Former Trinidad and Tobago senior men’s football team captain Densil “Bleeder” Theobald is back home for the next season in the T&T Pro League.
Except for one season with Joe Public, Theobald, 34, has spent most of his playing career with Morvant-Caledonia United. He has also had five one-year overseas stints with Falkirk (Scotland), Ujpest (Hungary) and most recently in India’s I-League with Dempo (2011-2012), Royal Wahingdoh (2014-2015) and Sporting Goa (2015-2016).
The 2006 World Cup veteran will be lining up once again with Morvant-Caledonia United for the upcoming season and he expects a much better showing from the former Caribbean Club Champions after seeing the talent in pre-season training.
Having finished fourth in the I-League with his teams in the last two seasons, Theobald said he is duty bound to return home and give back to the team and league which has been so instrumental in his success.
“It is always a joy for me to come back and contribute,” Theobald said, while adding that it was important for the Pro League to draw on “the experience of players who played abroad, like Kenwyne Jones, Carlos Edwards, Jason Scotland, myself, Anthony Wolfe, Cornel Glen. For us to comeback and contribute and draw the crowd back to the Pro League.”
Further, Theobald said it was important for player, clubs and administrators to keep improving and strive to make the Pro League better. “I always say it’s an important thing to have a professional league in Trinidad and Tobago,” Theobald declared.
“Something I will like to see as well, is the football going to the community fields where you can draw the crowd. Of course, you need to see the development of the field to be able to see high quality football.”
Theobald said his stints abroad has proved that there is a wealth of talent in T&T, but it takes more than talent alone to make it abroad. “It just goes to show that it takes more than talent to be playing in the foreign leagues,” he said. “It takes more of a strong mentality. If a player knows what he wants to do, and what he wants to achieve, the sky is the limit.”
Caledonia has a new head-coach this season, in Rajesh Latchoo, the former Joe Public head-coach, and Theobald also predicts a return to the limelight for the team this season based on available talent. “I think big things are in store for Caledonia this season,” he added. “If not winning the League, at least coming in the top three.”