National Olympic team head coach Angus Eve is looking forward to the upcoming friendly versus Finland’s senior team at the Dwight Yorke Stadium on January 25 as his team continues their build up for the final round of CONCACAF Olympic qualification.
Eve is currently preparing his team to face Mexico, Panama and Honduras in March in California, USA. The former Defence Force player said the Finland clash provides a chance for his team to test its ability against European opposition.
“We have been focusing on the discipline and the shape of the team and playing Finland can help us see where we at from that standpoint.” He maintained that no current player on the squad is guaranteed a spot for the final round, adding that their small taste of success in 2011 will count for nothing if they fail to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games.
“It’s been a fantastic 2011 in terms of some of the results but it counts for nothing if we don’t qualify for the Olympics. All that we have done in the past means nothing right now. Currently, the program is set up to suit our opposition and the environment that we will be playing in during the final round.
We are hoping to go to North America for the final leg of our preparations as it will help the players acclimatize to the conditions just in time for the matches.
“No one on the team is guaranteed a selection I like to keep the competition among the guys in the squad going. We are always thinking about strengthening the team.
We have looked at some new College players from the US and Canada, observing their general attitude and their technical and tactical awareness,” Eve added.