THE
SHARK VOL.5
THE OFFICIAL CENTRAL FC MONTHLY MAGAZINE MARCH 14, 2014
Transfer
News
Focus on
Women
Carnival Celebrations:
www.centralfctt.com
SHARKS UNBEATEN IN 2014
Rest In Peace
Kevon Carter Lance Corporal Kevon Carter was one of T&T’s
National and Defence Force wingers. He suffered a heart attack at training and subsequently passed away. He was 30. National coach Stephen Hart: “Kevon will be a definite loss on and off the field. He’s been in my squad going back to the Gold Cup last year and of course over a period of time dealing with players, you get to know them better and this is indeed very sad and sudden loss for us.”
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EDITOR AMIEL MOHAMMED DESIGN EDITOR MAYA WILKINSON COPY EDITOR SHANE STANFORD
PHOTOGRAPHY KIT ISRAEL PHOTOGRAPHY WWW.WIRED868.COM
TEAM
WRITERS AMIEL MOHAMMED KWAME WEEKES DOMINIC WILKES
ONTENT
4 9 10 12 14 19 21 22 24 26 28 30
Monthly Review 2014: What Can We Expect? Transfer Window Supporters Club Focus on Women Shark Tales Shark Fin Scoop Football Wise Our Final Goodbye to Akeem Shark Word Search Stats Central Quotes from New Signings
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he Sharks are UNBEATEN in 2014 and in 10 matches in the league. The matches have been coming thick and fast since the turn of the new year. We faced the league leaders, an inspired Point Fortin unit and the league’s defending champions and none have walked off the pitch earning the 3 points against us. These statistics (3 wins, 6 draws and 0 losses) bode well for a team trying to find their identity with a host of new signings but neutrals and supporters alike would agree that it has been a draw too many.
Review up until Carnival Break
A L L P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F F O O T B A L L & S AT I R I C A L N E W S W E B S I T E : W W W. W I R E D 8 6 8 . C O M
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T
The performances have gradually been improving as the team begins to gel. The tame performances that brought about 1-1 drawn scorelines with San Juan Jabloteh and Caledonia AIA at the beginning of January seem like a distant memory at the moment. New signing, T&T international midfielder Ataullah Guerra would have hoped for better results against his two former employers but it was not meant to be. Guerra may have been hoping for further reinforcements in the next fixture and he certainly got just that. We gave debuts to a further 4 new signings in a feisty 0-0 clash at Mahaica Oval. Point Fortin Civic FC were beaten 3-0 earlier in the season but at home they proved to be inspired. Only a few days after the funeral of former player Akeem Adams, Civic FC fought hard and could have stolen all 3 points had Marcus Joseph not put his controversially awarded penalty wide. New signing Yohance Marshall, who made an excellent debut in central defence, was adjudged to have committed a foul in the box but even the Civic FC supporters claimed poetic justice when Joseph squandered the spot kick.
MONTHLY
REVIEW
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Our new found “infatuation” for drawn score-lines continued for the next 3 matches. Each match was riddled with emotion, heated exchanges and questionable refereeing decisions. In our final match of January versus Police FC, referee Keon Yorke stole the spot light. Towards the end of the first half, Ataullah Guerra leaned into teenage Police winger Joel Lewis with his shoulder. The “Lawmen” immediately went into an uproar with Trent Noel grabbing the referee by his arm as tempers flared. Noel was swiftly dismissed and to the bemusement of the Central FC supporters and players, Guerra also saw red. Earlier in the half, our sixth new signing Sean De Silva produced two excellent free-kicks to set up gilt edged chances for Jack and Plaza which were unfortunately squandered. In the following fixture versus North East Stars the referee decided to maintain the trend of puzzling decisions albeit with a slight change to the script. Referee Brizan awarded a dubious penalty for Central FC for a challenge on Rundell Winchester in virtually the last moments of the game. Head coach Fenwick even conceded that Central FC were probably lucky to leave the Hasely Crawford Stadium with a 1-1 draw. “We got fortunate with the penalty to get the draw really. I thought it was dubious although I was too far away to be sure. He (Referee Brizan) was making so many bad decisions, it didn’t surprise me to get it though.” said Fenwick. Captain Oliver calmly tucked away the penalty. Referee Brizan was then forced to eject two enraged North East Stars’ officials and a player for their unacceptable behaviour towards him. Even Stars owner, Darryl Mahabir had to be physically restrained as he ran from the stands to confront the referee. Up next was league leaders, W Connection and a true test of our aspirations as a club. For 88 minutes we passed the test with flying colours. The game was full of excitement and intrigue. A first goal from T&T National striker and January transfer recruit Willis Plaza and a tap in from Marcano had Central sitting pretty at 2-0 in the second half. Then came another debateable penalty call. Leston Paul and Joevin Jones went up for
