Latapy replaces Maturana as manager of Trinidad & Tobago

April 9, 2009

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad – Forty-year-old midfielder Russell Latapy assumed the job as interim manager of Trinidad & Tobago’s national team on Wednesday, replacing Francisco Maturana who resigned from the position, the Trinidad federation said.

Latapy, who has more than 70 caps for the Soca Warriors, will work as a player-coach and be assisted by Zoran Vranes, who qualified the country’s junior team in March for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup later this year in Egypt.

Maturana resigned “due to differences in opinions regarding the way forward in the FIFA 2010 World Cup qualification campaign for South Africa,” the Trinidad federation said in a statement on its Web site.

The change comes a week after Trinidad was beaten 3-0 by the United States in Nashville, Tennessee, leaving the Soca Warriors with two points after three of 10 games in the final round of World Cup qualifying, last in the six-team “hexagonal”.

Latapy, who has played professionally in Scotland since 1998, has participated in Trinidad’s last six World Cup qualifying campaigns, scoring nine goals in 40 games. He also played in the 2006 World Cup finals, when Trinidad became the smallest nation to qualify for the quadrennial championship.

“I’m absolutely delighted with being given opportunity to be coach of my country’s national team,” Latapy said in a statement on the Trinidad Web site. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and the people who’ve been involved with me in football and from a family standpoint over the years all know this.

“The task ahead of us is by no means an easy one but I think once we can get everything together, and with the support of the nation, we can achieve our goal which right now is qualifying for the next World Cup and continuing to take the country’s football forward.”

Trinidad, which failed to qualify for the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July, will play its next World Cup qualifier on June 6 at home against Costa Rica, followed four days later with a match at Mexico.

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Tags: CONCACAF Champions' Cup, concacaf gold cup, Costa Rica, Egypt, FIFA, fifa 2010 world cup, fifa under 20, fifa under 20 world cup, francisco maturana, interim manager, match, Mexico, Nashville, player coach, port of spain, port of spain trinidad, russell latapy, scotland, smallest nation, soca warriors, South Africa, standpoint, Tobago, Trinidad, trinidad web, United States, vranes, world cup finals, world cup qualification, world cup qualifier

Off-field issues settled, El Salvador now gathers for World Cup tilt against USA

March 26, 2009

El Salvador recorded an important victory last week and it wasn’t on the soccer field.

Earlier in the week 23 players left training camp for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier, protesting the non-payment of bonuses for reaching the CONCACAF final round.

The players returned to practice on Sunday after an agreement was reached with the El Salvadoran Football Federation.

Federation president Rodrigo Calvo told the media that "the parties reached an agreement which is satisfactory for both."

"Everything’s settled," El Salvador captain Sanchez added.

It is too early to tell whether the strike would bring the players together or tear them apart.

But if the strike has lasted any longer, the El Salvadorans seriously would have jeopardized their chances against the United States in San Salvador on Saturday night.

The Cuscatlecos already dropped two poings, needing to rally for a 2-2 draw at home with Trinidad & Tobago on February 11. Despite being rescued by two goals in the final 11 minutes by 22-year-old midfielder Osael Romero, El Salvador is 0-2-2 in its last four matches, which includes a poor run in the Central American Nations Cup.

Its task is especially daunting considering that four days after playing the United States, it must travel to Mexico for another qualifier April 1.

The Salvadorans are winless in their last 12 games (0-2-10) against the United States, and haven’t scored in six games against their rival, since a 4-2 loss on Nov. 16, 1997. Its only win in 18 games against the U.S. was 2-0 in a friendly in San Salvador on February 19, 1992. In six World Cup qualifying matches, its has lost four and at best drawn the other two.

"If we feed on positive ideas . . . we can have the confidence to make a good game," coach Carlos de los Cobos said. "We cannot play with fear.”

The U.S., on the other hand, has the momentum of its 2-0 win over archrival Mexico on February 11. Coach Bob Bradley has called in 10 starters from that match, including the scoring hero of the game, his son, midfielder Michael Bradley (two goals), and midfielder-forward Landon Donovan.

Donovan has scored the most goals in U.S. team history (37) and is one short of tying former international Brian McBride for the most in World Cup qualifying (10).

Donovan is one of four players on the U.S. roster who participated in the Americans’ most recent qualifying match in El Salvador, a 2-0 semifinal-round victory on October 9, 2004. The others are defender Frankie Hejduk, midfielder DaMarcus Beasley and forward Eddie Johnson.

A win in El Salvador would give the U.S. two victories with a match at home — against Trinidad & Tobago in Nashville, Tennessee — next on April 1.

“The games against El Salvador and Trinidad & Tobago represent a big opportunity to solidify our place in the group," coach Bradley said. "We had a fantastic team effort against Mexico, and if we put in the same type of performance we are confident of being able to get results.”

U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard is suspended for the game after accruing his second qualifying yellow card against. Mexico. Brad Guzan is likely to start with Marcus Hahnemann as his backup.

The roster will be bolstered by midfielder Pablo Mastroeni, who is back after serving a one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation.

By Michael Lewis