Wired868 Wired868 for smart sport news and opinion
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) has revealed a new role for former World Cup 2006 defender Brent Sancho at the centre of its overseas recruitment drive.
Sancho, a former Pro League chairman who also served on the TTFA’s technical committee, was announced as the TTFA’s head of overseas recruitment and instrumental in sourcing foreign-based players for the current national youth teams.
(via TTFA Media)
At present, the Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Under-17 and Under-20 football teams are both in camp at the Home of Football in Couva, as they prepare for Concacaf competition in 2026.
The National Under-17s already have a dozen overseas-born players in camp—eight from the United States. Today, the TTFA reveal that five England-based players will join them soon:
Archie Lovatt (Southampton FC), Tate Ormonde (Brighton & Hove Albion FC), Jashaun Christmas (Crystal Palace FC), Kayden Bancey (Reading FC), and Eden Ormonde (Welling United).
The five players, who are attached to a combination of professional and semi-professional teams, were all listed as central midfielders, although Tate Ormonde can also operate at right back.
(via TTFA Media.)
They will compete with the likes of Deron Blackman, Finn De Freitas (both St Mary’s College) and Daniel Lewis (San Juan North Secondary) for a place in coach Randolph Boyce’s final team.
Sancho, who the TTFA Media credited with similar recruitment initiatives for Caribbean member associations like Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Kitts and Nevis, said it is important to scout potential overseas-born talent early.
“This is about giving players a real opportunity to connect with Trinidad and Tobago—not just through football, but through living and training here,” Sancho told the TTFA Media.
(via TTFA Media.)
“We want them to understand the culture, the expectations, and what it truly means to represent the red, white and black. There is a strong pool of players overseas, and this is only the beginning.”
The TTFA noted that recent grandparent legislation should enhance the national player pool although none of the players were identified as beneficiaries of that legislation.
One England-born player who does not need special dispensation to represent Trinidad and Tobago is 15-year-old goalkeeper Mikel Jack, who is the son of Soca Warriors 2006 World Cup custodian Kelvin Jack.
But the TTFA would be hard-pressed to win him over now, as the England FA appear to have the gifted goalkeeper—signed by the Tottenham Academy—tipped for big things there.
Two years ago, Jack had exploratory talks with the local football body about having his son join the Trinidad and Tobago Boys’ Under-15 team. In the end, neither Mikel nor his older brother Kyron Jack, a midfielder, got into the national youth team.
Last week, Mikel captained the England Under-16 team against the Netherlands—having already won several caps for the Three Lions at Under-15 level. He raised eyebrows in England too, in October, when he trained with Tottenham’s Premier Division first team at just 14 years of age.
- England goalkeeper Mikel Jack makes one of two penalty saves against France in an Under-15 contest in 2025.
Jack is the son of Trinidad and Tobago 2006 World Cup goalkeeper and former Holy Cross College student Kelvin Jack.
Still, Boyce, who also leads the St Benedict’s College football programme, and Marvin Gordon, the current Men’s National Under-20 head coach, must be pleased with their current pool—as both have over 40 players each in a residential camp that continues until the end of the year.
The National Under-17s see action first since Trinidad and Tobago host one of several Concacaf Under-17 Qualifying groups. They are drawn with Mexico, Barbados, Saint Martin and Sint Maarten.
TTFA president Kieron Edwards described the football body’s overseas recruitment drive as “an investment in the entire football ecosystem of Trinidad and Tobago”.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
“By identifying and integrating eligible players early, we are strengthening the pathway to our Senior Men’s National Team and, by extension, creating long-term benefits for our Women’s National Teams as well,” stated Edwards, via a press release.
“Meaningful government assistance is critical in helping us create the infrastructure, logistics, and long-term planning required to compete at the highest level. When our youth programmes are properly supported, the impact is felt across all national teams and throughout the wider sporting landscape.”
Edwards did not respond to Wired868’s request for comment on the TTFA’s recent appointment of National Under-17 assistant coach Devin Elcock to the post of technical director.
Photo: TTFA Media.
Elcock, who has never operated as head coach outside of a controversial stint at the Defence Force women’s team, is now the most important coach in the country—in charge of overseeing all football programmes, outside of the Men’s National Senior Team, as well as coach education.
His appointment comes at a time when the national teams are all headed by coaches who are either debutantes or have less than three years’ experience at that level, such as:
Dwight Yorke (Men’s National Senior Team), Damian Briggs (Women’s National Senior Team), Marvin Gordon (Men’s National Under-20 Team), Dernelle Mascall (Women’s National Under-20 Team), Randolph Boyce (Men’s National Under-17 Team), and Ayana Russell (Women’s National Under-17 Team).
Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards today announced the appointment of AC Port of Spain team manager Read more
Emmanuel “ML” Adams left home on that Saturday afternoon thinking about winning a football match. By nightfall, his family would Read more
“In the 12 months that we have been together, if anyone said we would be in this position—unbeaten at home—despite Read more
“[…] Besides Chris Birchall, born in England of a Trinidad mother, all the members of the starting XI against Sweden Read more
Will the next three hours of football played by the Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team define the legacy Read more
“[…] The selection format involved a single 20-minute 11v11 match, with all coaches observing from the sidelines. Players were not 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.
