try to get a positive result," he noted.

"But, in our opinion, there is too much difference between the home matches we have played until now with Panama and Guatemala and the matches we play away."

Focussing on the team’s mental approach, Beenhakker suggested, "We need a different attitude.

"We have to make it, from the beginning, our game," he emphasised. "Normally, until now, the difference is, in general, when we play an away match, the opponent is playing and we are reacting to our opponents.

"On the other side, the two matches we play at home (Panama and Guatemala), we were able to get, from the beginning, the match in our hands.

The coach continued, "(it will require) a certain mental change of the players but, more than ever, they have to play their own game in Panama.

"From the first moment, it has to be our game and then we’ll know, based on what we saw earlier in the Panama game here, and also in the Gold Cup, it will be an open game and we can handle them. I think that’s the most important part.

"So we need a victory of Mexico (against Guatemala) to help and support us (but) the main thing is for us to do our own job and coming back from Panama with a victory."

While he is pleased that Kenwyne Jones was able to return from a recent ankle injury, Beenhakker stressed that he will be taking a close look at the players involved in matches this weekend.