an aerial ball before both falling to the ground. The referee pointed to the spot for W Connection. Joevin Jones calmly converted the penalty in the 89 min, but it was in the 4th minute of extra time that the real heart break came. Surinamese youngster Demitrie Apai placed a perfect header into the far corner with virtually the last kick of the game to earn W Connection a 2-2 draw. At this point, we had now completed 6 consecutive drawn results. Our aspiration to finish in the top 2 in the league was slipping away. Coach Fenwick had decided to shake things up in the W Connection game by reintroducing Darren Mitchell to the starting line-up. Apart from the last 6 minutes of play, his decision paid dividends. Mitchell put in a man of the match performance that day and was then a key factor in Central FC finally registering victories in our next 3 matches. San Juan Jabloteh and Defence Force were put to the sword 4-1 and 2-0 respectively with Jason Marcano and Willis Plaza finding their scoring boots regularly. In the final match before the Carnival break, St. Ann’s Rangers were the unlucky recipient of our new found confidence. We thumped them 6-0. Willis Plaza scored a wonderful hat-trick, Jason Marcano scored his 4th goal in as many matches and Darren Mitchell again proved to be a driving force in midfield with a goal and an assist. It must also be noted that even though Rundell Winchester has lost his scoring form, he is still finding ways to contribute to the team. He is currently our league assist leader with 6 assists. The new signings seem to be finally finding their feet and we hope to continue our winning ways throughout March.
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2014
What can we expect?
“F
ootball throughout the years has proven that it is not like mathematics, whereby an easy calculation one plus one will equal two, but in football it is not so. Therefore, the Team with the best players may not necessarily win the title. This is in no way saying that Central FC is not capable of winning the title. The composition of our Team at present, suggest that it is well balanced and once they continue to train and play to the coaches instructions, the road to success is a positive one.”
-Norris Ferguson, General Manager
“From a small event in a local club in London, ON Canada, to a dual country crusade of party animals. Bringing new life to the party life from Canada to Trinidad & Tobago...
transfer
window
C
entral FC caused a major stir during the mid season transfer window by making no fewer than six signings. It was not the number of signings that created the biggest buzz but rather the calibre and reputation of the players that were welcomed into the Couva Shark’s camp.
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The signings include Trinidad & Tobago senior international players Ataullah Guerra and Willis Plaza, former T&T youth internationals Leston Paul and Sean De Silva, former LA Galaxy defender Yohance Marshall and 21 yr old former Defence Force utility player Samuel Delice.
This huge sudden influx of talent is viewed as unprecedented in the local football community and one that has many spectators salivating at the prospects. These signings are in line with the philosophy of the club to regularly field T&T national players as outlined by Head coach and Technical Director Terry Fenwick: “our aim is to regularly field 6 or 7 T&T national players and complement them with youngsters who will push for the national team, as we did last season with Mitchell and Winchester.” Plaza and Guerra recently returned from spells in Vietnam and Finland respectively and were a part of the T&T senior team for the 2013 OSN Cup in Saudi Arabia. Guerra also starred for the Soca Warriors by scoring two goals against Jamaica in home and away friendlies in November. De Silva stated, “Its great getting to play with Leston again. It’s been a while...It’s going to be a lot of fun playing with him again in the middle.” Both players are returning to Trinidad after completing their degrees in USA. Paul however spent the past few months playing for his local team, Guaya United. The Super League title winners even reached the Toyota Classic semi-finals with Paul proving to be an instrumental force. Paul and De Silva join defender Yohance Marshall in having their first taste of the Pro League by joining the Sharks. Marshall has had a journeyman career thus far with his last club being Nay Pyi Taw FC in the Myanmar National League. He has also had spells with Rochester Rhinos, Chainat F.C and LA Galaxy, the later of which he played alongside the likes of David Beckham, Landon Donovan and former T&T international Chris Birchall. All six signings are excited at the project that Central FC has embarked upon and are looking forward to helping the team to grow, while boosting their chances of becoming national team regulars. 11
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She kicked a football for the first time at the age of four and since then, coaches have recognised her passion for the sport and leadership qualities.
FOCUS ON
WOMEN
T
he football scene in Trinidad and Tobago is filled with too many groupies. Very few of us – if any – show the same degree of excitement and support for local football as we do for the English Premier League or Champions League until our teams have reached a high-stakes game. We would buy a case of beers and cook up a onepot for a Champions League final match but we hesitate to spend that kind of money for our local teams as we fear our money would be wasted. The support is even less for women teams. The U-20 game against Costa Rica on January 18 was a sign that women’s football has something to say.
