Cornie’s last hurrah

Stalwart central defender Cornelius “Cornie” Huggins is giving national representation his last shot when he comes out of retirement to be part of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines senior Football team, Vincy Heat, in its World Cup Qualifiers starting next month.{{more}}

Huggins had announced his retirement in 2008, in this country’s last world cup sojourn, after the tie with Canada.

Since then, the 35-year-old Huggins has taken up coaching, being employed by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation.

He is the current under study to Technical Director and Head Coach Colwyn Rowe, and was the coach of the Under-20 and Under-23 men’s teams and assistant coach to the most recent senior national women’s team.

Huggins explained to SEARCHLIGHT last Tuesday that Rowe encouraged him to add some experience to an otherwise young senior team.

Huggins said at the point of his retirement in 2008 he felt it was appropriate to give the younger players an opportunity. The hectic travelling back and forth, between St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Malaysia, each time he was called up for international assignments, also contributed to his decision.

Huggins spent five seasons in Malaysia with Kedah FC.

With over 100 international caps under his belt, Huggins is relishing his new role as the father figure in the team, and as he put it, “to step in there when the going gets tough.”

Huggins will be in action this weekend, as St. Vincent and the Grenadines heads out to face Antigua and Barbuda in two friendly internationals, in his new position as a defensive midfielder.

This is not new to Huggins, as he was asked to play in that position by former Technical Director Zoran Vranes in a return leg against Trinidad and Tobago in the Digicel Caribbean Cup in 2005.

Up to the task, Huggins said at present he is working hard on his fitness and will give of his best in what is his last hurrah, ending 18 years on national representation.(RT)