TTFF NEWS - Squad named for WCQ vs El Salvador

Head Coach Francisco Maturana finalized and announced a 20-man Trinidad and Tobago squad that will travel to San Salvador for the upcoming final round 2010 World Cup Qualifying fixture with El Salvador at the Estadio Cuscatlan on February 11.

Along with Assistant Coach Russell Latapy, the  Colombian made the decision to carry two extra players from the current training camp in Argentina. The players on tour were informed of their selections at a meeting at the Hindu Camp on Monday afternoon. Eight players will return to Port of Spain on Wednesday while the other twelve along with the members of the team staff will depart for San Salvador via Panama City. The team is expected to arrive in San Salvador and check into the Radisson Hotel close to midnight.

Captain Dwight Yorke will arrive in El Salvador on Sunday along with seven other UK-based players. They include Sunderland duo Carlos Edwards and Kenwyne Jones, Walsall goalkeeper Clayton Ince, Brighton midfielder Chris Birchall, Crewe Alexandra defender Dennis Lawrence, Bristol City striker Stern John and Wrexham utility player Silvio Spann.

A mutual decision was taken that Swansea City striker Jason Scotland not  travel for the match on February 11. Swansea boss Roberto Martinez expressed concern over the player’s first hand availability for their FA Cup clash with Fulham the Saturday after the World Cup qualifier. And after discussions with Scotland himself and his agent Mike Berry, it was mutually agreed that the player be excused from the qualifying encounter, according to Latapy.

The list of players who were involved in Argentina, included in the final squad are W Connection goalkeeper Marvin Phillip and midfielder Clyde Leon, Clico San Juan Jabloteh midfielder Trent Noel, Caledonia AIA’s Densill Theobald, Puerto Rico Islanders’ Kendall Jagdeosingh, Joe Public defender Keyeno Thomas, Defence Force’s Aklie Edwards, striker Cornell Glen, North East Stars’ Anthony Wolfe, United Petrotrin’s Makan Hislop and Latapy.

Maturana heads off to Los Angeles on Thursday to view a friendly international between El Salvador and Peru which leaves Latapy in charge of the team until Sunday. Two full sessions will take place on Monday and Tuesday prior to Wednesday’s opener for the “Soca Warriors”.

“We have looked at all the possibilities and we believe this is the selection that can take us through the game and help us get the best possible result. It is never easy to come up with the best team but a lot of thought and consideration has gone into it and now we must focus totally on using these players in the right way. I believe they are have the quality to make a very strong team and similarly give a strong performance on the pitch to help us achieve success,” Maturana told TTFF Media.

Assistant coach Latapy also shared his views on the final team selection.

“Our objective in coming to Argentina was to get the team to a level of fitness that is conducive to international football and also to a level of technical awareness and I think that we have achieve this. In terms of naming the squad, all the boys here have done well and it’s always hard when you have to say to players that they didn’t make the squad. It’s  always going to be different players for sometimes different games and tactics,” Latapy told TTFF Media.

He said the decision to carry two extra players was a way of rewarding the players for their showing in Argentina.

“Some of these guys are young and they are the future of the national team so the faster we can expose them to these kind of atmospheres the better it will be for them and for Trinidad and Tobago football.  We have to use every opportunity we get to do this. But we also have to recognise that they all raised their level of performance, attitude and discipline during this tour which meant it was even harder to decide on 18 players only,” Latapy added.

Both coaches also met with all 20 players in Argentina on Tuesday morning, thanking them for their efforts during the trip and making it known that they will be monitored and involved again in the future. The players returning to Trinidad include Akeil Guevera, Seon Power, Errol McFarlane, Lester Peltier, Jan Michael Williams, Kevaughn Connell, Andre Pacheco and Robert Primus.

 

T&T were carded to play their final tour match against Second Division club Atletico Los Andes on Tuesday evening in Buenos Aires.