Columbus Crew midfielder Kevan George is counting down the days to this country’s opening pair of 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala and United States on November 13 and 17.
The Roxborough-born player has been a regular in the T&T squad and has also been pretty solid for Columbus in the American MLS despite being in and out of the starting team.
“The season is going great for us as a team so far, but we aren’t satisfied until we are atop of the Eastern conference and advance to the MLS Cup final game when anything can happen,” he said.
“This season has been very up and down for me with not getting a lot of minutes consistently, but that’s part of the challenge of being a professional footballer. I have been tested a lot this year and it has strengthened me and helped me to be smarter in everything I do. It’s not the end of the world so I just get on with it and prepare for my next opportunity to help my country prepare advance through the stages of the World Cup qualifiers.”
George has been called up for the October 8 international friendly away to Panama and he is eager to don the national shirt again as the “Soca Warriors” prepare for the start of the Concacaf semifinal round in November.
“The next couple friendly games coming up will be the most important games for us going in to the Guatemala and USA game. We can’t predict how our opponents will play but we can control what we can by just continuing to build on the principles from the gold Cup. Mentally, we must be checked in at the commencement of the camp before the Panama game and carry the focus throughout the entire qualification process.
“With a strong camp and great showing in both upcoming friendlies, there is no reason for us to not get some good results in November,” George said.
T&T will also host Nicaragua in a friendly in Port of Spain on October 13.
Connection coach pleads for players to put in extra work
DirecTV W Connection head coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier, the longstanding man at the helm of the local Pro League powerhouse, is making a desperate plea for local players to more time to their personal development.
Fevrier was stressing the lack of the club to unearth another natural goalscorer, the type of forward that could tally 20 goals in a season, something he says the club has not had since the days of St Lucian Earl Jean. He believes home-based players are not doing enough on their own.
“Players now are hardly doing work on their own. It’s a different generation. In the years before, players would go out and do extra work on their own to improve themselves. There were times when players would go on the field with their friends and practice. You would put numbers on different areas of the goal without a goalkeeper and try to hit the target. But players don’t do those things anymore,” he said.
But Fevrier says he will continue to make the effort to help players realise the importance of proper work ethic.
“I always tell players that in life one sure way to get success is to fall in love with your work. A lot of players like the game, they like what the game gives them but the work ethic is missing. Sometimes I call training sessions with some of them just to see if I can get them to develop good habits. We don’t have goalscorers like long ago. Before you could see goalscorers like Bobby Sookram, Steve David, Ron La Forest and Leroy Spann and they would tell you the amount of work they would put in and they would have good execution and technique,” Fevrier said.
“Goalscoring is the most important thing in football and that is why it is the most difficult. It is an art.”
Fevrier made these comments at the end of Connection’s campaign in the Concacaf Champions League last month.
Bateau makes Russian
“Team of the Week”
T&T defender Sheldon Bateau was name on the Russian Premier League “Team of the week”.
Bateau put in a solid performance for his club Krylya Sovetov in their 0-0 draw with Dinamo Moscow on Sunday to move to 14 points in seventh spot on the 16-team league table.
Also making the “Team of the Week” was Brazilian striker Hulk for his performance for Zenit Saint Petersburg.
Bateau was modest about the recognition.
“Thanks but there’s nothing much to say about it. I’m just happy to see my hard work pay off but one best eleven of the week is not enough. I want more and that’s my intention. This one was just for encouragement to work even harder and to be consistent,” said the former Jabloteh and KV Mechelen player.
John among legends
recognised by Columbus
Stern John was among a collection of club legends invited to Mapfre Stadium on Saturday to honour the unveiling of the top moments in Columbus Crew SC history.
He joined former US internationals Brian McBride and Brad Friedel as the club celebrated its biggest achievers at their home game with Portland Timbers.
John still holds the record for the most goals in a season by a Columbus player when he netted 26 times in 1998. However, current Crew forward Kei Kamara is closing in with 22 goals so far this season.
“Records are meant to be broken,” John said. “And he’s been having a great season. It was great to go back to the club. It brought back a lot of great memories for me and hopefully the club can continue growing and achieving great things.”
John made his mark at Columbus before signing his first deal in England with Nottingham Forest in 1999.
n Shaun Fuentes is the Director of Communications for TTFA. shaunfuentes@yahoo.com