Walker’s leadership quality is evident as she speaks matter-of-factly over the phone, calmly answering questions as if used to being interviewed. “Honestly, I am very nervous,” she says, giggling. “I am always nervous but I guess I can hide it well.”
The “Soca Princesses” confidently began the second half of the game with a 3-1 lead - perhaps too confidently. Anton Corneal, technical director for the team believes that Costa Rica’s second goal changed the tone of the game in Costa Rica’s favour and this goal could be blamed on an uncalled foul. Anique Walker, worthy skipper of the team, is more cautious than her coach but admits that “they caught us sleeping. The goals they scored gave them motivation and we didn’t keep up.”
Even though she does not hail from a traditional football family – no known family member plays at a professional level – her passion for the game is palpable. No wonder she spurns the congratulatory remarks of “at least you all still made history.” True, yes, but Walker is not one for sentimental back-patting. “Honestly, that doesn’t really matter to me,” she says, “making it to the next round was one thing but the fact is we had the game in our hands and we lost it.”
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Her ability to keep calm in what other persons may consider tense situations aids her as a leader. She kicked a football for the first time at the age of four and since then, coaches have recognised her passion for the sport and leadership qualities. Walker credits her coaches with bringing out that side of her.
Seeing a need for improvement, Walker argues that the team needs more international exposure. “All these other teams preparing together for years. We need to start doing that and we need more international match practice. A lot of these girls played their first international games this rounds. It is a different level out there.” Walker believes, however, that women’s football is experiencing a local upsurge. “The Ministry [of Sport] really supported us. Anil Roberts used to come every Saturday morning to our training sessions. Before we used to get trouble for training grounds to train but now we train in Hasley Crawford.”
Anique Walker has high hopes for her future and it includes a University education. Although she is still deciding exactly where she would study and what, the University of West Florida is on her radar. Her experience at Central FC was a fulfilling one as she played alongside older, more experienced players and she hopes that it aids in her trials for the national senior team this year. Hopefully the Ministry of Sport spreads its support to them as well so that our potential could be realised. -KWAME WEEKES
This is fresh air in an atmosphere where Central FC manager, Brent Sancho, is still clamouring for the reward promised to the Trinidad and Tobago players from the 2006 World Cup games. Until we start treating our sportsmen well - not only when their talent brings them victory but before with better equipment and facilities - their talent and goodwill can only take them so far.
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“I
feel good about joining Central. There are a lot of young players who work very hard around the team. They just need a little experience. I have come to bring that experience that I’ve gained from outside to help the team to do better”
Willis Plaza
Shark Tales 19
JAMAL JACK
shark fin
scoop
Shark: What is your ambition for Central FC? Jamal: To help the club reach as far as we can go; Concacaf Champions League and winning the Pro League. Shark: Who is your closest friend in football? Jamal: Noel Williams who currently plays for Caledonia AIA. Shark: Who is your favourite athlete outside of football? Jamal: Usain Bolt Shark: What is your favourite past time? Jamal: I generally stick more to myself. I like the quiet life but I do spend some time working in certain trades like carpentry.
NAME: JAMAL JACK POSITION: DEFENDER AGE: 26 HOMETOWN: CHARLOTTEVILLE, TOBAGO Shark: What is your favourite team? Jamal: Manchester City. Shark: Who is the player do you model your style after? Jamal: Vincent Kompany.
Shark: What is your favourite cartoon character? Jamal:I like Santana the Puppet if that counts . Shark: What is your prediction for the 2014 World Cup? Jamal: I feel Brazil will take it because they are home. Shark: What is your most memorable game played? Jamal: When we (San Juan Jabloteh) played Santos Laguna in Mexico. I ran like a dog over there.
Shark: What is your favourite food? Jamal: Baked potato and either fried or baked fish. Shark: What is your personal ambition? Jamal: My first ambition is to make the National Team and then I would like to play abroad. I really want to get back onto the National Team.
