6/11/2006
Mitch Phillips

HATTINGEN, Germany, June 11 (Reuters) – Trinidad & Tobago arrived at their first World Cup with everyone predicting a first round exit but a memorable party. Everyone except their coach Leo Beenhakker.

Now, after plotting an impressive goalless draw with Sweden in their opening Group B game on Saturday, the Dutchman is busy working on the tasks ahead that could secure an unlikely place in the last 16.

Beenhakker's coaching credentials are impeccable having taken Real Madrid to a hat-trick of Spanish league titles in the 1980s. He also won two Dutch titles with Ajax Amsterdam and led the Dutch national team in the 1990 World Cup.

In that tournament he was working with the likes of Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard.

Sixteen years on the raw material is very different but he has proved that quality coaching can make a real difference by moulding Trinidad & Tobago's disparate group into a team capable of holding their own at the highest level.

Against a Sweden side packed with experience they defended superbly, kept the ball sensibly and worked tirelessly, particularly after the sending off of full back Avery Paul in the first minute of the second half.

"One of the things I always do as well as studying the players, their qualities, and their skills is to study a little bit the philosophy of the coach and I have seen that they always play in the same way," Beenhakker said.

"It is always the same system so that way there were no surprises."

Beenhakker, though, did spring a surprise when, not long after John's dismissal, he sent on Cornell Glen for fellow striker Collin Samuel.

FEROCIOUS SHOT

Glen immediately made an impact by rattling the bar with a ferocious shot and so ensured that the Swedish defence would have to keep men back to cover him.

"When a defender is sent off everyone expects you to bring on another defender. It was amazing it worked," Beenhakker said.

He was also astute in his use of captain Dwight Yorke, who made his name as a goalscorer but who produced a man-of-the-match performance in midfield on Saturday.

Trinidad now face England in the match that will most excite his squad but their experienced coach will be well aware that the more important game is against Paraguay when a victory could send them through to the second round against all the odds.