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With less than three months before Trinidad and Tobago’s opening 2006 World Cup match against Sweden, National Senior Football Team captain Dwight Yorke has voiced his opinion that the “Soca Warriors” will be going there with  fifty-fifty chances as the other teams in Group B.


Yorke, who has recently been in England fine tuning himself with Manchester United, said recently that T&T will go to this year’s World Cup to prove that they are more than just first time outsiders as they face first round opponents England, Paraguay and Sweden.

“Realistically we are going there to compete. We have a fifty-fifty  chance like everybody else . We have been in situations where we were perhaps the better team and didn’t get the results. It’s eleven versus eleven and we will be going to Germany with that mentality,” Yorke told TTFF Media.

The Sydney FC winning captain is expected here in early May to take part in the team’s farewell international friendly against Peru on May 10 as well as other activities such as the nationwide roadshow and is keen to see the Leo Beenhakker coached team continue making strides.

“Whoever the manager brings in we have to ensure that they are welcomed and you can see the guys are very enthusiastic. I think we have to go their as a group to make sure we can compete with the very best. To get a victory like we did in our last game against Iceland away from home was very rewarding. These games are selected through management staff and based on the teams that we are likely to come up against in Germany. This is a good test for us. So far things seem to be going in the right direction and hopefully we can kick it off again the next time we are together (against Peru),” Yorke added.

The 34-year-old former Aston Villa star also made a call on the country to take inspiration out of the team’s achievements and the fact that as a result of it, the country is being recognized worldwide on a timely basis since qualifying. As a result, Yorke say’s his life has enjoyed a positive effect.

“Life has been great since qualification, not that my life has been that bad before. If there was anything missing from it,  this is now like putting the icing on the cake. At the World Cup at 34, you think you are coming to the twilight of your career which I am but to be leading the Trinidad and Tobago team to the World Cup is the best thing possible that could have happened to me,” Yorke said.

“I think the people of Trinidad and Tobago should have a lot of faith and encouragement from the team. We want to thank everyone from the country who has supported us through good and bad times and everyone who has been instrumental in the team’s success.”

And when asked what he expects of them both at home and in Germany come June, the skipper replied: “I would like to think there will be a Carnival like atmosphere. Every opportunity there is for Trinidad and Tobago people to party they will grab it. We will be there in numbers for sure.”

Assistant coach Wim Rijsbergen arrived back in the country last week and Beenhakker is expected here next week as the build up intensifies to the Peru encounter and the remaining preparation schedule which includes matches away to Slovenia, Wales and Czech Republic.