TT meet Nicaragua today in friendly

The TT squad arrived in Managua just before midnight on Sunday before checking into the Hotel Barcelo in the capital.

Coach Tom Saintfiet was scheduled to conduct a training session last evening at the match venue, on artificial surface of which the two games will be played.

India-based forward Cornell Glen, a member of this country’s 2006 World Cup squad, joined the team on Sunday and travelled with the contingent to Managua.

US-based midfielder Kevan George will arrive here today.

Saintfiet spoke ahead of today’s game.

“It’s always special and it’s an honour to be national team coach of any country and Trinidad and Tobago is naturally a big football nation. So it’s now a new start, a fresh start and we are going to use these two matches against Nicaragua to prepare our team for the Gold Cup and later on for the World Cup qualifiers,” Saintfiet said in an interview on the TT FA (TT Football Association) website yesterday.

“It won’t be easy matches. Nicaragua is also a strong football country. In the last games of the World Cup qualifiers they beat Jamaica at home 3-2 and in the last year they also won friendly matches against Cuba 5-0 and Panama 1-0. They have a strong selection at this moment in time.

It won’t be easy for us but I’m going to use it and we are going to try and get a decent result,” he added.

“Naturally you wants always a good result but I don’t think at the moment that’s the most important thing,” Saintfiet said.

“We could win both matches against Nicaragua and lose in the qualifiers for the Gold Cup and World Cup so I would prefer to win the World Cup qualifiers and if possible the Gold Cup qualifiers but on the other side if you play a game, you play to win.

“Most important for me is to see (today) a team which understands the tactical concept that I want, which can implement it on the pitch, which can play disciplined and which can have both offensive and defensive tasks of what I request. If that results in a good result I will be happy coach and if that doesn’t result in a good result I will be still satisfied if I see what we did in practice,” Saintfiet added.

Former Sunderland player Carlos Edwards, another member of the 2006 World Cup squad, has been named as the team captain for these pair of matches. He is expecting Nicaragua to be strong test for the current TT squad. “So far things have been really productive.

We’ve been put through our paces. He’s started off on the right foot, making sure the players are fit and ready for the game and also to have a nice little bond. He called the camp in the right time so that the players can get to know each other,” Edwards said.

“It’s a big privilege to wear the captain’s armband. Yes I will have a bit of responsibility.

I think he has chosen me because of the experience and to have me put my arms around the younger guys and lead them in the right direction. At the end of the day everyone has to pull their weight. They just can’t look up to me and think I will orchestrate everything. I am here for one reason which is to make the country and the team successful once again,” Edwards added.