Men's U-20 Football Team Thread.

[Deeks]

ffisback, let's be honest, defensively, the team play was poor. So Eve strategy did not work at all. Apart from Roka, I did not see any real standout defenders. I may be wrong but point one out to me. I think Real and Khan and the striker who scored 4 goals can be the type of players Hart was asking about. They can take on opponents. But they need something more. Physical fitness and strength.  TTFA has to offer more.

You touched on a valid point as far as defenders go.
It's hard to imagine that there are no better defenders in that age group in the whole of TnT.
Added to that, it's hard to imagine that in the two combines in the US, they couldn't find any better -- foreign-based defenders -- than those that were selected.
It's hard to imagine that out of the 30-plus players looked at in the combines that they couldn't find at least 4 or 5 defenders who were comfortable controlling and passing the ball, in addition to their defensive abilities? I was really hung up on that during our games.

it's hard to imagine that out of the 30-plus players looked at in the combines that they couldn't find at least 4 or 5 defenders who were comfortable controlling and passing the ball, in addition to their defensive abilities? I was really hung up on that during our games.

They can go over the videotapes of the overseas sessions and reassess the overseas players again.

[asylumseeker]

ffisback, let's be honest, defensively, the team play was poor. So Eve strategy did not work at all. Apart from Roka, I did not see any real standout defenders. I may be wrong but point one out to me. I think Real and Khan and the striker who scored 4 goals can be the type of players Hart was asking about. They can take on opponents. But they need something more. Physical fitness and strength.  TTFA has to offer more.

You touched on a valid point as far as defenders go.
It's hard to imagine that there are no better defenders in that age group in the whole of TnT.
Added to that, it's hard to imagine that in the two combines in the US, they couldn't find any better -- foreign-based defenders -- than those that were selected.
It's hard to imagine that out of the 30-plus players looked at in the combines that they couldn't find at least 4 or 5 defenders who were comfortable controlling and passing the ball, in addition to their defensive abilities? I was really hung up on that during our games.

it's hard to imagine that out of the 30-plus players looked at in the combines that they couldn't find at least 4 or 5 defenders who were comfortable controlling and passing the ball, in addition to their defensive abilities? I was really hung up on that during our games.

They can go over the videotapes of the overseas sessions and reassess the overseas players again.

Who should be the "they"?

[Deeks]

ffisback, let's be honest, defensively, the team play was poor. So Eve strategy did not work at all. Apart from Roka, I did not see any real standout defenders. I may be wrong but point one out to me. I think Real and Khan and the striker who scored 4 goals can be the type of players Hart was asking about. They can take on opponents. But they need something more. Physical fitness and strength.  TTFA has to offer more.

You touched on a valid point as far as defenders go.
It's hard to imagine that there are no better defenders in that age group in the whole of TnT.
Added to that, it's hard to imagine that in the two combines in the US, they couldn't find any better -- foreign-based defenders -- than those that were selected.
It's hard to imagine that out of the 30-plus players looked at in the combines that they couldn't find at least 4 or 5 defenders who were comfortable controlling and passing the ball, in addition to their defensive abilities? I was really hung up on that during our games.

it's hard to imagine that out of the 30-plus players looked at in the combines that they couldn't find at least 4 or 5 defenders who were comfortable controlling and passing the ball, in addition to their defensive abilities? I was really hung up on that during our games.

They can go over the videotapes of the overseas sessions and reassess the overseas players again.

Who should be the "they"?

 "They" means, Angus, the technical committee, coaches, whoever the NC has coaching the teams etc. They need to assess both local and overseas players again.

[ffisback]

The president of Concacaf is a puppet for the U S A I hope Mexico and Costa Rica and the other country's protest that these 2 teams automatically qualify for the Olympic games in 2024.

[Deeks]

The president of Concacaf is a puppet for the U S A I hope Mexico and Costa Rica and the other country's protest that these 2 teams automatically qualify for the Olympic games in 2024.

How can they protest when they go along  with whatever he proposes. Concacaf is run by a cabal that is financed by US and Mexican money. Both CR and Mexican teams lost fair and square .... on the field.

[ffisback]

MEX and CR thought it would not effect them but they were wrong there is no way JA and DR should be playing each other to go to a WC Guatemala and DR will get a good cut tail when they play in the WC.

[Deeks]

MEX and CR thought it would not effect them but they were wrong there is no way JA and DR should be playing each other to go to a WC Guatemala and DR will get a good cut tail when they play in the WC.

ffisback, you know, everybody was predicting that US, Mex, CR and Canada(maybe Panama) would be going to the U20 WC. And also the strong possibility that Mex and US going to Paris Olympic. Well, so much fortune for the prognosticators. They were wrong on 3. Only one came thru. I would never have guess DR going to the semis far less to Paris.

The tournament was going thru to form until the round of 16 started. Before that though, I was hooked on Haiti to upset the "mango cart" after seeing them battle Mexico to a goalless draw. Then up come JA who beat them. Unfortunately for Haiti, their keeper made two mistakes to gift JA the victory. Then up comes DR and beat JA. Then Mexico got beat, Canada got beat. Honduras got beat. And the US and DR battles for championship honors. That was never in the fortune teller's card.

DR was able to advance because they were training and playing despite covid. As a matter of fact, concacaf allowed DR to be the Caribbean "bubble". Haiti has been playing all their international home games in the DR. And I think TT did play some WC games there. JA, PR, DR and Haiti were the teams who were training despite the covid. On the other hand all the other Caribbean islands who ENFORCED their Covid protocols performed badly.

