And while the entire match-fixing debacle is one more distraction – this resilient close knit national team has learned how to manage it.
Tonight at 7:00 Belize time they go for a second workout session at the Jen Weld Field in Portland. Jules Vasquez was there for the first one last night and he has this report.
Jules Vasquez reporting from Portland
Jeld Wen Field in Portland, its considered one of the most beautiful football stadiums in the United States and the Belize team got their first chance to practice on the turf last night.
While we were only allowed to tape the warm-ups Coach Ian Mork says it was a great workout and the team adapted to the turf well:
Ian Mork - Head Coach, Belize National Team
"I think the players responded well to it and they enjoyed it and they realized that we can play on the surface and if you see the fields we play on in Belize - then there in heaven right now."
But what impresses most is how loose the team is - also while on the field they are completing the moment and don't seem intimidated
Jules Vasquez
"How would you describe your experience?"
Ian Mork
"Belizean. They like to have fun which is very important and we encourage that but we have to choose our moments and if you see the training session they are very focused, they are able to concentrate and take those moments seriously. The unity is really impressive within this group, it's like a family; they really battle for each other and they will support each other on and off the field so that's a big plus; the team has really matured a lot and I think that is going to help us to really surprise people in this tournament, that's the idea"
And they will need that toughness because on Tuesday night they are playing a team of professionals.
Ian Mork
"They're probably not as close as maybe our group is - so we are hoping that is an advantage but at the same time what we are going through right now is what they go through every weekend so it doesn't take away from us being top amateurs, semi professional group and we are playing a top professional group. So we are hoping that unity though is what kind of gets us through in the end."
Coach Mork has been reviewing tape of the US warm up game from Friday night in san Diego. It's on perpetual loop in his computer in the dining area and he regularly uses it to instruct players on what to expect and how to react - taking some aside for individual play diagramming even:
Ian Mork
"The US style of play, I've been studying for some time and I think the coaching staff have a pretty good idea of how we think they are going to play; they want a lot of surprises and I think some people are calling us their B team and I kinda wish we could be their C team but we are going to make due with what we have. On any given day, David vs Goliath story can happen - anyway it's 11 vs 11 on the field but we also see it as one in ten time of maybe this is our moment and as I mentioned too I think Belize football is starting to take some big steps and there's going to be a point when there is a era of footballers like we have here that really is setting an example for the future and it feels like this is the moment when that's going to happen."
