Warriors play in Austria today

AUSTRIANS will get a little more than the chance to see the Trinidad and Tobago World Cup squad in training after a decision was taken to allow the public to watch today’s training match against champion club Austria Vienna. The match, originally carded as a closed doors affair at the Thermen Arena will now be open for a small admission fee from 5.30 pm (11.30am TT time).

Media from Germany and England were happy to learn yesterday that they will have access to the match which will allow Leo Beenhakker to use all of his players as he indicated on the weekend in the team’s first outing since leaving Trinidad and Tobago a couple weekends ago.

Beenhakker did emphasise that the match is a training exercise and will be treated that way before the first official international against Wales on Saturday in Graz. The Dutchman will allow each player to at least play 45 minutes today against a Vienna team which will be minus some of their first team players who are coming off a championship winning season.

On the eve of the encounter, two full sessions were conducted under cool conditions described as perfect for preparations by skipper Dwight Yorke. The general mood in camp was upbeat as the players were able to build a good sweat out on the pitch before recovering in the sauna at the Hotel Im Park.

It was big news yesterday that seven teams participating in the 2006 World Cup have chosen Austria for training camps before the tournament.

The Soca warriors’ Group “B” opponents Paraguay, Czech Republic, who will meet TT in a friendly on June 3, Croatia, Serbia and Monte-negro, Ghana and Saudia Arabia have selected Austria, which neighbours Germany, to prepare and adapt to the climate and time difference.

Paraguay are based in Flachau and they will play Georgia in Dornbim on May 31; the Czech and Saudi Arabia teams are based in Seefeld; Ghana are located in Seeboden; and Serbia and Montenegro will arrive in Velden an Wirthsee at the end of May.

The seven countries including TT are scheduled to play a total of eight training matches here.

Kian Walizabeh, the TT Team Liaison Officer attached to the Styria International Football Camp said that the people of Bad Radkersburg have been thrilled to host the Soca Warriors in the lead up to the World Cup.

The Styria camp, which is employ-ed by the Styrian Government, stages training camps for visiting teams in twelve locations throughout Austria.

Walizabeh himself has worked with Real Madrid, Arsenal, AS Roma, Everton, Glasgow Rangers and Celtic.

“We feel very happy and proud especially that our target was to get such an exciting team like Trinidad and Tobago here,” Walizabeh said yesterday.

“They are an eye-catcher at the World Cup. They are the underdogs but we realise a lot of the media is interested in Trinidad and it has been positive news all around. We felt Beenhakker’s selection of this venue was excellent because we have realised the players are happy here and they are also enjoying riding to the training grounds and the facilities here are of a high standard,” he said.

Meantime, Wales will arrive in Graz on Thursday following their 1-0 win over a Basque XI on Sunday courtesy of a 75th minute goal by skipper Ryan Giggs. Manager John Toshack said the result was a good one for his team ahead of the match up with TT.

Saturday’s match which kicks off at 6.15 pm (12.15pm TT time) will be shown live on BBC.