Coach of the Trinidad and Tobago football team Bertille St Clair is calling on the national public to turn out in their numbers in the Queens Park Oval, Port-of-Spain tomorrow for the CONCACAF World Cup Final Round qualifier against the United States.
Speaking to the media following Sundays 1-0 loss to Haiti in their friendly international at Shaw Park, Scarborough, St Clair said: I hope Trinidad and Tobago recognise how important this is to the country. It could do so much to change the life of the young people and no team would work out if they dont get the support that they deserve, he said. So I hope that the people recognise that these young men are making (sacrifices) for the improvement of Trinidad and Tobago.
St Clair is not perturbed by TTs defeat to the Haitians, stating: We had three guys who came from away (on Saturday night) and they were out playing (on Sunday). We also wanted to get (them) acclimatised for the occasion on Wednesday so we gave all of them a chance. We shifted around the team and I thought that the team played well except that they gave away a penalty and, when you take some of the chances that we had.... The match saw the return of Dwight Yorke to the national lineup and St Clair said: I would hope all the critics saw Yorke (on Sunday) evening because he was here, there, everywhere looking for that football. I thought he brought some leadership qualities to the team because he kept talking to the guys and (helping) them to move on, he said.
St Clair noted that strikers Stern John and Cornell Glen, as well as left-back Marlon Rojas, are all suffering from niggling injuries, but the trio would be available for selection for Wednesdays clash. I dont predict, he revealed, when asked about the teams chances against the Americans. Were in this competition to qualify for the World Cup and were going full speed ahead. The results, the man above knows before, and were only praying that itll be in our favour. While he admitted that he has finalised his starting eleven, St Clair noted that a close associate informed him that the Americans are wary of Yorke. We have people doing a job for us, he said. Concerning the availability of veteran midfielder David Nakhid, who spent the weekend in the United States on personal business, St Clair said: I dont know if hell be on the bench (as the assistant coach) or as a player.