Brian Flynn, the man who signed Dennis Lawrence to his first professional contract in the United Kingdom is getting ready to welcome his former player as head coach of Trinidad and Tobago to the Racecourse on March 20th.
Flynn is currently the assistant coach at Wrexham. Back in 2000, he signed Lawrence after Carlos Edwards and Hector Sam had joined the club earlier on. Both Lawrence and Edwards later became the first Wrexham players to play in a World Cup
Flynn is a former midfielder for the Welsh national team with 66 caps. He also managed Wales Under 21 team in 2012 and in 2010 Flynn was confirmed caretaker manager of the Wales national football team after John Toshack stepped down, prior to the appointment of Gary Speed.
“I’m absolutely delighted and looking forward to having Dennis back at the Racecourse. I brought him to Wrexham in 2001 and it was fantastic to have him along with Carlos Edwards and Dennis Lawrence at the club together.. the Trinidad and Tobago boys,” Flynn told TTFA Media on Friday.
Flynn started his career with Burnley, and made his league debut for them in the 1973–74 season, when they were in the old First Division. As a player, he made 200 appearances for Burnley,154 for Leeds United and 100 for Wrexham.
“I’ve followed the boys since their time here. Carlos moved onto the Premier League and I was delighted for him. Dennis went onto Swansea and of course he got into management and I was happy to see that he took on the Trinidad job. It’s going to be exciting to have him over with the Trinidad and Tobago national team and of course we are all looking forward to a very good match with the Wales team,” Flynn said.
“I think it will be a good match for both teams and we are all really looking forward to a thrilling game of football when the two teams meet. Wales are preparing for the Euros and of course Trinidad has its competitions to look ahead to.
“The only one disappointment I had with Dennis and the boys is that we always spoke about my trip to Trinidad and it never came through so I’m hoping after this game we can have a return leg and I can be on the plane for that one. Even if it’s not for a game with Wales, I am hoping he can get me to his home country after all these years,” Flynn said with a laugh.
Meantime, it was announced in Wales on Friday that head coach Ryan Giggs will take his squad to Manchester United club’s Carrington base next week to prepare for the friendly against T&T.
Giggs has called on his United contacts to allow the Wales squad to train at Carrington before the T&T friendly at the Racecourse Ground.
The game is a warm-up for Wales’ opening Euro 2020 qualifier against Slovakia in Cardiff four days later. Gareth Bale is expected to be among the players going through their paces at the Carrington Training Centre. Bale suffered an ankle injury during the closing moments of Real Madrid’s Champions League defeat to Ajax on Tuesday.
Giggs is set to name his squad for the Trinidad & Tobago and Slovakia games in north Wales on Tuesday.
SOURCE: ttfootball.org