Wired868 Wired868 for smart sport news and opinion
The Soca Warriors will not have the services of France-based midfielder John Bostock for Friday’s vital 2018 World Cup qualifier against Guatemala or next Tuesday’s qualifier away to the United States.
Bostock, who plays professionally for RC Lens in Ligue 2, announced that he would not be linking up with the Trinidad and Tobago National Senior Team via his Twitter account this evening.
(Copyright Butfootball)
The talented midfielder is a former England National Under-17 captain but, after failing to make the grade in his homeland, agreed to switch allegiances to the birthplace of his father, John Bostock Senior, who grew up in Diego Martin before migrating to Britain as a child.
Bostock was due to make his international debut against St Vincent and the Grenadines on 25 March, only to be set back by an administrative error from the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA).
Now, he will not play against Guatemala or the United States either. Bostock released a statement at around 4pm on his Twitter account:
“Unfortunately due to the hold up of FIFA’s decision with my international clearance [and] the recent theft of my [British] passport, I’m not able to travel to [and] from Trinidad within the timescale to play against Guatemala [and] the US.
“Understandably I’m very disappointed to miss out on these crucial games for T&T but I wish the boys all the best and I’m confident we will qualify for the next round. I look forward to making my debut for the Soca Warriors in the near future.”
The news is believed to have surprised the Warriors technical staff, who expected word from FIFA today on Bostock’s international clearance.
Wired868 understands that Bostock has a Trinidad and Tobago passport but would have been unable to get a United States visa in time to travel for their game in Jacksonville, Florida on 6 September. Not that he could play anyway without FIFA clearance, which has not yet been granted.
To further complicate matters, his France work permit was supposedly lost with his British passport. According to sources, Bostock faced the potential issues in re-entering France if he left the country and tried to return without his work permit.
Last Friday, Hart stressed Bostock’s value to his squad for the upcoming matches, despite the fact that he has never played senior international football before.
The Warriors coach said Bostock could operate in several midfield roles and credited his attitude at training sessions in March.
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
“I think his mannerism and his approach is one that will allow him to settle with the team quite nicely,” Hart told Wired868. “He has a way about him of taking in what you want and trying to adapt as quickly as possible. He is not an antagonistic type of person…
“He can [operate as a deep-lying midfield playmaker]. He can also play the ‘10’. And he is very good at dead ball situations.”
The TTFA is yet to release a statement on Bostock but it now appears that the Warriors will have to continue without him.
Hart initially named a 24-man squad, just in case, and will not need to call up a replacement.
The Warriors will not be short of options in midfield as Kevan George has returned, after finding a new club, and joins fellow midfielders Khaleem Hyland, Andre Boucaud and Neveal Hackshaw.
(Copyright Christian Peterson/AFP 2015)
Dwight Yorke, Trinidad and Tobago’s most celebrated footballer of all time, is the new head coach of the Trinidad and Read more
Trinidad and Tobago have retained their spot in the Concacaf Nations League A for a second successive term, after the Read more
Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team interim head coach Derek King is still waiting for his first win at Read more
Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team caretaker head coach Derek King has recalled former international standouts Kevin Molino and Read more
When Austin ‘Jack’ Warner speaks about football administration issues and nuances, especially as it relates to Trinidad and Tobago, my Read more
Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team caretaker coach Derek King closed his first match window at the helm without Read more
Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
Gosh, pressure
Fans dont be so hard on Bostock the guy has been waiting 6 months for word from fifa and nothing happen
Can’t imagine the lineup with him though. Both Boucaud and Hyland are the ones who really threatened there…and they are our best centre mids currently. The ball winner (george/hackshaw) really can’t be sacrificed and Molino is our clear #10
There’s always room for a left-footer with reputedly dangerous free-kick ability…plus we could use deoth and competition for places.
Molino plays wide for Orlando though. They can go with George, Bostock and Hyland with Joevin and Molino wide and Levi coming off the bench…
More options the merrier anyway.
Lasana Liburd like i missed something i thought as long as we had a healthy number ten Hyland is a ball winner guess fifa 16 have me lost! Lol
Hyland is a #8, not a #6. It’s like England trying to force Lampard and Gerrard to play like Makelele. I wrong, Gordon Pierre ?
Hahaha Hyland for almost his entire international career has been trinidad ball winner bc of the injuries to Hector, Molino, and ballpest and Guerra not stepping up hart have played him higher up d park just behind kenwyne
Hyland played as 10 in a few games including against Guatemala where he scored an important goal. It isn’t his best position but he did a decent job for us there before.
Boucaud the most vulnerable when Bostock officially comes in I’d say
See? I told the Express “Waiting for Bostock” was the headline. Like Godot in the Beckett play, he might NEVER reach. Ohgadoie!
Lens to London is a 4 hour drive, eurotrain or bus via Eurotunnel(Calais to Dover) to get a new passport for the common man from Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO). A professional footballer can fly to London sort this out on an emergency basis. But how does he exit France and enter UK without passport?
Do not understand if the absence of a work permit in your new passport could prohibit entry and employment but the absence of a stolen passport and work permit allow employment and residency.
The online application for HMPO takes about 6 weeks, maybe ??? hahaha. BREXIT not in effect for 2 years.
Dempsey out for USA Saturday, Bostock work permit with passport stolen Sunday.
Lasana ah leaning towards your conspiracy theory..lol
Once we beat Guatemala on Friday, he will be cleared by FIFA, passport and work permit will be in place.
Yeah. If my theory is true… Well, I can’t blame him. I’m sure we will get the job done without him.
