7 News Belize

National Football Team Leaves For Copa Centroamericana
posted (September 1, 2014)
Remember the Gold Cup 14 months ago? And all the hype and hysteria that accompanied it? Well, tonight Belize's National Football Team is in Washington DC for the first game of the Copa Centroamericana, or Nation's Cup - and the event has received very little hype.

That's because it's a smaller event, and really only a qualifier for the Gold Cup - but also because the FFB is going through its own internal problems - and only brought players into camp a few weeks ago - whereas, for the Gold Cup, they were there for months.

But, no matter, the players will still be wearing that flag on their chests when they take the field at RFK Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. What was their state of mind as they took wing..? 7News was at the airport.

Jules Vasquez reporting
There was no great fanfare when the national team arrived at the airport. With veteran leadership, the team was calm and ready for Wednesday's game at the 50 thousand seat RFK Stadium in Washington DC.

Shane Orio is one of the veteran national team players:

Shane Moody Orio, Goalkeeper, National Team
"Hopefully that we'd be able to come together as a national team and once more have what it takes to make it teh goal cup."

Dalton Eiley, Defender - National Team
"The time was very limited, you never want to prepare for a tournament as big as this with just a month training, but the hopes are high, the players are excited. We did a good two weeks of training and the players' morale is high and we are ready for the tournament and we are going there to our best and hopefully we will do well."

Deon McCauley, Striker, Belize National Team
"It won't be easy for us. This time we are in a harder group so it will be more difficult."

Evan Mariano, Forward - Bze Nat'l Team
"Yes we have a short period of time to train and so forth, but it's up to us the players to go out there and give our all. We did it before and we could do it again. Nothing is impossible in this world."

Ian Gaynair, Defender - National Team
"I feel good because the core of players is still here; 11-12 of us that played in the last national team. I feel pretty good and confident that we could make history again for Belize."

Elroy Smith, Defender
"We just hope that everything that we put in practice we could make it through for the first game."

Evral Trapp, Defender - National Team
"We have a better unit this time, so I know that when we are going out there we will give a good run to qualify for the next tournament."

Harrisson "Cafu" Roches, Forward - National Team
"All of us feel good to be on the national team once again to represent our county and we will try our best regardless of the time span that we had to train. We know that it was difficult due to situations with the federation, but thank God we come together in the last 3 weeks and try to prepare our self. We will to do our best to try to qualify for the UNCAF."

Jules Vasquez
"Are you concern about only having 3 weeks in camp? Some of the players haven't really been in camp."

Leroy Sherrier Lewis, Coach
"No problem, we are positive, heart and mindset, so no problem. We have to be positive and you guys have to pray for us help us."

And as they checked in - the team has to have its thoughts on Wednesday's game - and their first matchup, which is Honduras:

Dalton Eiley, Defender - National Team
"That was one of my first thought. They are fresh off the World Cup, having that high tempo coming back from such a big tournament. They will be looking to do well in this small tournament. We are not scared of them, we played them before. We are just going to go out there and do what we know how to do and do what the coach has taught us and we are prepared for them and I think we will go there and give them a run for their money."

Jules Vasquez
"Honduras is one of the regional power houses in football."

Shane Moody Orio, Goalkeeper
"Regional power house, but every game is different and every opponent is different. The most important thing is to focus and what we can do as a team to stay compact, not to worry about Honduras to worry about Belize and to do our job."

Harrisson "Cafu" Roches, Forward - National Team
"We are confident that we are going out there and we will do our part. We are not scared or we do not fear which opponent we are going up against, we will do our best."

Elroy Smith, Defender
"On the field it's 11 against 11. Right now they change their team, its not the same team that went to World Cup, so I think we have a good chance."

Ian Gaynair
"We stiil don't fear them because they haven't won a game in the World Cup and they are not bringing their A team to this Nation's Cup, so we don't fear them."

Woodrow West, Goalkeeper - National Team
"We played against Honduras the last time and they are a very good team and I give them a lot of respect but I do not fear them at all."

Leroy Sherrier Lewis, Coach
"It's 11 against 11 - nobody is going to frighten us - no fear."

Dalton Eiley, Defender - National Team
"A draw would be good for us on the first game against Honduras or we are going for the victory, nothing less than a draw will come our way."

The team that will be out there will try to change from the trademark defensive style:

Shane Moody Orio, Goalkeeper
"As much as people say that Sherrier is a defensive coach, he is not defensive. The way he wants us to play is attacking football taking care of the ball and limiting the opponent with touches."

Elroy Smith, Defender
"Really and truly I think that we have to go out there to put the game to these people. We can't go out there to sit back and relax. We have to go offensive. That's the only way we can win the game if we go offensive. If we stay back and relax it will be pressure and a team that take pressure for 90 minutes doesn't hold out too long."

Leroy Sherrier Lewis, Coach
"We have more offensive players now with Danny and Jaro and Jarette, so the team is very balance now."

Ian Gaynair
"We have a couple new players and some of the players that we got new mostly attack, so I think thats the difference we will make."

And the players seemed ready to focus on the game - even amidst the usual distractions in camp:

Jules Vasquez
"Are your minds clear heading into this tournament that there are no pending issues as they were last time?"

Deon McCauley, Striker, Belize National Team
"Well I don't know what the federation is doing to solve those problems, but those problems are not my problems. They have to figure that out themselves. My job is to play and that's why I am here."

Dalton Eiley, Defender - National Team
"Those stuff aren't on our minds. We have already settled all of that in a meeting with the president and the committee and everyone, so that's the last thing on our mind right now. We are focus trying to qualify in these games and move on the gold cup once again."

Ian Gaynair
"No issues any at all. The only thing that is on our mind right now is to go out there and represent our country and win. We are not worrying about anything negative, nothing bad that already happen to all of us players - nothing about our federation, about them owing us. Our main objective is to go out there and win and to qualify again to go to gold cup next year."

And at least one fan was there to make sure they feel the love:

Donald Harris, Superfan
"Because they need the moral support. I can't go with them, so it's just moral support. When they see me with a Belize flag - that goes along with them. When they come back they expect to see me as well."

So, they left, confident:

Leroy Sherrier Lewis, Coach
"The players have a lot of heart, a lot of stamina and a lot of soul, so they never give up in any moment, don't matter how hard it is."

Evan Mariano, Forward - Bze Nat'l Team
"We just have to believe in each other like what the coach always say we have the talent to play the ball. Go out there and play the ball and don't be afraid of anybody - play the sport and you will win."

Ian Gaynair
"Our destination is to reach LA because if you reach that means you qualify, so we are going out there to Washington, Dallas, Houston - those 3 states - we are going out there and give our all and definitely when we come back to this country you all will be proud of us because we will qualify again."

Wednesday's game will be played at 5:00 pm Belize time against Honduras. Belize is in group B with Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The team's second game will be on Sunday in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl at 5:00 pm when Belize plays Guatemala.

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