SPORTS

Football World Cup Qualifiers are just around the corner

Cayman Islands National Senior Team and staff

Monday, January 19, 2004

The Cayman Islands National Senior Football Team is again preparing for World Cup Qualifying action in the near future.

With some 34 CONCACAF teams aiming to reach the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Cayman now knows its route to the finals following the preliminary draw in Frankfurt last month.

Scheduled to meet Cuba on 22 February in Grand Cayman and one month later on 27 March in Cuba, the team has regrouped after a short Christmas break and is working with a serious training schedule to up their chances. The winning team from the pair will go on to play Costa Rica on either 12 or 13 June.

National Senior Men's Coach Marcos Tinoco, is expecting nothing less than a stellar performance from his team. But in the midst of preparation he is not unrealistic admitting that Cuba is a stronger team, positioned at a higher competitive level. "They have a higher level of fitness work in Cuba; while we are still at the developmental stage they are a few steps ahead of us," he said.

Training includes technical and tactical work on and off the field five days each week, plus strength work in the gym and early morning runs on the beach. 

The squad includes: Arden Rivers, Ariel Tatum, Bradshaw Watson, Carlos Welcome, Clay Coleman, Chris Welcome, Eric Brown, Frederick Wilks, Garth Anderson, John Kelly, Joseph Tatum, Junior Fisher, Justine Pierre, Leon Whittaker, Limbert Cuevas, Mario Watler, Marshall Forbes, Metchie Williams, Milton Sinclair, Nikolay Hill, Phillip Berry, Rico Bodden, Romeo Thomas, Nemroy Forbes and Thomas Elliot. 

The CONCACAF Qualifiers promises 22 months of intense action, commencing in February 2004 and ending in November of 2005. 

Visit the CIFA website www.caymanfootball.ky and click on the CONCACAF link for more on World Cup football.

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