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Trinidad and Tobago national senior team head coach Stephen Hart announced his final 20-man squad for the 2014 Caribbean Cup semifinal qualifying round today with only three Pro League players named among his 18 outfield players.
Central FC midfielders Ataullah Guerra and Leston Paul were both summoned while DIRECTV W Connection right back Alvin Jones, who spent his pre-season on trial with a French Third Division club, also got his first call-up. As usual, Central’s Jan-Michael Williams and Point Fortin Civic’s Marvin Phillip were selected as the team’s two goalkeepers.
Connection defender Daneil Cyrus (left) is on loan in Vietnam at present.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Otherwise, Hart leaned heavily on foreign expertise with 14 picks for players employed by overseas clubs and one unattached player. Jones is the only member of the squad who has never played under Hart at any level.
Cardiff City forward Kenwyne Jones, who plays in England’s Championship Division, captains the “Soca Warriors” and leads a list of seven Europe-based players who are Justin Hoyte (Millwall—England), Sheldon Bateau (KV Mechelen—Belgium), Andre Boucaud (Dagenham & Redbridge—England), Khaleem Hyland (Racing Genk—Belgium), Joevin Jones (HJK Helsinki—Finland) and Leston Peltier (Slovan Bratislava—Slovakia).
Orlando City midfielder Kevin Molino, whose team is about to join the United States’ Major League Soccer (MLS) is also in the squad along with fellow North America-based players Kevan George (Columbus Crew), Cordell Cato (San Jose Earthquakes), Carlyle Mitchell (Vancouver Whitecaps) and Trevin Caesar (San Antonio Scorpions).
The Vietnam-based duo of Hughtun Hector and Daneil Cyrus, who both represent Hanoi T&T, completed the foreign roster.
Hart told Wired868 that his selection was based more on familiarity with his methods than where the player happened to be plying his trade.
“This is not an indictment on the Pro League at all because the last few squads have been a 50-50 balance between foreign and local based,” said Hart. “But, at the time of selection, I wanted to go with a group that more of less understands what I am doing because we have so little time together.
“There are a number of players I would have liked to have included but I have never seen them at international senior level. Do I go with players who I don’t know how they will react? I can’t go into a tournament blind with players I don’t know how they are going to perform.”
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/TTFA Media)
The head coach also suggested that the late start to the 2014/15 Pro League season might also have affected his selection.
“The Pro League has just started and match fitness is something I have to consider too,” said Hart. “A number of Pro League players were out on trial and only returned in the last few days.”
The main omissions are Central FC attackers Willis Plaza and Rundell Winchester, who recently walked out of their contracts at Belgium Third Division team CV Visé due to financial issues, as well as Defence Force utility player Curtis Gonzales, Caledonia AIA midfielder Densill Theobald, Point Fortin attacker Marcus Joseph, who was the Pro League’s top scorer last season, and FK Kruoja Pakruojis defender Radanfah Abu Bakr, who was an all-star player recently in the Lithuania league. All six players were involved in Trinidad and Tobago’s South American tour in June.
Yohance Marshall, who played against Argentina and Iran in June, kept his place in the squad despite being unattached since leaving Central at the end of the Pro League season in May.
“He was in the latest camp we had and knew what we were trying to do,” said Hart, “so I decided to go with him.”
At least two absentees were not of Hart’s making. FF Jaro forward Shahdon Winchester and full back Aubrey David were excluded amidst talk of a financial dispute between the Finland Premier Division club and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) over a lingering debt.
(Courtesy FF Jaro)
Hart suggested that he wanted to select Winchester (S) and David although he opted not to give details.
“They were considered for selection but there is an internal issue there that I do not want to get into,” he said.
However, Jaro general manager Nicklas Storbacka said his club was unhappy that the TTFA allegedly reneged on a promise to refund the Finnish outfit for plane tickets purchased last year for Winchester (S) and Ataullah Guerra, who was at fellow Finland team RoPS at the time.
“We have addressed the TTFA about it several times and we have received promises that we would be reimbursed,” Storbacka told Wired868. “It is not something that you would expect from a federation… It is not a big amount. I see it more as a measure of a matter of principle.”
Still, Storbacka explained that his club did not withhold its Trinidad and Tobago players and said the TTFA decided not to select them.
Wired868 understands that, by the time temperatures cooled between the two parties on the matter, the deadline for selecting players for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) competition had gone.
