Olympic Team Thread.

[Deeks]

Muhammad said as many as 13 players did not have valid passports when they began training.

This is a point I will keep hammering. All young players say they are serious about the game, and that they want to pursue opportunities in the game abroad. Yet, they don't have valid passports?!!! In that respect, dahis nonsense on them.

Actually, I would put some blame on the TTFA here. Not entirely though. I think as soon as they selected the guys for training, they should have  told the players that they should get their passports because of the possibility of overseas travel. This is not the first time a youth travelling overseas. TTFA should insist, seeing that these yutes not thinking straight.

[asylumseeker]

An appointment was supposed to be made for me to see the immigration section,” Gomez told Wired868, “but when I went there they said I was not on the list. So I had to (apply myself) for another appointment (and) they said they would call to see if I can get one by tomorrow morning.

“But right now, it is not looking as if I will be going to Puerto Rico.”

Apparently, Gomez was not informed by Under-23 officials that he was removed from their 20-man squad.

Ironically, the teenaged defender, who has represented his country at every level, was in consideration for the July 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad. Senior Warriors coach Stephen Hart said he left Gomez out of his Gold Cup squad because he felt he would be a fringe player with the adults and might benefit more from playing games with the youth team.

“He would have been a strong consideration,” said Hart.

Once it was reported that he had a green card. Then it was reported that he didn't. Clearly, under present circumstances, he does not.

Nonetheless, the situation with Gomez is not cut and dry with respect to the embassy ... even if his name was on the list. With an application for permanent residence pending, consideration for a non-immigrant visa into the US (which is what he would be seeking) is not necessarily straightforward. In fact, it includes a layer that wouldn't be included regarding the other players.

[Deeks]

What a comesse?

[Flex]

Without reading the above report.

Now might be a good time to include the US base players.

Greg Ranjitsingh, Kristian Lee-Him, Brandon Creed, Keane Mc Ivor, Andre Fortune, Dwight Ceballo.

[soccerman]

I thought there was a process for national team players to get their passports expedited for tournaments like this

[asylumseeker]

Muhammad said as many as 13 players did not have valid passports when they began training.

This is a point I will keep hammering. All young players say they are serious about the game, and that they want to pursue opportunities in the game abroad. Yet, they don't have valid passports?!!! In that respect, dahis nonsense on them.

Actually, I would put some blame on the TTFA here. Not entirely though. I think as soon as they selected the guys for training, they should have  told the players that they should get their passports because of the possibility of overseas travel. This is not the first time a youth travelling overseas. TTFA should insist, seeing that these yutes not thinking straight.

I eh reach de TTFA yet, but I think it's fair to say that ANY player in this category (and we are not talking about minors) should have some weight placed on his shoulders for not having a valid passport. It's one thing not having a passport, but yuh have a passport and it's not valid, and yuh want to ball abroad? Nah! Not on at all.

Incidentally, how much a passport costs? I need to renew mine. 

[asylumseeker]

Without reading the above report.

Now might be a good time to include the US base players.

Yuh know what the flip side of that is? Some US-based eligible players probably don't have Trini passports.

[Flex]

Actually, these have passports.

Greg Ranjitsingh, Kristian Lee-Him, Brandon Creed, Keane Mc Ivor, Andre Fortune, Dwight Ceballo.

Dwight Ceballo (Tigers) was one of the best defenders in the SSFL a few years ago.

Keane Mc Ivor was a potent goalscorer.

Andre Fortune has been in T&T team for a while. I am surprised he wasn't called up, very good player.

Greg Ranjitsingh as we all know have been doing very well.

Kristian Lee-Him, very good center midfield.

Brandon Creed, well, we all know he's part.

The TTFA knows this but got some of these players to get their passports and never called them up.

Maybe they didn't have the money?

[asylumseeker]

Just another chapter in our passport and visa challenges. Take a trip down memory lane.

And this. Simply put, when will we progress?

[Controversial]

Actually, these have passports.

Greg Ranjitsingh, Kristian Lee-Him, Brandon Creed, Keane Mc Ivor, Andre Fortune, Dwight Ceballo.

Dwight Ceballo (Tigers) was one of the best defenders in the SSFL a few years ago.

