St Kitts coach: We can upset TT

St Kitts/Nevis coach Lenny Lake is predicting an upset in Sunday’s 2006 World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella. The visitors are yet to collect a point in their two matches to date against TT and St Vincent and the Grenadines. But Lake said on Monday his team, commonly known as the “Sugar Boys” are focused more than ever before because of the fact that they are in a must win situation.

“Preparations are coming along quite well at the moment,” Lake said. “One of the areas we are paying specific attention to is the mental aspect because while we are aware that we can match Trinidad and Tobago on the pitch as you saw in the last match, we are also struggling, having yet to earn a point and I think it’s just a matter of getting the players to believe in themselves again.” It took a last gasp Stern John winner to give TT full points when the teams met in Basseterre last month after George Isaacs had given the Kittitians a first half lead. And despite playing on TT’s turf this time around, Lake said his team will not be overawed by the occasion. “We have been training every day, working on correcting our mistakes because we felt that cost us the last match. We know it’s going to be difficult in Trinidad because they also want to win at home but we know that it’s do or die time for us and we need to ensure that we are at our best,” he said.

“It’s going to be a different ball game and we have all intentions of spoiling TT’s party on Sunday,” said a confident Lake who arrives here on Friday with his team which is expected to include a couple new English-born players. Meantime, TT coach Bertille St Clair named a 20-man squad for the encounter, including the local-based pros which sees a recall for  North East Strikers forward Jerren Nixon as well as Lebanon-based striker Errol McFarlane. Joe Public duo Marlon Rojas and Derek King, Vibe CT 105 W Connection midfielder Silvio Spann, Arima/Morvant Fire’s Densil Theobald, Jabloteh midfielder and team captain Angus Eve, goalkeeper Duarance Williams and defender Keyeno Thomas complete the squad. “It’s well rounded team and we will be hoping that all these players will contribute in some way to the overall performance of the team. I believe we have the ability to step it up a notch and this will be the team to do it on the weekend,” St Clair said as the local players continued preparations at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

Full TT team: Shaka Hislop (Portsmouth), Ian Cox (Gillingham), Marvin Andrews (Glasgow Rangers), Brent Rahim (Falkirk), Andre Boucaud (Peterborough), Kenwyne Jones (Southampton), Brent Sancho (Dundee), Anthony Rougier (Nanjing FC), Cornell Glen (New York/New Jersey Metrostars), Errol McFarlane (Al Nejmeh), Dennis Lawrence (Wrexham)  Stern John (Coventry City), Marlon Rojas (Joe Public), Derek King (Joe Public), Silvio Spann (Vibe CT 105 W Connection), Densil Theobald (Arima/Morvant Fire), Angus Eve (Jabloteh), Duarance Williams (Jabloteh), Keyeno Thomas (Jabloteh), Jerren Nixon (North East Stars).