There might be another issue regarding overseas players as some clubs have complained about the tournament fixtures, which scheduled three international games in five days. Hart said he will be mindful of the health of the “Soca Warriors” and suggested he might try to solve the problem through squad rotation and careful use of his substitutions.
(Copyright AFP 2014/ Juan Mabromata)
Otherwise, Hart expressed satisfaction with his 20-man team which opens its qualifying campaign against the Dominican Republic from 8.15 pm on Wednesday October 8 in the second game of a double header at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
The Warriors’ fixture is preceded by a clash between St Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda at 6 pm.
“The players appear to be very enthusiastic and the mood is quite good which is what we want heading into the competition,” Hart told the TTFA Media. “It’s important for us to have the right approach which I am quite confident the team will have because these are all professional players who are very committed to doing what is right for the team and their country.”
The Dominican Republic squad includes former W Connection stand-out Jonathan Faria, who has 18 goals in 28 international appearances, and four Europe-based players including forward Mariano and central defender Cayetano Bonnín, who play in the Real Madrid and Villarreal reserve teams respectively.
Admission is $100 for the covered stands and $60 for uncovered.
(Trinidad and Tobago squad)
Goalkeepers: Jan-Michael Williams (Central FC), Marvin Phillips (Point Fortin Civic);
Defenders: Justin Hoyte (Millwall—England), Alvin Jones (W Connection), Sheldon Bateau (KV Mechelen—Belgium), Yohance Marshall (Unattached), Carlyle Mitchell (Vancouver Whitecaps—Canada), Daneil Cyrus (Ha Noi T&T—Vietnam);
Midfielders: Andre Boucaud (Dagenham & Redbridge—England), Khaleem Hyland (Racing Genk—Belgium), Kevan George (Columbus Crew—USA), Leston Paul (Central FC);
Attacking midfielders: Lester Peltier (Slovan Bratislava—Slovakia), Cordell Cato (San Jose Earthquakes—USA), Hughtun Hector (Hanoi T&T—Vietnam), Kevin Molino (Orlando City—USA), Joevin Jones (HJK Helsinki—Finland), Ataullah Guerra (Central FC);
Forwards: Kenwyne Jones (Cardiff City—England), Trevin Caesar (San Antonio Scorpions—USA),
Caribbean Cup qualifying fixtures
(Wed Oct 8)
St Lucia v Antigua and Barbuda, 6 pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
T&T v Dominican Republic, 8.15 pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
(Fri Oct 10)
Dominican Rep v Antigua and Barbuda, 6 pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
T&T v St Lucia, 8.15 pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
(Sun Oct 12)
Dominican Republic v St Lucia, 4 pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
T&T v Antigua and Barbuda, 6.15 pm, Ato Boldon Stadium.
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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.
True..thats why agents should build a relationship with the clubs…try to show them the importance of what you can bring to the table…but sometimes you get unscrupulous ones and problems starts
We take a hands on approach with each player before a player leaves here his parents are familiar with me and my colleague so they are not sending their son blind into the wilderness they have someone based here who is giving them daily updates on their son and any problems we solve it asap and assure parents their son is ok and what is the next step of his trial
Well earl if akim had a agent seeking his best interest he would not be still there when everything is handled by a club and u or your agent has no input in negotiations you are at the mercy of that foreign club
Yes heard the stories its so sad
So then its for you to go make representation to armstrong and these guys …some clubs dont do what they suppose to…its not about just sending a player outside and everything is done…u must keep in touch and be part of the player at the end of the day we are all humans and relationships still need to go on so being in a player life its just part of it…u wont want to hear that your player is stranded that is ridiculous
Hector sam was a great player but he was mismanaged by mike berry and his love 4 gambling so a combination of both was his ultimate demise
Hector sam was always a prolific striker. .
Yes true hector should have been handled better
Sosa but we don’t leave our players stranded. u never hear that with our club…presi always takes cares of his players and they know that. .if clubs are doing that there should be things in place to ban them or take action because things like that I know has happened to brazilian players in England and agents left them with no meals, no club, no house. so I know the problems and with our club, the president has made it his duty to fly myself or any senior staff out to anywhere in the world to handle his players if problems arises. so I know we are trying our all to help the players…things will never be perfect but we strive to do things the right way….because the football world is very small, you can’t do things and hide…its easy access to clubs, presidents, agents, you must do things the right way….you may fail at times but honesty is the best.