Keane Mc Ivor was a potent goalscorer.

Andre Fortune has been in T&T team for a while. I am surprised he wasn't called up, very good player.

Greg Ranjitsingh as we all know have been doing very well.

Kristian Lee-Him, very good center midfield.

Brandon Creed, well, we all know he's part.

The TTFA knows this but got some of these players to get their passports and never called them up.

Maybe they didn't have the money?

Blessing in disguise, the ttfa don't have the money so they left the best players off the team because of money problems..

Now they have to call them back, it's a blessing in disguise.. The players you listed should have been part of the squad and these idiots at ttfa complaining about small talent pool and there is no talent.. That's a lie, there is a lot of players in U.S. And Canada that don't get the call..

[asylumseeker]

T&T U23 team selected; Warriors start qualifiers without warm-up match
Lasana Liburd (Wired868.com)

The Trinidad and Tobago National Under-23 Team will head for the preliminary round of their 2016 Olympic qualifying campaign next week without a single warm-up match under their belts.

Head coach Zoran Vranes today selected a 20-man squad that includes capped senior team players Rundell Winchester, Kadeem Corbin, Shannon Gomez, Neveal Hackshaw and Jomal Williams.

Vranes is forced to do without winger Levi Garcia, who reported for pre-season training with Netherlands top flight club AZ, his namesake Akeem Garcia, who is injured, and playmaker Duane Muckette, who is on trial with North American Soccer League club New York Cosmos.

But the young “Soca Warriors” miss proper preparation more, as they spent the last two months playing against inactive Pro League and Super League clubs due to a lack of funds for international friendlies.

“Okay maybe our preparation was not the best because we did not have any international matches but this is the situation,” Vranes told the TTFA Media, “and we will try our best to overcome the other teams in Puerto Rico.

“It is going to be very tough because only one team comes out of the group.  The Association tried to give us what they could and now it has come down to this where we will go there and play to win all our matches.”

Last week, Under-23 manager David Muhammad told Wired868 that the Warriors were suffering due to a chronic lack of funding by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association and were largely ignored by the Ministry of Sport. They did not even have money for visas.

Muhammad said things have improved financially since then.

“The Ministry approved everything,” he said. “The problem is the amount of money is limited and I do appreciate to a certain extent what they said…

“Everyone in the entire football fraternity seems to read your articles and is up to date with what you write and that is a tremendous achievement.”

Apart from the lack of practice matches or live-in camps, there might be another potential drawback to the late funding as, according to news reports, the United States embassies have delayed visa appointments in the Caribbean until next week.

Potentially, it could cause major issues for the Under-23 squad who are supposed to travel to Puerto Rico on Sunday. However, Muhammad declined comment on possible complications.

He did note though that, despite the problems facing local football, the public should be aware of the people sacrificing behind the scenes to keep the national programmes alive.

“William Wallace puts up with so much disrespect and fights hard and does a lot of the dirty work for the national teams,” said Muhammad. “I have to commend him for that. There are also people like Sharon O’ Brien, Hanifa Cox and DeLyse Mary who are really the backbone of our operations.

“And technical staff members like Ross Russell, Geoffrey Seales, Esmond O’ Brien and Michael Taylor, who take out of their personal finances to make sure the operation runs although they are already not being paid.

“There are a lot of gems in the football federation who get blamed when things go wrong but don’t get the credit when things go well.”

The final 20-man team did not include a single of the dozen or so players screened from United States universities including former national youth players like Xavier Rajpaul, Ricardo John, Brendon Creed and Leland Archer.

There were no local schoolboys either like the Naparima College duo of Jabari Mitchell and Martieon Watson or St Anthony’s College playmaker Matthew Woo Ling as Vranes went with a fully professional squad.

The national youth coach suggested that there was a lot of natural talent in his ranks, which made squad selection difficult. But he warned that Trinidad and Tobago was not producing the calibre of players it did two decades ago when the local leagues included players like Nigel Pierre, Arnold Dwarika and Kerwin “Hardest” Jemmott.

He bemoaned the fact that the Under-23 squad was so poorly prepared although Olympic campaigns come along once every four years and the football body should not have been taken by surprise.

