Jamaican Football Federation President Captain Horace Burrell joined the list of disappointed faces in light of Trinidad and Tobago’s first round exit of the Digicel Caribbean Championships saying that the “Soca Warriors” absence is a big blow to the rest of the tournament.
“I think all of Jamaica is disappointed with the performance of the Soca Warriors because everybody wanted to see a final with Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. I’m not happy to see Trinidad go home so early,” Burrell said.
He explained that a T&T/Jamaica final would attract close to 25,000 fans at the National Stadium in Kingston but now with T&T going home, the gates will take a big cut and anything close to 15,000 at the final would be a plus.
“Of course it is a disappointment to have Trinidad and Tobago go out at this early stage. For the tournament’s it is a blow somewhat but while I know there will be a lot to say about it, I prefer to look ahead and not dwell too much on what has happened in Jamaica. We have a World Cup campaign to focus on and we will take the positives into it. This not to say though that the team does not have to work out its problems and now move ahead full speed,” Warner told TTFF Media
The TT team will arrive back in Port of Spain in different groups from Wednesday and some players will return to their respective clubs for the remainder of the FA Trophy and Toyota Cup competitions. There will also be an evaluation of the team’s showing at the Championships and planning will continue in relation to a proposed overseas live in training camp in January ahead of the next 2010 World Cup Qualifier away to El Salvador on February 11.
Francisco Maturana says the “Warriors” will be returning home with a bitter taste.
“When we tied with Jamaica here before it was a good result and today was also a good result but we did not reach our objective of staying in the tournament so we are leaving with a bitter taste in our mouth,” he told TTFF Media
“This is the best T&T team can put together right now with our deficiencies. It is important for them because they can provide good back ups for the first eleven. Definitely these types of tournaments are very important because you sometimes learn more from losing.
“First we need to find out how they feel about this. Some players are very disappointed but I would like to tell the people of T&T to embrace this bunch of players because they have a lot of potential,” Maturana concluded.
Meantime Jamaica coach John Barnes was not pleased with his team’s draw with T&T.
"I am happy we are in the semi-finals, I am happy with the results, but it is the worst we have played (in the tournament).
“Against Barbados we were 10 times better - we played with more intensity and more desire."
He said the hot weather in Trelawny might have had an effect as "it was a hot day, so I understand that and we lost our shape, but I am happy we are in the semi-finals that is the only thing I am happy about".
CFU President Jack Warner too was not happy with the team’s exit.
Maturana's post game comments
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