Hello and goodbye! Bostock pulls out of T&T squad again and will miss Costa Rica game

He is here. And then he’s not. He is in. And then he is back out again.

Former England National Under-17 Team captain John Bostock will not make his senior international debut with Trinidad and Tobago on Friday against Costa Rica, despite being granted approval to play by FIFA.

Within hours of being granted FIFA clearance, Bostock has pulled out of the national team for the second time. On the last occasion, the elegant midfielder, who plays professionally for RC Lens in the France Second Division, said his passport was stolen.

Photo: RC Lens midfielder John Bostock. (Copyright Butfootball)
Photo: RC Lens midfielder John Bostock.
(Copyright Butfootball)

This time, Bostock told Soca Warriors coach Stephen Hart that he could not travel to Trinidad due to a personal emergency. The specific reason was not shared with the public.

“As many may know, it has been a long process in receiving the clearance from FIFA,” Bostock told the TTFA Media. “So understandably it is now with deep regret that due to personal reasons that I’m unable to disclose, I cannot play for Trinidad and Tobago at this stage.

“I wish coach Stephen Hart and the boys all the best for the upcoming games. I will, of course, be following the matches closely and God willing I will be able to make my international bow in the not too distant future.”

At the time of Bostock’s last withdrawal in September, he was due to travel to Trinidad in blind hope before games against Guatemala and the United States. As it transpired, he would have been unable to play anyway. This occasion is different, as FIFA gave the assurance that the midfielder is eligible to represent the Warriors.

However, Hart said he is convinced by the sincerity of Bostock’s desire to represent Trinidad and Tobago—his father, John Bostock Senior, was born in Trinidad.

“I had a conversation with him where he was emotional in expressing his withdrawal due to a family situation which he did not want to disclose,” said Hart.

Photo: Charleston Battery midfielder Ataulla Guerra. (Courtesy Charleston Battery)
Photo: Charleston Battery midfielder Ataulla Guerra.
(Courtesy Charleston Battery)

Hart has already selected Charleston Battery playmaker Ataulla Guerra to compensate for Bostock’s pull-out and the internal suspension of attacking midfielder, Kevin Molino.

“We have 23 players in the squad and we will get on with the business of preparing for Friday’s match,” said Hart. “The mood is good and upbeat after the first couple of sessions and everyone appears to be in a good physical and mental state of mind based on how things have looked on the training field so far.

“We’ll have everybody in by today and with that we’ll move ahead full steam with the preparations.”


Trinidad and Tobago held two training sessions yesterday and should be joined today by the Mexico-based duo Jomal Williams and Yohance Marshall, Belgium-based midfielder Khaleem Hyland, Russia-based defender Sheldon Bateau and Holland-based winger Levi Garcia.

(Trinidad and Tobago Team)

Goalkeepers: Jan-Michael Williams (Central FC), Marvin Phillip (Morvant Caledonia United), Adrian Foncette (Police);

Defenders: Aubrey David (FC Dallas—US), Daneil Cyrus (W Connection), Radanfah Abu Bakr (JK Silame Kalev—Estonia), Sheldon Bateau (KC Krylia Sovetov—Russia), Yohance Marshall (Murcielagos FC—Mexico), Jelani Peters (W Connection), Carlyle Mitchell (Seoul E Land—Korea Republic);

Midfielders: Andre Boucaud (Dagenham & Redbridge—England), Khaleem Hyland (KV Westerlo—Belgium), Neveal Hackshaw (Charleston Battery—USA), Kevan George (Jackson Armada FC—US);

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Khaleem Hyland (centre) roars during Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying action in Guatemala City on 13 November 2015. Hyland scored in a 2-1 win for the "Soca Warriors." (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Khaleem Hyland (centre) roars during Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying action in Guatemala City on 13 November 2015.
Hyland scored in a 2-1 win for the “Soca Warriors.”
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Attacking Midfielders: Levi Garcia (AZ Alkmaar—Netherlands), Jomal Williams (Murcielagos FC—Mexico), Ataulla Guerra (Charleston Battery—US), Cordell Cato (San Jose Earthquakes—US), Joevin Jones (Seattle Sounders—US), Marcus Joseph (Central FC),

Forwards: Kenwyne Jones (Central FC), Trevin Caesar (Orange County Blues—US), Willis Plaza (San Juan Jabloteh).

More from Wired868
Corneal: Talent was not the issue! TD discusses T&T’s shortlived Concacaf U-20 adventure

“[…] We saw an array of talent across the board and not with just 20 players. I’ve said it before Read more

Eve: “We acquitted ourselves well!” Dour Soca Warriors eliminated 2-0 by Canada

The Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team’s bid for an unprecedented place in the Copa America tournament stalled this Read more

Eve accepts underdog tag, wants Warriors to represent T&T’s crime victims

Angus Eve, coach of the Trinidad and Tobago men’s football team, accepts that his squad will be the underdogs against Read more

“David vs Goliath!” Eve speaks on Canada’s Copa challenge and his 23-man squad

Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Angus Eve hopes an organised defence will give his team the Read more

Eve names Levi in 23-man squad to face Canada; Telfer, Muckette out

Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Angus Eve announced his 23-man squad to face Canada in next Read more

T&T and Jamaica finish goalless, Denzil and “Natty” shine

Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica played to a goalless draw at the Larry Gomes Stadium today, in the second and Read more

About Editor

Check Also

Corneal: Talent was not the issue! TD discusses T&T’s shortlived Concacaf U-20 adventure

“[…] We saw an array of talent across the board and not with just 20 …

154 comments

  1. Why are they wasting their time with this guy? Ah mean come on , are we so desperate? If we were paying excellently and was praised by the media , would he be having all these problems? …I say tell him it’s ok ,have a nice life

  2. Internationally, you’ve been selected for Trinidad and Tobago. Was this an easy decision to make, given you’ve been capped by the England youth teams?