True a perfect example of a player who played his whole career at shitty clubs is Hector Sam he never elevated his game 2 inspire 4 biggest things now he is a few dollars short of being a vagrant
If they choose to go china and get rich…its their life and as long as they are disciplined and good young men..
Earl I am not arguing with u I am merely stating facts and akim armstrong is stranded in finland his 4 mth deal up 3 and a half months ago and the money he made so small he can’t even buy a retun ticket home
We are here to develop and sell players when I played I wanted to play professional football anywhere I can make my money…and also where I can enjoy my life…now that option is always open to our players. ..
Thank god I had my opportunity to play from portugal to England to Scotland, china and trinidad and never had a regret in my life all I want is for the player to finish the game with monies in their pockets and the bank and their families can have a wonderful life for such a sacrifice and iam happy….thats all
How many players do we have in Belgium? in England, in Italy? ..we not fulling their heads. we will tell our players we will try to get the best clubs for u but we will also let you be aware if there are other interests from other countries and it will be your choice. .and which offer is better for u
Dion I am saying again why did they come back?? Did you find out the reports on each player… Do a check. And yes everyone wants to go to Europe ….at connection our first option is to get the player to Europe. ..pronto…but in this environment now, agents and clubs call regularly for players and all over Vietnam and some the club declines and sometimes we wait. I hope that a club in Europe will take a chance but the truth is the players don’t want to wait…the players want to leave. they want to play outside when they hear the kind of money they can make… for example Jones was sought after for a very long time in Vietnam and we kept stalling and trying to give good options in Europe. ..clubs in England made enquiries and a personal friend of mine an agent really wanted him and was disappointed because of work permit issues…they were thinking of Belgium for him and france….the number one club in finland have been tracking him for a while and finally came back to the club. he liked the deal…so what should we do?
Earl Jean most people don’t know what conditions coaches have to work with and under to make the football succeed ,these players we have to work with is the most difficult in the last 25 yrs, most of them are amateurs being paid a salary. Dion Sosa and Earl ya’ll should find a compromise cause i think at the end of the day ya’ll want the same thing which is for players to succeed in europe which will benefit all and sundry.
It increase yea for sure…but over the years how many players have done that and left trials overseas to return and lost out on the contracts. …so at times it’s a risk you take if you really believe in yourself but in the end when the type of US dollars flash in front your eyes and its guaranteed and you think of your financial status as of now…and you can help your mom within a month of your first salary. ..tell me what would u do?….its not that easy a call and believe me these guys want to play for their country
Earl what I am saying is let’s check the recent finland exports. akiel de freitas came back, attula guerra came back, jamal gay heading back, aubrey david heading back, shandon winchester and joevin jones heading back very soon. so tell me that is positive moves
It was his
Cool lendor
You keep harping on that nonsense about players in Vietnam and finland ….very good players start in finland and move on. for all my years in this business i never heard an agent talk so much bullshit…why dont u let your colleagues talk about these issues…man our players have to start somewhere and its people like u that make these young guys now feel that they are so good and must play in top clubs in europe…and to be fair it wont happen ….they need time to adapt mentally and physically ….they develop so late in the caribbean that u need a good 2 to 3 years in europe to start…you all don’t do anything for football in trinidad…no investment where monetary wise or educationally for players ….you want clubs to develop top quality on minimal that they have and then you’ll come and speak about dwight and latas….this is a different generation….all most want is money and nice life…ask them to put in two sessions a day for only 3 days a week and see how many would show up for training and the excuses you will get about who’s mom died and girlfriend sick and have to stay home with her…and u can go on and on….its a mentality and clubs are trying to change that with the small pool of players that is available. ..we have a massive problem and again the mind. …so with all the work clubs are trying to do to develop it is far from easy….but the owners are willing to give it a go, so please speak some sense on the the blogs to educate people
Had that been my decision to make I’m opting to play the Argentina friendly because a good performance increases my marketability coupled with the fact that I’d be thinking to my self that would be the only opportunity to play against the best player on the globe. That chance may never come his way again.
Earl I did criticize WCFC about the decision to not play in the Argentina game however subsequent to that you’ll said the decision to do so was totally Cyrus’s.
That’s what we are doing earl jean we putting our money where our mouth is and not talking and selling men dreams like some clubs
Why dont you give them the finances and better yet why dont you sign the players the your company in nertherlands. ..players are free to sign with any fifa agent they wish…
well bro ,the reality is that the dollars are at the top of the pyramid and not at the bottom. if i’m a professional coach with a family to feed, i ain’t gonna work for 2 or 3 grand a mth that you have to wait for at the end of the season to collect. My intention is to coach one team at the primary, secondary and pro level. Most importantly prince we in trinidad need to see football and sport in general as an industry not a pastime and as a cure for many social ills among the youth that is the 1 st step. just look at the budget allocation for sport each yr and you’ll see my point.
