Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Carlos Edwards says the vote of confidence extended to him by his teammates at Ipswich Town which saw him take away the Club’s Players’ “Player of the Year” award on Wednesday has ignited him ahead of his extended one-year contract.
The 33-year-old former Defence Force player from Patna Village, was honoured at the club’s end of season dinner at Milsoms in Kesgrave an also finished second to Aaron Cresswell in the Supporters Club award.
Ipswich got the award ahead of the likes of ex-England Under 21 striker Michael Chopra who has 14 goals this season, T&T’s Jason Scotland (eight goals), Irish striker Daryl Murphy and Grant Leadbitter, another ex-England Under 21 and Sunderland player.
Scotland’s rocket against Crystal Palace earlier this month was named best goal of the season.
Ipswich is in 15th position on the Championship Division table and well clear of the relegation zone. Edwards’ made 45 appearances this season, hasn’t received caution and has been a key part of the team’s campaign. Overall he has 126 appearances for Ipswich.
“It’s never anything less than great when your fellow teammates vote for you as player of the season,” Edwards told TTFF Media.
“I came back to the club after a disappointing World Cup campaign and decided that I needed to regain focus and try to put my best foot out there and thankfully it’s paid off. We didn’t get into a position to press for promotion but we ensured that we are safe and in position for another season in the Championship.
Personally I know my years are winding down but I’m in good shape and I’m enjoying my football at the moment. I am definitely looking forward to another season with Ipswich Town,” he added.
“I think to get this award at my age means ever more and it’s a sign that I’m still able to compete with the guys at this level.”
Edwards played for T&T at the 2006 World Cup Finals but may be away from playing by the time the next World Cup qualifying campaign for T&T comes around in 2015/2016. However he still has eyes on playing in a CONCACAF Gold Cup. An injury in the build up to the 2005 tournament in Miami ruled him out of T&T’s last appearance.
“I would love to play for the national team again. I got injured before the last Gold Cup we qualified for and now it’s so important for us to qualify for the next one in 2013 and I definitely would like to be part of the team.
“Looking at the football generally in the country, it’s not going to happen in a month’s time but I’d like to see us get back to a decent state again. I’m happy to see some of the ex-players getting involved in the coaching and hopefully we can get it right in the administrative part of things also,” said the former Sunderland player.
“It makes no sense fighting among ourselves and by saying that I mean all of us who are from Trinidad and Tobago and want to see the football get better. I think we as players need to work a little more with the heads as well instead of fighting.
Let’s try and put some our differences aside and move forward. We’ve been fighting for some time now and look at how low we’ve reached in the past six years or so since the 2006 World Cup. I agree that some changes need to be made to put right to the wrong but to me all that fighting has played a part in us failing to go forward and that cannot be a good thing,” Edwards added.