| Player | Position | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Shaka Hislop | Goalkeeper | West Ham United (England) |
| Clayton Ince | Goalkeeper | Coventry City (England) |
| Kelvin Jack | Goalkeeper | Dundee (Scotland) |
| Marvin Andrews | Defender | Rangers (Scotland) |
| Atiba Charles | Defender | W Connection |
| Ian Cox | Defender | Gillingham (England) |
| Cyd Gray | Defender | San Juan Jablote |
| Avery John | Defender | New England Revolution (United States) |
| Dennis Lawrence | Defender | Wrexham (England) |
| Brent Sancho | Defender | Gillingham (England) |
| Chris Birchall | Midfielder | Port Vale (England) |
| Carlos Edwards | Midfielder | Luton (England) |
| Russell Latapy | Midfielder | Falkirk (Scotland) |
| Silvio Spann | Midfielder | unattached |
| Densill Theobald | Midfielder | Falkirk (Scotland) |
| Aurtis Whitley | Midfielder | San Juan Jabloteh |
| Anthony Wolfe | Midfielder | San Juan Jabloteh |
| Dwight Yorke | Midfielder | Sydney FC (Australia) |
| Cornell Glen | Forward | Los Angeles Galaxy (United States) |
| Stern John | Forward | Coventry (England) |
| Kenwyne Jones | Forward | Southampton (England) |
| Collin Samuel | Forward | Dundee United (Scotland) |
| Jason Scotland | Forward | St. Johnstone (Scotland) |
| Head Coach: | Leo Beenhakker | |
Scouting Report
Style of play: Coach Leo Beenhakker, from the Netherlands, has changed Trinidad's style from a typically English approach (fast-paced and hoofing the ball forward) and adopted a typically Dutch philosophy (controlled possession and taking time while building the attack). Far from conservative, Beenhakker preaches attack soccer - even though he uses a 4-5-1 formation with only one forward. Stern John will play as the lone striker, but former Manchester United forward Dwight Yorke, who plays as a playmaking midfielder for Trinidad, will often venture forward and give John support. Collin Samuel is another attack-minded midfielder who isn't shy going forward and Christopher Birchall will take long-range shots on goal when the chance is there. Trinidad's scoring chances will also come from set pieces - defenders Dennis Lawrence and Marvin Andrews will plant themselves in the penalty area and make good use of their height.
Probable starting lineup (4-5-1): (GK) Kelvin Jack - (D) Cyd Gray, Dennis Lawrence, Marvin Andrews, Avery John - (M) Chris Birchall, Carlos Edwards, Aurtis Whitley, Dwight Yorke, Collin Samuel - (F) Stern John
Strengths:
Unity - Under former coach Bertille St. Clair, Trinidad stumbled early
in the qualifying round and looked as though it would not make the trip to
Germany. Since Beenhakker took over last year, Trinidad has been transformed
into a well-organized team with plenty of spirit. The players believe in coach
Beenhakker and he has them believing in themselves.
Set piece prowess - Trinidad is deadly when presented with dead ball
situations just outside the penalty area. Central defenders Dennis Lawrence
and Marvin Andrews are expert at using their height to outjump defenders when
the ball is coming into the box, while Christopher Birchall can score from
long range with his lethal shot.
Coaching - Beenhakker is the first manager to take Trinidad and Tobago
to the World Cup but he is hardly a coaching novice. He coached the Netherlands
at the 1990 World Cup in Italy and led Real Madrid to three consecutive Spanish
league titles in the late 1980s. Tactically astute, the Dutchman has transformed
Trinidad into a well-organized squad since taking over last May.
Weaknesses:
Defence - Trinidad's aging defence lacks speed and is prone to mental
errors and breakdowns. They gave up 25 goals in 20 qualifying games, not exactly
the kind of defensive record that bodes well for a team that will have to
stop world-class forwards such as Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Michael
Owen of England.
Lack of depth at forward - Except for Stern John, Trinidad doesn't
have another reliable striker, an especially troubling problem considering
the Caribbean nation plays in a 4-5-1 formation. Former Premiership forward
Dwight Yorke now plays in midfield, meaning if John can't score, they won't
have anybody else to turn to up front.
Inexperience - Trinidad has a small core of veterans, but the rest
of the team is filled out by youngsters who play in the lower-league divisions
of England and Scotland. For many of them, this will be their first taste
of big-tournament soccer, and they'll be in for a rude awakening as they're
not used to facing countries the calibre of England and Sweden in CONCACAF.
Players to watch:
Dwight Yorke: The former Manchester United striker is unquestionably his
country's most famous and successful star. He has amazing quickness for a
34-year-old and has reinvented himself as a creative midfielder on Trinidad's
national team. Still a fantastic dribbler, he has the ability to run at defenders
and find open space.
