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The Trinidad and Tobago national senior football team will seek to rebound from its disastrous 2014 World Cup qualification with a good performance in Sunday’s 5 pm friendly international against Finland at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain.
The “Soca Warriors” will feature several under-23 players but still has eight players within its ranks who participated in the short-lived World Cup campaign.
“I think everyone is really looking forward to it,” said Devorn Jorsling, who recently swapped US A’ League club Orlando City for local outfit, Caledonia AIA. “Not only because it’s the first match for the year for us but I think personally, players like myself are still anxious to get over the defeat to Guyana and the fact that we got knocked out so early.
“And the only way to do that is to be playing international matches and getting results again. We simply have to keep playing and start winning matches and producing good football on the pitch.”
Kevin Molino, Marvin Phillip, Akeem Adams, Seon Power, Kendall Jagdeosingh, Clyde Leon and Hayden Tinto were also involved in the recent World Cup qualification.
They will be joined by Jean Luc Rochford, Sean De Silva, Andre Marchan and Mekeil Williams who played alongside Molino and Adams at the 2009 FIFA World Youth Championship. In-form Jabloteh attacker Willis Plaza, Defence Force striker Richard Roy and revitalized Caledonia midfielder Ataullah Guerra are also in the squad.
Interim head coach and former national standout, Hutson “Barber” Charles, intends to use the match as a preparation for the 2012 Digicel Caribbean Cup.
“We have a lot of young players in there but they have a lot of international experience,” said Charles, “because some of them have been to two World Cups at the youth level before and have been playing against other countries in CONCACAF…
“I think once we get off on the right footing, then we could see some good football from these guys and we’ll be able to assess their progress and this will help us with our preparation and selection down the road.”
The team trains at the Hasely Crawford Stadium this morning before checking into the Crowne Plaza in anticipation of their weekend assignment. Tickets are priced at $40 (uncovered) and $100 (covered) and are available at Kenny’s Sport Shop and at the match venue on Sunday.
T&T:
Marvin Phillip, Akeem Adams (both T&TEC), Seon Power, Kendall Jagdeosingh (both DirecTV North East Stars), Andre Marchan, Joevin Jones, Leslie Russell, Mekeil Williams, Clyde Leon (all W Connection), Atulla Guerra, Devorn Jorsling, Aquil Selby (all Caledonia AIA), Jean Luc Rochford (1st Santa Rosa FC), Hayden Tinto (Joe Public), Kevin Molino (Orlando City), Willis Plaza (San Juan Jabloteh), Richard Roy, Curtis Gonzales (both Defence Force), Sean De Silva (College of Charleston) and Keon Boucher (St Clair Coaching School).
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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.
