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After defeat in First Citizens Cup final…

MARVIN GORDON, coach of top local football outfit Defence Force, is turning his focus towards the 2018 TT Pro League season, which is expected to begin in August.

Gordon was speaking on Friday night, moments after Defence Force were beaten by Central FC 4-2 via kicks from the penalty spot in the final of the First Citizens Cup, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.

After 120 minutes of regulation and extra time, the scoreboard read 2-2, with the resurgent Keron Cummings (42nd and 83rd minutes) netting for Central FC, and Dylon King (64th) and Devorn Jorsling (65th) replying for the Army-Coast Guard combination.

“We’re going to try to win the Pro League,” said Gordon. “I won a (league) title as an assistant coach, I would really like to win it as a head coach. The plan from now is to prepare for the league which starts in two weeks.”

Defence Force last won the league in 2012-2013 with Ross Russell in charge of the team and Gordon deputising. Jorsling was instrumental in that title run and at age 34 is still firing in goals for the team.

Reflecting on Friday’s match, Gordon said, “A brilliant game of football by both teams. Two coaches (himself and Central FC’s Stern John) really trying to go at one another tactically.

“I thought the first half Central (were) really good,” he continued. “I couldn’t wait for the half to end just to go in to fix things and fix the attitude of my players. We came back out and we (were) brilliant, we got the two goals and we went up, but we paid at the back with a mistake, Central (got) back in. “We tried to get a result, but (the game) went to the (penalty) spot and they held their nerves better than us.”

The former Defence Force midfielder-turned-coach was noticeably animated during the game and he admitted, “We were not putting pressure on the ball enough. We were allowing them to play too much with the ball.”

Gordon also felt that his winger Reon Moore was not given the benefit of the doubt with some calls from the officials.

However, he said, “All and all, I thought it was really a brilliant game.”

Gordon only made two substitutions during the match.

“I believe in the players I coach,” said Gordon. “I believe in the guys on the bench. I thought I needed to leave Dylon King on the field, even though in the first half (he) wasn’t at his best, I knew he would bring something to the game, so I didn’t want to take him out.”