“We have to be very careful because we see smaller countries (like Curaçao) are getting stronger,” Vranes told Wired868. “The quality of football in Trinidad is down as opposed to when I came here 20 years ago. We need to work with (our young players) and give them opportunity to develop.

“And we need help from corporate Trinidad to do that in terms of better preparation and camps and international games. I am not calling any names but I am asking for the nation to help us.”

Vranes vowed that his troops will do their best to advance from their group.

“We are trying very hard,” said the Serbia-born coach. “We have to be organized and not make too many costly mistakes…

“We have a lot (of quality) in attack and I think we will create chances and we will need to put them away.”

Trinidad and Tobago is scheduled to play Suriname (June 24), St Vincent and the Grenadines (June 26) and hosts Puerto Rico (June 28) with only the group winner advancing to the final Caribbean round in August.

The two top Caribbean teams will represent the region in the final CONCACAF Olympic qualifying phase in the United States.

Trinidad and Tobago National Under-23 team

Goalkeepers: Aaron Enil (San Juan Jabloteh), Javon Sample (Central FC), Montell Joseph (Unattached);

Defenders: Jibiri McDavid (Police FC), Alvin Jones, Maurice Ford (both W Connection), Dario Holmes (San Juan Jabloteh), Jesus Perez (North East Stars);

Midfielders: Shannon Gomez, Aikim Andrews, Triston Hodge, Jomal Williams (all W Connection), Neveal Hackshaw (North East Stars), Jelani Felix (Defence Force), Kadeem Corbin (St Ann’s Rangers), Nathaniel Garcia (Central FC);

Forwards: Dwight Quintero (Central FC), Neil Benjamin Jr (W Connection), Shackiel Henry (Point Fortin Civic) , Rundell Winchester (Portland Timbers 2—US).


NOTE: This article was published prior to the U23 scrimmage versus Nicaragua and prior to passport and visa issues that have impacted the composition of the U23 squad.

[MEP]

Incompetence at its best.....why didn't they send a fete match team? or wait maybe they did

[Controversial]

Incompetence at its best.....why didn't they send a fete match team? or wait maybe they did

You're talking rubbish, what makes you think the players that replaced them aren't equally as good or better?

Just because they are from the U.S. Doesn't mean they are not talented, in fact they may be more disciplined and professional..

[asylumseeker]

Excerpted from Lasana's article immediately above, dated June 17, 2015:

Last week, Under-23 manager David Muhammad told Wired868 that the Warriors were suffering due to a chronic lack of funding by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association and were largely ignored by the Ministry of Sport. They did not even have money for visas.

Muhammad said things have improved financially since then.

“The Ministry approved everything,” he said. “The problem is the amount of money is limited and I do appreciate to a certain extent what they said…

...

Apart from the lack of practice matches or live-in camps, there might be another potential drawback to the late funding as, according to news reports, the United States embassies have delayed visa appointments in the Caribbean until next week.

Potentially, it could cause major issues for the Under-23 squad who are supposed to travel to Puerto Rico on Sunday. However, Muhammad declined comment on possible complications.

http://wired868.com/2015/06/17/t-warriors-start-qualifiers-without-warm-up-match/

And so, here we are.

[MEP]

Incompetence at its best.....why didn't they send a fete match team? or wait maybe they did

You're talking rubbish, what makes you think the players that replaced them aren't equally as good or better?

Just because they are from the U.S. Doesn't mean they are not talented, in fact they may be more disciplined and professional..

Padnah where did I say that the players were rubbish? show me...?
the mere fact that this team has been put together at the last minute means it is a fete match team...I assume you're familiar with the term fete match and its meaning. That is so typical of people of your ilk..the inability to comprehend what you've read.

[Controversial]

Incompetence at its best.....why didn't they send a fete match team? or wait maybe they did

You're talking rubbish, what makes you think the players that replaced them aren't equally as good or better?

Just because they are from the U.S. Doesn't mean they are not talented, in fact they may be more disciplined and professional..

Padnah where did I say that the players were rubbish? show me...?
the mere fact that this team has been put together at the last minute means it is a fete match team...I assume you're familiar with the term fete match and its meaning. That is so typical of people of your ilk..the inability to comprehend what you've read.

