“The cream came to the top!” Cooper on assembling T&T U17 team, ‘Toka’ return, and a 14-year-old starlet

The Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Under-17 Team depart tonight for Concacaf qualifying action in Costa Rica, and they will not be going to make up the numbers.

The young Soca Warriors are grouped with Guyana, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), Saint Martin and Costa Rica. Only the group winner will advance to the Qatar 2025 Fifa Under-17 World Cup.

Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Nikosi Foncette (right) passes for a teammate during Concacaf U-15 Championship action against Honduras in the Dominican Republic on 6 August 2023.
Photo: TTFA Media

In four decades, the two-island republic has qualified for three Fifa world youth tournaments: the Portugal 1991 Under-21 World Cup, the Republic of Korea 2007 Under-17 World Cup, and the Egypt 2009 Under-20 World Cup.

Can coach Shawn Cooper’s 21-member squad become the fourth?


“We will try our best to qualify,” Cooper told Wired868. “I am not one to say we are going to qualify. We have to put our best foot forward.

“With God everything is possible, so we hope He looks over us.”

Trinidad and Tobago National U-17 head coach Shawn Cooper (right) and his assistant Devin Elcock oversee a training session.
Photo: TTFA Media.

The young Soca Warriors have more than a prayer, though. Two years ago, at the Concacaf Under-15 Championship, Trinidad and Tobago—under Cooper—stunned Costa Rica 2-0 and whipped Qatar 3-0 during a decent showing in the Dominican Republic.

Cooper believes the quality of his player pool has improved considerably since then, with seven new overseas-based players along with a handful of gifted newcomers from within the local circuit.

In fact, just six members from Trinidad and Tobago’s 2023 Concacaf Under-15 campaign retained their spots: goalkeeper Mikhail Clement, defenders Sheridan McNish, Adam Pierre and Criston Gomez, and midfielders Nikosi Foncette and Caden Trestrail.

Fatima College forward Jonathan Mason, who is still recovering from a broken leg suffered in the 2024 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) season, is the only player from the 2023 tournament who misses out through injury.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago forward Jonathan Mason (right) skips away from Puerto Rico defender Xzavier Colon during Concacaf U-15 Championship action in Santo Domingo on 8 August 2023.
(via TTFA Media.)

“The team is very much stronger,” said Cooper. “[…] We had a long screening process and the cream came to the top. A number of [the previous players] weren’t able to keep their places in the squad, and this is football.

“We had to pick the boys who were in form and who showed the level of maturity and the impetus to help take us over the line.”

Cooper suggested that the technical quality and versatility of his players are significant strengths, with Naparima College student Jaydon Caprietta, Arima North Secondary student Criston ‘CJ’ Gomez, St Benedict’s College student Adam ‘Toka’ Pierre and Chargers (USA) flanker Talan McMillan able to play in multiple roles, even at such a high level.

Photo: Naparima College utility player Jadon Caprietta.
Copyright: Wired868.

Caprietta featured predominantly at left back for “Naps” last season but is likely to play higher up the field for Trinidad and Tobago, with Inter Miami (USA) defender Chaz Williams expected to start on the left of the defence.

Cooper is also spoilt for choice at the base of his midfield where Fatima’s Seth Hadeed, Presentation College’s Nikosi Foncette, St Mary’s College’s Eran McLeod, Gomez and Pierre are competing for two starting berths.

Gomez and Pierre can also feature at full back or in central defence respectively, which is where they played at the Concacaf Under-15 Championship. Cooper hinted that their competence in possession might be a real asset to his defence.

Arima North Secondary utility player Criston Gomez (centre) tries to squeeze past Fatima College midfielders Levi Smith (left) and Caden Trestrail during SSFL Premier Division action at the Arima Velodrome on 29 October 2024.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.

“I think our defence is a lot stronger [than 2023] in terms of handling the football,” said Cooper. “In modern day football, everyone likes to press high—the group we have is very capable of dealing with that pressure and breaking the line with passes.

“I think in previous years, our squads were not this competent in terms of ball handling… We are not explosive but we are solid.”

McMillan and Caprietta apart, Cooper has TSR Academy (USA) attacker Timothy Valentine, QRC’s Jasai Theophilus and 14-year-old Naparima College forward Adasa Richardson as options on the flank.

Pro Series midfielder Jasai Theophilus.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.

He is spoilt for choice at offensive midfield where Fatima sharp-shooter Caden Trestrail and Vancouver FC (Canada) maestro Dominic Joseph have both looked the part.

“We have two gifted players in Dominic Joseph and Caden Trestrail in the number 10 position,” said Cooper. “Both of them are capable of scoring goals and opening up defences.”

