MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – Stephen Hart, head coach of the Trinidad and Tobago senior men’s national football team, believes that his Soca Warriors will indeed take to the field against Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz in tonight’s final of the Caribbean Football Union Men’s Caribbean Cup.

Doubts had surrounded the twin-island republic’s participation following a report in the Trinidad press which claimed that the team would boycott the game due to unpaid salaries and arrears.

However, Hart told OBSERVER ONLINE a few minutes ago that while the decision did not rest with him, he is of the view that “at the end of the day, they will play”.

“I am trying to stay away from that (impasse with Trinidad federation), so it is touch and go, but things have not been good,” added Hart, who according to reports from Trinidad, is owed salaries dating back to months.

Hart explained that the players held a meeting yesterday which delayed their training session at the WesPow Park “by about 30 minutes”, and decided then and there that they would play the final, so as far as he’s concerned they are good to go.

The winners of tonight’s final, apart from being crowned Caribbean champions, earn automatic qualification to the 2016 Copa America Centenario, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the South American Championship. Six teams from the CONCACAF region will join the 10 South American nations in special edition tournament slated for the United States.

Both Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago have already qualified for next year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup to be played in the United States next summer, alongside Cuba and Martinique.

Meanwhile Latoya DaCosta, director of competition here at the Caribbean Cup, told OBSERVER ONLINE that she has had no advisory from the Trinidad and Tobago team regarding any threats of a boycott. In fact, DaCosta noted that Trinidad and Tobago officials attended yesterday’s match co-ordination meeting and everything was in order.

Ian Burnett