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Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team interim head coach Derek King stressed that his job is “to build on the foundation that Dwight (Yorke) left”, as he prepares to face Bolivia tomorrow in the first game of his second stint at the helm.
The Soca Warriors face Bolivia from 4pm at the Ramon Tahuichi Aguilera Stadium in Santa Cruz, with both nations below full strength—as the friendly contest falls outside of the Fifa international match window.
Photo: TTFA Media.
Trinidad and Tobago are preparing for the 2026 Fifa Series, an exhibition competition in which King’s troops are pitted against Venezuela and Gabon on 27 and 30 March respectively in Uzbekistan.
Bolivia have much more serious business on the horizon, as they face Suriname in an Inter-Confederation PlayOff on 26 March—as the South America team seeks a late ticket to the Fifa 2026 World Cup.
King, who served as Yorke’s assistant coach and was deputy to five of Trinidad and Tobago’s last seven senior football coaches, tried to sidestep public concern about the latter’s dismissal.
Photo: TTFA Media.
Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards rated Yorke’s tenure as “five out of 10” in a recent interview. King was more diplomatic.
“Dwight did well with the team in the World Cup campaign—that call (to fire him) is between Dwight and the executive,” he said. “[…] Some may like the decision, some may not like the decision. We are here to do a job and we want to do it to the best of our ability.
“As I said, we want to build on what coach Dwight did with the team for the last few months.”
Just seven of King’s 23-man squad were involved for Yorke during Trinidad and Tobago’s unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign. However, only 31-year-old midfielder Andre Rampersad played regularly in that campaign.
Rampersad, incidentally, started in all four of King’s games during his prior stint as interim head coach—he is the only member of the current squad to have done so. And the relationship between the pair goes back even further, as King took Rampersad, his former player at FC Santa Rosa, to Halifax Wanders in the Canadian Premier League, when he worked there as assistant to Stephen Hart.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
It is little surprise then that Rampersad is at the heart of King’s rebuild.
But with eight teenagers and 14 players under the age of 25 in the Trinidad and Tobago squad, in a country where they lost 5-0 on their last visit, four years ago—King could be in for a tough time.
King’s first game as interim head coach, on 7 September 2024, ended in a 4-0 loss to Honduras in Tegucigalpa. It is a result that arguably undermined his bid to become coach Angus Eve’s permanent successor, although he played unbeaten in three subsequent games against: French Guiana and Cuba (twice).
He would do well to avoid a similar spanking in Bolivia tomorrow.
(via TTFA Media.)
King admitted that the “pace of the game” is likely to be the Warriors’ biggest challenge in Santa Cruz and he urged his players to “stay organised”.
“Once we show that discipline, stay compact, we [can get a positive result],” said the coach. “[…] I want the players to be brave, believe in theirselves, try and win their individual battles, stay disciplined…”
Nine members of Trinidad and Tobago’s squad are seeking senior international debuts tomorrow: goalkeepers Jabari Brice and Teshorne Ragoo, defenders James Lester, Adam Pierre and Jaydon Caprietta, midfielder Elijah Cordner, and attackers Addae Paponette, Jaheim Faustin, and Kaieem Lewis.
Photo: TTFA Media.
King urged them and their teammates to seize the opportunity.
“It’s a young bunch that is eager to go and impress,” said the coach. “[…] Go out there and impress and force the coaches to make a decision for the final squad [for the Fifa Series].”
Of course, it is an audition of sorts for King too.
Yorke’s results at the helm were not particularly eye-catching. However, the Trinidad and Tobago public responded positively to his brand and to the style of his team.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
King has to convince those supporters that the TTFA has not taken a step backwards.
“We will see how it goes in Bolivia,” he said. “[…] I will give it my best shot—we will give it our best shot.”
(Team)
Goalkeepers: Jabari Brice (Central FC), Teshorne Ragoo (Club Sando), Jabari St Hillaire (Defence Force),
Defenders: Jaydon Caprietta, Shervohnez Hamilton (both Club Sando), Isaiah Garcia (Defence Force), Darnell Hospedales (Prisons FC), Alvin Jones, Adam Pierre, Ross Russell (all Central FC), James Lester (Llanelli Town—Wales), Jesse Williams (Caledonia AIA),
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Midfielders: Elijah Cordner (Rakow Czestochowa—Poland), Daniel David (Central FC), Andre Rampersad (Halifax Wanderers—Canada),
Attackers: Kaieem Lewis (St Elizabeth Technical—Jamaica), Addae Paponette (unattached), Jaheim Faustin, Derrel Garcia, Lindell Sween (all San Juan Jabloteh), Joevin Jones, Kathon St Hillaire (both Defence Force), Ryan Telfer (Halifax Wanderers—Canada).
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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.
