Captain Aubrey David: Soca Warriors need to look in the mirror

THE Soca Warriors and the 2,000-strong crowd at Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago were left disappointed on September 10 as the hosts played to a goalless draw with French Guiana in the second match of their 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League A campaign.

With just two games left against Cuba next month, the Soca Warriors sit at the foot of the six-team group B table after losing their first game 4-0 to Honduras. Jamaica (four points) head the group after grabbing a 2-1 win away to Honduras late on September 10.

The top two teams in both League A groups will advance to the quarterfinals, with the bottom two teams in the groups being relegated to Nations League B for the next cycle.

Last year, Trinidad and Tobago progressed to the knockout stage of the Nations League for the first time before being knocked out by eventual champions USA.

Just over a month into the job, TT caretaker coach Derek King, who took over from Angus Eve, finds himself with his back against the wall.

Captain Aubrey David and experienced defender Alvin Jones both said there's a need for introspection from the team if they are to raise their game to the desired standard at this level.

"It was a sad result for us. It's a draw, but it feels like a loss for us because three points would have put us in a good position in the group once again," David said. "Unfortunately, we didn't get going. We need to reset again because we have two important games coming up.

"I think we as a team have to look at ourselves in the mirror and go back to the drawing board and look at the things that brought us success in the last campaign. I think we need to be humble and have that hunger to get good results."

The 30-year-old Jones, who was twice named to the Concacaf Nations League A Best XI in the previous campaign, urged the players to step up to the challenge.

"I think each and everyone has to look in the mirror and decide what they want – whether we want to play big football or we just want to compete," Jones said. "I think we have a lot of work to do mentally, physically. Each and every player."

The Soca Warriors' play throughout the contest didn't have the urgency required for the scenario, and they created few clear-cut chances.

In the 39th minute, midfielder Daniel Phillips crashed a shot off the post from distance, with playmaker Duane Muckette being denied by goalkeeper Fei-hong Faham at the end of a flowing move moments before.

King felt his team should have grabbed three points despite the sometimes pedestrian pace displayed in the encounter.

"I think the performance was a bit disappointing. We didn't get three points," King said. "We went out there and we analysed the team. Our ball movement was a little slow, but we still created chances."

With golden opportunities few and far between, TT substitute Reon Moore missed the chance to give his team the lead in the 64th minute after being played in behind the defence by Jones.

"We were pressing the ball but I think we went out with too many lateral and backward passes," King said. "I think to take us to the next level we need to raise our intensity and our ball speed has to be much better to compete with the top teams in Concacaf."

TT's remaining games in Nations League will be against the fourth-placed Cuba on October 10 and 14 respectively, and the Soca Warriors will likely need two wins to have a chance of returning to the quarterfinals.

It remains to be seen if King will be the man tasked with leading TT into battle against Cuba.

The former FC Santa Rosa and North East Stars coach backed the players to make the necessary adjustments in the coming matches.

"The players we selected, I thought it was the best mix for these two games...the important thing is to look ahead as a team.

"We saw some good things (against French Guiana). We have to sit as a staff and analyse those two games and continue building from this."