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Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Dwight Yorke will be without the services of star attacker Levi Garcia, gifted veteran playmaker Kevin Molino and defender Jamal Jack on Friday, when the Soca Warriors face Cuba in the first of a two-legged Concacaf Gold Cup playoff tie.
The two nations cross swords from 4pm in Santiago on Friday 21 March before their second leg at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on Tuesday 25 March.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
Garcia, who not represented Trinidad and Tobago since a 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw against Grenada in Port of Spain on 5 June 2024, was set to wear national colours for the first time since he joined Spartak Moscow in Russia. However, Yorke said he is ruled out through injury.
“It is a huge blow,” said Yorke. “He has sustained a slight injury.”
Interestingly, Yorke revealed that he had the TTFA’s “medical people” reach out to Spartak Moscow’s medical team and “it seems to be the case”—in reference to Garcia’s health.
In the case of the 37-year-old Jack, who has nine senior international caps with three coming under the current coach, Yorke said the journeyman defender did not get his visa in time.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
“A bit of a mishap—we see him as a key member of the team,” said Yorke.
Yorke was less forthright on the topic of Molino’s absence.
“Unfortunate circumstances—I don’t really want to comment too much more on that,” said Yorke.
Pressed further, Yorke confirmed that Molino was not injured. And, when asked whether the Defence Force midfielder might feature in next week’s return leg against Cuba, he replied:
“He is unavailable for this game. After this game, we will re-evaluate.”
(via TTFA Media.)
It is almost certainly not the smooth start that Yorke hoped for as he heads into Trinidad and Tobago’s first competitive game, with the Warriors seeking their first win of his tenure.
“Those are three very, very important players to our group,” he said.
However, Yorke insisted that the 23 young men who travel to Santiago have the wherewithal to get a result from what he expects to be a “very competitive and very difficult game”.
(via TTFA Media.)
“We are away from home and it is always going to be difficult—there won’t be any excuses from our end in terms of how we approach this game,” said Yorke. “We are just going to show discipline in certain parts of the pitch. If we can do that it will set us up really good.
“[…] I feel very confident that the players understand what we are trying to implement. It is not a game we should be afraid of. We have done it [in Cuba] in the past.
“[…] I still have a lot of confidence in the players who are going to be involved in the game on Friday.”
(via TTFA Media)
Yorke hinted that the Soca Warriors will not try to blitz Cuba in Santiago but might use a more cautious approach.
“We will be patient… maybe not as exciting as some might like,” he said.
Yorke gave a senior debut to 17-year-old St Benedict’s College student Derrel ‘Zoom Zoom’ Garcia in a friendly away to Jamaica in February. Garcia played in Jamaica alongside fellow teenager and San Juan Jabloteh teammate Lindell Sween, who is a San Juan North Secondary student.
(via TTFA Media.)
“We have good youngsters—maybe not quite ready to enter the international scene: Zoom Zoom and Sweeny,” said Yorke, “but these guys are really good prospects.”
Yorke said he has not decided on a team captain as yet. Defender Aubrey David has worn the captain’s armband since Molino spectacularly fell out with former head coach Angus Eve.
“We haven’t decided officially who is the captain as yet,” said the Warriors coach. “[…] We will wait until the last minute before the game [to decide].”
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
As far as the absence of Garcia and Molino goes, Yorke said he expects another veteran, 33-year-old midfielder Joevin Jones, to “step up” with his “cleverness and experience”.
With 94 senior international caps to his name, Jones is the most experienced outfield player in the current Trinidad and Tobago squad.
Yorke expressed satisfaction with the “significant improvement” he claimed to have seen in the players he worked with over the past five months.
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.)
On Friday, he hopes to show Trinidad and Tobago football fans the first tangible evidence of his work. He hopes local supporters also play their part by filling the Ato Boldon Stadium for next week’s return affair.
CCN TV6 sport reporter Serjio Du Four asked Yorke if he believes Trinidad and Tobago can win the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup tournament. Yorke said that, for now, he is focused on qualifying.
“It is important that Trinidad and Tobago play in major competitions and the Gold Cup is a major competition,” said Yorke. “[…] It is crucial for Trinidad and Tobago to qualify for this major tournament.”
Yorke’s journey starts in earnest on Friday.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
Goalkeepers: Marvin Phillip (AC POS), Jabari St Hillaire (Defence Force), Denzil Smith (AV Alta FC—USA),
Defenders: Darnell Hospedales, Josiah Trimmingham (both Montego Bay Utd—Jamaica), Shannon Gomez (San Antonio FC—USA), Alvin Jones (Deportivo Real Sociedad—Honduras), Aubrey David (CSD Municipal—Guatemala), Isaiah Garcia (Defence Force), Andre Raymond (St Johnstone FC—Scotland),
Midfielders: Dantaye Gilbert (Jong PSV—Netherlands), Joevin Jones (Police FC), Daniel Phillips (Stevenage FC—England), Andre Rampersad (HFX Wanderers—Canada), Wayne Frederick II (Colorado Rapids SC—USA), Kaihim Thomas (Defence Force), Ajani Fortune (Atlanta Utd—USA),
Attackers: Steffen Yeates (York Utd—Canada), Nathaniel James (Portland Heart of Pine—USA), Isaiah Lee (La Horquetta Rangers), Tyrese Spicer (Toronto FC—Canada), Real Gill (Huntsville City FC—USA), Brent Sam (Defence Force).
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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.
“A more cautious approach”. That’s why they hired him? We serious? They could have left Angus in the job if they wanted a cautious approach
We lost 2 of our best attacking options and we are playing in Santiago. Go on an allout attack and start the return leg with a 4 goal deficit. Big Blood my brother, go to the head of the class.