Despite triumphing in the Independence Cup here last weekend, Technical Director of this countryâs football set up Zoran Vranes wished for a different result.
âI was looking for a bad resultâ, Vranes said boldly in an interview with SEARCHLIGHT SPORTS last Monday.
Vranesâ stance came against his disappointment with playersâ âpoor attendance at training and their attitudeâ.{{more}}
He was hoping that a defeat would have added some change in his chargesâ outlook towards the training sessions.
Vranes blamed this attitude as an addendum to the lack of the teamâs physical fitness.
He attributed the under par performance in the just concluded Independence Cup against Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda to fitness.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines beat Grenada 4-1, and drew with Antigua and Barbuda 2-2, but Vranes observed, âWe played well in (the) first half and first fifteen minutes of the second half then nothingâ.
âOur problem is fitness, weâre very much behind … We are not in the shape as we were three weeks agoâ, Vranes said.
âWe cannot play three matches in five daysâ, he lamented ahead of Vincy Heatâs second round assignment in the Digicel Cup in Barbados November 19-23.
Vranesâ concerns over playersâ general attitude are shared by team manager Roxell John.
âAttendance has been poor since we returned from Trinidad and Tobago. Persons have been coming but not consistent enoughâ, John said.
âIt is important for players to understand to be more consistent to practice as they will challenge others for positionsâ, John stated.
John said that the lack of attendance at practice is hampering team selection.
The team manager concurred with Vranes that the players are not âpsychologically focussedâ as they were prior to their outing last September to Jamaica for the first round.
The team manager stated that an incentive and fine system has been put in place to address the problems of absenteeism and punctuality.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines are preparing to face Bermuda November 19, Barbados two days later and the Bahamas November 23 for one of two places from that group in the finals slated for January 31 to February 11, 2007.
In the meantime Vranes is relying on the optimism that âhopefully we (will) get very seriousâ.
Sports
November 10, 2006
“Players must attend more practice”