Saintfiet wants players with ‘right attitude’

“I will always consider every player with a Trinidad and Tobago passport but I will always take into account what is the attitude of a player so players who show a negative attitude, they have to be double as good and prove that they have the right attitude to come back because we don’t win football matches with quality but we win football matches with commitment at this level,” Saintfiet said.

The Belgium-born head coach added: “I have to form a team that is ready to fight for their country and I am very happy to do that.” Saintfiet welcomed assistant coach Russell Latapy into his squad at Sunday’s training session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium as the team continued its preparations for the upcoming CFU Gold Cup playoff matches against Suriname on Wednesday and Haiti on Sunday at the Ato Boldon Stadium.

Latapy was named as assistant coach to Saintfiet last month and joined the team for the first time on the weekend after returning from Portugal.

“The last two or three weeks I have already had a lot of contact with Russell. Today when he came into the hotel we took some time, we came together to training in the car and we spoke a little bit abo ut my philosophy, about his ideas and about our way to work together. I am very happy that Russell is here,” Saintfiet said.

“Russell is a football man, he knows the country and he has achieved a lot as a player on top level in Europe and on the national team. He has experience also as a coach so I am very happy to add him to the technical team,” he said.

Saintfiet also spoke on the topic of Latapy’s involvement with the youth programme and how their services can be combined to benefit both.

“I think that it’s going hand in hand. I am a coach who proved in other countries not to be afraid to select 16 and 17 year old players to make their debut in the national team because on the end when we develop players, it’s to get them to the national team.

In my own country (Everton striker Romelu) Lukaku was 16 years old when he played with the national team.

So if you are a talented player, maybe not yet discovered by local teams but you are a good talent, you can also have a chance in the senior national team and I will work very closely with Russell and the other national youth coach (Brian) Williams to help the development of football and to bring young players very close to the national team,” the coach added.

Latapy earlier stated that he was looking forward to making his contribution as senior team assistant coach.

Tickets for the upcoming Gold Cup playoff matches are now on sale at all Lotto locations nationwide.

There are season tickets for the three matches costing $100 for adults and $45 for children.

Single match tickets cost $50 for adults and $20 for children