FORMER TRINIDAD and Tobago footballer Everald “Gally” Cummings yesterday criticised the performance of the Trinidad and Tobago football team as a “team playing in conflict.”
Speaking with Newsday via telephone yesterday, the UTT head coach said he only had the opportunity to listen to part of the match on Friday, in which the “Soca Warriors” lost 2-1 to Guyana, effectively ending their FIFA 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign.
“From what I heard, there seemed to be several different coaches on the field, causing conflict in the play,” said Cummings.
He said the onslaught of foreign coaches has created a conflict in the minds of players which can now be seen on the field. According to Cummings, the Guyanese team did not face this challenge as they had the same coach, Jamaal Shabazz for several years.
Cummings said Shabazz, who ironically is Trinidadian, had sufficient time to work with the Guyanese team and the results showed.
The former Strike Squad coach also questioned the mental readiness of the players ahead of the game. He said many players had just shortly returned from foreign club duties and did not have the time to prepare for a game of such importance. Cummings recommended that focus now be placed on developing the local football league and building a cadre of local players, led and brought “up to mark” by a local coach.
“We need to get serious about local talent and drop the attitude that foreign (talent) is better. We have to develop home to the best level possible,” said Cummings.