Home-based winger Kevaughn Connell has described the current team preparations under Russell Latapy as immensely intense. He said that the new T&T head coach has been spot on so far in training.
“So far training has been very physical and intense. A lot of emphasis is being placed on our fitness level and athletic ability,” Connell told TTFF Media.
“As an assistant he didn’t really give his full input although he was a good motivator to the players. But now as a Head Coach he is able to put forth his vision and his knowledge of the game which in turn will make us a stronger team.
He was able to get a scope of the player's capabilities as an assistant and now he can fine tune our weak points into strengths. Also as a Trinidadian Coach has the same passion for our team that we each carry in our hearts,” Connell continued.
”This is an extremely important match coming up and we're all focused on making sure the end result is a win.”
The team will have another session at the Larry Gomes Stadium on Wednesday before going over to Tobago for a live-in training camp leading up to June 6 against Costa Rica.
Meantime, Sunderland manager Ricky Sbragia has told Kenwyne Jones that he must learn to adapt if he is end his recent drought. Similar advice was given to Djibril Cisse.
The two strikers have scored 21 goals between them this season but they have struggled in recent weeks, netting just once each in the club's last 11 games.
The Black Cats boss insists Cisse and Jones can forge a lethal partnership, although he feels they may have to adopt a different approach.
"What's happened, teams are closing down the width of the game," explained Sbragia.
"There's not a lot of space behind them, so they are finding it difficult to go behind, especially Djibril. As a pair, they can probably get a little bit closer. Kenwyne did really well last year and when he came back from the injury, he was excellent.
"But he has not repeated that performance enough. It's a case of just persevering with them and getting on with it. You hope all the good things they did early-season will start coming back again."
Latapy and company will no doubt be hoping Jones’ form returns for T&T’s sake as well.