Upfront, QRC forward Phillip Nelson and Eastbourne United (England) forward Josiah Kallicharan look to be a handful, although none have experience at this level.

Midfielder Dominic Joseph (foreground), who is from Vancouver in Canada, hopes to make his international debut for Trinidad and Tobago at the 2025 Concacaf U-17 Championship.
Photo: TTFA Media.

Mason was Trinidad and Tobago’s top scorer at the 2023 Concacaf competition and a standout player. But he is not expected to be ready for full training until March.

But Cooper has faith in the capabilities of Nelson and Kallicharan.

“You could put your hand in a hat and pull between Mason and Phillip Nelson (in terms of how close they are to each other in ability),” said Cooper. “I don’t know which of them is quicker but I think Phillip has more of a presence in terms of size.

QRC attacker Phillip Nelson takes a crack at the St Mary’s College goal during SSFL Premier Division action at QRC grounds on 25 September 2024.
Nelson scored twice in a 2-0 win.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868

“Definitely Mason’s pace is something we would miss. He was one of the players who scored against Costa Rica the last time, when his pace hurt them a bit.”

Cooper was especially generous with praise for his young goalkeeper, Levi Williams, who is the brother of left back Chaz Williams. Whereas Richardson’s precocious talent allowed him to play two age groups up with the National Under-17 Team (where he is likely to be a substitute), Levi is something else entirely.

At 14-years-old and standing well over six feet, Cooper suggested that Levi could hold his own with any of Trinidad and Tobago’s under-20 goalkeepers too!

Fourteen-year-old Levi Williams (second from right) listens to his coach during a national under-17 training session.
Photo: TTFA Media.

“Levi is from inter Miami and a great find for our future,” said Cooper. “I think he is comparable to any one of the under-20 goalkeepers we had in the last tournament.

“For a 14-year-old, he has a really good head on his shoulders and his handling of the ball, he is about six foot six, reminds me of goalkeepers of the past who would catch the football and not parry it to the side.

“He brings a level of calmness to the back and we just hope the boys upfront get the ball in the back of the net.”

Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Caden Trestrail (foreground) tries to keep the ball from a Jamaica opponent during under-15 international friendly action against Jamaica at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium on 25 July 2023.
Trestrail has retained his place in the squad for the Concacaf Under-17 competition.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.

Trinidad and Tobago initially hoped to play in a pre-Concacaf tournament international competition in Mexico, which Jamaica attended. It was then suggested that Cooper’s team might have a camp in Panama along with, at the least, a few international games in Jamaica.

In the end, the National Under-17 team got just a solitary international friendly against Saint Lucia. And the match blew off after only 20 minutes, as the flood lights never came on at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.

The Saint Lucian contingent, led by head coach and former Trinidad and Tobago football legend Stern John, was furious at the mishap.

The Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva is managed by the Ministry of Sports and Community Development.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.

Up to the time of publication, the Ministry of Sport had not explained why lights were not provided, although an unofficial explanation was an administrative mix-up with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA).

In any case, Cooper had only Clement, McLeod, Richardson, and Valentine on the field against Saint Lucia last night from his official 21-member squad.

“We were told it was a training game and only when we arrived, we were told it was an official friendly international,” said the National Under-17 coach. “We had scheduled training already and we had a couple niggling injuries, so we decided not to use some of the boys in the game because it is very, very close to our first game.

Fatima College midfielder Seth Hadeeed (left) tries to take the ball around Presentation College (San Fernando) midfielder Levi Jones during SSFL Premier Division action at Mucurapo Road on 4 October 2023.
Hadeed missed the 2023 Concacaf U-15 Championship through injury but was selected on the National Under-17 squad.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.

“We didn’t want to risk losing any players for the first game.”

The Trinidad and Tobago youth teams that advanced to Fifa tournaments all did extensive tours, with the 2007 Under-17 team enjoying a South America camp. Cooper was diplomatic when asked about his own team’s preparation.

“How much preparation is enough preparation?” he asked. “Sometimes you play a number of games and then when you reach to the tournament, the opposition plays nothing like the teams you played in your training games.

Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Nikosi Foncette (centre) flicks on the ball during an international under-15 friendly against Jamaica at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium on 25 July 2023.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.

“We would have liked to have the [international practice] games, but it is what it is. We could only play what is in front of us.

“[…] All I have control of is the team. Whatever they give me to play, I prepare the team to play… We would have liked to have gone all over the world, but without finances we cannot do it.”

Had Trinidad and Tobago attended the invitational tournament in Mexico, they would have travelled without talented St Benedict’s defender, Pierre, who had not trained with the team up until that point.

Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Under-17 Team coach Shawn Cooper.
Photo: TTFA Media.

Pierre’s decision to skip the National Under-17 camp to travel to Guyana with St Benedict’s, who are led by Trinidad and Tobago National Under-20 coach Randolph Boyce, provoked a heated discussion at the time.

However, Cooper said the door was never closed to Pierre.

“People got all hysterical about him not being selected [to go to Mexico],” he said, “but we can only select who was in front of us and who came to the try-outs.

St Benedict’s College midfielder Adam Pierre.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.

“[…] He had been away from the team for a while and we wanted him to come back into a bonding situation to gel with the other players, especially the new players who we had on try-outs—but obviously his school had an engagement and he went over there instead.

“I told the boys had we gone to Mexico and returned, the door wasn’t closed to the boys who did not go. When we came back, they would have joined the squad, showed their qualities and addressed the selectors.”

Pierre has reintegrated into the squad well and he has Cooper’s confidence. Although, the coach had some advice for if the versatile player (a rugged defender with a tremendous shot) is to maximise his potential.

Then Trinidad and Tobago Boys’ National U-15 coach Shawn Cooper (second from left) passes on instructions to defender Adam Pierre (centre) during international friendly action against Jamaica at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium on 25 July 2023.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.

“He is not one who likes excessive running in training,” said Cooper. “He is not a good trainer but when he goes out on the football field, he gives you heart and soul. I think if there is one thing I have to criticise about him it is, if he needs to go to the top level, he needs to get fitter and to be a good trainer in terms of the athletic work that has to be done.

“Football is a running game.”

The Soca Warriors open their campaign on Friday 7 February against Guyana. They will then face the BVI (9 February), and Saint Martin (13 February) before what would hopefully be a decisive showdown with Costa Rica on Sunday 16 February.

Trinidad and Tobago forward Adasa Richardson lines up a shot during CFU U-14 action against Aruba in August 2024.
Richardson will represent his country at the 2025 Concacaf U17 Championship.
Photo: TTFA Media.

Cooper insisted that his troops will not take any opposition lightly.

“Guyana are bringing in players from the US also, and they have Charles Pollard on their staff, who is a guy who played all his life in Trinidad football,” he said. “The BVI have [former TTFA High Performance coordinator and Trinidadian coach] Paul Decle as their technical director. So, they are well aware of what we have in our team.

“We can’t just put those teams aside in our minds and look at Costa Rica. All these teams will be formidable opposition. We will be taking it one game at a time.

Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Jomal Williams (right) is flattened by Costa Rica midfielder Johnny Acosta during Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on 11 November 2016.
Trinidad and Tobago have arguably struggled against Costa Rica more than any other nation in Concacaf.
Photo: Allan V Crane/ Wired868.

“Costa Rica [are] the home team—they are the seeded team and the team that everyone will look at. They are well prepared in terms of getting that international experience, which we did not have for the most part. But I am not counting out the other teams.”

Although the National Under-17 Team did not get any international match practice (outside of a Jamaica tour last Easter that involved mostly fringe players), they have had two residential camps that Cooper believes helped a lot.

And there were more than a half dozen games against TTPFL Tier Two clubs.

Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Under-17 Team head coach Shawn Cooper (left) talks to his players at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva in December 2024.
Photo: TTFA Media.

He believes they have done about as well as they could in the circumstances. He thanked members of staff who sacrificed time away from their jobs to be with the team and, especially, the parents who dug deep into their pockets to get the boys out to training.

In the case of the overseas-based players, it meant shelling out exorbitant sums for flights to Trinidad during the Christmas period.

“For some of the overseas players, this is the third time we are having them.” said Cooper. “The ones we hadn’t seen before came in the early part of December for the try-outs and then they came in January for two weeks.

Trinidad and Tobago full back Criston Gomez (right) advances with the ball against Puerto Rico in Concacaf U-15 Championship action in Santo Domingo on 8 August 2023.
(via TTFA Media.)

“I think they have gelled very, very well with the local bunch. The length of this camp I think would have brought some level of camaraderie with the group.

“I’d like to thank the parents for giving us the support that they gave… We really appreciate it, all those who made it and those who didn’t make it. In the end, it’s only 21 boys we could have selected.”

Cooper hopes that, in the future, national coaches are able to travel abroad themselves to recruit, which would allow them to see talented boys who might not be able fund their own way to Trinidad for trials.

Presentation College (San Fernando) coach Shawn Cooper makes a point.
Photo: Wired868.

At the 2023 Concacaf Under-17 Championship, Cooper led Trinidad and Tobago to the Round of 16 stage where they were eliminated in extra time by El Salvador. They left the competition without only a draw against Barbados to show, after defeats to Canada (2-3) and USA (1-3) respectively.

