06/05/2011
Overseas contingent boosts Grenada





By Vijay Setlur

CARSON, California - Delroy Facey already is teaching his Grenada-based teammates.

The Lincoln City striker rebuked a younger team member Saturday - loudly and with expletives -- when the lesser-experienced player came in with a reckless slide challenge.

It's one of many lessons Grenada's overseas contingent will try to impress on their island-based teammates in their Gold Cup training.

"The majority of the boys play their football on the island, there are only a few that play off the island, so when the UK-based players come in it gives something a little bit different," Facey said.


"I think it sharpens up the boys that are there already and back in the UK. We play almost a higher tempo than we probably do over here, so we try to get them into the speed as quick as possible and to be fair, they've actually stepped up which I'm quite impressed with."


Michael Adams knew he had a young athletic team when he took over as coach in February, but knew it was missing a key ingredient.With the Gold Cup looming and a desire to improve on Grenada's winless - and goalless -- performance in the 2009 Gold Cup, Adams called in eight overseas players, five from England and three from MLS, to instill a key ingredient.


"They bring a level of professionalism," Adams said."Leon Johnson in particular has got 300, 400 English league games under his belt he brings a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge, and the players have immediately responded to that and they respect that.


"Grenada doesn't have professional football teams and a lot of the players play football in their village parks so this is a very huge step up for them. And some of the protocol and practices are not things that they've necessarily been used to, so the pros who come in can give them a little bit of insight into that and show them what's needed."

Anthony Straker has noticed the difference.

"The European English boys have come in now as well, we've gelled well with them and I can see us doing all right," he said."They're bringing a different aspect of the game, a bit more shutting down where the home boys are a bit more better on the ball and play a lot of football."

Adams said he expects most of his overseas players to start Monday in the Gold Cup opener against Caribbean rival Jamaica. Striker Kithson Bain (Carolina Railhawks), who had six goals in the Digicel Caribbean Cup, and midfielder Shalrie Joseph of the New England Revolution has been dropped because of injuries.

Tough love

Adams' task as coach of Grenada is considered the hardest of all, with most bookmakers listing the Spice Boys as the longest shot of the 12 hopefuls to win the Gold Cup. He's didn't hesitate to interrupt Saturday's scrimmage to lash out at his side.

"You just can't surrender too much possession to the other side and invite them onto you because they will hurt you," Adams said afterward.

"So what we're working on is pressing the ball and pressing higher up the park and I think if we can get those elements of the game right, we're very good athletes, so we can compete.Where we lack as an all-around team in technical ability we can make up for in work rate, although we have some technically gifted players."

Rocastle coming

Grenada will get a boost Sunday with the arrival of Craig Rocastle, who played the 90 minutes Saturday in Sporting Kansas City's 0-0 draw at Toronto FC. With Bain and Joseph injured, Rocastle is the only MLS player on the squad.