Fete match team can also refer to players who are unprofessional and not serious.. My apologies for misinterpreting your meaning...

And who is the people of my ilk that can't comprehend? Care to elaborate with everyone.. What you mean by that?

[asylumseeker]

LOL. Listening to i95.5 and the presenter is presenting the news practically verbatim from Lasana's article. Good thing she didn't have to write it.

[Football supporter]

Muhammad said as many as 13 players did not have valid passports when they began training.

This is a point I will keep hammering. All young players say they are serious about the game, and that they want to pursue opportunities in the game abroad. Yet, they don't have valid passports?!!! In that respect, dahis nonsense on them.

Actually, I think the problem with most players is that they don't have U.S. visas. There has been a global back up of visa applications. Also, I would expect that the Coach did not select his final squad until maybe a week ago. With the lack of money in TTFA, I guess purchasing visas for players who won't travel would be a waste of precious funds.

[SWF Reporter]

U23s down to 11 players for qualifiers; but Suriname allegedly withdraws
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868.com)

The Trinidad and Tobago National Under-23 Team breathed a sigh of relief today as their Suriname counterparts supposedly withdrew from the Caribbean preliminary round of the 2016 Olympic qualifying campaign, which kicks off on Wednesday June 24 in Puerto Rico.

The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) is yet to make an official announcement but Under-23 manager David Muhammad told Wired868 that Suriname, who were due to face the “Soca Warriors” at 5.30 pm on Wednesday were out due to visa issues.

If so, it appears to have saved the Warriors from the embarrassment of starting their campaign with barely half their squad available.

Twelve Trinidad and Tobago footballers left for Puerto Rico yesterday to represent their country in the Olympic qualifying series. But only eleven got there.

Muhammad confirmed that Central FC attacker Nathaniel Garcia got as far as Panama before being turned back due to an improper visa. Garcia allegedly has a student visa that is no longer valid since he quit university last year and joined local Pro League club, Central FC.

“There was a possibility that he would have gotten in,” Muhammad told Wired868.

The versatile attacker’s failure to get to Puerto Rico means that national coach Zoran Vranes would have had just 11 players to choose from for Trinidad and Tobago’s opener against Suriname on Wednesday.
The farcical situation is the result of late visa applications from the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) coupled with a technical glitch that handicapped the United States Embassy’s visa section.

Muhammad explained that the “Soca Warriors” applied for visas just before they entered a live-in camp on June 16.

“We had applied within the regular timeframes,” said Muhammad.

However, a consular message on the Embassy’s website stated that they experienced “technical problems” since May 26, which are not restricted to Trinidad and Tobago.

“The Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs is currently experiencing technical problems with our overseas passport and visa systems,” stated the US Embassy’s website. “This issue is not specific to any particular country, citizenship document, or visa category…

“Passport applications accepted overseas or after May 26, 2015 are affected by this delay. If you applied for a U.S. passport overseas during this time frame and have travel plans within the next 10 business days, please consider requesting an emergency passport…”

The problem proved disastrous to the National Under-23 Team.

There were only four visa holders within Vranes’ final squad, who were midfielders Neveal Hackshaw and Jelani Felix, goalkeeper Montell Joseph and United States-based forward Rundell Winchester had visas.
Garcia, of course, tried to travel with an invalid student visa.

United States-based university players Adrian Welch, Xavier Rajpaul, Ricardo John and Leland Archer as well as the W Connection and Naparima College duo of Martieon Watson and Jabari Mitchell, who were all dropped from the squad at various points, were recalled by the Warriors solely because they already held visas.

And former National Under-20 midfielder Duane Muckette, who is on trial with New York Cosmos and was initially due to miss the preliminary round, was persuaded to return and help the squad.
Another eight players will know tomorrow whether they have been granted visas. And, if so, they will leave for Puerto Rico on Wednesday.

They are: goalkeeper Aaron Enill, defender Jesus Perez, utility players Josiah Trimmingham, Aikim Andrews and Alvin Jones, midfielders Jomal Williams and Kadeem Corbin and forward Dwight Quintero.
Subject to availability, their flights will touch down in Puerto Rico at either 3.15 pm or 4.17 pm. It is expected to be too late for the players to get to the match venue in time to be processed for kick off, if Suriname did turn up.