    Yeah, you know, I enjoy playing club football but it’s always a dream for me to play internationally. Obviously I was eligible to play for Scotland, Trinidad and England; I’ve not made my international bow as of yet but, when the time is right, I believe I will make that step into international football.
    http://outsideoftheboot.com/2017/04/11/through-the-lens-interview-with-john-bostock/

  3. We lack a playmaker in such a hard game…damn u molino

  4. let’s be honest people is not like he willl be representing brasil or argentina

  5. Jah, again boy. And his exact statement says he won’t be playing “at this stage” which means not just Friday’s game but the next set of qualifiers. We have quite a few midfield options tho, so I’m not entirely worried, but would have liked to see him get a run out. Meanwhile, in attack…. #InKenwyneWeTrust -_-

  6. I doh know who de fuck tell allyuh he want tuh play fuh Trinidad. So allyuh did swallow de passport story earlier? Steups

  7. Some people rather be blind to the obvious.. Always around call ups something happening. Trust me it’s not important to him.. Unless we qualify.. Then u will see what really important…

  8. Yuh miss the part about about the dog eat his passport last set of qualifiers oh what? Is excuse after excuse boss

    • He still wasn’t eligible Brent … Trump could have eaten his passport …..you still have to wait to find out the reason. If he has a valid reason he’s good if he on games he’s gone …but wait!

    • He didn’t know that at the time Gozzi. I not taking that excuse. He may have a legitimate reason but after a while people gey tired of the stories. Either yuh in or out

    • Weren’t we getting tired of it when the ttfa consistently screwed it up and not him? So now we redirecting now ….. this is on everyone now …we have to let it play out and make assessments then. Ronnie Mauge played for us back in the day from England played his heart out for us broke his leg everyone was sad then but went about their lives like normal with no real concern about the man well being. My point is it’s all good when it suits us but they’re scum when it doesnt. We as fans (at times) are no better than the ttfa scum that runs it. So let’s at least be human and wait before being judgemental. If he’s not legit he won’t get one iota of support from me again …but that’s not how I do things. I even gave DJW a chance at the beginning so why not Bostock?

    • Firstly I ain’t call the man no scum. However, one has every right to question his commitment. On two consecutive occasions after being selected, he provided two different excuses as to why he is not playing. Both of them, potentially being weak. Is either you’re playing or not. No more excuses quite frankly.

    • So be it ….. I’ll wait ….. my team wc qualification aint based on one player ….. him or Molino …not getting myself into tailspin on this…..haven’t you heard ….Trump win the muthaf****** US elections!!
      Hellfire ……

    • And I’ve said that too, I’ll wait. Don’t let us talk about that man nah. My stomach still uneasy this morning.

    • Brentos my homegirl tell me the week before that she feel he gonna win. Yesterday I deliberately stay off fb and the tv then the wifey text me ….. fall asleep still in denial until I turn on the tv today ….not in a good space right now

    • Its tough but I really only worry about what I can control.

  9. Am I missing something here? The guy has come to all the meetups and training sessions supported the team despite repeatedly being disappointed by the ttfa incompetence in handling his eligibility paper work. Now something has come up of a personal level that he supposedly has to deal with and now we’re bashing him? Do we even know what the nature of the emergency is? Wtf is wrong with you people?

  10. He should advertise for birth control with all of this pulling out.?????

  11. yea i saw dis yesterday I really don’t understand what going on yes I was really waiting to c how he woulda perform especially wit molino out

  12. All these players make a judgement call. If you play for another country then you become a foreign player and with BREXIT ther will be limitations to the number of foreign players in Europe and the UK. So the fella would have considered all of that together with the fact the we drew against Guatemala and lost to USA and Martinique so the man changed his mind

  13. Hmmmm…reminiscent of Bobby Zamora and Jlloyd Samuels dancing the TT team for years. At least the latter did eventually rep the red/white/black.

  14. What a disgrace! This saga has been a farce from start to finish, disrespecting the public of T&T and clearly no decisive management at the TTFA controlling this situation. Smh

  15. The norms universally, is that the calm comes before the storm, In T’dad the storm comes before the calm.

  16. Reserving judgement. Carlos Edwards had a family emergency that prevented him from playing in the past. These things happen.

  17. well said Mr Jamaal Shabazz couldnbt say it better myself

  18. There was a time when the Then TTFA in the late 90s tried to bully Shaka Hislop into a call up and he was almost forced to retire from international football for T&T. In his own time Shaka eventually made himself available and he became part of our historic World Cup 2006 Team. Sometimes we are extremely eager to castigate the athlete and say he/she not patriotic moreso when we in the dark as to the total story. Credit to Bostock he has been up front and so has the Coach. And mind you like you I do not know the total story so this is not a paid political statement for Bostock nor Coach Hart.

  19. Or it may be that by coincidence he did lose his documents and he could really have a personal emergency that he prefers not to share with the public. Credit to the lad for at least making a statement on both occasions. There must be something in his deliberations with Coach Hart that makes the Coach confident in having him. If he did not want to play he could withdraw his application for a change of Association ….the lad has not done that.

  20. This guy does not want to represent the Warriors, I personally feel insulted by his attitude towards his call ups. We have players who will give blood to wear National colors, pick them….. Stop insulting us

  21. Or will someone else getting a chance

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.