T&T starts Digicel Cup training on December 18.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]
Trinidad and Tobago head coach Wim Rijsbergen has invited forty-one (41) players based locally and in North America for a five-day training camp later this month ahead of the 2007 Digicel Caribbean Cup.
Rijsbergen, following a recent scouting exercise in South Carolina, has indicated that he has opened the doors to several of the players based in the T&T Pro League for the camp before selecting a 20-man squad later in the month for final preparations before T&T’s opening fixture with Barbados on January 12.
The list of invited players includes midfielder Silvio Spann, Densill Theobald, Aurtis Whitley, Anthony Wolfe and Cyd Gray, all part of the originally selected 2006 World Cup squad. Also in there is Kansas City Wizards striker Scott Sealy as well as former national midfielder Leslie Fizpatrick and ex-National Under 20 captain Makan Hislop.
Rijsbergen emphasized the selection of the locally-based players for the camp which runs from December 18-22 at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
“We are always looking at and seeing what the foreign-based players can do. We have also seen several matches in the local Pro League with a lot of players who we have invited now to be part of the training. We also have some of the players who we saw in the North American camp and they can all show us what they have on the field and whether they can be part of the twenty-man or eighteen-man squad for the Digicel Cup,” Rijsbergen told TTFF Media.
“We will finalize the group for the tournament and then train later in the year and of course in January before the tournament starts.”
Among some of the other names called include the trio from 2006 TT Pro League champions Joe Public – Gary Glasgow, Seon Power and Terrance McAllister. The other names coming out of the US camp are Abiola Clarence, Darryl Roberts, Osei Telesford, Keeron Benito, Darren Toby and Terrence Williams. Both Telesford and Roberts have trained with the national team before while Clarence and Benito are ex-St Anthony’s College players and Toby is a past member of St Clair Coaching School.
“The development process continues even though there may not be any matches taking place for the national team at this time. We continue to see the players that are on show here and of course there is the Under 17s preparing for the CONCACAF Finals next year and from this group of players we have now, the players will have a chance to get into the Olympic team for more qualifying games,” Rijsbergen added.
With the four top teams advancing to the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, T&T will open its Digicel Cup campaign against the “Bajans” at the Hasely Crawford Stadium and follow up against Martinique on January 15 and then two days later against the winner of Group J (Bermuda, Dominican Repubic, Haiti) which will be contested in Trinidad from January 5-9.
Players invited:Osei Telesford (Liberty University), Darryl Roberts (Liberty University), Leslie Fitzpatrick (free agent), Darren Toby (Charleston College), Keeron Benito (University of Tampa), Terrence Williams (Lipscomb University), Abiola Clarence (University of Incarnate Word), Anthony Noreiga (Vancouver Whitecaps), Scott Sealy (Kansas City Wizards), Makan Hislop (University of South Carolina), Daurance Williams, Keyeno Thomas, Ian Gray, Marcelle Francois, Nigel Daniel, Glenton Wolfe, Kerry Baptiste, Aurtis Whitely, Trent Noel, Jason Marcano, Anthony Wofe, Cyd Gray (CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh); Marvin Phillip (Starworld Strikers); Kerwyn Jemmott (Superstar Rangers); Kevon Carter, Christian Baptiste (Defence Force); Tristan Charles, Sylvester Teesdale, Kevon Clement (United Petrotrin); Seon Power, Terrance McAllister, Gary Glasgow (Joe Public); Conrad Smith, Densill Theobald, Nigel Pierre, Hayden Tinto (Caledonia AIA); Dwayne Jack, Kwame Wiltshire (Tobago United); Jan Michael Williams, Nicholson Thomas, Silvio Spann (W Connection).
News from the 08th of December 2006.T&T beats Jamaica but still bow out.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]
Trinidad and Tobago’s Under 20 footballers tried for all their worth but it was all in vain as they bowed out of the race for the 2007 FIFA World Youth Championship despite a 1-0 win over Jamaica in the second leg of a playoff tie at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium on Thursday.
Needing to win by three clear goals to advance or at least two (without conceding) to force extra time, the hosts produced their most valiant effort of the qualifiers but that and all was not enough to warrant them a spot among the best of CONCACAF in next January’s final round.
Matthew Bartholomew’s 32nd minute item separated the teams but Jamaica advanced 2-1 on aggregate. And T&T had only themselves for not enough penetration in attack nor better finishing on goal.
Just like they did in the first leg, missing openings in the first half particularly, T&T again left it till too late.
Jamaica actually had the first chance at goal when Ricardo Cousins forced Adrian Foncette into action with a shot from the right inside the second minute. But T&T showed their intentions too, with Silas Spann’s right side cross being plucked out of a crowed box in the 3rd minute.
