Interim head coach of the Saint Lucia men’s national football team, Francis “Baba” Lastic, is confident ahead of the 2026-27 Concacaf Nations League. The Piton Boyz are set to open their campaign on September 25, against Barbados at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, followed closely by a clash with Bermuda at the same venue on September 28.
Despite inclement weather dampening their on-pitch work this week, Lastic says the locally based squad is putting in the hard yards. Speaking after a gruelling evening training session at the Saint Lucia Football Association Technical Centre in Grande Riviere, Dennery, the longtime former international defender stressed that the primary objective has been getting the players’ fitness levels up to international standard.
“Basically, it was just more or less dealing with raising the intensity, getting the heart rate up,” Lastic noted. “I’m working to get them up to par, up to speed. The weather put a damper on the speed in terms of what we really wanted to do, but after all, there’s work to be done. So, I did some conditioning in this weather… to get them up to a certain amount of speed with what’s required for the next level.”
Stepping into the void left by the recent departure of former head coach Stern John, Lastic is no stranger to the interim tag. That familiarity, he believes, has made the transition seamless for the League B, Group B challengers.
“It’s an easy transition for me,” he affirmed. “It’s not my first time. The staff, the players, everybody knows what is required of me. It is a path where I have to work and produce, get the players up to par, and get them in the right frame of mind for our two upcoming games.”
Lastic quickly acknowledged the foundation laid by his predecessor, noting that he and the staff learned a great deal during John’s tenure about the rigorous operational standards needed to prepare a national team for top-tier competition.
However, Lastic is facing immediate selection headaches. The Piton Boyz are likely to be without key defensive figures through injury for the opening window. But reinforcements are on the horizon. Lastic confirmed that the SLFA is in discussions with several overseas-based players, including striker Caniggia Elva and defender Terell Thomas.
“Most of the players have given their commitment, so come probably next week Monday I could give you an idea who’s coming and who’s not coming,” Lastic explained. He also lauded the passion of the locally based contingent, noting that they are “eager to reach within the colours” and perform for the nation.
They will need that passion when they face the Bajan Tridents next Friday night under the lights in Gros Islet. Saint Lucia edged Barbados 2-1 in their last encounter during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, but Lastic is taking nothing for granted against their regional neighbours.
“Barbados is a proud nation; they will not be coming here and feeling sorry for us,” Lastic cautioned. “So we’re going to double up in terms of what our preparation is, how we go about, you know, how we’re going to tackle our game. It’s left to us to put our best foot forward to make sure that we are victorious in terms of how we conquer them come next week Friday.”
With home advantage on their side for the September window, Saint Lucia has a golden opportunity to lay down an early marker. If Lastic’s meticulous preparations are anything to go by, the Piton Boyz will be more than ready for the road ahead.
