“SOCA WARRIORS” interim coach, Angus Eve commended the bravery and commitment of his players after Sunday’s 3-2 defeat against Finland in the international friendly at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
Eve acknowledged the efforts of every player but singled out debutants Mekeil Williams, Curtis Gonzales, Willis Plaza, Keon Boucher and Richard Roy.
“I think the entire game was a good exercise for us. It helped us with the opportunity to expose the new players to the squad. I think everything that we (coaching staff) wanted to achieve, was achieved by the Trinidad and Tobago team,” explained Eve.
The national player was pleased with the performances of the younger members of the squad and noted that this was the first step in their international progression.
He commended the debutants on the manner in which they handled the game and expected them to continue their progression with the national team.
Eve had special praise for Williams who also scored on debut.
“He (Williams) is an excellent player and showed great composure on the field. He was very consistent throughout the game and proved that he could step-up to the challenge. Williams is also a national Under-23 player and plays an integral part in Trinidad and Tobago’s journey to this year’s Olympic Games,” added Eve. The ex-Ma Pau coach revealed that the squad was only able to get in four days of team training which affected their performance.
“The short time frame in which we trained played a small part in our overall performance. But we didn’t look bad and I can proudly say that these young men stepped to the plate and willingly took up the challenge, and prevailed. Players like Boucher and Plaza proved a point to the public and gave some assurance that all was not lost for Trinidad and Tobago football,” said Eve.
He added, “Finland are a more experienced team and they had the opportunity to train together more than us.
“They play in a region against the likes of France and other top competitors, so we know they would have been a tough task for us.
“We may have let the game slip from our grasp since we led twice.
“But our players showed a lot of aggression and they continued pressing for the equaliser. Although it never came, I will continue to hail the entire team and its young stars for their persistence and determination.”