Trinidad and Tobago’s National Under 20 footballers will go into back to back warm up internationals against Australia and United States on September 17 and 18 in Lanarca, Cyprus.
Head coach Zoran Vranes is also expected to have in his team on Tuesday, English-born Southampton midfielder Jake Thomson. The former England Under 17 international is expected to finalize his T&T passport documents in London at the T&T High Commission on Monday prior to his flight to Cyprus.
On Saturday afternoon from 5pm Vranes conducted an 80-minute training session under relatively dry conditions at a training pitch close by to the Olympic Lagoon Resort where the T&T team will be based for the next week.
Skipper Leston Paul and his teammates pushed themselves throughout the session and there were no signs of a relaxed approach by any player following Vranes’ announcement of the 22-man squad that will head to Egypt for the FIFA Under 20 World Championship next week.
There was downside to the intensity level at the session though as three players, Paul, Jamal Clarence and Robert Primus had to be sidelined for precautionary treatment. All three players are expected to be fine in time for Sunday’s session.
“So far the preparations have been going well. We've had a few really good games and we’ve only lost one in England so the record has been good and doing well for the confidence too,” Paul told TTFF Media.
“Jamal and Khaleem have also given the team a boost and the guys from before have had that bond so we’re just looking to build on this before we get to Egypt.
“The guys are focused and just thinking about September 24- the opening game against Egypt. We are looking forward to the two games here. We obviously want to get two wins but as long as get good preparation out of the games then we will be happy with that,” said Paul.
Paul noted that players will be mindful about injury possibilities as days countdown to the opening game in Alexandria.
“Most of the players are mindful of it (injuries). We have been prepararing for this a year plus now and everybody wants to be there when it starts in Egypt.
Coach has doing a lot of mental work with us as well. He (Vranes) is not just a coach to us… but he’s like a father as well, always giving us pointers on different things on and off the field,” Paul said.