Piton Boyz aiming to win, says new coach

New head coach of the Saint Lucia senior men’s national football team, Rajesh Latchoo, has named a strong, experienced yet youthful 25-member squad for his first match in charge: a Concacaf Nations League game against Barbados. The Piton Boyz will face the Bajan Tridents on Friday at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground to start their League B, Group B campaign.

Latchoo was officially introduced as head coach during a press conference on Tuesday morning at the headquarters of the Saint Lucia Football Association (SLFA). He told his audience that he was setting out a long-term vision for Saint Lucia football. But his immediate goals are clear.

“The mission in the short term is 18 points,” he said, speaking to the total needed to top the CNL group. “That is the only way we could guarantee, and not have to hope something happened or something didn’t happen – 18 points is the mission to place first.

“The staff will do everything, and I know the SLFA is doing everything to get the players ready. It is a short space of time, but this is big football, and in big football, you only have five days. The players have the competence and the ability. 

“What we would ask now, we ask the public if they believe. If they believe, it’s not just the team, the FA, and the staff; it requires a whole country, a whole nation, to qualify. If the nation doesn’t support the team, then how could the players give 100 per cent if 100 per cent of the nation doesn’t support the team and the mission?”

Latchoo has brought in new backroom staff, including legendary former Saint Lucia international Earl “Ball Hog” Jean. The new coach talked about giving players specific roles at different age levels and focusing on results as he plans for the next four years leading up to the 2030 World Cup.

“Every milestone from now to that time is very important,” he said. “And the first milestone is dealing with the CONCACAF Nations League… The team is composed of different level players from different backgrounds and with different abilities. Each of them is an expert in their own right. Every single day, we will hold them accountable, as they will hold us as the staff, as the SLFA will hold us as the staff, and as the nation will hold us as the staff and the team.”

Nearly half the team, 12 in all, play in the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League, including top scorers Garvin Reggie of Dennery and Yanic Noel of La Clery, as well as La Clery custodian and Footballer of the Year Devone St Prix.  Six players in all come from the two-time defending SPFL champions.

Goalkeeper Vino Barclett is among four players plying their trade in Jamaica, along with fellow keeper Darren Donaie, defender Melvin Doxilly and young attacker Shevon Byron. Defenders Terell Thomas and Arkell Jude Boyd join from the United Kingdom, and attacker Donavan Phillip is coming from Colorado Rapids in the US.

Veteran fullback Kurt Frederick is in the team from Grenades FC in Antigua & Barbuda. Jason Similien returns from AC Italia Hilden in Germany. Caniggia Elva comes into the forward lineup from Canada’s Cavalry FC. And Djal Augustin joins from Warta Srem in Poland. 

The team has only six players who are 30 or older, along with two teenagers, while most of the squad is in their early 20s. They are focusing on youth as they look to begin their CNL campaign with a strong performance on Friday.