BLAME ME for the last night’s heartbreaking 2-0 defeat to Guyana!
Accepting responsibility for the third successive loss in their CONCACAF Group B World Cup qualifying campaign, national senior team football coach Colin “Potato” Forde has put his job in the hands of the Barbados Football Association (BFA).
“I want to apologize personally. I take the full responsibility for the defeat,” Forde said at a post-match Press conference.
“We played what I thought was a very good game.
“Up to when we conceded the [first] goal, we had the game under control. We created a number of chances and we really had Guyana pushed back,” he said.
Forde reckoned the Bajan Tridents gave a much improved performance to the previous match when they also lost 2-0 to Trinidad and Tobago.
“The only thing we didn’t do was to get the goal which would then give us the boost.
“Guyana scored and, obviously, it would’ve lifted their spirits and they pushed forward a little bit and took their chances,” he said.
“On the other hand because we conceded a goal, they put us under some pressure and we had to change our formation and try to chase the game for the last ten minutes and we conceded a second one, which would happen.”
The former Barbados captain and outstanding midfielder also admitted to having mixed feelings about the match, the third in which the team failed to score.
“I am happy for the performance but I’m disappointed that we didn’t win.
“We are creating opportunities but it is just that the killer instinct in front of goal is lacking.
“Goals win matches and if you don’t put the ball in the back of the nets, you are not going to win games and that seems to be a big problem for us,” Forde said.
On whether he would continue in the position, which he took up earlier this year from Thomas Jordan who was relegated to assistant coach, Forde said it was up to the BFA to make that decision.
“When I was appointed, I recognized that it was not going to be an easy task. They wanted a rebuilding phase and it is going to take time.
“It depends on what they are looking at. If they want short-term results, and at the moment, they are not coming, then they will make the decision on that, but I don’t see any reason why I should resign,” he said.
Guyana’s coach Jamaal Shabazz was delighted with their third straight triumph.
“I’m elated that we can come here after being dominated for long periods and [get] stuck in.
“We stuck to our game plan which was to play off the counter and eventually finding space behind them and scoring two goals,” said Shabazz, a former assistant coach to the Trinidad and Tobago senior side.
“I think it went right to how we wanted it tactically but they didn’t make use of their chances,” he added.