Muhammad said Trinidad and Tobago were not the only participants affected by visa issues, which appears to be confirmed by Suriname’s supposed withdrawal. And, despite having an 11-man squad on the brink of a qualifying tournament, the manager congratulated his staff and players for their efforts in making the competition.

“I am very proud of the staff,” Muhammad told Wired868, “that, in light of the circumstances, we were able to put together a strong team to compete by Wednesday.

“That goes to show the depth of our squad. I am proud of the players too for making themselves available, especially Muckette.”

National Under-23 right back Shannon Gomez told Wired868 that he went to the US Embassy this morning only to realise he did not have an appointment.

However, Muhammad said Gomez must have misunderstood the precise details of his dilemma, since the W Connection player was allegedly issued a green card that never reached him due to a family issue. As such, he required a temporary travel document called a “boarding foil” rather than a visa.

“We told him to speak with someone for a boarding foil,” said Muhammad. “I gave him a letter saying he was part of the national team and so on and asking for them to assist him. That’s what he went there for and they told him they cannot give it to him just like that.

“We had told him to sort this situation out for quite some time…”

The eight players were accompanied to the Embassy by Under-23 goalkeeper coach Nigel Neverson, who also needed a visa.

They should all arrive in time to face St Vincent and the Grenadines on June 26 and then Puerto Rico on June 28. Only the group winner will advance to the next Caribbean qualifying round for the Olympic Games in August.

The Warriors are not out of the woods yet.

Tournament rules mandate that each team must select three goalkeepers. However, the Under-23s are only expected to have Joseph and Enill in Puerto Rico this week as Central FC custodian Javon Sample was denied a visa today.

“We will discuss that with (CFU officials) tomorrow morning at 11 am,” said Muhammad. “We will ask if that (rule about goalkeepers) can be amended or what their position is on that at this stage.”

It would be controversial if the CFU imposed sanctions on the Warriors for not selecting three goalkeepers in light of the visa complications.

It was the CFU, after all, that decided to stage a Caribbean competition on the one island in the region which requires travel visas.

(Trinidad and Tobago Under-23 Team in Puerto Rico)

Goalkeepers: Montell Joseph (Unattached);

Defenders: Leland Archer (College of Charleston—USA), Martieon Watson (W Connection);

Midfielders: Neveal Hackshaw (North East Stars), Jelani Felix (Defence Force), Duane Muckette (North East Stars), Jabari Mitchell (W Connection), Xavier Rajpaul (College of Charleston—USA);

Forwards: Rundell Winchester (Portland Timbers 2—USA), Ricardo John (Virginia Tech—USA), Adrian Welch (St John’s University—USA).

Staff: Zoran Vranes (coach), David Muhammad (manager), Gilbert Bateau (assistant coach/trainer), Michael Taylor (physio), Esmond O’ Brien (equipment manager).

(Remaining squad members still in Trinidad)

Goalkeeper: Aaron Enill (San Juan Jabloteh);

Defenders: Alvin Jones (W Connection), Jesus Perez (North East Stars), Josiah Trimmingham (San Juan Jabloteh);

Midfielders: Jomal Williams, Aikim Andrews (both W Connection), Nathaniel Garcia (Central FC), Kadeem Corbin (St Ann’s Rangers);

Forward: Dwight Quintero.

Staff: Nigel Neverson (goalkeeper coach).

[asylumseeker]

Get Panos Nakhid involved. If we make it out of this round, where allyuh think the next round is?

[asylumseeker]

So ... we were reduced to having a player compromise the future by trying to enter the US on an invalid document? SMH! That invalid visa thing was a non-starter from the beginning.

[Deeks]

You know I think the tournament should not be taking place in PR. The U.S. embassies are having this glitch which affecting several countries. It certainly not affecting the U.S. players because it is a US dependency. But the players and TTFA still bear some responsibility.

