2012 CFU U-20 Qualification Thread.

[Flex]

Change in qualifying sates as U-20s open CFU account in early August.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).

Trinidad and Tobago’s Under 20 men’s team will get close to an additional two weeks to prepare of the opening leg of the Caribbean Football Union Under 20 World Cup qualifying series in St Vincent and the Grenadines in just under a month’s time.

Initially T&T were slated to play their opening game on July 23rs in St Vincent but the CFU later advised that due to several unforeseen circumstances, the CFU Secretariat upon the request of the host country has agreed to change the group matches schedule to August 6-13th,2012.

The winner of the four preliminary groups and the best second placed team will advance to the final CFU round in Jamaica from November 3-11, 2012. The CONCACAF final round takes place in Puebla, Mexico from February 18-March 2, 2013.

The Caribbean will have five berths in the final 12-nation round from which four will qualify for the FIFA Under 20 World Cup in Turkey. Mexico, Canada and USA are automatic qualifiers to the CONCACAF final round.

T&T head coach Michael McComie is currently preparing a local squad and believes his troops will be ready to grab one of the available qualifying spots in the Caribbean.

“Ideally we will would like to go into the tournament fully ready for the competition and though it appears to be extra time for us, it will not affect our program as we are still going full stride ahead with our program,” McComie told TTFF Media.

“As far as we were concerned we were preparing for our first game in early July and our players will remain focused on that target which is to have ourselves ready for international competition. The additional days will allow us to fine tune some aspects of our overall structure but as of now, we are focusing on trying to top the group.”

McComie has been keen on instilling a high level of discipline in his squad.

“We take nothing for granted from ensuring that players turn up on time for training, be ready to take the training pitch at all times together as a team, there are no earrings and phones have to be put aside allowed once you are part of our sessions and nothing related to this national team is allowed on social media networks.

So far the players are buying into this whole scheme of things and that’s a good sign. Every player wants to make this team and represent Trinidad and Tobago at the international level,” McComie added.

Striker Stern John had been training with the squad prior to his departure to England late last month where he’s attempting to restart his professional career there. He was impressed by the manner in which McComie conducted his affairs as coach of the team.

“I think Mike has been doing a really good job with the players and they seem to be buying into it. I know there have been some things said in the past about the way our local coaches handle local teams especially at the youth level but I have to say that the training was of a decent level and it certainly was a good feeling to see this.

Mike has had national teams before and he’s played at this level so I think he’s been learning all the time and will be aiming to do better as a coach than he has in the past,” John said.

“For me as a senior player, I felt good being able to pass on one or two things to the younger players who will go on to represent the country at the senior level at some point.

Obviously there is a lot of inexperience at this level and you never know what to expect when you enter these qualifying matches but they seem to be heading in the right direction and it will be interesting to see how the face up to the some of the other teams. I would particularly like to see how they match up to the other teams in Concacaf,” John said.

[andre samuel]

Striker Stern John had been training with the squad prior to his departure to England late last month where he’s attempting to restart his professional career there. He was impressed by the manner in which McComie conducted his affairs as coach of the team.

 

[frico]

Those under 20 chappies aint goin anywhere,sorry.

[truetrini]

Those under 20 chappies aint goin anywhere,sorry.

why you doh hush your ass. 

[Cocorite]

Who is doing the opposition scouting for the U20s?

[Football supporter]

Who is doing the opposition scouting for the U20s?

The opposition is 

[truehaitian]

Early results for U-20 qualifications for group 3 in Puerto Rico
Haiti advance in the second round finishing a top of group  3 with 7 points and +5 goals


Puerto Rico will more than likely get in  as the second best finisher with 7 points and 4 goals.

[Flex]

U-20 men's team off to St Vincent.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).

A 20-man Trinidad and Tobago Under 20 Men’s football team will depart for St Vincent/Grenadines on Monday at 4pm on a Caribbean Airlines Charter flight to contest the Caribbean Football Union Under 20 World qualifying series for the 2013 FIFA Under 20 World Cup.

