The Trinidad and Tobago national under-20 football team got their 2009 World Youth Cup campaign off to a tame start on Wednesday night after a goalless draw against El Salvador at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain.
Not Wednesday's match, though. It was merely dull.
The locals, coached by ex-Yugoslav youth player Zoran Vranes, are already months into their programme due to their controversial enrollment in the Bmobile Super League. They are not doing badly either-fifth place from 13 teams. But they did not show the benefit of such preparation against El Salvador.
The teenagers in red, white and black acquitted themselves well physically but their ball movement was poor. Even worse, captain Leston Paul's four midfield teammates did not seem interested in the ball unless it was launched forward for them to chase.
The fact that the stretcher bearers were far busier than El Salvadorian custodian Diego Cuollar suggested that the present mode of attack needs work. This is not unexpected. Trinidad and Tobago's qualifying campaign does not officially get underway until next April. Surely, Vranes' squad would be much improved by then.
But, if observers got a peek at his blueprint on Wednesday, it will not possess the style that usually gets the pulse racing in this part of the world. Paul, who captained the under-17s to the 2007 Junior World Cup, was handpicked by former England star John Barnes as one of the Caribbean's finest young talents. He is a clever passer with a decent turn of pace and difficult to strip of possession.
Vranes, who used a 3-5-2 formation, employed Paul as a deep-lying midfield, similar to the way Leo Beenhakker used Dwight Yorke at the 2006 World Cup. Only Beenhakker was trying to hide Yorke's loss of pace and utilise his experience and tactical know-how.
For Paul, it was like asking a young child to stand still. The former St Mary's College stand-out regularly vacated his post to press for possession in wing back territory while his midfield teammates never came close enough for him to advance in attack through wall passes or a quick exchange of duties.
As the squad's most gifted player-although Bmobile Joe Public's Jamal Gay and the Clico San Juan Jabloteh duo of Robert Primus and Sheldon Bateau are more experienced-Paul might have expected Vranes to build a squad to maximise his best qualities. It did not look that way on Wednesday.
Former Police forward Jamal Clarence used his aerial advantage to send strike partner Trent Lougheed clear in the 31st minute with a flicked header but the latter's effort barely troubled Cuollar. Cuollar was more disturbed by an Akeem Adams cross, four minutes into the second half, but the El Salvador defence tidied up after his fumble. Trinidad and Tobago did not trouble the opposing goal otherwise.
El Salvador did not offer fireworks either despite enjoying more possession. But they at least created a few possible decisive situations and won two free kicks in dangerous positions. Striker Richard Orollano got the visitors' best chance but his close ranged half volley was kept out instinctively by the legs of substitute goalkeeper Andre Marchand.
In the dying minutes, El Salvador further cheated patrons by time wasting antics near the Trinidad and Tobago corner flag. Both teams could only have improved by their second outing at the Hasely Crawford Stadium after press time last night.
T&T: 1.Glenroy Samuel (21.Andre Marchand 67); 18.Nicholas Walker, 8.Curtis Gonzales, 13.Uriah Bentick; 6.Leston Paul (capt); 14.Marvin Manswell (3.Andre Ettienne), 2.Kevin Francis (12.Jean-Luc Rochford), 16.Marcus Joseph (10.Jeremiah Goddard 77), 5.Akeem Adams; 7.Jamal Clarence (19.Kevin Thomas 80), 11.Trent Lougheed.
Not Used: 15.Mikel Williams.