National football coach Dennis Lawrence held his first training session with his squad of players at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar Arima, yesterday, ahead of the two FIFA World Cup Qualifiers on March 24-28 against Panama and Mexico at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
Only defenders Julius James and Radanfah Abu Bakr were missing from an otherwise full turn-out of players and staff members. The session lasted an hour and 10 minutes and according to Lawrence, they will train everyday this week until Saturday, where they will break for the Carnival festivities and return on Ash Wednesday.
He noted that both Abu Bakr and James are both out of the country, having made arrangements to be abroad long before the training session was called.
He said both players and coaches were excited to begin training yesterday, which they used basically to acquaint themselves with each other, as well as formalise how they will function going forward. Before yesterday’s session, members of the staff-that included assistant coaches Ross Russell (goalkeeper coach), Stern John (assistant coach) and Stuart Charles-Fevrier, were briefed on what was expected of them.
Lawrence, a former national stand-out defender is not expecting any challenges due to the Carnival season, promising he will keep his players focused by doing his job on a daily basis. “I cannot put a string on them and tell them don’t go parties, as they are all grown men, they are all professionals, so they know exactly what I expect of them, so I expect them to carried it out,” Lawrence said.
The T&T team is second from bottom on the six-team standing and are in need of victories in their coming two matches next month, following losses to Costa Rica 2-0 and Honduras 3-1 last year.
They are scheduled to face Suriname in an International Friendly encounter on March 10 at the Andre Kamperveen Stadium in Paramaribo, Suriname. The match has been arranged specifically for the local based players.
Lawrence pointed out that while he faces a difficult task of taking the country to the World Cup, he believes it is not an impossible one and promised to ensure the team is properly prepared to give a good account of themselves on match days and hopefully get the required results.
Sol Campbell, the team’s other assistant coach is expected to join them on March 10.
RELATED NEWS
Lawrence starts work with T&T players.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).
RECENTLY APPOINTED Trinidad and Tobago football team coach Dennis Lawrence got his stint underway with a training session at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima yesterday morning.
Lawrence and his technical staff, including assistants Stuart Charles-Fevrier, Stern John and Ross Russell (goalkeeping coach), had an hour long session under cloudy conditions.
“The players are looking forward to get started,” said Lawrence, moments before his session began.
“I am looking forward to working with the players.” The former T&T central defender said that his intention yesterday was “more or less, to make an introduction to myself and to the players, to get an idea of how we want to work (and) how things are going to be done from now on.”
Trinidad and Tobago are set to face Suriname in a friendly fixture in Paramaribo on March 10 before a pair of FIFA World Cup CONCACAF Zone Final Round qualifiers at home to Panama (March 24) and Mexico (March 29).
“We’re going to be working,” Lawrence pointed out.
“I think it’s important that, no matter what type of session we’re doing, we need to always work on something. So we’ve got particular things - the staff and myself - that we’re going to be looking for. And hopefully players will enjoy (it).
Lawrence called up 27 players for the training squad but central defenders Radanfah Abu Bakr and Julius James were absent from yesterday’s session.
“They had already arranged prior engagements,” said the T&T coach. “Radanfah is away, Julius James is away, but apart from that, everybody else is here.” Asked about the chemistry among the technical staff, Lawrence replied, “they all know each other and I think they all know exactly where we’re at.
We had meetings prior to this session and everybody knows exactly what we expect of them.” Sessions will take place daily until Saturday, and will resume on Ash Wednesday, after the Carnival festivities.
Lawrence said he is not adopting a ‘big stick’ approach towards the players during this Carnival period.
“I can’t put a string on them and say don’t go to a party,” said the T&T coach.
“They’re all grown men. They’re professionals so they know exactly what I expect of them. I expect them to carry it out.”