Guyana confidence high
says manager Roderick Trotman
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
November 1, 2002
Guyana’s confidence is high going into this afternoon’s Under-17 Caribbean Football Union Group A World Cup preliminary against host nation Bermuda.
The host team defeated St Lucia 5-0 on Wednesday. Guyana’s manager Roderyck Trotman gave assurance that his side will vie strongly to make it into the next round.
“We are confident of beating Bermuda. St Lucia was very weak,” the manager Roderick Trotman said in an interview with Stabroek Sport yesterday.
Guyana drew 1-1 with group powerhouse Trinidad in their opening match which according to Trotman they should have won. “We were confident of beating Trinidad after seeing them at an official practice session. We recognised that the goalkeepers were very slow in getting down and the team’s fitness level was not on par with us,” Trotman said.
“We dominated the first 20 minutes of the game against Trinidad and missed at several scoring opportunities.” Trotman said that dapper captain Kanata Manning and Dwight Peters were guilty of squandering. Peters scored Guyana’s lone goal in the ninth minute.
Trinidad equalised in the 22nd minute and Guyana went into a “mental collapse”.
“Trinidad is more experienced that us and controlled the game for sometime. We were able to counter attack several times,” the manager disclosed.
Speculating on Guyana’s chances of qualifying for the next round Trotman opined that it would have been easier if Guyana had defeated Trinidad.
“Right now it is not in our hands. If we had beaten Trinidad then it would have made a lot of difference. But as it is now we will have to wait and see.”
Guyana play its final game on Sunday against St Lucia. The winner of the group qualify to play other group winners in a home and away arrangement which commences next month.