MARVIN ANDREWS, the former Trinidad and Tobago footballer, was thrilled to play an instrumental role in Liverpool’s triumph, by a 3-1 margin over the Caribbean All Stars, in Sunday’s final of the Tobago Legends Football Challenge at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet.
“I always had a place in my heart for Liverpool FC and I always said in an interview many years ago, that I would play for Liverpool one day. I never know it came up in this tournament,” added Andrews, who is more commonly known as “Dog”. “I’m really grateful.”
Andrews was a late addition to the team, and he admitted, “I actually left my house coming to support Dennis (Lawrence etc) and the Caribbean All Stars team and I got a text message from one of the organisers (which) said ‘Marv, can you play? Liverpool (are) short at this moment in time. Will you fill in and play?’
“I said ‘yes, I’ll take up that opportunity because I’m still fit and active’. I took that opportunity and it turned out to be really well for me. So I’m very grateful to God for that.”
Andrews has been living and playing in Scotland since 1997, when he left Malta Carib Alcons to play with Raith Rovers. He also had stints at a number of clubs, including Livingston and Rangers.
Questioned about how things are with his career in Scotland, he responded, “really, really well. I play with Elgin City for the first half of the season and then I left in January and went to Montrose.”
Trinidad and Tobago football has been rocked by the recent scandal involving former football football administrative honcho Jack Warner.
Andrews noted, “I just see what is in the media, just like everybody else. I cannot make any assessment or any judgement on anything until the final verdict has been made. At this moment is just speculation, is just loads of accusation.
The muscular-built central defender continued, “as I always tell people, hopefully the truth will come out one day and we can get everything resolved. But my biggest concern is not only with the Warner issue but for the young people of Trinidad and Tobago who are aspiring to be professional footballers and help our country to qualify for a second World Cup. And that is my greatest fear at this moment in time.”
Commenting on the on-field issues, Andrews said, “it’s just a pyramid effect. Once there is problems with the TTFA, once there is problems at the higher (ranks), it will affect the national team, it will affect the players.
“It will be difficult for many of the players but hopefully it can build character in them and let them show what they can do and make people see that its not only when things are going well, but in difficult times we can still stand up for our country and go and give a fight in every game,” he ended.