Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Beenhakker says warm-up defeats are learning experience

Friday, June 9, 2006

by: Gary Smith
Caribbean Net News Sports Correspondent
Email: gary@caribbeannetnews.com

ROTENBURG, Germany: Trinidad and Tobago's coach Leo Beenhakker is hoping his team can use their recent experience from warm-up matches as preparation to face some of the top European teams in the 2006 World Cup tournament, which starts Friday.

The twin-island nation will feature in Group B with England, Sweden and Paraguay and Beenhakker is hoping his lads can adjust to the different styles of play they will come up against.

"These games were about getting used to the way they play the game in Europe," said Beenhakker. "The way they play in Europe is different than what the players are used to.

"It's a much speedier game and a more physical game. We have to get used to it."

Meanwhile two of the Soca Warriors' senior players, skipper Dwight Yorke and midfielder Russell Latapy are of the same view as Beenhakker and they are hoping their fellow teammates will now learn what it takes to represent the country at the highest level.

"These games have been a time for us to experiment and try different things and also get used to playing against the European teams that we don't get to face in the CONCACAF region," the little magician Latapy said.

"It was important to get experience against European teams. Of course, you want to win games, but at the same time the most important thing is Sweden on June 10."

Yorke, a former Manchester United striker, who now plays in the Australian A-League at FC Sydney, came out of retirement to guide his side to their first ever World Cup finals and he's hoping the team will be ready for Saturday's game in front of an expected sellout 63,700 football fans at the FIFA World Cup Stadium in Dortmund.

"This is a great learning experience for the players here who have not had the opportunity to play at such a high level or represent their country to understand what it takes and what it will be like," Yorke said.

"Come Saturday, that is something they all will digest and hopefully be ready for Sweden."

Trinidad defenders Marvin Andrews and Avery John will have their hands full against Barcelona striker Henrik Larsson and Juventus' frontman Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who will start up front for the Swedish side.

In their four warm-up matches against international teams, Trinidad tied 1-1 with Peru, then suffered losses to a young Wales team (1-2), Slovenia (3-1) and Czech Republic (3-0).

They, however, rounded-up their world cup preparations by beating German third division side FC St. Pauli 2-1 in Hamburg on Monday. Strikers Kenwyne Jones and Jason Scotland scored the goals for the world cup debutants.

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