[Bakes]

Visa delay rocks Warriors; U-23s travel with 12 players for Olympic opener
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868.com)

“We had applied within the regular timeframes,” said Muhammad. “These (Olympic qualifiers) were scheduled for August and our first order of business was the Pan Am Games, which starts in July.
“Then, they rescheduled the Olympic qualifying phase and put it before the Pan Am Games and this reoriented our whole plan… The mad scramble started from there.”
The Olympic qualifying schedule was adjusted on 21 April 2015. It left Under-23 officials with eight weeks, before they entered a live-in camp, to select the squad and sort out passports and visas.

So who adjusted the Olympic qualifying schedule... and more importantly, why didn't they coordinate this either with the TTFA or the coaching staff of the U-23 team?

Muhammad said as many as 13 players did not have valid passports when they began training.

This is a point I will keep hammering. All young players say they are serious about the game, and that they want to pursue opportunities in the game abroad. Yet, they don't have valid passports?!!! In that respect, dahis nonsense on them.

In a nutshell.

[Bakes]

Actually, I would put some blame on the TTFA here. Not entirely though. I think as soon as they selected the guys for training, they should have  told the players that they should get their passports because of the possibility of overseas travel. This is not the first time a youth travelling overseas. TTFA should insist, seeing that these yutes not thinking straight.

So a player is in camp (the national pool) for international duty... and he needs to specifically be told that there's a chance that he'll have to board a plane and travel overseas... and therefore need a passport?

[Deeks]

Actually, I would put some blame on the TTFA here. Not entirely though. I think as soon as they selected the guys for training, they should have  told the players that they should get their passports because of the possibility of overseas travel. This is not the first time a youth travelling overseas. TTFA should insist, seeing that these yutes not thinking straight.

So a player is in camp (the national pool) for international duty... and he needs to specifically be told that there's a chance that he'll have to board a plane and travel overseas... and therefore need a passport?

In my case in 74, seeing that I was not born in Trini I had to get my passport ready for possible travel to Toronto. The pool was 30. The final 18 was not selected as yet. There was the assumption that everybody had passports. Some had because they travelled outside Trini before. others did not, because they never travelled out of TT. It was a mixed bag.

[Bakes]

In my case in 74, seeing that I was not born in Trini I had to get my passport ready for possible travel to Toronto. The pool was 30. The final 18 was not selected as yet.

My thing is this Deeks... you in the NATIONAL pool.  True yuh might not make the final cut, but as long as there is a chance, you need to be making whatever preparations are necessary to fly out.  Chances are you can't get anywhere with trying to get a visa until selected, but in the least you need to square away that passport situation.  Yuh have to be ready.

[Deeks]

In my case in 74, seeing that I was not born in Trini I had to get my passport ready for possible travel to Toronto. The pool was 30. The final 18 was not selected as yet.

My thing is this Deeks... you in the NATIONAL pool.  True yuh might not make the final cut, but as long as there is a chance, you need to be making whatever preparations are necessary to fly out.  Chances are you can't get anywhere with trying to get a visa until selected, but in the least you need to square away that passport situation.  Yuh have to be ready.

Correct. They told us to get our passports ready while the pool was thirty. Actually I was on a bubble. I was told long after that I did not make the final cut. But Later, I was included.

[Tiresais]

Sigh, what a massive disappointment all round.

[Flex]

TT U-23 footballers in visa woes.
T&T Newsday Reports.

THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Under-23 football team are currently embroiled in a visa saga, resulting in a portion of the squad arriving in Puerto Rico for the start of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) First Round Qualifiers, which will take place this week.

The team, under the guidance of coach Zoran Vranes, will face Suriname on Wednesday, St Vincent/Grenadines on Friday and hosts Puerto Rico on Sunday, with the group winners advancing to the CFU Final Round in August.

In a media release issued last week by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), it was reported that team manager David Muhammad “explained that some players were without US visas and arrangements were being made for this to be obtained in order for them to travel for the (qualifiers).”

However, it emerged yesterday, in a story on the Wired 868 website, that only five members of the original squad had visas and were due to land in Puerto Rico yesterday — striker Rundell Winchester, goalkeeper Montell Joseph as well as midfielders Neveal Hackshaw, Nathaniel Garcia and Jelani Felix.

As a result, the team management had to recall, due to the fact that they possess US visas, a number of players who were omitted from the training squad — Adrian Welch, Xavier Rajpaul, Ricardo John, Leland Archer, Martieon Watson, Jabari Mitchell and Duane Muckette.

