National Team midfielder Silvio Spann believes this country can go a step better than the last time they met Costa Rica in a World Cup qualifier on home soil.
Spann believes...
Spann, who turned in a solid performance against the Costa Ricans in 2005, thinks that Latapy’s troops can pull it off in the sister isle.
“This is a vital game for us and we are all aware of that. Every new coach wants to win his first game and we as players will also want to win it for him in this case and of course for the sake of the country’s chances of qualifying for another World Cup. Sometimes it adds up more when you want to achieve things not just for the sake of the team or the country but also for the coach,” Spann told TTFF Media on Saturday.
“Everything has been spot on so far in training. We all know the influence the coach has. Everyone knows what he offers as a player and what’s he done for the country and we know he will want us to play based on how believed things should go as a player particularly whenever he played for the country.”
Reflecting on the preparations thus far, the Wrexham midfielder said all the players had one main thing in common.
“We all have the same goal which is to get three points in our games and go on to qualify for the World Cup. There has been good camaraderie under Russell Latapy as the head coach and the sessions have been intense but enjoyable.
“No one knows at this point what the team will be like on the actual day but we are all working towards ensuring the best team goes out there and gives the best performance possible. It’s no secret that the coach will want his best team out there and we can all just work towards giving him the best options.
“I’m not saying any of this is going to be easy whether it be Costa Rica or any other team. But what we know for sure is come hot sun or rain… we will go all out to get the job done,” the ex-St Benedict’s College and W Connection player added. Latapy is set to begin a live-in training camp with his squad in Tobago from Monday.
Meantime, Costa Rican clubs Herediano and Liberia, according to reports out of San Jose, may ignore national team coach Rodrigo Kenton's request to release players Monday ahead of their World Cup qualifier against the United States on June 3.
The clubs are finalists in the Costa Rica league playoffs are in a minor dispute with the Costa Rican Football Federation. Kenton included four Herediano players and two from Liberia on his 25-man roster announced Friday for qualifiers at home against the United States and at Trinidad and Tobago three days later.
Costa Rican Squad:
Goalkeepers: Daniel Cambronero (Puntarenas), Ricardo Gonzalez (Herediano), Keilor Navas (Saprissa).
Defenders: Dario Delgado (Puntarenas), Junior Diaz (Wisla Krakow, Poland), Freddy Fernandez (Perez Zeledon), Dennis Marshall (Herediano), Gonzalo Segares (Chicago, Major League Soccer), Esteban Sirias (Liberia), Michael Umana (Ramonense), Harold Wallace (Liberia).
Midfielders: Armando Alonso (Saprissa), Cristian Bolanos (Start, Norway), Celso Borges (Fredrikstad, Norway), Pablo Brenes (Brujas), Walter Centeno (Saprissa), Esteban Granados (Cartagines), Warren Granados (Ramonense), Carlos Hernandez (Melbourne, Australia), Pablo Herrera (Alajuelense), Cristian Oviedo (Alajuelense).
Forwards: Andy Furtado (Herediano), Andy Herron (Herediano), Bryan Ruiz (Gent, Belgium), Alvaro Saborio (Sion, Switzerland).