Dion u come back online with your same stupidiness again mr.agent
We have to be careful how we criticise the clubs too…our club always support national teams and always willing at times to pay to get the players back if its necessary but its always a players decision whether he wants to stay to play a friendly international or get an opportunity to make a living…
Lendor ….just saw a comment u criticized w.connection for what with Cyrus. …why? Like we have been saying it’s always the players choice to go where he wants…if he sees a two year contract with monies that our club cant offer and a national team cant offer, do you think he would stay to play a friendly international just because its argentina or Messi? ..players in as much as they want to play the game ….its about financial security for them and as i am aware they are still owed from that game…I understand about country and I defend my country when I played but believe me I took drastic decisions in my career to represent my country…but what does your country do for u as a player …or when u finish your career….so cyrus decision like I said then was his personally not the club. what was offered was very difficult to turn down because believe me none or very few would have given that offer up….
Aren’t you all in first? That’s why. I don’t think you need to end school football. Just have something for the better players to rub shoulders with. Let me ask you a question. Currently I am a college coach. If I am recruiting players will it make sense for me to come watch a school game to asses talent. And if we can get coaches like yourself at the schools that’s awesome. It just doesn’t seem as though that is happening. I don’t know. I can’t speak from half way across the world
Travis I get what you are saying. It sounds like you are trying to develop a professional environment there. But how many coaches are putting in that diligence? From just reading it sounds as though it one of a kind.
exactly my sentiments prince. BUT the reality is that the clubs don’t have the resources or DESIRE to do things the right way. now lets look at the schools. let’s look at NAPS who i am coaching as we speak. we have a home ground, a gym , a cafeteria, a class room we can convert into a dorm for an over night or weekend camp, an AV room to view matches and soon to have a bus. which club has those resources???
also the schools have a ready-made fan base of ex-pupils, current pupils, teachers, and die hard fans. the pro league’s structure is poor so it can’t develop our football the way we would like, so my take is that football should be developed at the school level and at 18 the player goes into a pro team that uses school teams of the community as feeders for its youth and pro teams. But where does Caledonia play its home games? not in morvant. where does Jabloteh play theirs? not in san juan. where does north east play theirs? not in grande. so you get my point.
Travis Mulraine don’t you think times are changing? Where school soccer should be an after thought. Why can’t we develop a club footballing league/ academies where the best players play together. The thing about school football is you have 5 or 6 good technical players per team. When you can have less teams and have a league where the best are playing against each other. School soccer is about pride and prestige but fellas school soccer cannot develop you. It use to be great back in the days when there was less schools and better players playing together. Now it’s diluted. This league can even run different from school soccer. This way players are playing year round. This is what they do everywhere around the world. School soccer is frown upon. I am not in Trinidad so I can’t really see the games but for me it’s a waste of time.
How is it a player is talented but technically poor Charles? Talented is Russell, David Nakhid and Arnold dwarika they were talented ironically they were also technically superior than most mortals.
GREAT point kester i was one of the first players to try to go to mexico but it didn’t happen,they are the highest paying league in the western hemisphere, more than that i think their coaches can help develop our football
also Lasana players aren’t as ambitious as we were back in the day, it IS sad that with more opportunity there is less dedication. and that is where a coach/mentor can help ,it did for me .jimmy blanc,lennox brown, dada,jean lilywhite ,look loy ,jamaal shabaaz ,stuart charles berti .
I agree 100% Travis Mulraine . It seems the focus now is more on winning and not training and development. Back in my Saints days Lasana Liburd remember our coaches put discipline and training above winning. I meeting players today with plenty talent but poor technically. As Travis say can’t trap or make a proper pass yet starring in school football.
What about Mexico Lasana. Outside of Gally no Trini has ever played there. I understand the salaries are exorbitant my friend tell me that’s y the players almost always never leave. I guess except for the exceptionally gifted ones. Why is it that Mexico is not a destination for our players.
Travis, I have to feel that part of the problem is also players not spending their own personal time practising their skills. Whether by themselves or on the roads or savannahs or wherever.
In fact, the massive increase in cars probably take away loads of playing spaces for children all over the country who are not close to savannahs but used to play in the road.
