The best of the best.
That’s how new head coach of the senior men’s national football team Orlando Da Costa has described the 23-man squad selected to play three international friendlies against Grenada, the first of which kicks off on Wednesday.
Following the squad’s announcement last Friday, there was some criticism that in-form Brittons Hill United striker Corey Hoyte, the top goal scorer in the Premier League with seven goals from four matches had not been included in the squad, which features seven newcomers.
Additionally, the omission of former captain Hayden Holligan, custodian Kishmar Primus, along with defenders Akeem Hill and Ricardio Morris, also raised some eyebrows.
But speaking before the team departed this morning for the Spice Isle, Da Costa, who took over as head coach last November following Russell Latapy’s resignation, said he believed he had chosen the best available players.
“Since I have arrived in Barbados we have carried out 17 training sessions with the aim of getting to know the players better in terms of practical, technical, physical and psychological profile.
“Also since the start of the Premier League we have seen everything and therefore, the selection of these 23 players was based on training and games. These are the 23 players we believe in right now,” Da Costa said.
“I am a coach and I always want to win…I believe in my ideas. It is important that the players understand that in all games, even if they are friendly they must have attitude, organization and passion for representing their country.”
However, the Portuguese UEFA Pro Level 4 coach, who has a wealth of experience coaching in Portugal and around Europe, maintained that there needed to be a change in the team’s mindset.
He said the players needed to view the tour of Grenada as an opportunity to improve their skills and build chemistry.
Da Costa acknowledged that the team had a bad run of form, having lost their previous four international friendlies.
His first major assignment will be a home fixture in the Concacaf Nations League on March 23 versus Cuba and an away match against Antigua and Barbuda on March 26.
Barbados currently sits in fourth position in Group A of League B.
“In all the games we must always have a maximum demand…we must always be 100 per cent focused. The big secret will be to be able to unite the team we have and put individual talent to work together. What we need is for all individuals to be able to find the best way to work together. We have to have a mindset that we can win everywhere if we play at top level, if we are brave, if we play as a team, and if we are top tactically it will be difficult to play against us.
“Another thing I would like to say is after the last four games of international friendlies which we lost, we will have to seize this opportunity to play with Grenada to start building a stronger relationship between players and coaches. We also want to develop our game model with regard to the five moments of the game, in terms of offensive and defensive organization, offensive and defensive transitions, as well as set pieces,” Da Costa pointed out.
“In these three games with Grenada we want to give a positive response for our country. And just to finalize I would like to say we will have to work like animals hungry for victories. We must always be playing to win.”
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