Nothing to lose: Wilson embraces underdog role ahead of Super 16 finale tonight

Western Tigers Football Club (FC) head into tonight’s Super 16 Final brimming with belief and confidence. According to player/coach Daniel Wilson, their dramatic semi-final victory over defending champions Guyana Defence Force FC has been a turning point for the club.
Wilson believes the result has lifted the entire camp, especially after years of heartbreak against the Army side.
“I think the result plays a big part going forward – confidence,” Wilson said. “For two years, we lost to GDF on penalties. Both were in finals, so the third one, we needed the third one. The belief in the camp is great.”
Western Tigers showed remarkable resilience in the semi-final, battling back and holding their nerve despite being reduced to ten men against a physically imposing GDF unit.
“The spirit the guys show and the fight after going down to ten men against a team like the Army, who everybody knows will be fitter – you can’t ask for more from the boys,” Wilson added.
That confidence was most evident during the penalty shootout, where Tigers converted all five kicks to advance. Wilson credited that composure to preparation and self-belief.
“The composure is coming from self-confidence. Everyone that steps up asks to kick a penalty before the shootout starts,” he explained. “Self-confidence plays a big part, not only in sports but in life generally. This is something we train every session. After every session, we train penalties.”
As Western Tigers prepare to face tournament favourites Slingerz FC in the final, Wilson says motivation within the squad is already high, even as the team once again carries the underdog tag.
“Self-motivation in the camp is high. As a player, you should want to play against the so-called big names and the top team in the country right now,” he said. “We can’t ask for a better game show yourself.”
Wilson also embraced the underdog label, seeing it as an advantage rather than a burden.
“Being the underdog is good sometimes,” he noted. “You ain’t got nothing to lose. You just come out and play football.” With confidence soaring, confirms Wilson, Western Tigers will step onto the field tonight ready to fight, believe, and seize what could be a historic Super 16 title at the National Training Centre.