Phillip Gyau, head coach of Howard University Soccer Team says he was impressed with the high turn out of players at the first day of the Combine held at St Mary’s College Grounds in Port of Spain on Wednesday.
Gyau is here on a scouting mission, through a collaboration with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association and the Howard Alumni in Trinidad, and he expects to acquire at least four players on full scholarships.
Close to 200 players showed up at the venue on Tuesday, causing Gyau to schedule further sessions at WASA Grounds in the East on Thursday (today) and also at the Ato Boldon Stadium and Manny Ramjohn Stadium next week.
“I’m here to do a combine to get some Trinidad and Tobago national team players or schoolboy players. I know Sheldon Phillips who I grew up with and I’ve also known Lincoln and we felt it would be a perfect link,” Gyau told TTFA Media.
“Trinidad and Howard has a rich history because back in the 70s, ’71 and ’74 Howard won the national title and it was significantly Trinidadian heavy. So when I first got the job, I just decided that this would be a place that I would come to get my talent.
“It’s amazing with the support and all the talent I’ve seen since I have been here. I saw the National Under 20 team play, they’re an excellent team and I also saw some of the St Mary’s boys play and with their grades, it looks good,” Gyau said.
On exactly what he’s looking for, Gyau said the player must also have an academic background.
“Right now I’m looking for guys with the academic background and they will get the first preference. If I give you a scholarship it’s for four years, so you will come to school, play, graduate and come back in and do something big.
You’ve got to have the SATs, especially at Howard University where you need like 1170 on the SAT for the Legacy scholarship, then Capstone where you need 1300 and 1400-1600 for the Presidential scholarship with the Math and critical reading IF you fall in between those I can offer you a scholarship and bring you to Howard University,” he explained.
“There will be at least three or four players we can take back and as soon as the combine is done, I’ll know who I want and I’ll tell them,” Gyau concluded.
Video: - Phillip Gyau - Howard University head coach in Trinidad on Scouting Mission