The squad will be led by coach Ross Russell who is holding the position of interim head coach in the absence of Michael McComie who is currently under investigation by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation following an incident involving a player from the squad. William Wallace who managed the Under 23 team earlier this year will also travel as team manager.

Midfielder Duane Muckette of 1st Santa Rosa FC will captain the T&T team which goes into action against Guyana at 5:30pm on Wednesday. T&T also faces Suriname on August 10th and St Vincent two days later.

The group winner will advance to the CFU Final round in November in Jamaica. Out of the eight-team CFU Finals (including group winners, three best second placed finishers and hosts Jamaica), five teams will advance to the CONCACAF finals in Mexico next February from which four teams advances to the Under 20 World Cup in Turkey.

“The team has been hard at work in preparing for this tournament and will definitely be looking to top this group and move on to the final round. We’ve had success at this level before qualifying for two Under 20 World Cups and this team wants to make it a third appearance for Trinidad and Tobago at FIFA Under 20 World Cup,” Russell told TTFF Media.

In other  qualifying action so far, Cuba withstood the 84th-minute ejection of Abel Martinez and held on for a 0-0 draw with the Dominican Republic on Monday to advance to the final round of Caribbean qualifying for the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship.

Haiti won Group 3 on Sunday and Puerto Rico finished in second with seven points, guaranteeing a place for both in Jamaica.

Nicaragua qualified for the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship finals for the first time in its history, beating host Honduras 1-0 on Saturday to join fellow Central American side Costa Rica.

Jairo Jimenez scored a 77th-minute winner and 10-man Panama beat Guatemala 1-0 on Sunday to send itself and El Salvador to the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship.

T&T final squad for St Vincent.

Goalkeepers.
1.John-Rames Thomas, 21.Quesi Weston.

Defenders.
3.Alvin Jones, 2.Anthony Charles, 5.Damani Richards, 12.Dario Holmes, 7.Neil Benjamin, 13.Shannon Gomez.

Midfielders.
15.Shaquille Nesbitt, 6.Adan Noel, 8.Duane Muckette (capt), 11.Xavier Rajpaul, 4.Kerron Bethelmy, 10.Jomal Williams, 19.Marcus Gomez, 14.Akeem Garcia.

Forwards.
9.Dwight Quintero, 17.Shackiel Henry, 18.Kye West, 16.Marcus Bernard.

Fixtures

08-Aug-12, T&T vs Guyana, Victoria Park, Kingstown.

10-Aug-12, T&T vs Suriname, Victoria Park, Kingstown.

12-Aug-12, T&T vs St Vincent, Victoria Park, Kingstown.

GP  W  T  L  GF  GA  GD  Pts   
Guyana  0 0 0 0 0 0 +0 0   
St. Vincent  0 0 0 0 0 0 +0 0   
Suriname  0 0 0 0 0 0 +0 0   
Trinidad & Tobago  0 0 0 0 0 0 +0 0

[Trini _2018]

Garcia made this under 20 team also ... wow .. time to get him some trials .....

[Tallman]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/l8HFgmlDqfs" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/l8HFgmlDqfs</a>

[Flex]

U-20s start qualifying quest vs Guyana.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).

Trinidad and Tobago’s Under 20 men’s football team will begin their quest for a place in the 2013 FIFA Under 20 World Cup with an opening Caribbean Football Union Group 4 qualifier against Guyana at Victoria Park, Kingstown, St Vincent from 5:30pm on Wednesday.

The T&T team under interim head coach Ross Russell and captained by 1st Santa Rosa FC midfielder Duane Muckette arrived in Kingstown on Monday evening on a Caribbean Airlines charter flight and checked in at the Alexandrina Hotel where they will be based for the duration of the current group phase which will see them also play Suriname (August 10th) and St Vincent/Grenadines (August 12th).

The 27-member T&T contingent switched hotels on Monday night after the hotel initially arranged by the host association (as is customary for CFU qualifying tournaments) was unsatisfactory causing  the team to change its base. The St Vincent FA acknowledged the decision and the difference in cost for the team’s stay at Hotel Alexandrina will be met by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation.

