Trinidad and Tobago footballers will have to go back to the drawing board if the “Soca Warriors” are to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
They remain optimistic following Trinidad and Tobago’s disastrous performance where they were beaten 3-0 by the USA in their CONCACAF semi-final round qualifiers in Chicago on Wednesday night.
They gave their support to national coach, former Colombian international Francisco Maturana to stay at the helm of the team. Trinidad and Tobago have four points from three matches following a convincing 3-1 win over Cuba in Havana and a point from a disappointing 1-1 tie with Guatemala at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo two Wednesdays ago.
But Haynes made it clear the coach cannot be blamed for the performance of the team. “He is not the one that plays the football,” said Haynes, a former national stand-out said but he criticised the players for playing without heart.
“The defenders and midfielders were in disarray in the game. They lacked confidence to go forward when they needed too and then tackle when it was called for,” claimed Haynes in a telephone interview on Friday. The former national captain in the 1960s and 70s also criticised the players for poor marking and allowing the Americans to play freely throughout the match.
“We lost the game because we expected instrumental midfielder Dwight Yorke to be in the game but he was not there. His absence unfortunately left noone to command the middle,” Haynes said.
Meanwhile Eve, said that he is not blaming the coach for the loss.
“The real reason why we have not defeated the US in the past, because the players do not believe that they can do it,” Eve said.
But he was quick to add that the Colombian, while utilising the right format of play, used the wrong tactics.
“I think the coach took a decision to defend too deep into his defensive part of the field. It was clear the team took a defensive approach. Even when the Americans scored their first goal, the Trinidad and Tobago team never reacted and didn’t even try to attack,” Eve told Newsday on Friday.
He expressed the view that there are a few players in his mind who should be given a chance to make the team, among them Trent Noel who has been having an excellent season in the TT Pro League with CL Financial Jabloteh, and Kerry Baptiste.
Meanwhile Braithwaite who was also a member on the FIFA Technical Committee described the tactics as “puzzling” but said he sympathises with Maturana.
“As soon as the last World Cup campaign ended we should have started immediately and that is where all the experimentation with players should have taken place,” said Braithwaite.
“Instead there was squabbling with some of the key players and a very important period was lost. As a result the coach is now experimenting in the middle of the actual competition and that is a dangerous thing to do,” Braithwaite said.
However he said TT can still qualify if they do not panic and plan and execute their strategy properly.