Trinadad’s Beenhakker is One of a Kind

The offficial FIFA World Cup site has

this excellent article on Leo Beenhakker, whose Trinidad and Tobago side surprised just about every observer with an excellent performance in a draw with Sweden yesterday. The Dutch born Beenhakker who has coached Real Madrid, Ajax, the Dutch National Team and several other top club and national sides remains as interesting and brilliant as he’s always been. His tactical adjustments yesterday were brilliant and really caught the Swedes off guard. Putting Cornell Glen in the game when Avery John was sent off was controversial and unconventional to say the least, but it probably salvaged a drawfor the Soca Warriors as the Swedes had to keep several defenders back to guard against dangerous runs by the speedy Glen. Conventional tactics dictate packing the back after a defender is sent off, but Beenhaker thought otherwise and it paid dividends. Beenhakker is an open book. He uses the similar attacking oriented tactics regardless of the percieved talent level of the squad he is coaching, but his players execute his system so well that T&T long a laughing stock in CONCACAF is now not only in the World Cup, but seemingly capable of playing with anybody. Leo’s truly one of a kind.