Russell didn’t see the early hiccup as a setback to T&T’s mental state ahead of Wednesday’s opener. “We are confident going into this first match but we are aware that the game will be no walk in the park,” Russell told TTFF Media ahead of a one hour training session on Tuesday evening at the outside field at the Arnos Vale Cricket Ground.

There were no goal posts on the field and a rugby and seven a side football team also occupied the field at the same time of the T&T one hour session. There were no officials from the host association present at the venue.

“We expect nothing such as an easy time when you come to islands like these to play in competitions. Thankfully we are in a great hotel now and the boys are comfortable and focused on the task ahead.

“Three points in our first game will be ideal but having done some research on the Guyana team, we are aware that they have a few players who have been with their senior World Cup team. This means they will have some experience and will pose a decent challenge.

But we have been preparing well for three months or so. The guys know they need to bring the energy and the fight into this tournament and we are simply waiting for the kick off with a lot of expectations,” Russell added.

Guyana has included Caledonia AIA midfielder Treyon Bobb in their squad for the three upcoming games. Bobb and teammates Daniel Wilson, Pernell Schultz and Les Charles Critchlow all have experience with the Guyana senior team which is still in the race for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

T&T meantime will rely on the strength of Muckette and Olympic team midfielder Jomal Williams in the middle of the park while Under 17 winger Akeem Garcia and Shannon Gomez are also in the mix. Several of T&T’s players have prior experience at the CONCACAF Under 17 level. Shackiel Henry could also pose a threat in the T&T frontline.

“We are anxious to get out onto the pitch and play,” Muckette said on the eve of the opening fixture.

“This is just the first leg of the competition and we know it’s a long road ahead but the key to us doing well is settling in early and getting good results and producing winning performances from match one.  Most of the guys here are well experienced and they have been working hard and maintaining a desire to succeed. For me, that is a key ingredient and I’m hoping we can go out and get strong results in all these three matches,” the skipper added.

St Vincent will take on Suriname in the second encounter of the double header from 7:30pm

The group winner will automatically advance to the CFU final round in Jamaica in November while the three best second placed teams from the four preliminary groups will also advance to the Caribbean finals. The CONCACAF final round takes place in Puebla, Mexico in February, 2013 ahead of the U-20 World Cup in Turkey later in the year.

Click here for photo gallery of T&T's training session at Arnos Vale

[Big Magician]

go tnt

would like to see more of Jomal Williams

[Tallman]

GOAL!!! Jomal Williams puts T&T 1-0 up in the 10th minute.

[ZANDOLIE]

good stuff t&t!

[che]

GOAL!!! Jomal Williams puts T&T 1-0 up in the 10th minute.

Link?

[Flex]

Trayon Bobb for Guyana in the 42nd.

1-1 at the half.

[ZANDOLIE]

only a few of this squad are full professional players. guyana might give them a stiff challenge.
lets see the results of macomie's top notch coaching skills 

[Tallman]

T&T won 2-1. Adan Noel scored the game-winning goal in the 52nd minute.

Small report.

[Big Magician]

very good 3 points

this is a tough group...the next game is huge also...
keep going boys

[frico]

Those under 20 chappies aint goin anywhere,sorry.

why you doh hush your ass. 

Gwan wid yuh labba mout self.

[Flex]

U-20s start with 2-1 win over Guyana.
By Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
 
A 52nd minute goal ahead goal by W Connection midfielder Adan Noel turned out to be the game winner as Trinidad and Tobago’s Under 20 men’s team secured a 2-1 victory over Guyana in their opening Caribbean Football Union Group 4 Under 20 World Cup qualifier at Victoria Park, Kingstown on Wednesday evening.

Noel’s goal gave T&T a deserved winning start as they controlled much of the proceedings against a stubborn Guyana outfit which got an equalizer four minutes from half time through Caledonia AIA’s Trayon Bobb.

Noel’s W Connection teammate Jomal Williams had earlier given T&T just the start coach Ross Russell had ordered when on ten minutes he volleyed home with his right foot after Dwight Quintero headed on a left side cross.

Coach Ross Russell credited his players for their winning display on the opening day.

“I thought the guys fought hard for the win. We dominated about 75 percent of the match but we looked a bit tired at the end. That’s what happens when you dominate so much of the possession,” Russell told TTFF Media.

