Forde on a high

INSPIRATIONAL Barbados football captain Norman Forde says he is happy to lead by example, and believes the Bajan Tridents are improving with every game in their Group “B”  Digicel Caribbean Cup first-round qualifiers.
There is a notion in some circles that Forde, the 33-year-old veteran with more than 100 international caps for his country, has passed his best, but he showed he still possesses the Midas touch on Friday night in a lopsided 5-0 thrashing of lightweights Montserrat at Victoria Park.
Forde not only scored twice, but also set up two of the other goals while orchestrating Barbados’ plays from his familiar midfield position after he was used as a forward in Wednesday’s opening 1-1 draw with St Kitts-Nevis.
“Obviously, I was a little bit out of form from the two friendlies that we played against Dominica. I tried hard against St Kitts, but was not playing in my usual attacking midfield position.
Prefers midfield
“I play wherever the coach wants me to play, but I prefer my attacking midfield where I can give the team more, and the coach saw it this way tonight [Friday] and it paid off for the team,” Forde said.
After being inactive for more than a year, Forde, who scored a hat-trick against Suriname in the last Digicel Cup campaign in 2008, reckons the team who suffered humiliating back-to-back losses to Dominica in two pre-tournament friendlies, are now improving with every game.
“We usually play very well away from home. I don’t think there is any pressure on the players and I think they are adapting really well,” Forde said.
“Even though we didn’t get the goals that we wanted, I think the guys are moving from strength to strength and we only have to tighten up in a few areas,” he said.
“The positives obviously were those two guys who are new to the team – Terry Adamson and Kadeem “Buju” Atkins – scoring good goals. I think that “Buju”, who is only 18 years old, is a guy for the future.
Willing to learn
“Both he and Terry listen and are willing to learn,” Forde acknowledged.
Forde is also confident strikers Riviere Williams, who ended a goal drought with his first goal in the last four matches, but limped off with an injured leg, and Mario Harte, will deliver the goods.
“Riviere is a very good striker and Mario is also a good striker and at the end of the day I think both of them are going to come good when it really counts,” he contended.
Coach Thomas Jordan said he was generally pleased with the performance, but felt a couple more goals should have been scored.
“I’m contented with the win, but I would’ve preferred at least seven or eight goals to at least get even on St Vincent in terms of goal average,” Jordan said.
“But I’m very satisfied with the display and we just have to go into the last game definitely trying to go far a victory,” Jordan said.
He also defended his decision to start utility player Rudy Grosvenor ahead of Bryan Neblett at left wing back.