POINT FORTIN Civic FC are ready to begin their quest for the first-ever T&T Premier Football League title.
Match day one of the long-awaited domestic competition kicks off at the club’s home base in Mahaica Sporting Complex on Friday, with W Connection versus Central FC in the opener from 5pm, followed by Point Fortin Civic up against southern rivals Club Sando, from 7.30pm.
Coach Dexter Cyrus anticipates an exciting start and believes his team’s pre-season training and practice matches have augured well for the squad’s good mixture of experience and youthful talent.
In the lead-up to Friday’s opening test, Point’s players have been training five days a week and placed much emphasis on fitness.
They also won two of their warm-up matches – against W Connection and Police – and drew another against the latter at Mahaica. Cyrus is pleased with his squad’s progress so far. “Based on feedback, this is basically the first time Point Fortin Civic Centre would have had a proper pre-season. So we are well prepared and the team is starting from a much better place. “When we started training, there were players in a particular frame of mind. But training, getting fit and in tune changes your frame of mind and gets you very optimistic and you feel you can move a mountain.
“That’s the mentality that we want the boys to have going into their first game. I think the boys are in a very good place and we look forward to good things,” he said.
Additionally, the club also acquired the services of national senior team trainer Adarayll John and Naparima College’s goalkeeping coach Rondel Renwick, both of whom, Cyrus said, have been doing an amazing job.
The captain has not yet been confirmed but Cyrus confirmed his troops are a well-oiled unit.
“The boys are very confident. The make-up of the team features a lot of good experience and youth, partnered with experienced youth.
“When we look back and analyse our pre-season, we saw our boys was jovial, optimistic and there was a feeling in the camp that may have never been there before for all the years that Civic Centre have been existing.
“We have brought the boys up to a place where they actually believe they can compete and win games, that’s what we’re trying to.”