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Soca's just 'too good' for Bermuda says ex-coach

Former Trinidad and Tobago defender and national coach Ken Henry has predicted the Soca Warriors will prevail over Bermuda tomorrow at the National Sports Centre (NSC) with a landslide victory.

Henry, the father of former Clearwater Middle School teacher Wayne Henry, is just one of many Trinidadians who have flown in to cheer their national side at the NSC as they look to overturn last weekend's humiliating 2-1 loss to underdogs Bermuda in their own back yard.

The 71-year old, who still coaches at the grassroots level in the US, believes complacency led to the Soca Warriors' downfall last weekend at the Marvin Lee Stadium more than anything else.

"We didn't play with too much enthusiasm and did not string the passes together as much as we ought to coming out from the defence," he said.

"The plays were breaking down. There was some lethargy among the players and in a game like that you have to have a high intensity rate, whether you feel you are better than the team or not.

"Whenever you go on the field, you go out there to win and maybe some of the guys felt the game was already won before it started.

"They didn't start the game as they ought to and you have to get stuck in from the word 'go' because these are very important games."

Trinidad created ample scoring opportunties during last weekend's encounter but wasted many of them, with Southampton striker Stern John among the chief culprits in front of goal.

"The chances that were created were really sitters. Stern John is a guy who I have worked with in the past who doesn't miss many. But he missed an empty goal in the first match," said Henry, who was coach of Trinidad's national team who were beaten by Gary Darrell's Bermuda in a friendly in 1988.

Henry, however, is confident the Soca Warriors will avenge their recent loss to Bermuda and advance to the next phase of World Cup qualifiers.

"Trinidad are a team that will always bounce back. Trinidad have the better team and the better players and so we have an advantage over the Bermuda team," he reasoned. "And once the coach's plan is put in place I see no problem in us winning by a clear four-goal margin.

"From the opening whistle we are going to get stuck into the game and move the ball around the pitch and Bermuda won't know what is happening. We are positive and very confident."