By Rawle Toney
The Barbados Tridents will be hoping to kick Montserrat to the curb in their opening CONCACAF Nations League match on Friday.
That’s the word from Tridents head coach Orlando DaCosta, who is expecting a much better showing in this year’s tournament from his side following a nightmare campaign last time around.
Last season, Barbados finished at the bottom of Group A in League B, managing just one win while suffering five losses in their six matches.
It will only be the second meeting between Barbados and Monsterrat at the senior international level, the first being at the 2010 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Caribbean Cup, where Barbados emerged 5-0 winners at Victoria Park in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Addressing the media after the team’s final practice session on Wednesday evening at the Wildey AstroTurf, DaCosta said he was completely focused on improving the Trident’s performance in the Nations League.
“Since we began our camp, we’ve felt a positive environment and a surge of positive energy. The players have shown great focus in all training sessions. They are motivated and eager to delve deeper into our game model and the principles of the game. Our ultimate goal for this new Nations League is to secure a place for Barbados’ national team in League B next year.
“To achieve this, we aim to collect maximum points as soon as possible over the course of these six games in the new Nations League,” DaCosta said.
In the previous edition of the Nations League, Montserrat competed against Guyana, Haiti, and Bermuda.
Despite finishing at the bottom of the four-team table, they managed to secure a win against Bermuda (3-2) and a draw against Guyana.
The Montserrat team is under the guidance of former Bristol Rovers and Leyton defender, Matt Lockwood, who has recruited players from various tiers of English football.
Lockwood is embarking on his first full season in charge of the Montserrat team, and DaCosta revealed that he had closely observed Montserrat during their last campaign, particularly their match against Guyana, which was played in Barbados.
“This experience revealed some of their game principles and the physical nature of their play, which aligns with the British football style. We are formulating a strategy to exploit Montserrat’s vulnerabilities. Our primary objective is to fulfil our dream of seeing the national team rise to the big league next year,” Dacosta pointed out.
Recently, DaCosta announced a 23-man squad for Barbados’ first two matches in the Nations League.
The squad consists of 15 home-based players and eight foreign-based players, including Thierry Gale of SK Rapid Wien, Hallam Hope, Curtis Jemmett-Hutson, and Zachary Ellis-Hayden.
When asked about the squad composition, DeCosta said the intention was to create a well-balanced team with diverse player profiles, both technically and in terms of character.
Meanwhile, Gale is set to make his first return to the pitch since signing for Austrian club, SK Rapid Wien, and he expressed his excitement at representing Barbados and showcasing his skills on home turf.
Following Friday’s game, Barbados will travel to Nicaragua for their first away match on September 11, followed by consecutive clashes with the Dominican Republic, first at home on October 13 and then away on October 16.
The Nations League campaign will culminate with a home fixture against Nicaragua on November 17 and an away rematch with Montserrat on November 20.
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