Playing a 3-4-3 formation as opposed to a 4-4-2 in the first leg, T&T looked more purposeful in attack, dominating play on the left side but they would hardly create any clear cut chances until the midway point of the half. And the Jamaicans enjoyed that, as they too seemed willing to just play a solid defensive game and hope to punish T&T when on the backfoot.
Radanfah Abu Bakr came closest to opening the scoring when his header from a left side corner was headed out on the goal line by Eric Vernan with the goalie in no man’s land.
The 1,200 odd fans who showed up were far from a vocal spurring on type as the 20 or so Jamaicans on hand could easily be heard unless T&T threatened to score as only then the home fans raise their voices. The lone flag swaying in the main stand was also a Jamaican one.
But the T&T faithful then had reason for the loudest chair. A well worked build up on the left of the box saw Aaron Downing slip to Stefan St Louis on the right of the six yard and his chip got a faint touch from goalie Dwayne Kerr but Bartholomew was there to head in almost on the goal line.
Though the conditions were heavy and made worse by a downpour in the latter part of the half, T&T still suffered from improper first touches and occasion concentration lapses and were fortunate to escape punishment for it.
Downing had a near miss before the break when his glancing header went wide from a left side cross by Javed Mohammed.
With the second half on the way, both teams tried to push on in their play but the continuing rain didn’t make the conditions any easier and the physical strain started to show.
Still T&T managed to have a good go in attempt of getting the desperately needed second goal.
Jamaica made three changes inside the first 15 minutes of the half and had to keep their game intact at the back to avoid conceding further.
On 58 minutes, Bartholomew could have moved further inward on the left instead of hurrying a shot off which went straight to the goalie. And then on 71 minutes, Stefan St Louis collected a good diagonal ball into the box and swung his effort inches over bar to bring the fans to their feet.
Jamaican Watford striker Joel Grant was the difference between the two teams in Sunday’s first leg with his double but this time around he never dominated his opposing numbers.
In the 66th minute after being blatantly elbowed in the face by a Jamaican player as he ran towards the loose ball, T&T’s Khaleem Hyland was instead yellow carded by Guyanese referee Roy Douglas McArthur and only because the “Reggae Boy” also fell to the ground clutching his face. Even though McArthur was behind the play which occurred near the half line, the T&T assistant referee Joseph Taylor who had front view of the challenge never raised his flag to alert McArthur.
Kerr then dropped a left side corned only for St Louis’ shot on the loose ball to be blocked by a defender in the 76th and soon after a Downing squared quickly for Bartholomew but he couldn’t connect on the run.
With time running out, Williams pushed Abu Bakr into attack and brought Khaleem Hyland back as T&T pressed for more. But then came the time wasting tricks of the Jamaicans. On 83 minutes, goalie Kerr went down and stayed down for no less than five minutes. There was confirmation after than he didn’t even sustain any blow and it was evident as at no time during the stoppage did sub-keeper Dwayne Miller get off the bench to warm up. Eventually, Guyanese referee Roy Douglas McArthur indicated to his fourth official to put up seven minutes as added on time. But even in that time, nothing would go T&T’s way. After being hacked down, Abu Bakr himself free kick forced a save from Kerr and a scrambled second stop having to hurry over to push the ball out at the left post as it trickled goalwards. Soon after that save, Miller went down for a few more minutes only to be back on his feet to brilliantly tip over another Abu Bakr free kick and then McArthur blew it off as Jamaica scrambled the ball away as appeals followed by T&T for what appeared to be a hand ball inside the penalty box by a Jamaican. T&T team doctor Terrence Babwah later indicated that it appeared that Kerr suffered a panic attack and had to be taken to hospital. Even as players of both teams clashed briefly upon the final whistle in the Jamaican penalty box, goodwill seemed the outcome but only an end result that forces T&T out of the race for Canada 2007.
Line ups
T&T: – 1.Adrian Foncette, 4.Corneal Thomas (3.Marvin James 62nd), 5.Radanfah Abu Bakr (capt), 13.Larry Bacchus, 6.Silas Spann, 7.Khaleem Hyland, 8.Keon Daniel, 9.Stefan St Louis (18.Carlyle Mitchell 80th), 10.Matthew Bartholomew, 11.Aaron Downing, 15.Javed Mohammed (19.Christon Thomas 70th).
Subs not played – 21.Kareem Gray, 16.Stefan DeLas, 12.Atulla Guerra, 14.Elton John.
