EVEN PELLERUD, coach of the Trinidad and Tobago Under-17 women’s football team, is encouraged by the performance of the squad during their tour of Panama and El Salvador last month.
“The approach had to be right because this was the first international games for this team, and we needed them.
“The game against Panama U-20 team was not that hard,” he continued. “We won the game (3-2) and then went down to El Salvador.
“We played, first, a mixed (U-17 and U-20) team and we beat them 6-1,” said Pellerud. “Then came the big challenge against El Salvador U-20 team.
“It was a surprisingly very strong team and we were totally taken by shock. They overplayed us and we lost 5-0.
“That was the biggest learning experience for us because, after that, we had three days to prepare for the second game, against the same team. We managed to come back and beat them 3-1.”
In his overall synopsis of the trip, he said, “this was a very important experience for us.
“The players learnt how to be focussed, how to be disciplined and follow a game plan, and team tactics,” continued Pellerud. “The last game was such an important game for us to finish off on a high note. If we’d never (undertaken the tour), we would not have known how strong international football is.”
Since the team has returned from Central America, the local-based players have been in an intensive training programme, while Pellerud is also narrowing down the composition of the squad.
“We have been back in camp, we are back to training seven times a week,” he said. “We’re shutting down the on-going selection of players to around 16 players.
“It used to be 23 but we’ll lower it down, to give the team an edge and have more intensive practices, higher quality practices,” continued Pellerud. “I think that is what we need to do to get these 16-20 players sharper on a more daily basis.” The former Norway and Canada women team tactician also spoke about the infusion of foreign-based players in the TT squad.
“The local players have played football for only a few years and the foreign-based players have played all their lives, and are more skilful,” Pellerud stated. “The local-based players are more athletic and fitter, due to the programme they are in, so they are bringing something to the table, and the foreign-based players are bringing something to the table.
“It is my challenge as a coach to mix it all together,” he added. “I think it’s very important that the home-based players now are training on a daily basis so they can catch up the gap, in terms of technical capabilities.”