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FOOTBALL
WISE
Healthy Nutrition for Young Footballers PART 3
TORN MEDIAL COLLATERAL LIGAMENT (MCL) What do you feel? • Sharp pain on the inside of your knee What happened? • You received a blow to the outside of your knee • This may have been a direct tackle or as a result of a fall • You twisted suddenly while you foot was planted on the ground • The ligament which supports the inside of your knee joint was strained/torn What to do? • R.I.C.E. • You may need to wear a knee brace to support the joint during healing • Mild to moderate tears may benefit from several weeks of physiotherapy • Surgery is usually not required unless there is a severe tear • May also be associated with meniscal tear SHIN SPLINTS What do you feel? • Sharp/burning pain along the shin bone What happened? • This is a repetitive stress injury • It results from too much running either without proper training, correct footwear or on hard surfaces What to do? • R.I.C.E. • Get proper running shoes • You may need to consult your physician regarding special inserts to reduce stress to certain areas of your feet STRAINED/TORN ACHILLES TENDON What do you feel? •Pop behind the ankle • Pain • Swelling • Difficulty pointing or raising toes • Difficulty pushing off to run • Symptoms may be delayed What happened? • You pushed off suddenly to sprint • May also result of overuse of tight calves What to do? • R.I.C.E. • You may need to use crutches if the pain is severe • Insert a heel lift in your shoe to reduce the strain on the tendon • Consult a physician if pain does not subside within a week
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SPRAINED ANKLE What do you feel? • “Pop” at the time of injury • Pain/swelling around the ankle joint • Difficulty moving ankle • Difficulty putting weight on affected leg • Pain/difficulty when kicking ball What happened? • You twisted your ankle suddenly while walking or running • You may have received a blow to the ankle joint What to do? • R.I.C.E. • Use crutches if you’re limping • Consult a physician if you are unable to move the ankle or if symptoms do not subside within a week. ANKLE FRACTURE What do you feel? “Crunching” in your ankle with movement Pain Swelling Bruising Difficulty standing What happened? • You received a direct blow to the ankle or the leg What to do? • R.I.C.E. • Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect you may have an ankle fracture The aforementioned is by no means an exhaustive list. There are many other injuries which may occur in the sport of football and many of them are not confined to the lower extremities. The above list merely consisted of the most common injuries and some basic treatment techniques for players. For specific advice it is always in the person’s best interest to consult with a physician. It is also important to remember that, “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” Players should always ensure that they wear proper footwear, warm up and cool down properly, stretch, eat and rest properly. In the event of an injury it is always best to consult a physician before resuming play. Many minor injuries have been aggravated to point of becoming lifelong problems simply because the player resumed activity before the injury had healed properly. Dominic Wilkes B.Sc. Physiotherapy
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Rest in Peace
Akeem
Our Final Goodbye
Akeem’s Funeral held at Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin
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25
SHARK Word Search
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Find these Sharks’ names in the puzzle. (Answers on page 29) Jamal (Jack) Leston (Paul) JanMichael (Williams) Yohance (Marshall) Willis (Plaza) Marvin (Oliver) Keon (Goodridge) Keion (Trim) Javon (Sample) Darren (Mitchell) Dwight (Quintero) Kevon (Goddard) Rundell (Winchester) Kaydion (Gabriel) Elton (John) Julio (Noel) Ataulla (Guerra) Jason (Marcano) Akeem (Benjamin) Johan (Peltier) Nicholas (Dillon) Samuel (Delice) Sean (de Silva)
STATS CENTRAL TT PRO LEAGUE TABLE As of 14/03/2014
TEAM
PLAYED
WINS
DRAWS
LOSSES
GD
POINTS
W Connection
17
11
4
2
+20
37
Central FC
18
8
8
2
+17
32
North East Stars
18
9
5
4
+9
32
Point Fortin Civic
16
9
2
5
+10
29
Defence Force FC
14
7
2
5
+7
23
Police FC
16
6
3
7
-7
21
Caledonia AIA
17
5
6
6
+3
21
San Juan Jabloteh
17
3
2
12
-19
11
St. Ann’s Rangers
17
1
0
16
-40
3
CENTRAL SEASON STATS PLAYER
GOALS SCORED
Dwight Quintero 10 Rundell Winchester 9 Jason Marcano 7 Willis Plaza 6 Marvin Oliver 5
CLUB HISTORY Biggest Win: 6-0 vs St. Ann’s Rangers – 21/02/2014 – TT Pro League Worst Loss: 1-5 vs Defence Force – 16/11/2013 – Toyota Classic All-time leading goal-scorer: Rundell Winchester – 14 goals
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Answers to Word Search
29
“i
feel good about joining up with players like Guerra and Jan. Its good to play with them at the top (national) level and then combining with them at club level” – Willis Plaza
“t
his (joining Central) is a great opportunity for me to get some good training to prepare myself for another step” – Yohance Marshall
“t
his (Central) is a club growing, and together with myself there have been some outstanding signings in the past couple weeks. I think that will help boost the team and take them to the level that they wish to be. “ – Leston Paul
“i
ts definitely a great honour to be a part of this team right now. They are definitely putting something very special together…..hopefully I can give back to the club and give back to everyone else involved” – Sean De Silva
quotes from new
signings
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