Belizean footballers to face off with El Salvador squad

In a special appearance, tonight James Adderley reports on the arrival of an under twenty-one football squad out of El Salvador and how our boys are preparing for this weekend’s match-up.

James Adderley, Reporting
The national U-21 football team of Belize will face their Salvadoran counterparts in the first leg of the Central American Football Championships with game one being staged at the Carl Ramos Stadium inside Dangriga beginning at three p.m. this Sunday, April second.

At ten a.m. today, the defending Central American Championship disembarked from TACA Airline for its Belize adventure. We spoke to Jaime Rodriguez, National Coordinator of the El Salvador National Team.

Jaime Rodriguez, Coordinator, Salvador Team
?I hope El Salvador have a good game next Sunday. We have only fourteen day for preparation for this game, but no have nothing information about the U-21 from Belize, but I hope we have a good game for Sunday. But we know we are the last champion, but now it?s different, different players, I hope a good time in Belize.?

?Well I say we have very good player, good individuality, good training. And a when I say I don?t know Belize, but I believe in El Salvador.?

We asked Licenciado Rodrigo Calvo, President of the EL Salvador Football Association about his objective in Belize.

Rodrigo Calvo, Pres., El Salvador Football Assn.
?Our objective is to come and play and to produce good results. We hope to go back being triumphant. We know very little of the Belizean players. It would be irresponsible of me to say where our team is superior to that of Belize. I cannot judge them at this point, I only hope that the football field does not adversely affect our playing, but we are mentally prepared to win.?

Folks, these are the players our Under-21 team will face this Sunday. And while they may be the defending champion, when the big whistle blows, any number can play.

In the meantime, F.F.B. President, Dr. Bertie Chimilio was very upbeat about Belize?s chances going in.

Dr. Bertie Chimilio, Pres., Football Federation of Bz
?Actually, it?s eleven against eleven. We are at home, like I said for the first time in many years playing the national team level, so we should have the advantage of the fans. I know we have some strengths, they have some strengths too, I believe our strength will be fitness and speed.?

James Adderley
?Have we done enough preparatory work??

Dr. Bertie Chimilio
?Well James this team has been together since August of last year. They were together for four months then we had problems with the Central American Games not being organised properly, they fell down then the guys got back together in early February and they have been together since February. To say they have trained hard, they?ve played some good games locally; they?ve played against teams from abroad. We wish we would have had some more games but you know our budget is so much and that?s all we could have done. Come Sunday is the exam and all the guys are hype, they say boss this is one time we gonna make it and we gonna make Belize proud, so we look forward after the game.?

National coach Ian Mark presented a little more details on team Belize.

Ian Mark, National Coach, Belize
?We?ve had a little bit of trouble getting the entire team together. It?s been difficult with the school and some of them working to get the whole squad there together. But the group itself has been together probably almost two months now.?

James Adderley
?Basically I?m trying to find out if you feel as a professional coach that you?ve done enough preparatory work??

Ian Mark
?Well that?s a good question I mean I think we have probably done enough to have an excellent game of ninety minutes and possibly shock El Salvador. Ideally as a coach I would want to have a year to prepare for a game like this, because these guys don?t have the same of type of training they have right now. But I think with this group they already a lot of experience and it?s a nice group, so I think we could do well. I think we?ve had enough time so far.?

James Adderley
?So you feel quite good about our chances come Sunday??

Ian Mark
?I feel very good about our chances Sunday. We are gonna go for the win for sure, we are gonna play attacking, we are not gonna sit back and try to play counter-attack football, we are gonna go right at them and if they are gonna come here and beat us they are gonna really have to earn it because we are ready to play ninety minutes and the players are very dedicated to this game.?

Ryan Simpson, captain, midfielder/forward feels ready for Sunday.

Ryan Simpson, Captain, Team Belize
?Physically I think I am ready. The whole team is ready physically. Mentally we are there also, but it?s how long we concentrate for?a lot of the times the team that we send out, we play good for the first half, they don?t score us and thing but then we break down mentally. And that?s what I think is very different with our team because mentally I think all of us are prepared and as a footballer I know that we are ready to go against El Salvador.?

Woodrow West, Goalkeeper, Team Belize
?For all of our players are talented not only me, but I am just an asset to my team and I see the talent that my team have and I know we can do it. Everybody is come trained, focused on one thing: to try win El Salvador. And right now we are well focused. We are at home, we have the chance to play home first and everyone is looking out for that and we are asking the fans to come out and support us. They?ll play an important role and we can do it.?

Lennox Castillo the man who will be the triggerman for the Belize team expressed the mind set on the team.

Lennox Castillo, Forward, Team Belize
?I feel dah wah lotta weight fi ker, but the team weh I got I think it wah be wah easy weight fi ker because we have a nice team and thing. I wah put in my work and I think they wah put in fu deh half.?

James Adderley
?Tell us about the spirit you find on this team.?

Lennox Castillo
?Well the spirit is very strong and really, really nice and I like it because this is a nice lee national team and all ah we dah youths and we can understand each other and that?s the best of it.?

As we take a look at the National Under-21 team people, we can only tell them that if you don?t have dreams they can?t come true. We can also tell them that they have the unconditional support of this nation. As for myself, win, lose, or draw I?m Belizeans and I hope you are too. This is James Adderley reporting for News 5.