Bertille St Clair believes no one in the local media likes him because he comes from Tobago. Why? Only Bertille knows. Every interview with national senior coach St Clair is like an ensuing battle and he's usually the one that fires the first shot.
Up comes St Clair with a mischievous grim on his face and is first words are: "I know all yuh doh like meh because I from Tobago, but I go talk with all yuh anyway."
That day, St Clair was cool, even cordial. Most times though, he's not. Having dealt with several coaches in the past, including Edgar Vidale, Everald "Gally" Cummings, Kenny Joseph, Muhammad Isa, Zoran Vranes, Rene Simoes, Hannibal Naggar, Jochen Figgee, Ian Porterfield, Stuart Charles Fevrier, Alvin Corneal, Jimmy Blanc, St Clair is by far the most "media unfriendly". Criticising his team means criticising him, since Bertille seems to take things personally.
No more so than following the Soca Warriors' disappointing performance in their 2-1 win over St Vincent & the Grenadines last week. One reporter asked a question which got under his skin, and Bertille got fiery.
"I is the most successful coach all yuh ever had in all yuh life," he barked. "All yuh bring foreigner, all yuh bring them from all over, and when they do wrong, all yuh bawl yeah, yeah. They bawl meh down because I from Tobago. I carry all yuh to the World Cup, ah carry all yuh to the Gold Cup, the Under-16 win thing, the Under-13 win. But because I from Tobago. I know it, I know the cry...the papers go write it tomorrow. But I don't care, I know where I going when I leave here. But doh worry 'bout the firing, that ain't have nothing to do with it, ah go through that already," said St Clair.
One thing, no one can say St Clair is never boring. A Tobago-boy to heart, Bertille expresses himself in as colourful a fashion as if he is on his porch holding an ole talk with friends. After the SVG game, Bertille also gave his thoughts as to why several of the younger players have not yet been brought into the line-up as replacements for some of the more-seasoned players, many of whom are past their best and definitely slipping.
"Gentlemen, I want to tell you something. These guys are not keeping their feet on the ground. Because we praise them so quickly, they feel, 'well I can play'," he said. He explains that in trying to deal with the attitude of these players he is often branded the tough guy and consequently also the bad guy. St Clair also issued what looked like a veiled threat.
"Those who want to be part of it, go be part of it...I might have to find some Tobagonians," St Clair said, showing some of the wit he can also be known for.
What is apparent most times, is that St Clair does not see what is happening with his team the way either the media or the man-in the-street sees it. While many in the stands, including several past coaches and technical people, are appalled by the performances they are getting from the national team, the national coach doesn't always see things in such drastic fashion. My take is that while the Soca Warriors are all capable defenders, as a bunch they have looked shaky and T&T have often been lucky in their matches. But St Clair comments that the Soca Warriors have one of the best defences in the CONCACAF region.
"If you watch our games, we have grown. Tonight was one of the bad games," he said following the SVG game. "Is ah pity that is the lifestyle of our country... one up and one down."
What St Clair doesn't see is that this current team does not have any shape at all and any player, picking up the ball in the middle, has to make several touches before finding someone to hand the ball off to.
Now, it has just been five months St Clair has been on the job and he doesn't have the time he needs with his players. But coaching is often a thankless job and once you take the hot seat you have to be prepared to face the fire. Besides, we of the local media are "soft" compared to the pressure a coach undergoes in places like England and Brazil. Look what the England coach had to go through with recent allegations of an affair with an FA secretary. Who in Trinidad is really concerned about what St Clair does when he's away from football ? Bertille has it nice here. But by his comments, obviously he thinks otherwise.
"In Trinidad yuh have to win all and when the team play bad is the coach, and when fellas walk 'bout the park and we win, is the players. But I appreciate that. I can handle that," he says.
Can he handle it? And is he handling it? Anyway to make St Clair's life easier, let me relay a message: Yes, Bertille, we all love you. But we would all also love to see our team playing good football as well. The Soca Warriors represent, not just you, but the whole of T&T as well. When they look bad, we look bad.
Nothing Personal !