Vranes was also in Puerto Rico, along with technical staff members Gilbert Bateau (assistant coach/trainer), Michael Taylor (physio) and Esmond O’Brien (equipment manager).

All efforts to reach Muhammad and Sheldon Phillips, TTFA general secretary, proved futile up to press time last evening.

(Trinidad and Tobago Under-23 Team in Puerto Rico)

Goalkeepers: Montell Joseph (Forest United);

Defenders: Leland Archer (College of Charleston—USA), Martieon Watson (W Connection);

Midfielders: Neveal Hackshaw (North East Stars), Jelani Felix (Defence Force), Duane Muckette (North East Stars), Jabari Mitchell (W Connection), Xavier Rajpaul (College of Charleston—USA);

Forwards: Rundell Winchester (Portland Timbers 2—USA), Ricardo John, Adrian Welch (both St John’s University—USA).

Staff: Zoran Vranes (coach), David Muhammad (manager), Gilbert Bateau (assistant coach/trainer), Michael Taylor (physio), Esmond O’ Brien (equipment manager).

(Remaining squad members still in Trinidad)

Goalkeeper: Aaron Enill (San Juan Jabloteh);

Defenders: Alvin Jones (W Connection), Jesus Perez (North East Stars), Josiah Trimmingham (San Juan Jabloteh);

Midfielders: Jomal Williams, Aikim Andrews (both W Connection), Nathaniel Garcia (Central FC), Kadeem Corbin (St Ann’s Rangers);

Forward: Dwight Quintero.

Staff: Nigel Neverson (goalkeeper coach).

[Flex]

T&T to play first match on Friday.
By Shaun Fuentes (TTFA).

Suriname pulls out of olympic qualifiers.

Trinidad and Tobago’ s National Under 23 Men’s Team will have an additional two days to prepare before commencing it’s 2016 Olympic Qualifying campaign.

This comes as a result of Suriname’s withdrawal from the Caribbean Football Union qualifying phase which starts in Puerto Rico on Wednesday.

T&T, under head coach Zoran Vranes, was initially scheduled to face Suriname in the opening game on Wednesday. However, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association received a formal correspondence from the Caribbean Football Union today advising of Suriname’s decision to pull out of the competition. The fixtures have been re-arranged and will now see T&T facing St Vincent/Grenadines on Friday June 26th, 2015 at 8pm.

T&T will then meet hosts Puerto Rico on June 28th at 8pm. The hosts and St Vincent/Grenadines will kick off the group on Wednesday. The group winner will advance to the CFU semi-final stage.

Vranes remains optimistic

The T&T team lost 1-0 to Nicaragua in a training match at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Friday.

Head Coach Zoran Vranes will be without a few of his players , at least for the early part of the stay in Puerto Rico, due to visa complications and expects the two matches to be challenging for the visitors. But he is remaining optimistic.

“Okay so we have a couple extra days and this will give us some more time to prepare with the players we had to call again to join the team in Puerto Rico,” Vranes told TTFA Media.

“It’s very difficult for us but we have one goal which is to qualify from the group. The players are very eager and I believe we can get the results to take us out of the group. But I expect the two games to be very difficult and we will have to play very strong and not give away anything if we are to come away with what is necessary for us to advance,” Vranes added.

T&T squad for Puerto Rico

Montell Joseph (UK-based), Leland Archer (College of Charleston, US), Martieon Watson (W Connection): Neveal Hackshaw (North East Stars), Jelani Felix (Defence Force), Nathaniel Garcia (Central FC), Duane Muckette (North East Stars), Xavier Rajpaul (College of Charleston—USA), Jabari Mitchell (W Connection), Rundell Winchester (Portland Timbers 2, US), Ricardo John (St John’s University, US), Adrian Welch (St John’s University, US), Aaron Enill (Jabloteh), Jesus Perez (North East Stars), Josiah Trimmingham, Aikim Andrews (W Connection), Alvin Jones (W Connection), Jomal Williams (W Connection), Kadeem Corbin (St Ann’s Rangers), Dwight Quintero (Central FC).