Francisco Maturana likes the spirit.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]
Trinidad and Tobago head coach Francisco Maturana completed three days of training sessions at the Ato Boldon Stadium with his revamped squad of home-based players and was in good spirits following the enthusiastic showing by some of the younger faces involved.
Under 17 team captain Leston Paul, defender Akeem Adams and Daneil Cyrus, who have all graduated to the National Under 20 team as well as forward Jamaal Gay have been working under Maturana for the past week and the Colombian will continue to monitor their progress when the sessions continue next week. Maturana also got to monitor Aurtis Whitley’s return to the national team setup.
“It’s a really good experience for them in all aspects of the game,” assistant coach Anton Corneal told TTFF Media. “For the younger players to be among some of the more experienced ones like Aurtis Whitley and getting little tips here and there is a plus. Aurtis too has been with us in all the sessions and he has shown that he wants to go the distance.”
Midfielder Hayden Tinto and Kern Cupid will leave on Thursday for trials in the American MLS while Joe Public defender Seon Power has been sidelined for an indefinite period after suffering a leg injury in an off the field accident. T&T are preparing for an upcoming friendly international against El Salvador at home on March 19.
Mantime English Premiership Club, Sunderland AFC is eagerly awaiting the imminent arrival of the six under players from this region who will be spending a week at the Premier League club’s Academy of Light following the conclusion and final selection of the Digicel Kick Start Football Clinics in Jamaica.
Speaking from Sunderland, Club Chairman and former Irish International star, Niall Quinn, said, “This is a great opportunity for young footballers in the Caribbean to have a chance to experience life at a Premier League Academy . The six players chosen from the clinics will work with the youth team at Sunderland and see what is needed in order to try and make their dream of playing in the English Premier League a reality in the future.
Sunderland Academy Manager Ged McNamee added, “Given the feedback we have received, we are all looking forward to meeting the players and see them perform. Being involved in the Digicel Kick Start Football Clinic has also helped us to strengthen our Caribbean connections that we have been building over the past number of years through players like Kenwyne Jones, Carlos Edwards and Dwight Yorke.”
The level of talent at each of the eight Digicel Clinics has far exceeded original expectations with strong contenders in each of the countries the Digicel Clinics has visited. The Digicel clinics Caribbean tour, which ended on Saturday February 16, visited eight countries in the region: Guyana, Haiti, Barbados, St. Kitts, Antigua & Barbuda, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica.
FIFA Vice President Jack Warner will be among the guests in Kingston on Saturday for the announcement of the six selected players for the Sunderland trip.