Sigh
Lasana….does he really and truly want to represent TT?…just asking….too many issues….
Well, he would have been leaving his team in France and flying to Trinidad without knowing if he could play or not as there is no FIFA clearance.
To be honest, I could understand if that situation didn’t appeal to him.
Maybe he wants to wait for FIFA clearance.
Makes sense …eh Lasana
It is noteworthy that his missing passport is is his English passport which means he would need a visa to get into the US had he elected to come for the ride
Can we get anything right?? Lord help us…but going Florida anyway. WAR.
Don’t think British citizens need visa to enter US….US don’t need to go there….
No visa needed but passport required doh. So he would be travelling on his Trinidad passport which mean visa required as well
Yes, but I failed to mention…I don’t think he lost that passport, and in that case it could have been FastTracked. he just don’t want to get to tnt and still can’t play.
Yeah that is a possibility
Btw Lasana Liburd…a European national needs a WORK PERMIT to play in an EU country?.. BREXIT happen already or that kinna suspeck? “
Hence my conspiracy theory…
Urmm..yeah for football you do becuz of the transfer system
But there is a difference between needing to be registered and needing a work permit. British players don’t need work permits in England.
I’d admit that I don’t know exactly how this works with the EU but I know football can’t ignore EU law.
According to inbrief.co.uk website he doesnt need one. The para below. I would assume it works both ways.
“Within the European Union workers are able to move freely between European Union Member States without the need for work permits and visas. Footballers for the purpose of the law are regarded as workers and so can rely on the EC Treaty.
As a consequence a club playing in England can procure the services or European footballers without the need to apply for a work permit for that player.”
Steups…again..what?.. Watson Duke shut down passport office again?
Maybe he wants to play for France eh hahahaha
Consider this Brian Manswell, John Bostock would have been travelling to Trinidad without knowing whether he could even play or not.
Maybe between him, his agent and his club… Somebody decided that was a nonsensical situation and he opted to stay in France.
How’s that for a conspiracy theory? Lol.
Actually I thought the same thing too…didnt he just change clubs? Who wants a new signing travelling all that way for possibly nothing?
Smh. I blame DJW
Maybe his agent wants him to wait until we qualify for the Hex to ensure he has options?
dais shit
Maybe he doesn’t want to play for our sweet country because the corrupted TTFA doesn’t pay our Coaches and players, they always have some money issues so they say. Them really good yes.
Let’s support the team 100 but the ttfa has to make changes to its coaching development and policies surrounding coaches refs and gameday technical support staff .
I agree with you 1000% eh.
Ruled himself out????? Interesting
6 months and we can’t get this sorted . Unbelievable
Small Mag, wasn’t it the English FA sticking though? They had to give FIFA a letter stating that they acknowledge (or allow) him to switch nationalities.
Yeah Kion they went on Summer break without sorting out the matter…doesnt explain why it isnt sorted out by now tho…3 weeks into the EPL
Just meant its not really our fault locally..i think. We at the mercy of FIFA and others
Well, we have to take him at his word. I tend to get suspicious about such stuff. Like a wish an Argentine doc would check out Aguero to see if he really has a calf injury… Or if Pep is trying to keep him fresh for the Manchester derby. Eh Brian Springer?! Lol.
I would be glad to forego Fantasy Football and see him banned for that elbow he threw against West Ham, just because I think Pep might be trying to sabotage Argentina!
??
Well he didnt score last weekend so I wouldnt mind I already know who my new fantasy Capt is Las….Besides (putting my Chelsea cap on) if it was Diego Costa who threw that elbow the noise level would have been much higher for retroactive action…and of course Pep trying to keep him for the Derby no conspiracy theory just truth.
Damn you, Pep! Man treating a big nation like Argentina how Fergie used to treat T&T and Wales yes. Lol
Very careless young man.
lmao what allyuh expected anything else
Keep yuh head up John … we await your entry to the team.
Lasana Liburd I am mad….ah waiting since March to see this man play. ….since March
Molino, Levi, Joevin… Lol
i aint saying I don’t wanna see dem. ..jus saying Man U fans wanted to see Zlatan…..i want to see Bostock
Yeah. I’m really curious myself. He sure looked like a player in the training session I went to.
Yeah I passed by the training session earlier eh, but got there late and I really thought I also saw him exiting the stadium eh, but I saw your bestest player Mitchell eh, and also bound not to score KJ eh and I also asked for meh boy JJ but he and Molino hasn’t arrived as yet eh and tomorrow they will be playing against my soldiers the Army a warm up game.
Disappointing news… Lasana any word from Press Officer re FIFA clearance that was supposed to come today?
No clearance yet Brian.
Steups
Look I am going and refund my ticket eh, because I was really looking forward to see a real playmaker/goalscorer on our Soca Warriors team once again. Them really good yes.
Don’t try that Mango! Bostock never played for us before. You’re not seeing the form Molino is in? Lol.
hahahaha yuh know is some bacchanal ah trying to start before the big game on Friday eh. and meh family Savitri Maharaj will be cooking up some good food so I won’t be missing the game et all eh,
Eh! My name calling? Yuh better show up with meh ticket tho uncle Earl
hahahaha ah done packed my bags already eh.because remember the last time when we needed one point what happened eh so I am hoping that it won’t be j-javoo eh because I will be flying out one time after the game on the midnight flight eh, and will be heading to my second sweetest country for the must win game in Florida eh. Them really good yes.
say wa!! and u eh invite me Uncle Earl Mango Pierre na man!! and i say u me favorite uncle :'(
hahahaha ah hear that yuh don’t go out to anywhere again eh.