Trinidad and Tobago’s first and only goalscorer at the Estadio Azteca Hayden Tinto has revealed how encouragement by National Team head coach Russell Latapy helped him to believe that he had the qualities to perform well for the country on the international stage.
The 23-year-old Joe Public attacker who made his debut in a 5-1 win over Martinique during the 2007 Digicel Caribbean Championship, was used only once by former head coach Francisco Maturana in a 0-0 draw with Guadeloupe in 2007. But Latapy saw enough in him to give him two starts in a row with the gamble paying off in Mexico City when his first half strike gave T&T hope of salvaging at least a point.
“He (Latapy) has always been talking to me in training and before the games, telling me what I need to do in order to have a good game for myself and for the team. He's been giving me some good advice and I try my best to follow whatever he says,” Tinto said.
“Ever since the training sessions before the Costa Rica game I started to feel more confident and I thought I was doing good enough to be in the team and then I got my chance against Costa Rica. It wasn’t too surprising but it was a big day for me to walk out there.”
His goal which brought the scores level at the Azteca has gone down in the record books but could also spur him on to hitting the target more often and creating further openings for players around him.
“I think it would help my confidence more now. Now that we have a break before the next game I will go back to my club and continue training hard so that I can get a call back to the national team. I always try to keep myself as fit as possible so when the opportunity comes up I can be ready for it. Maybe I bring something different to the attack and once it can help the team then I’m happy to play that role,” added the T&T international.
Coming into the fray alongside more recognized names like Dwight Yorke, Kenwyne Jones and Carlos Edwards, Tinto, formerly of Caledonia AIA of Morvant Laventille admitted that at first he was overwhelmed but soon settled down.
“At first it was a very anxious time for me but just being around players like Dennis (Lawrence) and Dwight Yorke was a pleasant feeling for me and I settled down and started playing the football. The main thing is to remain focused and work hard and to take the coach’s advice whenever it comes,” the Joe Public player noted.
“Now I’ll go back to Joe Public and train hard again. Joe Public is a good team. I like their style of football and they have welcomed me there so hopefully I can help them to more success.”
Meantime, plans are being drawn up currently in relation to the August 12 World Cup qualifier at home to El Salvador and Latapy will continue to monitor the players’ progress as some of them head into preseason training.
An invitation has been extended by Grenada to have T&T’s Senior Team face their Senior Team in a friendly international there on June 27. Grenada, under new coach former West Ham defender Tommy Taylor, are preparing to contest the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup and is expected to have a team inclusive of a few of their UK-based professionals for the encounter against T&T.
View Tinto's interview