Kenwyne Joel Jones doesn’t hide the fact that he wants to lead Trinidad and Tobago to the 2014 Caribbean Cup title. At 30, Jones is one of the oldest players on the Trinidad and Tobago senior men’s football team. He is also the most accomplished.
Jones is the lone player in the squad to have had an extended run playing in the English Premier League and has played ten years in Britain, beginning in 2004 when transferred from W Connection.
Over a career span, Jones has already played for five British clubs, including EPL teams Sunderland, Stoke City and Wales-based Cardiff City, where he currently plays in the Championship Division.
His time abroad has largely prevented Jones playing in a Caribbean Cup as, previously, the Caribbean Cup fell outside FIFA international match dates, and clubs were not obligated to release players. Now playing his first Caribbean Cup, Jones wants it to count. “This is the first time I am able to play in the Caribbean Cup and I want to win it,’’ Jones declared. “Of course, I’m going to push myself first-off, and hope to lead by example.”
Jones has been leading by example, working much harder than usual and trying to push his teammates in training as well. Teams have been paying special attention to him. In the Cuba match on Sunday, the pair of central defenders Jeniel Molina and Yasmany Escalante hassled him at every turn.
Jones was pushed, pulled, kicked and tugged at every opportunity. So much so, he lost his cool at one point and wanted to fight. And he is shaping for the fight of his life in tonight’s final.
“For many of us, this could be the first and only Cup we win for Trinidad and Tobago,’’ Jones added. ‘’We have to keep focussed on it and we have to play as hard as we can to try and win that.’’