“The writing was on the wall,” says former T&T senior football coach Edgar Vidale. He was asked his opinion about the sacking of coach Bertille St Clair last week.
Vidale noted that although there was a slight reversal of the team’s fortunes in St Clair’s last game in charge (T&T—Costa Rica 0-0 on Wednesday) the team had not improved during his (St Clair’s) tenure.
While the dismissal was not unexpected, Vidale took umbrage to the manner in which it was executed,saying:
“I don’t think it was in the best interest of Bertille St Clair.”
Though he recognised that St Clair’s fate had been decided before last Wednesday’s match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Vidale called on the T&TFF to adopt a more humane approach to such matters in the future.
On new coach, Dutchman Leo Benhakkar, Vidale said his expertise should be able to assist T&T’s cause, but that our successful journey in the World Cup campaign hinges on what happens in the next two months.
During this period, says Vidale, it would be important for the coach to get a feel of the players and the culture, in order for him to properly cater to the team’s needs as a unit.
Vidale said the presence of Russell Latapy and David Nakhid as assistant coaches should link the coach to the players and prepare them both for greater responsibility in the team.
He stressed that it was important that both the former T&T captains quash whatever personal differences that may exist between them for the better of the team.
Ex-national football team captain Clayton Morris was also of the view that the team’s under-performance meant that there was something wrong with its technical direction and that the coach had to go.
Morris, a former assistant coach and coach of T&T’s Under-20 team,said that St Clair’s ouster may have been better for the welfare of the team had it been effected at a earlier time.
Morris said that the team appeared to be technically and tactically weak, so he was in agreement with the sacking of St Clair.
“The question is, do we have that amount of time?” Morris said, referring to the players’ ability to adapt to Benhakkar’s coaching.
Morris said he had doubts about the capacity of the team to get going again under the present conditions, but made a plea for foresight from the administration. “It is sad to see that at this point we have to make these drastic changes,” drawing parallel to a similar move by Costa Rica, but noting that the structure of the Ticos’ team is more concrete and can therefore weather the change.
He also said that the players are aware of the task ahead and should be committed to the cause, in order to play catch-up to the other teams that are better equipped and in better positions on the table.
Ex-national footballer Sedley Joseph said it was common practice to fire a coach when teams aren’t getting positive results, adding that St Clair is one of the many coaches that have been removed internationally.
He also thought that the team wasn’t playing as it should in the friendlies, Digicel Cup and World Cup qualifiers. Saying he does not know much about the new coach, he hopes that Benhakkar, a reputed good tactician, will effect a turn-around.
But Joseph, recipient of FIFA’s Centennial Order of Merit in 2004, was skeptical about Benhakkar’s recent inactivity.
“Top coaches aren’t found hanging around.”
He said it would be difficult for Benhakkar, dealing with a first team comprised mainly of foreign-based players.
Despite his skepticism Joseph said:
“Hopefully we’ll get some good results in the games to come.”