Stern John: The veteran striker is absolutely vital to his country's
chances in Germany. John was Trinidad's top scorer in the qualifiers (12 goals)
and is a decent finisher who can hold the ball up capably while teammates
run to get into better position. He can't afford to lose his scoring touch
in Germany.
Dennis Lawrence: Another veteran who holds things together at the back
with his inspirational play in central defence. Lawrence, a defender with
Wrexham in England's League Two, scored the decisive goal in the qualifiers
that sent Trinidad through to Germany. Uses his height and tough tackling
to disrupt opposing attackers, and distributes the ball impeccably around
the field.
Key injuries/squad omissions: Winger Evans Wise and midfielder Anthony Rougier did not make the cut. Forward Cornell Glen is nursing a hamstring injury and might see limited action in Germany.
Prognosis: The draw for Trinidad and Tobago could have been worse, but not by much. The World Cup first-timers have the unenviable task of playing Sweden and England, two European powers, in their opening two matches in Group B. If they can't take at least a point from one of those games, their final match against Paraguay will be rendered meaningless. Can they hold out for a draw against the Swedes and English, or better yet pull off the upset victory? Don't bet on it. Spirit and self-belief only count for so much. Trinidad simply doesn't have the depth or quality to match up with the European heavyweights. Its porous defence will be run ragged and let in a slew of goals, leaving chances for advancing to the next round in doubt. Qualifying for the World Cup was a major accomplishment for the tiny Caribbean nation, but it will come crashing down to reality in Germany and finish fourth in the group.
Road to the World Cup
Current FIFA Ranking: #47
1st round matches:
June 10 vs. Sweden in Dortmund
June 15 vs. England in Nuremburg
June 20 vs. Paraguay in Kaiserslautern
2006 qualification route: Trinidad and Tobago beat the Dominican Republic
in a two-game playoff in the first round of CONCACAF qualifying. It finished
in second place (12 points) in Group 3 during the second stage behind Mexico
(18 points), fourth place (13 points) in the final stage and then defeated
Asian qualifier Bahrain in a two-game playoff.
Qualifying record: 20 games played, 11 wins, 2 draws, 7 losses
Goals for: 30 Goals against: 25
Top goal-scorer in qualifying: Stern John (12)
Qualifying results: (home team listed first)
June 13, 2004 - Dominican Republic 0, Trinidad and Tobago 2
June 20, 2004 - Trinidad and Tobago 4, Dominican Republic 0
Aug. 18, 2004 - St. Vincent/Grenadines 0, Trinidad and Tobago 2
Sept. 4, 2004 - St. Kitts and Nevis 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2
Sept. 8, 2004 - Trinidad and Tobago 1, Mexico 3
Oct. 10, 2004 - Trinidad and Tobago 5, St. Kitts and Nevis 1
Oct. 13, 2004 - Mexico 3, Trinidad and Tobago 0
Nov. 17, 2004 - Trinidad and Tobago 2, St. Vincent/Grenadines 1
Feb. 9, 2005 - Trinidad and Tobago 1, U.S. 2
March 26, 2005 - Guatemala 5, Trinidad and Tobago 1
March 30, 2005 - Trinidad and Tobago 0, Costa Rica 0
June 4, 2005 - Trinidad and Tobago 2, Panama 0
June 8, 2005 - Mexico 2, Trinidad and Tobago o
Aug. 17, 2005 - U.S. 1, Trinidad and Tobago 0
Sept. 3, 2005 - Trinidad and Tobago 3, Guatemala 2
Sept. 7, 2005 - Costa Rica 2, Trinidad and Tobago 0
Oct. 8, 2005 - Panama 0, Trinidad and Tobago 1
Oct. 12, 2005 - Trinidad and Tobago 2, Mexico 1
Nov. 12, 2005 - Trinidad and Tobago 1, Bahrain 1
Nov. 16, 2005 - Bahrain 0, Trinidad and Tobago 1
World Cup History
FIFA member since: 1963
Team nickname: The Soca Warriors
All-time caps leader: Angus Eve (118)
All-time leading scorer: Stern John (64)
Number of Previous World Cup Appearances: None
World Cup History:
1930 to 1962 - Did not enter
1966 to 2002 - Did not qualify
Hosted the World Cup: Never
Past Achievements:
Caribbean Cup Champions: 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001
Greatest Players:
Angus Eve: A former national team captain, Eve is Trinidad and Tobago's
most capped player ever with 118 appearances. The midfielder played a huge
role in helping Trinidad qualify for the 2006 World Cup, but he retired from
the national team earlier this year after a falling out with coach Leo Beenhakker.