Luis Cabrera plays mind games with Belize selection
Posted: 20/01/2007 - 11:28 AM
Author: Le Roi A. Hyde
Team Belize began their first full week of training on Monday of this week and player attendance continues to be unsatisfactory. A total of 13 players attended training on Monday. The number increased to 16 on Tuesday and during my visit earlier today, a total of 18 were in attendance. In the first three days, only 11 participated in all morning and afternoon sessions.
Some players have valid and understandable reasons to be excused from training or their total absence. However, there are those who are simply taking it for granted that just because they are semipro stars that their spot on the final list is automatic. We can only hope that the coach and/or “the powers that be,” will be prudent enough to recognize these players and be fair to the ones who attend the camp.
Belize national coach Carlos Antonio Veiera was not present because he went to Chetumal to scout the practice match between El Salvador’s national selection and an All Star selection from Chetumal, a match which El Salvador won, 2-1. Physical trainer Luis Cabrera was left in charge of training with the assistance of the “Marvelous” Marvin Ottley, Kent Gabourel and Ernest Morris. While yesterday’s sessions were not as vigorous from a physical standpoint, the players did a lot of practice with short passes which involved a lot of mind games to improve their concentration.
Cabrera said that the players need to improve on their coordination and concentration and that they need to become more serious in practice.
When asked as to how the level of Belizean football can be elevated, he said that we need to start development with technical and tactical training at the youth level. He said that Belizeans are similar to the Hondurans and Costa Ricans in that our youths have the natural speed, strength and physical size.
Even though the players in camp are way past their youth so to speak, his purpose is to get the players into the best physical and mental shape in preparation for the upcoming Nation’s Cup. He said that the players in camp have the strength and potential.
Cabrera said that Belize ranks so poorly because of the lack of international play. He sincerely wants Belize to do well and hopes that we do. He also thinks that the prospect of being recognized by international scouts should be motivation enough for the players to want to do well.
He said that Belize is still not ready at this moment and that they need more practice as a group. He is looking forward to the arrival of international players Shane Orio and Selvin De Leon to join in the training. All in all, the locally-based players have been steadily improving and he is confident that they will be ready in time for the competition. However, the players can use some additional motivation.
When asked about Belize’s expectation in the group stage, Cabrera said that he expects nothing less than 4 points which will be enough to qualify Belize to the CONCACAF Gold Cup. He said that while El Salvador will be our biggest challenge, the match that he is most looking forward to is with Guatemala; mainly because of the history between the two countries.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|