YORKE TO LEAD NEW LOOK SOCA WARRIORS OUTFIT FOR JAPAN FRIENDLY
socawarristt.com
National team captain Dwight Yorke will join a Trinidad and Tobago senior team which includes only seven players who were part of the squad at the 2006 World Cup, for an international friendly against Japan in Tokyo on August 9.
Yorke, currently in preseason training with Sydney FC made himself available following a request from recently appointed head coach Wim Rijsbergen who will be in charge of the team for the first time for this encounter which according to the Japan FA, will be played in front of a full house as they are preparing for the Asian Cup .
Due to the current state of the majority of the “Soca Warriors” who are currently engaged in club activity with the start of the English season carded for this weekend and the Scottish season already in progress, Rijsbergen will not have a full quota but he has taken the opportunity to have a look at some of the talent coming out of the local T&T Pro League.
Yorke will join fellow World Cup squad members Avery John, Evans Wise, Cyd Gray, Aurtis Whitley,Anthony Wolfe and Atiba Charles in the squad for the upcoming friendly.
Some of new faces, who have in fact had action with national teams in the past include Starworld Strikers and former Under 17 goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, Caledonia AIA’s Stephan David, CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh defender Ian Gray, Keyeno Thomas and left sided midfielder Andre Pacheco as well as Clyde Leon and Kendall Jagdeosingh, a former under 20 national.
Rijsbergen stressed that while it was not the easiest way for him to begin his tenure as head coach, he was looking forward to working with the some of the new talent at his disposal which includes several players he has observed at the Pro League level.
“We are using the match to give some of the new local based players a chance at the international level,” Rijsbergen told TTFF Media on Wednesday.
“This will of course be part of the future set of players from which we will build on. This is part of the new generation and it’s a plus as well to have them train and play with some of the experienced ones who were at the World Cup.
“We hopefully will have some international games and this will assist in us developing the players and we will continue to observe them and compile a list of the younger ones for the Olympic team as well. We need to give them that chance because it’s also part of developing the new generation,” he added.
With the presence of Yorke and others who were in Germany, Rijsbergen believes while the match will be a testing one away from home, it will provide a perfect chance for the “Soca Warriors” to begin the preparations towards the upcoming Digicel Caribbean Cup and CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2007.
“Dwight will come over from Australia and having him there with the other players who were in Germany will be a boost. Hopefully the selection of this team will send a message to the young ones that we have our eyes on them. It’s a tough start because we will play in front of a pack stadium but we will make the most of this experience,” Rijsbergen added.
He, along with assistant Jan Van Deinsen will conduct a session with the home-based pros at the Larry Gomes Stadium on Thursday evening. (Shaun Fuentes, August 2, 2006,Photo above shows Yorke and Anthony Wolfe.)
T&T Squad for Japan
Marvin Phillip (Starworld Strikers), Jan Michael Williams (W Connection), Keyeno Thomas (Jabloteh), Atiba Charles (W Connection), Ian Gray (Jabloteh), Avery John (New England Revolution), Cyd Gray (Jabloteh), Aurtis Whitley (Jabloteh), Andre Pacheco (W Connection), Trent Noel (Jabloteh), Kendall Jagdeosingh (Caledonia AIA), Stephan David (Caledonia AIA) Clyde Leon (W Connection), Gary Glasgow (Joe Public), Evans Wise (unattached), Anthony Wolfe and Glenton Wolfe (Jabloteh), Dwight Yorke (Sydney FC)