The Young Soca Warriors leave today for St Vincent for the first leg of their home-and-away Caribbean Football Union (CFU) tie on Friday.
The second leg is carded for November 24 with the winner advancing to the CONCACAF Final Round next year, for a spot in the 2011 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Colombia.
According to TT coach Zoran Vranes, “we are ready for the games and while I don’t expect it to be an easy first game for us in St Vincent, I believe our team has the capabilities and the energy to overcome St Vincent.
“I will be surprised if they surprise us with a winning result on Friday,” added the Yugoslav-born Vranes.
National striker Shahdon Winchester has been included in the 18-member TT Under-20 squad while another “senior” team player, left-back Joevin Jones, opted out due to commitments with the Russell Latapy-coached outfit.
“Everyone who can help the team will be welcomed,” said Vranes. “Shahdon has joined us for training. He needs a little more time to fit in well with this style and his understanding with the other players but he has good ability and I think he can help us.
With regards to Jones, Vranes stated, “he has to be part of the qualifying effort but we will be careful with how we deal with him because I know he is a starting member on the “senior” team and I don’t want to undermine the “senior” team’s effort for the Digicel Cup tournament.
“But, yes, he will have to make a contribution to the Under-20 team at some stage in the qualification.”
Vranes emphasised that his squad will be guarding against complacency when they oppose the hosts on Friday.
“We had a very good tour in Venezuela (last month) which showed us that we can compete and get good results against high level opponents, but we also saw that we cannot play easy games against what we may consider to be weaker opponents like we did in the last game against Nicaragua.
“I believed that happened to us at the right time and, overall, I expect us to maintain a level of consistency in all of our games,” Vranes ended.
Trinidad and Tobago team - Jamaal Francois, John Thomas, Jeron Quashie, Dinell Lopez, Cordell Cato, Shahdon Winchester, Sheldon Bateau, Marcus Joseph, Jerrel Britto, Johan Peltier, Jerron Morris, Kenaz Williams, Ryan Fredericks, Wesley John, Akil Clarke, Kevin Raymond, Ross Russell Jr, Dion McCree.