OK now to the argument i always have with players in their 40’s 50′ s or 60’s,we always have talent bro ALLAH din’t stop blessing us with football talent when 2000 came around.We have nicolas dillon,jabari mitchell, woo ling, levi garcia and i can go on and on,you know what the problem is???? poor coaching, especially at the formative stages of their development i.e primary and more importantly secondary school. where do the players that end up in the pro league come from? the SSFL right? I worked with a player who was a BIG star in the SSFL he couldn’t kick the ball or control it properly.Who is to blame for that? the coaches ?the media ? the player? or the pro league?
Nowadays the amount of traffic to get home, the amount of schoolwork required of children, the expense of society… I think those things help to take away time boys and girls would have otherwise spent learning the game.
Parents might be not around to take children to play and they don’t like children to travel alone as much because they think it is too dangerous.
There there is Facebook and video games.
I don’t think the old ways would work anymore. We have to try something new. But I have an intern doing a piece on this topic by talking to some veteran coaches. So I’m anxious to see what he comes up with.
It used to be top 75 in Britain. But the FA is trying to raise it to top 50 and it will be curtains for T&T if that happens. Culturally and financially, the UK remains the best place for our players I think.
i was not talking about you in particular kester when i spoke about those who criticized ataullah, the reality bro is that the european cubs now say you have to be in the top 50 on the FIFA rankings an the players must play 75% of matches over 2 yrs all these i don’t know if the latter still applies,but these rules only hurt smaller countries like ourselves,similar to what was done in english county cricket i.e 1 foreigner per team and international cricket i.e 1 bouncer per over. and lastly its about the contacts of your club or agent.
Lasana the only thing a player can benefit in vietnam is learning 2 master the art of going in a whore house when he gets paid people over there are ruthless and will not hesistate 2 cut you up in an instant
Just an aside. Remember guys like David Nakhid and Peter Prosper did very well for T&T while in Lebanon.
Even Errol McFarlane had a very good scoring record for T&T while in that league. If I remember correctly, McFarlane scored a vital goal to keep our 2006 dream alive in an earlier round.
So I agree that it is sad we don’t have more players breaking through in bigger leagues. But sometimes the lesser leagues can still help.
There’s been the constant cry that the U20 players are talented and rising stars but are we to judge them on the fact that they won a CFU tournament? I played with Jerry Nixon for 2 years in high school and I’m not seeing any Nixons in the lot. So these guys are good but compared to whom. I anxiously await the concacaf tournament to see how the boys will matchup against that level competition. Hopefully they will dominate all competition and qualify for another WC.
Dion I do agree with much of what u’ve said except I don’t know about salaries. Kev Harrison gave reasons for the moves to Finland that I didn’t agree with but it was fine as the info is now out and we are better informed. Travis having an abundance of quality players could NEVER be a curse. The thing is those players did not just happen, they were systematically brought to that point where they were marketable. We must get to the place where we understand how the many players got to where they were and probably use the same methods or improve on what was used in the past.
Kester that is not the players fault if their local club is inadequate 2 secure a deal in better countries I would never send a young guy 2 vietnam or finalnd cause the quality of the football is garbage and most times the salaries also and most of them spend maybe 1 season then they back in the pfl a year older and its more difficult 2 attempt 2 place them again
Travis Mulraine I cannot get angry for anyone having a different opinion. I encourage debate and differences will lead to new points of view. I have been involved with football so this is where I’m comfortable and opinionated. Not in politics or medicine or law enforcement. I want and expect the best things for and from Trini football. I have a friend who’s director of coaching at GSA who’s from CR10 home town and we argue all the time because I tell him Russell is the best thing ever played in Portugal. But guess what, I dream of the day that I can truly be in a position to argue that point with him and my other friend Raul Suarez Jr. Whose dad is a part owner of Mexican club. And Btw I didn’t criticize Tulla for his Messi actions if fact I saw nothing wrong with that. I did critize Cyrus and WCFC for not him not choosing to play in that game.
The success of the players you indicated was a curse and not a blessing because it gave us a false sense of expectation just like the west indies team of the 70’s and 80’s when we had players in the English league who couldn’t smell the west indies team ,I PLAYED when we had 15 foreign based players and if you weren’t a goalkeeper you in some serious problem to make a Nat’l team ,and contrary to what you might think about me i don’t just attack people ,i have good reason.I respect the job that Hart is doing because the team has improved leaps and bounds since he came.