McComie takes charge of T&T U-23s.
By: Ian Prescott (Express).[/size]
Michael McComie has taken charge of the Trinidad and Tobago under-23 squad in the absence of head coach Jan Van Diesen, who is in Holland where he will soon undergo a back operation.
Dutchman Van Diesen has been diagnosed as suffering from a disc problem and returned to his homeland soon after T&T's participation in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States.
McComie said yesterday it was "touch and go" whether Van Diesen will be available to be with the Under-23 team when they contest the first leg of the 2008 Olympic qualifiers, which take place from August 29-September 5 in Suriname.
McComie was given some tips by national senior head coach Wim Rijsbergen yesterday during a practise match at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, where the under-23s faced CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh's reserve squad (under-19) under overcast conditions.
The national under-23 squad had plenty firepower on show, including Kendall Jagdeosingh, the North East Stars forward, Caledonia AIA winger Hayden Tinto, Ricardo Peltier and W Connection's Shane Calderon.
Also among them was 20-year-old Roland Gavin, who lives in England but was invited to train with the T&T squad after being spotted by coaches.
But, they found Jabloteh more than a handful. Coached by former national player Angus Eve, the club team rallied from trailing by a goal at the half to beat the under-23 footballers 3-1.
The Jabloteh youngsters looked much more motivated on the moist surface and destroyed the nationals on the flanks.
The under-23 selectees led 1-0 through a first half goal by Jagdeosingh. But Eve's youths levelled at 1-1 just five minutes into the second half when Devon Jamerson found the far corner with an angled shot from the left of the penalty area.
Soon after, Joel Russell scored an almost exact replica to put Jabloteh ahead 2-1, before Elijah Manners broke through on the right flank to also angle a shot across goal and into the far corner.
Afterwards, McComie said the under-23s were playing just their third practise match and the coaches wanted to have a better look at the players for selection purposes.
He said the squad was still not fixed and will be trimmed from the current 33 players in training to 25, consisting of three keepers and 22 outfield players.
At the end of next week's training session, a final squad will be announced and will go into camp for a week.
They are also due to play an international warm-up on August 22 before going to the tournament.
McComie said they had also been checking on playing conditions for the qualifying tournament.
"We play in Suriname. We understand it is a small field and also on Astroturf. So, we are just taking a look at the players. There is no fixed team. We will cut down the squad and also invite a couple of other players we think can be a good addition to the team. We will do that until we get the best possible team," he told the Express.
IN CONTROL: National Under-23 player Ricardo Peltier, left, attempts to evade Elton John of CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh's under-19 squad in a warm-up match yesterday morning at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. The Jabloteh line-up beat the T&T U-23s 3-1.
