BVI National Team

 St. Lucia flogs BVI 9-0 in World Cup qualifier

 BY DEAN GREENAWAY

 St. Lucia flogged the BVI 9-0 on Sunday in the second leg of their 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying series. St. Lucia built a 3-0 halftime lead then exploded in the second half of the rout.

“They wanted this more than us and they came at us. They had the tapes of the first game and they studied our players, then came and put a good beating over us.” Technical Director Michael Tulloch explained, noting that St. Lucia’s team had a different mentality to the one the lost to 1-0 at home in February.  “I have to admit, St. Lucia team was a better team. They were more focused, they were commitment to what they were all about while our players weren’t as committed to the cause, but, that comes from preparations the level of support you have.”

Preparations for Sunday’s match Tulloch said, was disrupted as the center of the A. O. Shirley Recreation Grounds was dug up to prepare the field for the cricket season. This  hampered preparations for the last five weeks he said. “I was only able to train across the field which is not even half of the field, so the players were not as agile as I would have had them running across a full length field,” he said.

Tulloch said there must be proper planning and preparation time, in order for BVI football to develop. He said players must be better supported with equipment and have medical supplies so that they can check on their health, and know how much pressure they can take. “The basic welfare matters-sometimes things that players need they have to dip into their own pockets to get it and I think that is bad. At least support and equipment should be afforded the players so they can do their best.”

Tulloch said conditioning is something that must be addressed. “Players are not disciplined and used to the sort training that it takes to play at this higher level,” Tulloch noted. “They have it very easy, because many of these guys, if they were in their native countries, they couldn’t play for a national team. And seeing that you can have that opportunity here, you should do more than normal to make sure that you compete effectively.”