TTFF News - Under 17 captain says team ready to increase work rate

Under 17 captain says team ready to increase work rate

 

Issued by Shaun Fuentes, TTFF Media Officer, August 1, 2007

 

Trinidad and Tobago’s first round opponents for the FIFA Under 17 World Championship  have all named their final squads for the tournament which kicks off in Korea on August 18.

 

T&T’s first match opponents Ghana will be attempting a third shot at the title and head coach Seles Tetteh named one overseas-based player in his 21-man squad. Reading FC’s academy scholar Kelvin Bossman will carry his team’s hopes after being included by Tetteh who has been at the helm of the team for just under a month.

 

Colombia also have several home-based players attached to some of its professional clubs.

 

German head coach Heiko Herrlich has Bayern Munich playmaker Toni Kroos in his line up and is expecting big things from the 17-year-old.

 

“Toni has some incredible strengths, and he proved that at the recent European U-17 Championship. He is hugely talented," said Herrlich, who believes that the number 10 is capable of achieving great things at senior level for both club and country.

 

Herrlich added that he was confident going into Korea.

 

“I think that we'll give a good account of ourselves in Korea. I'm not worried about the fact that we lost 3-1 to USA. We've got enough time ahead of us for the side to gel and start playing well together. I've no concerns.”

 

Even as Germany’s team includes players attached to the academy and competitive youth teams of Bayern Munich. Bolton Wanderers, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, VfB Stuttgart and  Kaiserslautern among others, T&T captain Leston Paul, of Defence Force, says his team is not fazed by the big names.

 

“To be honest we are not really worried with seeing their players coming from such well known clubs,” Paul told TTFF Media after Wednesday’s training session under belting rain at the Ato Boldon Stadium training pitch. “We don’t see it as intimidating. We have worked hard and I think we are prepared to go to Korea and work even harder. Yes the games will be tough but we won’t hide from it.

 

He added that Anton Corneal has been working on toughening the player’s frame of mind and handling the overall preparation of the team well while also pointing out that Wim Rijsbergen has been assisting with improving the player’s techniques and advising on strategy.

 

“He has been talking to us and the main thing  for us is to stay focus and work hard in training and in the games. We are also working when we are not on the training field because we are learning more that the game is not just played on the field.

 

“Now that the final team has been named I think that part of the stress is over. It was mostly the guys who didn’t make it were the ones panicking but they will have to keep working hard. Now we are a family. We have been together for a long time with only two new players coming in. Right now it’s about working and playing hard and aiming to get into the second round before anything else,” Paul added.

 

He will run out with his teammates when the Under 17s face T&T’s Olympic team in a training exercise at the Ato Boldon Stadium from 4pm on Thursday. The team will depart for Holland on Sunday for a training camp before making the trip over to Korea.