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Photo caption: T&T team poses before 4-0 win over Barbados earlier this month.
Back row (l-r) Aaron Downing, Devon Drayton, Leston Shade (not in final squad), Khaleem Hyland, Keon Daniel, Marvin James

Front row (l-r) Lester Peltier, Dion Peters, Jamal Wiggins (not in final squad), Corneal Thomas and Matthew Bartholomew.

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Carlos urges support for T&T Under 20 footballers

Issued by Shaun Fuentes, TTFF Media Officer, October 24, 2006

Luton Town midfielder Carlos Edward is calling for fans in his homeland to come out and support the new generation of local footballers as they get set to enter qualification race for the 2007 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Edwards was referring to the current National Under 20 team which comes up against Dominican Republic in the second game of a double header in the CFU second round at the Ato Boldon Stadium from 7pm on Wednesday.

The young “Soca Warriors” will be battling for a place in next January’s CONCACAF final round from which four nations will advance to the FIFA Youth Cup in Canada.

Currently preparing under head coach Brian Williams, the 20-man squad, which will be captained by defender Radanfah Abu Bakr will also face St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Kitts/Nevis in other qualifying matches later this week. Abu Bakr who is attending college in England arrived on Friday to join the squad and was given the armband by Williams. The former Queen’s Royal College player has previous experience with the National Under 20 team during CONCACAF qualifying action in 2005.

Edwards who started T&T’s 2006 qualifying campaign against Dominican Republic back in 2004 when he sustained a serious knee injury, is urging the young T&T side to believe in themselves.

“The guys must believe in themselves and go out there and represent,” Edwards told TTFF Media.

“They have to be disciplined and not rush in hope of success. They have to realize too that all these teams want to beat us and be better for us so we need to show them that we can take them on and finish on a high.

“At this stage of their career they also have to take the game as serious and professional as possible. They must be ready for the game from the day before and not just a few hours before the kick off. The game is fast paced now. I am sure they saw us at the World Cup and they saw how fast it was. No one expected us to match up to the big teams but we believed in our ability and we prepared for it,” Edwards added.

He also called on the fans to show their support. The locals must also realize too that not because it’s the early phase of the tournament means there should be little interest. But the fact is that this is the only leg of the tournament they will have a chance to see the team live and extend their support as the next final round takes place in Mexico and Panama next January.

“The fans must come out and show their support and make the boys feel that they are behind them, Support is a key part in football now and this the new breed of Soca Warriors,” added the former Defence Force man.

The Under 20s got a 4-0 win over Barbados earlier this month in a friendly and will be seeking to at least dominate their group despite the fact that Dominican Republic are coming off a 1-0 win over Cuba which knocked that country out of the runnings. St Vincent beat Barbados 2-0 on their way to the second round. St Kitts meanwhile topped Antigua/Barbuda, Saint Martin and Dominica to advance to the current stage.

Admission for the games is $10 anywhere.

T&T Under 20 team : Goalkeepers -Adrian Foncette (Fatima College), Kareem Gray (St Benedict’s College)

Defenders - (Fyzabad Composite), Devon Drayton (W Connection), Corneal Thomas (Superstar Rangers), Radanfah Abu Bakr (UK), Marvin James (unattached), Brendon Boucaud (St Anthony’s College),

Midfielders - Elton John (San Juan Jabloteh), Khaleem Hyland (Mucurapo SC), Hans Pierre (Maple FC), Keon Daniel (Utd Petrotrin), Atulla Guerra (unattached), Dion Peters (Joe Public), Javed Mohammed (Naparima College), Christon Thomas (Superstar Rangers)

Forwards, Aaron Downing (W Connection), Matthew Barthlomew (W Connection), Lester Peltier (San Juan Jabloteh), Carlon Hughes (Mayaro United), Stefan DeLas (Graceland University).