Out-spoken Women Soca Warriors midfielder, Maylee Attin-Johnson has been appointed captain of a T&T squad which will depart on Sunday for Brazil to compete at the International Women’s Football Tournament hosted in the city of Natal.
Attin-Johnson’s inclusion in the team is a surprise one, after she fell out with T&T Football Association Women’s president and senior women’s team manager Sharon O’Brien.
Last month, Attin-Johnson who led the team to within a win of qualification to last year’s Women’s World Cup in Canada opted out of the senior women’s squad because of her dispute with O’Brien and vowed not to play for the team once O’Brien is team manager.
However, Attin-Johnson’s absence did not impacted on the team as the local women successfully navigated the first round of the Caribbean Football Union Olympic Qualifiers at home.
Led by Canada-born defender Arin King dispatched St Lucia 6-0 and 8-1 in their first round qualifying tie and then defeated Jamaica 2-1 in extra-time in their semifinal before edging Puerto Rico in the final to qualify to the Concacaf Women’s Final Round Olympic qualifiers set for February in the USA.
On Wednesday, Attin-Johnson met with newly elected T&T Football Association David John-Williams, who agreed in his role as mediator to move on from the issue.
King and some of the players who contested the qualifiers will not be making the journey to Brazil on Sunday as they first head to the USA for two international friendlies against that country on December 6 and 10, before linking up with Attin-Johnson-led group in Brazil for the remainder of the Natal Tournament.
In addition to Attin-Johnson, the players confirmed for the South American trip and set to leave on Sunday are Tenesha Palmer (goalkeeper), Shalette Alexander (goalkeeper), Renelle Findley, Melissa Woo Ling, Afiya Matthias, Sharain Cummings, Annalis Cummings, Jo-Marie Lewis, Joy Daniel, Candace Edwards and Shenelle Henry, Tamara Johnson, Jenelle Cunningham.
They will be joined in Brazil by Khadidra Debesette, Karyn Forbes, Kamika Forbes, Janine Francois, Lauryn Hutchinson, Janice Johnson, Ahkeela Mollon, Arin King, Brianna Ryce, Mariah Shade, Patrice Superville and Victoria Swift
Next Wednesday, the Women Soca Warriors will meet host Brazil in the second match of the afternoon from 8.45pm at the Arena das Dunas in Natal before meeting Canada (December 13) and Mexico (December 16) in the other round-robin matches.