Glen looks to Europe

CORNELL GLEN, like any other local footballer, has set his sights on playing the game in Europe, at least if fate is kind to him.

The 23-year-old striker, who is in his second successive season with CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh, is hopeful of playing “abroad and to do so, especially in England, you must have a certain amount of caps and that’s really my goal right now.” Glen should not worry about securing regular caps (appearances) with the national senior team as he has become an established member of the squad during the latter stages of 2003. He has an unfancied record of one goal in 11 matches for the TT team since making his debut in November 2002 but he has earned plaudits from fans and coaches for his pace, consistency and determination on the field. In his first season back with Jabloteh, after a one-year stint in Portugal in 2000, Glen scored 12 goals for the San Juan-based club as they secured the Professional Football League crown. And the slimly-built forward has netted 20 goals as Jabloteh seems on course to retain their title, with the season drawing to a close.

Glen has been living in Cocorite for all his life with a large family of four sisters and three brothers. “Ever since I’ve known myself I’ve been playing football. I just love the game, just love playing football.” He became a regular member of the Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive team and, under national Under-20 coach Ron La Forest, in a team which included current Jabloteh and national team-mates Kerry Baptiste and Josh Johnson, guided his school to the North Zone title in the 1997 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL). He related: “I enjoyed playing back then.” And, with Baptiste and Johnson as integral factors of his success, he added: “It’s just like school days. Once I have good team-mates to provide me with the ball, I’ll always score goals.” From Mucurapo, he had a brief loan spell with Jabloteh, scoring twice during the 1999 Semi Professional League, before joining Futgof, under late coach Arthur “Jap” Brown for the remainder of the season.

After the Carenage-based club was expelled from the league for financial and disciplinary reasons Glen, Futgof teammate Sean Cooper and ex-Joe Public player Wesley John, earned contracts with Portuguese club Adsanjonese. But Glen was plagued with a thigh injury during his year-long stay at the club, with a slim tally of three goals. “I grew a lot and learnt a lot when I was over there,” Glen noted simply.  He also had a chance of returning to Europe on a full-time basis in early-2002 — coming close to signing with English Second Division club Peterborough but, due to his lack of caps, could not obtain a work permit. He also donned the national colours at the Under-20 level, with the likes of Garvin McKenna, Ryan Edwards, Jefferson George and Ashford Legerton, during the CONCACAF qualifiers for the 1999 World Championship qualifiers for Nigeria.

Glen tried his hands in all positions on the field, stating: “I love the game so much that anywhere a coach puts me on the field I could play and will play. I like to score goals and I prefer to e a striker.” However, it is shocking to know that his favourite player is not a striker but a midfielder, the current FIFA World Player of the Year Zinedine Zidane. “He’s one of the best players, after Maradona, I’ve ever seen play the game,” he admitted. What is Glen like outside of football? “I’m playful, I like to enjoy myself. I’m 23 and I see myself as a kid still and I like the simple things in life.” And it is Glen’s simple way on the field, which can propel him to even bigger and better things.