Jamaica: – 1.Dwayne Kerr, 4.Joel Senior, 7.Ricardo Cousins (18.Draion McNain 49th), 8.Nicholas Beckett, 9.Eric Vernan, 10.James Thomas, 12.Keammar Daley (3.Andre Fagan 60th), 16.Edward Campbell (11.Dwayne Smith 65th), 17.Troy Smith, 19.Joel Grant, 20.Montrose Phinns.
Subs not used – 5.Normal Bailey, 22.Tremaine Stewart, 23.Michael Binns, 1.Dwayne Miller.
Video Highlights of T&T v JAM below (courtesy of schoolsoccernet.com).Click Here.
News from the 06th of December 2007.Under 20s try to accomplish tough task.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF). Trinidad and Tobago’s Under 20 footballers were back on the field at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Tuesday evening for another training session, their penultimate one before going into Thursday’s do or die leg with Jamaica.
Head coach Brian Williams, following Sunday’s 2-0 loss to the Jamaicans in the first leg, admitted that he tried to contain the Jamaicans away from home and his team is now faced with one option of going all out from 7pm at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium.
“We didn’t get the result we were looking for. We came up against a well balanced Jamaican team, but having said that, I believe our guys collectively played well, although I thought our top players needed to raise their game just a bit more, but all in all we did well,” Williams told reporters.
The deciding factor could have been the addition of Watford striker Joel Grant to the Jamaican line up and he will again be a threat on Thursday.
“We created a number of chances and we just did not put them away—that is one of the major concerns in our game and it was a defensive error that allowed the Jamaican striker Joel Grant who came in from Watford to tap in an easy goal that put us on the backfoot.”
And looking ahead to the final leg, in which T&T needs to win by three clear goals to advance to the CONCACAF final round of qualifying. If the aggregate scores end 2-2 or any other drawn scoreline (on aggregate) after 90 minutes on Thursday then the match will go into extra time and possibly penalty kicks. The away goals rule does not apply in the qualifiers.
“The mood in the camp is still pretty good. We have to work some more with the guys so they can realize it’s not all over as yet. They have a good understanding of what is required and hopefully they can prove it on the field. It’s a situation where they have to go all out for it.
“We have nothing to lose—our backs are against the wall, our World Cup hopes hangs in the balance.
Williams said he would stick to his decision of leaving striker Lester Peltier out after he failed to attend training sessions before the trip to Jamaica.
“He (Peltier) never turned up for training and up to now we have not heard a reason why— he did not go to Jamaica and I will not be including him in the home leg—I am standing by that decision, I think that was total negligence and a lack of respect for the national team—so we will be just working with what we have and I believe we have the strength in attack to get the ball in the back of the net.”
“We carried Stephan St. Louis and he did pretty well. He gives us a nice physical presence in the area, and hopefully he can come good on Thursday,” Williams added.
The Jamaicans arrived here on Tuesday confident of sealing the tie and will train at the match venue on Wednesday.
"The confidence level is high as expected but they know from our discussions that they need to come out more attacking. We definitely won't be going there to defend the two goals,”Jamaican head coach Dr Dean Weatherly told The Gleaner.
Dr. Weatherly, who also coaches Village in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL), said his plan is to get an early goal and unsettle the opponent.
"We have to go out there in an attacking mood and get the early goal and make the cushion a little easier. With the away goal, that would increase our lead and be a little bit more comfortable," added Dr. Weatherly. The Jamaica team remains the same and the same starting team is expected to take the field again.
News from the 04th of December 2006.Jamaica takes first leg in U-20 playoffs.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]
Trinidad and Tobago’s Under 20 footballers had their chances of advancing to the final round of CONCACAF qualification made less probable on Sunday as they conceded goals on either side of the half in a 2-0 loss to Jamaica at the Harbour View Mini Stadium.
Jamaica got their goals from recent addition, Watford striker Joel Grant and maintained comfortable control of proceedings against T&T which came into the playoffs after failing to advance out of a CFU preliminary group with eventual winners St Kitts/Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominican Republic.
Grant put the hosts ahead on 33 minutes when he collected a well played ball into his path and directed his shot neatly past goalie Adrian Foncette.
T&T didn’t force Jamaica on the backfoot for any long amount of period and hardly penetrated, not even on the counter.
Grant put Jamaica into a comfortable lead in the 75th minute with a left footed rocket which left Foncette beaten all ends up. Draion McNain also saw his shot hit the bar while Foncette had to pull off a good stop to prevent Andre Fagon’s attempt in the second half.
The Jamaicans warmed up for the game with a 3-2 win over local club team Tivoli Gardens last week while T&T drew 1-1 and lost 3-2 to Venezuela. And their head coach Dr Dean Weatherly said a much improved team from the group phase was able to pull out the stocks in the first game.
