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Boyz, T&T seek bragging rights Published: Wednesday | August 11, 2010 0 Comments and 0 Reactions Whitmore Latapy Reggae Boy Ryan Johnson. Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts. - file 1 2 3 4 >
Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sport
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad:
JAMAICA will be shooting for a 'positive result' when they tackle Caribbean archrivals Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) in the feature game of today's double-header at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, at 6 p.m. (5 p.m. Ja time).
The game is the first in a two-match series and was originally slated for the Hasely Crawford Stadium, but was shifted due to an inspection of the venue ahead of next month's FIFA Under-17 women's World Cup.
A match-up between Trinidad and Tobago's junior representatives - who will be participating in that tournament - and their senior women's outfit, will kick off this evening's proceedings at 4 p.m.
Predictably, it is the men's team that will hold centrestage, with the region's number one and two teams which, ironically, are coached by two of the Caribbean's most gifted players ever. They are Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore and Russell 'The Little Magician' Latapy.
Youthful squad
Both have lined their squad with youthful and largely untested players, keen to see what they are capable of doing on the bigger stage, when the important competitions come along later this year and in 2011. As a result, they appeared set to agree on seven substitutions.
The Digicel Caribbean Champion-ship (DCC) Finals will be on in months, while the Gold Cup and qualifiers for World Cup 2014, in Brazil, are fixtures for next year.
While the coaches are not happy to say it, key among their immediate tasks is victory, which brings along with it bragging rights.
The Jamaicans dropped two spots in the FIFA rankings to 83rd this month, while Trinidad and Tobago leapt a whopping 19 spots, to be the number one-rated Caribbean team, at 76.
While making reference to "the rivalry", Whitmore said: "it's a friendly game; we want to keep it as friendly as possible, but we want to get as much as we can get out of this game. We definitely want to get a positive result."
Despite fielding three newcomers in their squad - St George's schoolboys Devon Williams and Oneil Fisher, as well as goalkeeper André Blake, who were all part of the squad preparing for the Central American and Caribbean Games in July - the Jamaicans are fielding the more experienced group, with six overseas-based pros and several other players who have been involved in key internationals over the past couple of years.
Rodolph Austin and Eric Vernan, who play in Norway, along with United States Major League stars Donovan Ricketts, Shavar Thomas, Dane Richards and Ryan Johnson, play outside their country.
Experience
However, Jermaine Taylor especially, along with Richard Edwards, Dicoy Williams, Adrian Reid and Devon Hodges and Mario Swaby, have played their fair share of internationals away from home and could help to provide a calming experience, which may factor into their overall performance and the final outcome.
Village United's Troy Smith will get a first-time starting role, in a four-pronged midfield powered by Rudolph Austin, with pacy Richards looming large as a threat from wide, and the reliable Edwards at anchor.
Johnson, who scored in Argentina, will lead the hunt for goals with Kavin Bryan, while at the back of the team, Donovan Ricketts returns in goal for the first time since the Gold Cup last summer. Shavar Thomas, Jermaine Taylor, Dicoy Williams and 2008 DCC Most Valuable Player, Eric Vernan, complement the backline.
For Trinidad and Tobago, only the Puerto Rico Islanders pair of Keon Daniel and Kendall Jagdeosingh play outside their country.
However, Latapy, who has played top-class football in Europe for much of his career, is not entirely concerned, noting that their professional league - from which the other players are drawn - is of a "decent standard" and his main objective rests in the understanding they display of the system he is implementing.
"Every international game you play you want to win, but I think the philosophy and ideology are important," Latapy said.
"There is motivation enough that the players are representing their country and they will want to win. But I don't want to make this into a grudge match."
Most of the Trinidadians are under 26 years and they won their last game 4-1 over Antigua and Barbuda. In their other game this year, they went down 2-0 to Chile in Santiago, prior to the World Cup.
In an earlier interview with Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation media, Latapy said: "We haven't seen Jamaica in a while and I wanted to see where they are at the moment, and I'm pretty sure they will be hoping to do the same. It's going to give us another idea of where we are at right now in preparation for the Digicel Cup," Latapy said.
