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Trinidad and Tobago's Shaka Hislop is likely to delay his return to the international fold until he takes care of his professional career in England.


The 36-year-old goalkeeper was released by English Premier League club Portsmouth on Friday and said he wants to sort out his career before he links up with new national coach Leo Beenhakker.

"I have a wife and four kids," said Hislop, "and it is difficult to leave here and leave my family at this point in time without knowing where my future lies. I have already told the manager my concerns and he said they would be relayed to the new coach and they would get back to me."

Hislop was optimistic about landing a role as a player/goalkeeping coach at Portsmouth after being tipped for the vacant post, but was disappointed to be released by the south coast club that he helped steer into the Premiership as a player.

"I am in a position of my own making really," he said, "because I felt I would be offered a contract by the club and now I am left with nothing lined up. So I would really like to sort something out first."

Hislop collected his European Goalkeeping "B" badge yesterday and revealed his ambition to work as a coach in his homeland.

"I think the one thing I lacked growing up in Trinidad was a proper goalkeeping coach," said the ex-Reading, Newcastle and West Ham custodian. "I only got proper coaching when I signed professional forms for Reading so it was a case of playing catch-up for me.

"I think we have produced a lot of good natural goalkeepers in Trinidad and Tobago and I feel that we can produce so much better ones with proper coaching. So it is something that I promised myself to help with in the future."

However, Hislop said the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) already possess an excellent goalkeeping coach in former "Strike Squad" standout, Michael "Brow" Maurice, and he hopes the Federation appreciate the value of their employee.

"First and foremost, I think Maurice brings good experience to the table which is very important," Hislop said. "Despite the club exposure that myself and (Clayton) Ince might have, to have someone around like Maurice who has been there and done it in terms of international competition is great. I think he also has a wealth of experience in technical areas.

"It is a fantastic asset to have and I know he has certainly helped me."