[asylumseeker]

MEX and CR thought it would not effect them but they were wrong there is no way JA and DR should be playing each other to go to a WC Guatemala and DR will get a good cut tail when they play in the WC.

ffisback, you know, everybody was predicting that US, Mex, CR and Canada(maybe Panama) would be going to the U20 WC. And also the strong possibility that Mex and US going to Paris Olympic. Well, so much fortune for the prognosticators. They were wrong on 3. Only one came thru. I would never have guess DR going to the semis far less to Paris.

The tournament was going thru to form until the round of 16 started. Before that though, I was hooked on Haiti to upset the "mango cart" after seeing them battle Mexico to a goalless draw. Then up come JA who beat them. Unfortunately for Haiti, their keeper made two mistakes to gift JA the victory. Then up comes DR and beat JA. Then Mexico got beat, Canada got beat. Honduras got beat. And the US and DR battles for championship honors. That was never in the fortune teller's card.

DR was able to advance because they were training and playing despite covid. As a matter of fact, concacaf allowed DR to be the Caribbean "bubble". Haiti has been playing all their international home games in the DR. And I think TT did play some WC games there. JA, PR, DR and Haiti were the teams who were training despite the covid. On the other hand all the other Caribbean islands who ENFORCED their Covid protocols performed badly.

Iz more than Covid, Deeks. They have been building strategically for the better part of a decade - on two fronts, at home and bit by bit, abroad. As far back as ~2016, I vooped and reached out to Atlético Pantoja to see whether they would be interested in a T&T player who had USL quality ... they were all set with players whose resumes were more compelling.

DR is a top to bottom revolution rather than ground up. Within the past months, a Panamanian player asked me to reach out to technical staff at 2 DR clubs, thinking he would have an easier path than in Panama ... not the case. Things have only ramped up. Gone are the brief days when a 2nd/3rd division Panamanian might have commanded immediate attention there. And those who would feel that the DR gehhin licks at the WC or Olympics means they haven't really accomplished anything, would be missing the point.

As you suggest, commitment to play during Covid is also an indicator of placing a premium on football. Nicaragua is another to the list you mentioned. Similar positives for them. Our mess is of "our" making.

[Trini _2026]

Dante Sealy did not make the US  under 20  WC roster interesting

[chelsealife]

What's interesting about it? He only scored one goal for his club all season

[Deeks]

Well, TT is always his second best shot.

[Trini _2026]

2024 Concacaf Men's Under-20 Qualifiers draw set for October 11
Concacaf .com

https://www.concacaf.com/under-20s-men/article/2024-concacaf-men-s-under-20-qualifiers-draw-set-for-october-11/

Miami, FL (Thursday, September 28, 2023) – Concacaf has confirmed important details regarding the 2024 Concacaf Men’s Under-20 Qualifiers. The 2024 U-20 Championship qualifying competition, to be disputed among the Concacaf Member Associations ranked between 7 and 41, will take place February 23 - March 2, 2024.
 

The 27 national teams participating in the qualifiers are (in alphabetical order): Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos Islands.

 

The official draw for the qualifiers will be conducted on October 11, 2023, at Concacaf Headquarters in Miami, FL. The participating teams will be divided into six groups in this made-for-tv event. Fans can follow all the action starting at 11:00 am ET on Concacaf.com and Concacaf's social media platforms.

 

For the draw, the teams have been split into pots according to their ranking as follows (listed in ranking order per pot):

 

Pot 1: Guatemala, El Salvador, Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica, and Canada

Pot 2: Trinidad and Tobago, Curacao, Nicaragua, Antigua & Barbuda, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda

Pot 3: Saint Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Aruba, Grenada, Belize, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Pot 4: Cayman Islands, Guyana, Dominica, British Virgin Islands, Saint Martin and Martinique

Pot 5: Barbados, Anguilla, and Turks and Caicos Islands

 

Teams will be placed into Groups A, B, C, D, E, and F according to the order they are drawn, with no more than one team from each pot per group.

 

After round-robin play between February 23 and March 2, 2024, the first-place team from each group will advance to the 2024 Concacaf Men's U-20 Championship, joining the six pre-seeded top-ranked nations.

 

The qualifiers' complete match schedule will be announced after the official draw.
 

2024 Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship

The 12-team Championship is scheduled for the summer of 2024 and will feature the region's 12 best men's U-20 national teams divided into three groups of four. After round-robin play, the two top teams of each group and the two best third place teams will advance to a Knockout Stage comprised of Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Final. At the conclusion of the competition, the four top finishers (semifinalists) will qualify for the 2025 FIFA Men's U-20 World Cup.

 

The nations pre-seeded into the Championships' Group Stage are (in ranking order): United States (1), Honduras (2), Mexico (3), Panama (4), Costa Rica (5), and the Dominican Republic (6).

 

Further details regarding the 2024 Concacaf Men's U-20 Championship, including the tournament's host and draw details, will be published following the conclusion of the Qualifiers.

 

In the previous edition of the Concacaf Men's U-20 Championship, played in Honduras in 2022, the United States won its third title after defeating the Dominican Republic 6-0 in the Final. By reaching the tournament's Final, both nations secured a berth in the Paris 2024 Men's Olympic Football Tournament.

2024 Concacaf Under-20 Qualifiers
2024 Concacaf Under-20 Championship