Coach to protect his players

TRINIDAD and Tobago football coach Leo Beenhakker has defended his decision to hold closed door sessions for the Warriors leading up to their World Cup play-off with Bahrain on Saturday at the Hasely  Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. Beenhakker said on Friday that he will be seeking to protect the team members and the media will not be invited to every session this week. He also spoke on the styles of both teams shortly after arriving in Trinidad from the Netherlands. “The only thing you can say is that it is two teams with two different styles. We try to play football from behind and we get the opportunity when we have the ball to come up in front with many players,” he said.

I don’t like to play on a counter attacking. Generally their (Bahrain) play is based on very solid defence with a lot of players behind the ball and looking for the opportunity to go on the counter attack That’s not our style. I will not change our style. I don’t think I have to change our style,” Beenhakker said. Asked to give a message to the public, the former Real Madrid coach said, “I think that all the fans and public have the right to be excited. I love the way they reacted in the last few matches at home. They gave us a great support and the team needs it and appreciates it. It’s okay for people to express themselves because you can have your dreams, but most of them, within their mind, they are already in Germany.

“Wait a moment, the last few weeks I had a lot of questions on what are we going to do in January, what about the camps and the friendly matches. But wait, this is football and you first have to win and you first have to be there,” Beenhakker said. “I respect all the excitement and I love the way the fans are living with it but from our side we have to protect the team and they we have two very tough jobs to do still,” Beenhakker said.