Coaches anticipate duel between Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago

HAVANA, Cuba, May 13, 2014 – While the coaches of Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago put the finishing touches to their strategies for the crucial match between their two forces, those at the helm of teams Curacao and Haiti aspire their sides do their best at the FIVB Women’s World Championship Qualification Tournament NORCECA Pool Q that kicks off on Wednesday.

Following the General Technical Meeting at Hotel Bella Habana chaired by Bertha Cuadra as Control Committee Supervisor, the coaches made their comments about their objectives for this competition that runs until Saturday at Ciudad Deportiva Coliseum with two daily matches.

Francisco Cruz, coach of Trinidad and Tobago said “after eight active years we are coming here looking to qualify above all things. I don’t think is very simple but to the contrary a very tough task. But yes, we are here to battle for the qualification because in the next round is going be even tougher.”

“It is going to be very difficult for the second place team here, either Cuba or us, to clash against the second place teams of the other tournaments in the last playoff because those are very defensive sides that usually hurt both of us,” Cruz added. “At the last NORCECA Championship both teams lost to Mexico and we were not supposed to lose to them but they own that defensive ability that ruined us.”

Juan Carlos Gala, coach of Cuba said, “Our fundamental goal is to qualify to the world championship and the team is capable to do so. My only concern is that we didn’t have a previous competition, but we were able to put together a boys’ team to have some scrimmage games against them. I really believe they will improve with the tournament progressing before the match against the Trinidadians.”

“Trinidad is an experienced team that has been together a few years and some of their players have been playing in Europe,” Gala said. “But I think they lack cohesion and I am not sure they were able to do their homework as a group. You have to respect a team like that but our team is ready for them. Their coaches both are Cubans who know our characteristics but we know them also and our job is to prepare a good tactical plan to adjust to their style.”

Frederic Francois, coach of Haiti said “Our team has five players who are under 15 years old and played in the Virgin Islands in 2012. We are making our young players to work since we know we are facing some very tough teams of NORCECA. This is a good preparation for the CAZOVA Tournament next July in Trinidad and Tobago. We know that Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago are two big threats in NORCECA and it will be difficult to defeat those teams but anyway we will try our best.”

Henry Delfina, Coach of Curacao stated: “We are prepared to continue playing in the next qualification round which is a playoff in Trinidad and Tobago. That’s our goal. The competition is going to be very tough because the teams are at the same level. The tournament will be a real battle.”