PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Oct 15, CMC – Expect Antigua and Barbuda to spring a surprise in next month’s CFU Caribbean Cup Finals, head coach Rolston Williams has warned.
Antigua finished second to Trinidad and Tobago in Group 7 of the second round here last week, to qualify for the November 9-19 to championship round in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Williams said, however, his team would not be showing up just for the sake of it but would be strengthening even further for the competition.
“We will strengthen the team in Jamaica and we are looking forward to that tournament very much. Keenly we are looking forward to it and I think that we will be a big surprise over there” he told the Trinidad Express newspaper.
“There is room for improvement. We always want to improve the team and if there are good players over there and they want to join us, our arms are open.”
Antigua opened their Group 7 campaign with a 2-1 victory over St Lucia, drew nil-all with the Dominican Republic before going down 1-0 to the hosts in their game at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
They finished on four points to advance along with group winners T&T.
The Antiguan side boasted the likes of Keiran Murtagh who plays for English Conference side Woking, former Queens Park Ranger winger Joshua Parker who currently turns out for Slovenian side Domzale and Hull City’s Calaum Jahraldo-Martin.
Williams said the presence of the overseas-based professionals had been a boost for the side.
“We have eight foreign-based players. The impact they have brought to us is professionalism, the work attitude, the work ethics,” Williams pointed out.
“They bring the work ethic to the team. They bring the belief. All of this is good for us. I think they bring a lot to the team.”
Antigua will do battle in Group B of the Finals, alongside hosts Jamaica, and French sides Martinique and Haiti.
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