Former National team goalkeeper Kelvin Barclay, a member of the 1973 squad that was “robbed” of 1974 World Cup qualification during the infamous Haiti experience, believes that the presence of Otto Pfister as head coach will instill the discipline in the senior team’s game which he believes has been lacking since his era of play.
Barclay was present at the Senior team’s training session at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Monday as Pfister resumed preparations ahead of the upcoming 2014 World Cup qualifier away to Guyana on November 11.
Barclay rates Spain and Germany as his two favourite football nations and feels that Pfister’s “German” approach to business will benefit T&T.
“My main teams are Spain and Germany. I like the discipline that the Germans show on the field and I like Spain for the free thoughts that they bring into soccer.
I found out recently that our coach is a German and that’s good because they usually bring a level of discipline that I am seeing in the team and in their team.
I am seeing that in the younger players. When we went to Germany in 2006 I was lucky to be around some of the coaching systems that they have there and it was excellent,” Barclay told TTFF Media
“I think that we are going to do a lot better and that will be enough for me. It will all take some time for us to really make that progress we’d all like to see.
I cannot agree when people are saying that we are a small country and that is enough. We have been in football long enough to know that we should be a permanent team in the World Cups.
I think now with the present team we are going to get back on track and hopefully we can stay in the right direction,” added the 66-year-old Barclay who kept goal in the 2-1 loss to Haiti as well as the 4-0 and 1-0 wins over Mexico and Guatemala respectively in that same tournament in Port-au-Prince.
Following that, Barclay secured a contract to play in the North American Soccer League with Los Angeles Aztecs and Washington Diplomats.
Barclay added that while it would be a difficult road ahead for T&T in the journey to Brazil 2014, he expects the "Soca Warriors" to have a good shot at getting there, of course that entails overcoming Guyana on November 11 and 15.
“I came back for the over forty tournament here on the weekend (at the Ato Boldon Stadium). Our team Brooklyn Superstars won the tournament so the trip has turned out to be quite nice so far. It’s always good to come back home and meet up with some of the boys again.
Back then we played the game for the love of it, for the game and the country. Now you have players who are afraid of getting hurt and a lot of things have changed now. What stands out for me in the ’94 team was the dedication of the guys.
We were all on one page. Everyone wanted to do that good deed to get Trinidad and Tobago out there. Hopefully we could see that again. I would like to see that before I die,” Barclay concluded.
The Senior team will continue with sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday and then go into a live-in camp on Sunday with the final squad inclusive of the arriving overseas-based players.
W Connection’s Hughtun Hector, Jerrel Britto and Jan Michael Williams are not available for training this week after the club requested that they be excused due to T&T Pro League fixtures on Tuesday and Friday of this week. The final squad heads to Guyana on November 9 for the World Cup qualifier at the Providence Stadium.