Fenwick trims Warriors training squad to 29 players, keeps 12 ‘Project 2026’ boys

Editor Monday 13 July 2020 Global Football, National Football, Volley Leave a comment

Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Terry Fenwick trimmed his current training squad from 40 to 29 players today, as he continued work on his local-based players.

The Soca Warriors do not have any competitive engagements in 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but Fenwick said he will use the time to prepare the nation’s young football talent.

Photo: Soca Warriors coach Terry Fenwick oversees training at the Police Barracks, St James on 3 July 2020.
(Copyright Allan V Crane/CA-Images/Wired868)

The Defence Force duo of versatile defender Curtis ‘Boyo’ Gonzales and playmaker Hashim Arcia and Police FC goalkeeper Adrian Foncette are 31 years old. The trio are the only picks with 10 or more senior international caps under their belts.

The remaining training squad members are all under 30, while Fenwick selected nine teenagers: defender Jesse Williams (Central FC), midfielders Molik Khan (W Connection), Judah Garcia (Point Fortin Civic), Michel Poon-Angeron (Club Atletico Banfield—Argentina) and Che Benny (Central FC), and attackers Gary Griffith III (Coleraine FC—Northern Ireland), Shaqkeem Joseph (Club Sando), Justin Araujo-Wilson (San Juan Jabloteh) and Jean-Heim McFee (AC Port of Spain).

Earlier this year, Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) technical committee chairman Keith Look Loy directed Fenwick to create a ‘B’ team consisting of players who would be no more than 27 years old by the time the 2026 World Cup kicked off. The idea was sanctioned by the TTFA Board.

Fenwick’s current training squad is a hodgepodge of youth and seniority, though. The nine teenagers apart, the Englishman selected just three more players whose ages fall within the cut-off birth date of the ‘Project 2026’ proposal.

Photo: Argentina-based midfielder and former St Mary’s College student Michel Poon-Angeron runs with the ball during training at the Police Barracks, St James on 3 July 2020.
(Copyright Allan V Crane/CA-Images/Wired868)

San Juan Jabloteh left back Brandon Semper and AC Port of Spain playmaker John-Paul Rochford are both 20 while W Connection full back Isaiah Garcia is 21.

Fenwick said the other players who trained over the past month will form a separate ‘B’ team to his main squad.

The national training squad does not include any Terminix La Horquetta Rangers players, as club director Richard Ferguson refused to release his employees since they are preparing for domestic competition. Fifa rules only oblige clubs to release players for international duty during designated match windows.

The current Soca Warriors trainees are:

Goalkeepers: Adrian Foncette [31] (Police FC), Aaron Enil [24] (Defence Force), Christopher Biggette [24] (San Juan Jabloteh);

Defenders: Curtis Gonzales [31], Justin Garcia [24] (both Defence Force), Jesse Williams [18], Jameel Neptune [26] (both Central FC), Isaiah Garcia [21] (W Connection), Brandon Semper [20] (San Juan Jabloteh), Jelani Peters [26] (Unattached), Kareem Riley [22] (FGCU—USA);

Photo: Winger Shaqkeem Joseph (left) controls the ball during National Senior Team practice at the Police Barracks in St James on 3 July 2020.
(Copyright Allan V Crane/CA-Images/Wired868)

Midfielders: Kevon Goddard [23] (Central FC), Justin Sadoo [22] (Point Fortin), Michel Poon-Angeron [19] (Club Atletico Banfield—Argentina), Matthew Woo Ling [23] (AC PoS), Jabari Mitchell [22] (Police FC), Hashim Arcia [31] (Defence Force), Molik Khan [16] (W Connection), Judah Garcia [19] (Point Fortin), Micah Lansiquot [23] (San Juan Jabloteh);

Attacking midfielders: Che Benny [19] (Central FC), John-Paul Rochford [20] (AC PoS), Gary Griffith III [18] (Coleraine FC—Northern Ireland), Shaqkeem Joseph [19] (Club Sando);

Forwards: Justin Araujo-Wilson [17] (San Juan Jabloteh), Dwight Quintero [26] (Defence Force), Nicholas Dillon [23] (Patro Eisden Maas—Belgium), Jean Heim McFee [18] (AC PoS), Akeem Roach [24] (Unattached).

Editor’s Note: The players’ ages are in square brackets while their respective clubs are in round brackets.

Editor

Fenwick trims Warriors training squad to 29 players, keeps 12 ‘Project 2026’ boys

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