“The ground itself was a bit heavy but the key to our win was the speed of our game. I don’t think Guyana expected us to be so fast on the ball and so quick to it. The attack was brilliant with Jomal Williams playing his role and the skipper (Duane Muckette) did well preparing the ball and the midfield worked hard all match.

Maybe we could have done some more dropping off because we pressed for most of the match. They were a little tough to break down at times but we won the battle in the midfield.

“We’ll have a look at Suriname in their first match and take things from there for Friday’s match. We’ll be looking to win all three matches here,” Russell added.

T&T settled early on the slippery outfield with Xavier Rajpaul and Muckette combining well in the T&T midfield while Alvin Jones, Anthony Charles, Neil Benjamin and Damani Richards marshaling the T&T back line.

Quintero was used as the lone striker up top with second forward Shackiel Henry appearing late in the match. Marcus Gomez also did well with the ball at his feet but needed some more power on a couple of his tries at goal from the edge of the box.

Muckette had an effort flash wide of the upright in the 39th minute and Quintero also headed over on the stroke of half time. But Guyana kept themselves in the game and punished T&T for mistake at the back. A left side corner was mis-handled by goalkeeper Quesi Weston off his line and Bobb was on spot to bury the loose ball.

T&T started the second half just as brightly as they did in the first and got the go ahead goal when Williams crossed from the right of the box and Noel ran in to power his effort into the corner of the goal past goalkeeper Darius Frank.

Rajpaul later had a low drive sent wide of the right post and Quintero muffed a glorious chance to put the game a bit beyond Guyana’s reach in the 61st minute but he hurried a right footed shot over bar from well inside the area.

Guyana had a late surge against a tiring T&T side and almost grabbed an equalizer when Jeffery Pereira got into a one on one with Weston but the custodian stood his ground well to push away the attempt in the 75th minute.

Russell replaced Muckette with Kerron Bethelmy who made a couple vital interceptions in the closing ten minutes as T&T assured themselves of three points to go top of the group ahead of Suriname on goal difference following their 1-0 win over hosts St Vincent/Grenadines in the second encounter.

T&T will face Suriname from 5:30 pm on Friday at Victoria Park with the hosts coming up against Guyana two hours later.

[Tallman]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/310zYzhKasQ" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/310zYzhKasQ</a>

[Sam]

Thanks for posting that video Tallman.

These men cant even connect 5 passes before resorting to long ball.

What poor football. T&T coaches all play the same cheap brand of football, kick and hope, cant pass, cant shoot, cant trap and elimiates the midfield.

On the good side, I hope they imporve as a team, this is only their first game together.

We'll see, knowing the TTFF they will head into next rounds (if they make it) under prepared and the other group caribbean teams are broke the same so I want to hear the excuse the TTFF then.

[Trini _2018]

Thanks for posting that video Tallman.

These men cant even connect 5 passes before resorting to long ball.

What poor football. T&T coaches all play the same cheap brand of football, kick and hope, cant pass, cant shoot, cant trap and elimiates the midfield.

On the good side, I hope they imporve as a team, this is only their first game together.

We'll see, knowing the TTFF they will head into next rounds (if they make it) under prepared and the other group caribbean teams are broke the same so I want to hear the excuse the TTFF then.

HOPE AND PRAY

[Big Magician]

strange... i see some very good things in the video... say what

[Sam]

strange... i see some very good things in the video... say what

Not because you and Anton does sit down and suck whisky and coconut water together you go only see good things.

And nobody eh saying de players not good.

And this was only they first game together.

All I mention in my post.

Clean out yuh glass.

[Big Magician]

RUM Sam....RUM

[Sam]

RUM Sam....RUM

Ah hope when they get 7 from Mexico yuh blame de rum to.

 

PS: Lets hope if get through this rounds and prepare against some pro league teams for next rounds because I know they don have the money to play real games or ah preparing to hear that same ole story.

[Trini _2018]

TT U-20s trail Suriname 1-0 at half time at Victoria Park

[Big Magician]

Thanks Trini

plz keep us posted with any updates