"The only point we have to prove is to play to the best of ourability. It's always interesting when Trinidad and Tobago face Jamaica, and football is a game when you never stop learning.
"This is always one of the bigger games in Caribbean football," he added.
Against Antigua, Kevon Carter scored twice, while Kerry Baptiste and Devon Jorsling scored the other goals. All three head the goalscoring chart in the T&T pro league and will headline their hopes for a win, with Trent Noel, Hughtun Hunter and Trent Noel expected to lead the midfield charge. Aklie Edwards, Keston Williams and Makan Hislop will shore up their defence.
"Trinidad are a young team. Everybody wants to do well, both for the coach and for the country, so everybody will want to come out there and show authority, so we've to take that into consideration as well," the Jamaican head coach said.
The Reggae Boyz lost 2-0 to South Africa in Germany in their last match. Prior to that, they went down 2-1 to Argentina in Mar Del Plata ahead of the World Cup, then beat Canada 1-0 at the National Stadium.
Whitmore said his team's 'preparation,' which includes regular camps and matches against local selections back home, has been fairly good. He believes the addition of overseas-based players will make a difference.
"... I think it brings something (experience) to the game," he said.
"It will be a very interesting game."
The match will be played on astro turf, but Whitmore, whose team is not used to playing on such a surface, does not foresee any difficulties.
"We shouldn't see the astro turf as any major problem. The players have to get accustomed to these sorts of situations," he pointed out. "In the World Cup qualifiers you might have situations where we have to deal with similar issues."
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Tappa going with a 3-4-3
The starting eleven for the Jamaica team in today's international friendly against Trinidad and Tobago:
DONOVAN RICKETTS ------------------ DICOY WILLIAMS JERMAINE TAYLOR SHAVAR THOMAS ----------------- TROY SMITH ERIC VERNAN RICHARD EDWARDS RUDOLPH AUSTIN ---------------- DANE RICHARDS RYAN JOHNSON KAVIN BRYAN
Outside of Ricketts, this must be Jamaica's 3rd string side.
It will be a good indication of squad depth and quality if this side plays well against Trinidad because this will probably be the core of the Caribbean Cup side.
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Vernon is actually much better as a midfielder. Expect everyone to get a run as Tappa will be evaluate which players he will take to the Digicel Cup in December. It will be interesting to see how the inexperience midfielders handle their duties.
Harbour View's Kavin Bryan will play as a lone striker as the Jamaica coaches employ a 5-4-1 formation for Wednesday afternoon's friendly against Trinidad and Tobago at the Marvin Lee stadium.
Dane Richards, Jason Johnson, Rudolph Austin and Richard Edwards will start in mid-field.
Eric Vernan, Troy Smith, Jermaine Taylor and Dicoy Williams will be in defense with Shavar Thomas as sweeper.
Donovan Ricketts, who has been outstanding for LA Galaxy in the US major league, will be in goal.
While the last three matches between the teams ended in stalemates, assistant coach Bradley Stewart thinks Jamaica will have the edge in this encounter.
Kick-off is at 5 o’clock local time.
Rain could be a factor in this game, as it was raining up to sports time.
The match is to be played on artificial turf.
_________________________ "Victory" in wars are never about who is right or wrong but more about who is left standing.
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This reporter is a bit misinformed. Jason Johnson did not make the trip but Ryan Johnson is there. Tappa has hardly ever played a lone striker up front.
Teams: JM Williams, K Daniel, C Mitchell, M Hislop, K Carter, D Jorsling, T Noel, H Hector, K Williams, K Baptiste, A Edwards D Ricketts, R Edwards, Taylor, S Thomas, R Johnson, E Vernan, K Bryan, D Richards, T Smith, D Williams, R Austin
Love those Trini announcers. Lyrical and excitable. They are giving us credit for having started better, but TnT seems to be coming into the game:
"He's a top class goalkeeper, Donovan Ricketts! Top class goalkeeper!" Just an example of their commentary. "Beautiful work by Ryan Johnson. He's a tall lad, but he has a cultured left foot. The Jamaicans look so comfortable on the ball."
Indeed, they ironically mocked themselves by saying that it was amazing that they had to be so full of praise for Jamaica.
