Leston Paul skippers U-20’s against El Salvador.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
National Under 20 Team head coach Zoran Vranes on Sunday announce a 22-man squad which will go into action on Tuesday in an international youth warm up fixture against El Salvador from 6pm at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya. The U20s are currently preparing for the final round of CONCACAF Qualification which will be played in Trinidad early next year leading towards the FIFA World Youth Cup 2009 in Egypt.
Vranes, a former Senior T&T and St Vincent and the Grenadines head coach, has been at the helm of the U20s alongside assistant coach Hutson Charles. On the roster for the two matches on Tuesday and Thursday are nine players from the T&T squad which participated at the 2007 FIFA Under 17 World Championship in South Korea. Heading the pack is midfielder Leston Paul, who will captain the team with midfielder Marcus Joseph, Aubrey David, Daneil Cyrus, Robert Primus, Sheldon Bateau, Jean-Luc Rochford, Akeem Adams and goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel all in the mix.
Adams and Samuel have also been part of the T&T Senior Team preparations in the recent past. Vranes said the current squad would make the most of the two matches as international exposure was an important factor in the team’s build up to the qualifiers.
“Of course we are very pleased to have these two matches against El Salvador. As you know we have been together for some months now and we have been working very hard. The team has been playing in the Super League and I believe they have made very good progress. But exposure against other international teams is important and we are very anxious for these games against El Salvador,” Vranes told TTFF Media on Saturday.
“We have to see where we are at this stage We have come on very nicely and this is a promising squad but it depends on our response to the training. The Yugoslav-born coach even compared his current squad to the National Under 23 team which he was in charge of during the mid 90s which possessed some talented faces including Marvin Andrews, Arnold Dwarika and Stern John among others.
.
“We will not know our strengths for the international level until we play those teams. We have experience yes with the ex-Under 17 players like Leston Paul but that was one year ago and otherwise they are one year younger. But they are talented and this will be a huge step forward for them. I think this squad can even be better than the one I had in 1995/1996 with Stern John and these other players who went on to play for the Senior Team. It is a more talented team than that Olympic team. Of course we have some weaknesses to work on but once I can help with that then I think we can have a very good team,” Vranes added.
T&T Under-20 team for camp at Chaconia Hotel:
Goalkeepers
Andre Marchand (W Connection), Glenroy Samuel (Caledonia AIA).
Defenders
Akeem Adams (W Connection), Andre Etienne (W Connection), Aubrey David (W Connection), Daniel Cyrus (El Dorado SC), Jean-Luc Rochford (Joe Public), Marvin Manswell (W Connection), Mikiel Williams (San Juan Jabloteh), Nicholas Walker (St Mary's College), Robert Primus (San Juan Jabloteh), Sheldon Bateau (San Juan Jabloteh).
Midfielders
Leston Paul (captain) (Defence Force), Jeremiah Goddard (Caledonia AIA), Keston Smith (Naparima College), Kevin Francis (United Petrotrin), Marcus Joseph (United Petrotrin), Uriah Bentick (Caledonia AIA).
Forwards
Curtis Gonzales (Defence Force), Jamal Clarence (United Petrotrin), Kevin Thomas (North East Stars), Trent Lougheed (Carapichaima).
