TTFF News - Edwards back in T&T squad for Jamaica clash

Edwards back in T&T squad for Jamaica clash

Issued by Shaun Fuentes, TTFF Media Officer, March 20, 2008

 

Trinidad and Tobago head coach Francisco Maturana will welcome Carlos Edwards back into the national team when an 18-man squad travels to Kingston on Monday to take on the “Reggae Boyz” in Wednesday’s friendly international at the National Stadium there.

 

Edwards was named in the 18-man squad and both he and Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones will fly in to Kingston on Sunday night along with three other invited overseas players – forward Darryl Roberts (Sparta Rotterdam), Collin Samuel (Toronto FC) and defender Osei Telesford out of the United States.

 

Following T&T’s 1-0 win over El Salvador on Wednesday night, Maturana confirmed his squad for the Jamaica  encounter. Eleven of the players who were in the squad on Wednesday will travel to Jamaica and they include goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, Glenroy Samuel, Kern Cupid, Keyeno Thomas, Keston Williams, Keon Daniel, Aurtis Whitley, Akeem Adams, Jamal Gay, Khaleem Hyland, Makan Hislop and Kerry Baptiste. The only new addition is defender Keyeno Thomas who recently recovered from injury.

 

Maturana explained his selection, saying “The team is a mixture of what we had in the last game and then we have the overseas players coming in. It’s a good chance to see how well they can play together against a team like Jamaica who are very good at home. I was pleased with the effort against El Salvador and I hope that we can do eve better against the Jamaican team. It’s an important game for our preparations and we will try to prepare well and take everything with us into the game,” he told TTFF Media.

 

“It is also very good to see Carlos Edwards back in the national team and it will be good to see how the other players fit in with players like him and the others from overseas who are coming in.”

 

Assistant coach Anton Corneal also echoed similar thoughts, adding “This game will be a good eye opener in the sense of playing a top CONCACAF team away from home  that is very difficult to beat on their home turf. They will also bringing back several of their top overseas player so it will be a good test for us.

Jamaican striker Deon Burton, now with Sheffield Wedneday has been recalled  Rene Simoes for Wednesday’s game.  He will be joined by twelve other overseaspros including captain Ricardo Gardner (Bolton), Marlon King (Wigan), Donovan Ricketts (Bradford City), Demar Phillips (Stoke City), Luton Shelton (Sheffield United), Omar Daley (Bradford City), Ian Goodison (Tranmere Rovers), Demar Stewart (Royal White Star, Belgium), Jamal Campbell-Ruce (Barnsley), Oneil Thompson (Nottoden, Norway), Khari Stephenson (AIK Stockholm, Sweden), and Tyrone Marshall (Toronto FC).

 

 

Meantime, a local-based contingent of Jamaican national team players returned to Kingston on Wednesday after a seven-match tour of Brazil where they won three games, drew three and lost one. They defeated Tigers 1-0, Parana Clube 3-2 and Atletico Paranaense 2-1; drew with Estacia University 2-2, Operario 1-1 and Coritiba 1-1, and lost 0-2 to Avai FC.