Thus far, Cooper’s best finishes as coach were in the 2011 and 2013 Concacaf U-17 editions when he got to the quarterfinal round and was just one win away from the World Cup.

In 2011, Trinidad and Tobago defeated Guatemala and drew Jamaica at the group stage. Two years later, Cooper led his team to a 2-0 win over Costa Rica to get to the knockout round.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Levi Garcia (right) takes on a Costa Rican opponent during the 2013 Under-17 CONCACAF tournament.
(Courtesy CONCACAF.com.)

No Trinidad and Tobago coach has ever defeated Costa Rica twice in competitive matches. If Cooper gets a hattrick against “Los Ticos” on Sunday 16 February, the two-island republic will almost certainly qualify for its first Fifa tournament in 18 years.

(Trinidad and Tobago appeared as the host team at the 2010 Fifa U-17 Women’s World Cup.)

“Costa Rica will be a handful,” said Cooper. “It is going to be even more difficult because they are the host team and you know they would normally get the calls.

“[…] But with God’s help…”

In 1991, Trinidad and Tobago, led by captain Dwight Yorke and coach Bertille St Clair, grabbed one of only two Concacaf spots for the Under-21 World Cup.

Trinidad and Tobago, coached by current technical director Anton Corneal and with Kevin Molino, Aubrey David and Sheldon Bateau within their ranks, were one of five Concacaf qualifiers at the 2007 Fifa Under-17 World Cup.

Coach Zoran Vranes helped the two-island republic, with Khaleem Hyland in two, to one of four spots at the 2009 Fifa Under-20 World Cup.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Kevin Molino (far left) leads Mexican opponents on a merry chase during 2012 Olympic qualifying action.

There are a record eight spots for the 2025 Fifa Under-17 tournament. However, Trinidad and Tobago’s low international rank still meant an unfavourable draw.

Hopefully, that will be more Costa Rica’s misfortune than T&T’s when all is done and dusted.

“The last [Under-17] team we had, had some gifted players in terms of [Lindell] Sween and [Derrel] Zoom Zoom Garcia,” said Cooper, “but that team was a little more about individualism.

Trinidad and Tobago forward Lindell Sween (left) celebrates his late leveller against Barbados with defenders Joshua Figaro (centre) and Jaden Williams during Concacaf U-17 Championship action at the Estadio Pensativo in Antigua City, Guatemala on 15 February 2023.
(Copyright Miguel Gutierrez/ Straffon Images via TTFA Media.)

“This group here, I think, plays a little more together as a unit. Going forward, I think this can be a very good team.

“[…] We have been thereabouts before, reaching to the quarterfinals. We hope this group will take us over the line.”

(Trinidad and Tobago National Under-17 team)

Goalkeepers: Levi Williams (Inter Miami—USA), Necose Moore (Chaguanas North Secondary/ Crown Trace FC), Mikhail Clement (Naparima College/ Cox’s Coaching School),

Cox Coaching School goalkeeper Mikhail Clement controls the ball during Republic Cup NYFL U-16 action on 25 February 2024.
Photo: Wired868.

Defenders: Sheridan McNish (New England Revolution—USA), Jimally Renne (Presentation College San F’do/ Pt Fortin YA), Chaz Williams, Quinton John (both Inter Miami—USA), Adam Pierre (St Benedict’s College/ Pt Fortin Civic), Talan McMillan (Chargers MLS Next—USA), Jaydon Caprietta (Naparima College/ Cox Coaching School),

Midfielders: Criston Gomez (Arima North Secondary/ QPCC FC), Nikosi Foncette (Presentation College San F’do/ Crowne Trace FC), Seth Hadeed (Fatima College/ QPCC FC), Eran McLeod (St Mary’s College/ San Juan Jabloteh), Dominic Joseph (Vancouver FC—Canada), Caden Trestrail (Fatima College/ Defence Force),

Fatima College attacking midfielder Caden Trestrail.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.

Attackers: Timothy Valentine (TSF Academy—USA), Jasai Theophilus (QRC/ Pro Series), Adasa Richardson (Naparima College/ Cox Coaching School), Phillip Nelson (QRC/ City FC), Josiah Kallicharan (Eastbourne United—England).

Staff: Shawn Cooper (head coach), Verentta Flanders (manager), Devin Elcock (assistant coach), Jefferson George (goalkeeper coach), John Jerry (equipment manager), Gilbert Bateau (trainer), Michael Taylor (physio), Chantal Cooper (team doctor), Richard Horsham (mental coach).

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