Trinidad and Tobago Senior Team head coach Francisco Maturana has selected his squad of home-based players to prepare for an upcoming friendly international at home to El Salvador scheduled for March 19.
Maturana, after viewing the majority home-based players over three matches and several training sessions, has kept some faces in the mix and has invited three players who represented this country at the FIFA Under 17 World Championship last year – defenders Daneil Cyrus and Akeem Adams and midfielder Leston Paul.
Current National Under 20 striker Jamaal Gay has also been called up. Making a return to the team is Joe Public striker Gary Glasgow, defender Keyeno Thomas and 2006 World Cup team midfielder Aurtis Whitley.
Maturana explained that those players who were not invited will be monitored on an ongoing basis when action resumes in the T&T Pro League.
“The truth is that the players here at home are in their pre-season and you don’t always see their best level outside of when they are into their full season.
But we have also assessed the players who have been with us and we have kept some in the squad and we have also invited some younger faces with an eye on securing the country’s future in the game. If you look at most of the other nations… they are all securing their futures,” Maturana told TTFF Media after a meeting with assistant coach Anton Corneal, Cesar Maturana and Jorge Luis at the TTFF’s Technical Department Office, Kantac Plaza on Friday.
“The door is not closed on anyone but we have to work towards getting a base of local players to compliment the foreign players who we will be invited for other matches before the qualifiers start,” Maturana explained.
“We must be able to see what players can play and compete well at the top level. We must know all the players. We know that the time is near before our qualification but we also have some of the younger players involved because the future must be secured as well. These are the players who have the best potential to maybe make it at the higher level.
The players maintaining their selection after the Guadeloupe friendly include Seon Power, Keon Daniel, Aklie Edwards, Keston Williams, Kern Cupid, Marvin Phillip, Hayden Tinto and Khaleem Hyland. Tinto will not be involved in training next week as he heads out for a trial with MLS club San Jose Earthquake.
Former National Under 20 captain Makan Hislop, who played for the Senior Team in last year’s Digicel Cup has also been invited and will join the training sessions next week. Other returning faces include Lester Peltier, Ataullah Guerra, Daurance Williams, Karlon Murray, Jason Marcano and Silas Spann.
On the selection of Whitley who has been away from the national team since October 2006, Corneal said talks were held with the player on Maturana’s request and he (Whitley) expressed a willingness to return and has pledged his commitment to the South Africa 2010 drive.
“We are very serious about players’ commitment. But the past is history and I am not concerned about that. I am interested in making new history and this is where we will from… the present to the future,” Maturana said. “We told him (Whitley) that we want to know his level of commitment and he has assured us of this. All the players that represent the country must be committed.
T&T will face El Salvador on March 19 and five US/Canadian-based players will be invited for that game. They include National Under 23 members Kevon Neaves and Ancil Farrier, Toronto FC defender Julius James, Randi Patterson of the New York Red Bulls and forward Robbie Findley of Real Salt Lake.
Following the game on March 19, a squad inclusive of the selected overseas-based pros will be picked for the March 26 friendly international against Jamaica in Kingston. The current squad will resume training on Monday morning at the Ato Boldon Stadium and continue throughout the upcoming weeks.
Players Invited: Marvin Phillip, Kern Cupid, Aurtis Whitley (W Connection), Seon Power, Keyeno Thomas, Gary Glasgow, Silas Spann (Joe Public), Aklie Edwards, Keston Williams, Leston Paul (Defence Force), Hayden Tinto (Caledonia AIA), Keon Daniel (United Petrotrin), Jason Marcano, Khaleem Hyland, Lester Peltier, Ataullah Guerra, Karlon Murray, Daurance Williams (CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh), Jamaal Gay, Daneil Cyrus, Akeem Adams (T&T U-20s) and Makan Hislop.
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