Jones eager to wear T&T colors again.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones has cleared the air on his return to the National Team less than a month after returning to Premiership action from a serious knee injury.
The big man arrived in Port of Spain on Sunday along with several of his other UK-based T&T teammates including club-mate Dwight Yorke, Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Carlos Edwards, Swansea City’s Jason Scotland, Crewe Alexandra’s Dennis Lawrence, Bristol City’s Stern John, Falkirk’s Russell Latapy, Walsall goalkeeper Clayton Ince and Rhyl FC’s Josh Johnson. Coming in later on Monday was Hull City goalie Anthony Warner while Chris Birchall came in a couple days before the rest.
But after a lay off from international football dating back to injury sustained against England in June, many felt Jones should have kept himself free of the extra duty until next year. But don’t say that to the 24-year-old as he wants to play every game possible at this stage even with T&T needing only a draw against Cuba at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Wednesday.
“People have their opinion. Everyone’s got their opinions on when and why things should happen. But for me I wanted to get back in to get a feel even before, God willing, we do make it to the final round. That’s because at this point in time I need the games and it’s only going to help me. It gives me a chance to fall back in under the eye of the public, the eye of my teammates and get familiar with them again. Basically it’s about getting back into the set up of the national team again,” Jones told TTFF Media on Monday.
‘I don’t ever want to look back on my career where I would have had the opportunity to play and not do it and then have to say well I should have done that or I should have listened otherwise.”
With two goals in consecutive matches, the former W Connection player is hopeful of a win on Wednesday and feels positive about T&T’s chances in the final round which kicks off on February 11, 2009.
“We are not expecting less of ourselves on Wednesday…nothing but a win. But football can be a funny game and we are going out there with the mentality to ensure we secure that spot in the final group stage.
“I think we have a very good chance. Once we have a fully strong team then we have the capability to do anything. It’s not beyond us. Once the confidence is there… we have enough talent and experience to take Trinidad and Tobago to higher heights,” Jones added.
Meantime, there were no injury concerns following the latest set of club matches played by both the local and overseas pros. The list of home-based pros include Makan Hislop, Keyeno Thomas, Aklie Edwards, Cyd Gray, Keon Daniel, Clyde Leon while Khaleem Hyland is based in Belgium.
Fans on Wednesday will also get to view a friendly between T&T’s National Under 20s and Suriname’s National Under 20s from 6:30pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. The team will train from 8am at the Larry Gomes Stadium on Tuesday with the match venue unavailable because of the heavy rain showers on Monday evening.
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