http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/040603/1/46g6.html This will certainly help there chances in reaching the Semi final round.
This is a significant departure for Barbados, who in the past has stuck with their home players. Two articles from today's Barbados Nation: 1) higlighting Paul Ifill and their new technical director, Reinhard Fabisch (Fabisch is an old hand who has coached a lot of teams, mostly in Africa): http://www.nationnews.com/StoryView.cfm?Record=50518&Section=Sports&Current=2004-06-11 00:00:00 2) talking about progress under the federation--note that they're hoping to get several more foreign professionals into the team: http://www.nationnews.com/StoryView.cfm?Record=50525&Section=Sports&Current=2004-06-11 00:00:00
In addition to these 2 players, Barbados also called up Mark Boyce, an english born right back who plays for Yeovil (he played against Northern Ireland recently) and Wayne Andrews an English born striker with Colchester. However, Andrews had to drop out of the squad with injury, although he seemed quite keen to play. One of the English born players they are trying to recruit is Marlon Harewood of West Ham, but suprisingly the Bajans have not tried to call up any of their 6 Irish based professionals (all Barbados born). These include goalkeeper Alvin Rouse, centre back Jonathan Straker, left sided midfielder Randy Millar and striker Rivere Williams. These guys all play for Sligo Rovers and in addition there are midfielder Luther Watson and striker Eric Lavine. I can't remember who they play for but I know they are still active in the Eircom League (Irish Republic). In the last World cup campaign did Barbados not have quite a few English born pro's and semi pro's playing. Steve Anthrobus (then of Oxford now non-league), Michael Gilkes and Gus Hurdle (both ex-pro's now non-league) and Matthew Joseph (Leyton Orient) all played. In addition they also tried to get Adie Mings a non-league striker, and Fabian Forde another non-league English based striker has also played for their U23 team in the last qualifling series.
Lavine plays for Longford Town, and Watson is still with Sligo Rovers. I'm pretty sure Lavine played for Barbados in the last WC qualifying matches - I wonder why he has been dropped this time.
There was an article several months ago in which Lavine said he was upset that he had not been called, and that he didn't know why Barbados wasn't calling in their Irish league players.
Thanks--I checked this out. Gilkes and Hurdle joined the team after the knockout phase, and played several games. Joesph joined for the last couple of games. Anthrobus was called up, but as near as I can tell, never got off the bench.