Scoring early may have shocked some of the players

The early goal scored by Vincy Heat against the United States may have been the very reason why the team lost the match 6 – 1 last Friday.

Technical advisor for Vincy Heat and coach of the Seattle Sounders Ezra Hendrickson said he believes that scoring that early maybe shocked some of the players and caused them{{more}} to veer away from the game plan.

“…We surprised ourselves and it seemed as is if some guys were caught in disbelief,” said Hendrickson at a press conference at the St Vincent and the Grenadines Federation office (SVGFF) yesterday.

Hendrickson, who is also a former captain of the St Vincent and the Grenadines national team, said lack of experience and the traditional way that football is played here also played a part in their loss.

“There are a couple things that I have noticed with football with St Vincent, when you are playing in Sion Hill…if you give a guy three yards…he probably can’t do anything with the ball…he probably still can’t complete a pass more than 20 yards away because they just don’t have that technical ability.”

“I can sit here and blame the players, because like I said it’s a part of the way we play here in St Vincent,” he noted.

Additionally he says that the temperature was also a major factor in the team’s loss.

Hendrickson said he believes that had the team followed the game plan, some of the goals scored by the US would have been prevented.

However, Hendrickson believes that if the team is able to train daily and participate in more competitions, the SVG team would be a team to compete with.

“I think with the talent we have on this team, we could go places.”

“I always said the United States game is the biggest game, but this game tomorrow is the most important game and nothing has changed…this is a game that you have to win,” Hendrickson said of Vincy Heat’s game today, against Guatemala.

Head coach of the team Cornelius Huggins used the opportunity to assure Vincentians that the coaching staff is united and despite rumours, there is no division among the technical staff.

“First of all, we, as a staff we are together; there is no division in the staff. Some people might be saying different things, but we welcome Ezra with open arms…any decision made is made as a staff.”

He also said that there is still a lot that the coaching staff can learn from Hendrickson, since he brings his professional experience to table.

“We, as a staff, we are happy with the players…I decided that we are going with a lot of the younger players, invest in the younger,” Huggins indicated.

He also asked Vincentians in the diaspora to lend their support, not only financially, but also to the technical staff and also to the national team.

The head coach, like Hendrickson, believes that the team may have been in awe after they scored on the US.

“Like Ezra said, from the time we scored the goal, even the players…they didn’t believe the mighty United States, St Vincent…scored on the United States in the first five or six minutes of the game.”

President of the SVGFF Venold Coombs congratulated the team and expressed his pride at the way they played Friday.

“I would like to congratulate our players; I think we ought to be proud of our players.”

He also thanked Hendrickson for lending his services ‘practically free of charge’.

“He came and helped us out with America…if we had that international experience, if we had that economic muscle, we constantly participating in tournaments…there is no way America would have beat us.”

Coombs also told the media that while having good players is important, there are more moving parts in football than just great players, and he indicated that the SVGFF will continuously work on improving the players on and off the field.

Missing from the team last Friday were outstanding players Shawn Barrow and Emerald George, who the head coach indicated had problems getting United States visas.

Tickets for this afternoon’s match are being sold at $30 for the Double Decker stands, $50 for the Michael Findlay, Phillip Veira and the Frank Thomas stands.

Students in school uniform will be admitted at a price of two for $30.

The organizers also said that traffic in the Arnos Vale area will be diverted to prevent some of the traffic jams experienced when Aruba last played here.

“For the travelling public that would be going to the Windward side that would not be going to [the] Arnos Vale [playing field], once you get to Rent and Drive if you are going to Windward side would be diverted through that area back out on to the main road just opposite the Thomas gap.”

Vincentians are asked to come out in their colours and support the Vincy Heat today at 3:30.(CM)