Woodbrook based Ma Pau SC continues to make their intentions clear for the upcoming 2010 season signing veteran defender and Trinidad and Tobago 2006 World Cup player Cyd Gray.
Gray’s one-year contract with United Petrotrin expired in December and after the Oilmen’s Pro League pullout for 2010, Gray among other players definitely had to join new clubs.
Ma Pau SC Director of Youth Football, Angus Eve confirmed signing the hard tackling 36 year-old former San Juan Jabloteh and Pune FC (Indian Football League) wingback this week on a two year agreement.
“When we looked at Petrotrin on hearing that they were not going to be part of the League again, I immediately thought of Cyd Gray,” said Eve, who played alongside Cyd Gray both for the Trinidad and Tobago National Senior team and at San Juan Jabloteh. Eve was also Gray’s assistant coach at Jabloteh.
“I immediately spoke with Mike (Michael McComie) because Cyd Gray has a lot to offer,” Eve continued.
As a former teammate and coach of Gray, Eve believes it’s easy for the Tobago born defender to fit into Ma Pau’s system.
He said, “Cyd Gray pretty much understands the role that we have for him. Cyd Gray has a great work ethic and can play anywhere across the back. He is joining us ahead of pre-season and that’s great because he wouldn’t take long to fit in.
We pick and chose our senior players and now together with players like Lyndon Andrews and Anthonty Wolfe, we have Keyeno Thomas and Cyd Gray who are still around the (T&T) national team.
We have a number of young players who we hope to see join the (T&T) U-23s and that’s where experienced players like Cyd Gray and others will come in and fill the gap when needed.”
Eve joined Ma Paul last season as assistant to coach Michael McComie who also joined the club in 2008 said that their roles are much bigger as they are not only coaching a team, but a club. He said that McComie is the Director of Football and that his new role is Director of Youth Football.
Ma Pau also signed 24 year-old striker Shane Calderon on a two year deal.
Calderon a former W Connection played under McComie back in 2008 at Joe Public and the pair will reunite at Ma Pau.
“We are building a team for the future,” said Eve. “Calderon is a talented young player. I think he did lose his way a bit in the past, but we will prove himself at Ma Pau. We’ve watched his progress at East Zone club Valtrin last season.
He also trained with us on a few occasions last season but we never signed him because our roster didn’t allow it. But he is with us now and we think that at Ma Pau, he will be refocused.”
Ma Pau added to their technical staff as well with five-title winning Joe Public’s physical trainer/physiotherapist David Cumberbatch.
“He is one of the top physical trainer/physiotherapist in T&T,” said Eve. “He did well with Joe Public last season. We think our staff needed to be strengthened ahead of the season. It shows the type of ambition we have this season and where we are going to be.”
Cumberbatch will work alongside trainer/physiotherapist Earl Joseph at Ma Pau.
The Woodbrook based club will begin its pre-season on February 1st at home followed by match practice tours in Panama and Colombia in March which is currently being formalized by Michael McComie.