“We prepared well and we did just what we planned for in the match. We knew what type of game they would play and we planned for it . The team was a much more improved one than what played in the group stage and hopefully we can continue this going into the next match,” Weatherly said.
Meantime, losing T&T coach Brian Williams could only add that his team will go all out to try and achieve a win by three goals to keep their chances alive of advancing to the final round.
“It was a disappointing result because no team likes to lose whether it’s away from home or not. We felt if we could sustain some of their pressure and then look to put the pressure on them later down then we would have a chance of getting something from the game. But we didn’t settle in too well and they got two goals from their new striker. All in all a goal would have put us in a better position going into the second leg on Thursday but now we just have to pull ourselves together and go all out for a winning result when we play them again,” Williams said. Both teams meet in the second leg at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium from 7pm on Thursday.
Teams:
Jamaica: - Joel Senior, Michael Binns (Andre Fagan 46th), Ricardo Cousins, Nicholos Beckett, Eric Vernon, Keammar Daley (Draion McNain (75th), Duwayne Kerr, Edward Campbell, Joel Grant, Montrose Phinns, Troy Smith.
Subs not used: N Bailey, A Campbell, D Smith, T Stewart, D Miller
Booked: Senior (42nd), McNain (80th)
Trinidad & Tobago: - Adrian Foncette, Radanfah Abu Bakr (capt), Corneal Thomas (Javed Mohammed 86th), Khaleem Hyland, Marvin James, Keon Daniel, Stefan De Las (Atulla Guerra 46th), Elton John, Stefan St Louis (Aaron Downing 75th), Silas Spann, Matthew Bartholomew.
Subs not used: L Bacchus, M Cadette, K Gray, C Mitchell
Booked: Guerra (85th)
News from the 29th of November 2006.Rijsbergen spots potential National players at North America camp.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).National Senior team head coach Wim Rijsbergen described the recent five-day scouting/training camp for North American-based players in South Carolina as a worthwhile exercise, citing that he has come up with a list of players who could force themselves into the National Senior and Olympic teams for future competition.
Rijsbergen along with assistant coach Anton Corneal and staff members worked with some 28 players who campaign with clubs and colleges in North America. And according to Rijsbergen, if the necessary arrangements can be within short time, talented striker Stefan St Louis of Oakland University could be added to the National Under 20 team in time for the CFU playoffs with Jamaica this weekend.
“It was a worthwhile trip where we got to see the players who are based across there. Of course we didn’t get to see everyone but it was great to see the commitment of those who came to the camp over the Thanksgiving holiday. We saw 28 players with the age that makes them material for the under 20 straight up to the senior level,” Rijsbergen told TTFF Media on Tuesday.
“We saw guys like Osei Telesford and Darryl Roberts last year so this was a chance to see how much they improved. Now we can bring some of these guys together and we have already planned for the Christmas period when they will be on break back in Trinidad. We will have them together with a group of local players that we will call and then is when we can compare both sides. For most of the guys from the camp, they have a chance to play for the Olympic team and that also means they can be senior team material,” he added.
Of course, Rijsbergen continued that comparison among the players and whether they can perform at a higher level will be the main judging point.
“It’s difficult to explain but if you train at a certain level then it looks good but then you have to compare it at a higher level and that’s when we will see the difference. Hence we will bring them together and give them a chance to show how good they are or can be. It’s the same with the local players where we have seen how good they look at the local level but then when you have to face teams like Austria, you can see the difference and we will continue to work on that. Right after the Big Six competition we will invite some local players to train together and then have the US players come over before selecting the squad for the Digicel Cup,” Rijsbergen ended.
Players who were at the camp:Abiola Clarence (University of Incarnate Word), Akil De Freitas (University of North Florida), Ancil Farrier (S. Connecticut State University), Brent Bristol (Monroe College), Darren Toby (Charleston College), Darryl Roberts (Liberty University), Jack Weedon (North Carolina State University), Jeremy Delpino (Radford University), Josh Stewart (Clayton State University), Justin Hay (Belmont University), Justin Fojo (Lake Mary High School), Kareem Yearwood (Charleston College), Keegan Mills (Missouri Baptist University), Keeron Benito (University of Tampa), Kezi Lara (Lipscomb University), Kyle Bethel (Howel High School), Leslie Fitzpatrick (free agent), Nkosi Aberdeen (Canisius College), Osei Telesford (Liberty University), Randi Patterson (Univ. of N C Greensboro), Richardson Joel (Davis and Elkins College), Rondell Honora (Charleston College), Sean Bateau (Charleston College), Simba Aberdeen (Charleston College), Stefan St Louis (Oakland University), Terrance Williams (Lipscomb University), Tremaine Chinapoo (American University) and Yohance Marshall (University of South Florida).