TT CAN SHOCK ENGLAND

A victory over England, no matter how bare the margin, will, even as it shocks that country and the world, do a lot for the nation’s psyche, in much the same manner that the first West Indies defeat of England in a Test match, decades ago, provided the entire English speaking Region with a needed psychological lift.

The importance of holding highly ranked Sweden to a draw, while an achievement for a nation making its World Cup debut, lies in its being a statement that Trinidad and Tobago had both the will and potential, not simply to challenge the British Raj, but to defeat the English at their favourite game. Last Saturday’s tacit humbling of Sweden was the result of a blend of coach Leo Beenhakker’s direction and strategy; goal keeper Shaka Hislop’s competence; skipper Dwight Yorke’s generalship and the undoubted skill and determination of the entire Trinbagonian team.

Beginning with TT’s captain, Yorke, who played with distinction for Aston Villa and Manchester United, the Trinidad and Tobago football team all benefited from the training and exposure received playing on contract for English, Scottish, Welsh and other European and well positioned clubs.

Their natural ability was not enough, indeed at best can only have been considered the primary as well as secondary stage.

They reached tertiary level, however, as individual members of the several foreign teams which had signed them up and for which they ran onto the playing fields of Europe.

It was an opportunity to play with and against the world’s best or near best, under the severe watchful eyes of their coaches, matching skills in a continuous learning process that would take them and their country to the World Cup, and last Saturday’s magnificent draw against Sweden. But as crucial to Trinidad and Tobago as was the holding of Sweden to a goalless draw, tomorrow’s match will, in a deep rooted sense, be the match of matches.

A victory over England will represent a victory of one time colonials over their former colonial masters although, admittedly, not in a hostile sense.

Indeed it will be shorn of all bitterness, but like the Scots who today root for this country the intent and the message will be there.

Meanwhile, should Trinidad and Tobago stumble on the road to an outright defeat of England, then even a draw against that country tomorrow will be viewed as a moral victory for the Soca Warriors and the nation as well. But, win or draw, it will not be enough for us merely to applaud. Citizens will have to urge on this and succeeding administrations for expanded expenditure on all areas of sports training. Optimum use will have to be made of the stadium project at Tarouba whose broad based facilities will represent a reaching out to the nation’s young and an effective decentralisation of sport.

Today, the major sporting facilities are literally concentrated in Port-of-Spain, and soon with Tarouba there will no longer be the patronising references to Skinner Park and Guaracara.

But I have strayed.

The draw with Sweden is worth tens of millions of dollars in marketing.

And while it is necessary to stress the country’s tourism potential, if only because of the employment which can be generated, nonetheless it is crucial to Trinidad and Tobago’s larger economic interests that we promote the industrial development aspect and market as well the idea of this country as the planned financial centre of the Region.

We must take advantage of the world’s focus on Trinidad and Tobago’s draw with Sweden and its possibilities against England and, ipso facto, in the World Cup per se.

Our planners should seek to translate this focus as a point in the nation’s history marking the transition of Trinidad and Tobago into a truly industrialised nation.

Tomorrow, we meet — Trinidad and Tobago and England — on a “battlefield” of the World Cup “football war.”

Our strategists, skipper Yorke, and our key players, indeed all of our team, should seek to exploit the laid back attitude of England’s football play.

We must win or draw. Victory, yes, but either will advance us in the World Cup, particularly if we should beat Paraguay on Tuesday, and either will be a powerful marketing tool.