The Little Islands the Could

December 17th, 2005 | by: WC Bob | Comments Off

A betting man would say that most of the 350 million pairs of eyes that tuned into today’s World Cup draw in Germany, henceforth known as the Heidi Klum Show, could not even find this nation on a map. The odd makers have essentially said that there is better chance that a man will land on Mars next year than they will hoist the World Cup over their collective heads. Even their most rabid of fans, still dancing in the streets celebrating the mere fact that they have made it to the world’s largest soccer stage, would be hard pressed to say they are going to go very far.

But you’ve heard it here fist: Trinidad and Tobago – TNT – is going to be…well…dynamite in Germany.

Three Reasons I’m not Drunk

Before you scoff and click your mouse to download those Heidi Klum photos, here’s three reasons why you should keep an eye on the Soca Warriors:

1. Dwight Yorke – US Coach Bruce Arena has called him the most dangerous striker in the world. As we saw with Cameroon’s Roger Milla in Italy in 1990, an unstoppable goal scorer can single handedly lift an inferior team out of the first round and into glory. Yorke, a former striker for Manchester United, has the talent to be this year’s Golden Boot.

2. Coaching – Dutchman Leo Beenhakker has brought much needed organization to a country that has long been rich in soccer talent, but that has suffered a lack of discipline because so many of its players play professionally in different systems in other countries. Beenhakker is one of four Dutch coaches heading World Cup sides this go around and there is a reason why the rest of the world has looked to Holland for manager: they know how to coach technically sound, entertaining soccer.

3. Draw – T&T was drawn into one of the easiest first round groupings. Their toughest opponent will be England, the country where the majority of their players play their professional career. You can bet the Soca Warriors will be VERY excited to take on their old colonial power and will be more than familiar with England‘s players. Trinidad also matches up well against the size of Sweden and will benefit from having to play a very average Paraguay side.

You’ll be thanking me later

Will Trinidad and Tobago go on to win the tournament? You’d have to give us a lot more of their country’s fine rum before we would make that prediction. But go ahead and take out your office pool brackets right now and pencil in the Soca Warriors as a team in the final 16.