Lester Peltier out qualifiers.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]
Session under the hot sun
Trinidad and Tobago ’s Olympic team resumed preparations ahead of next month Caribbean Football Union’s final round of qualifiers with selected (plus one non-selected) home-based players involved at the Ato Boldon Stadium training pitch under blistering sunshine on Wednesday morning.
But coach Michael McComie was short of six players through injury, one of them being former Arsenal trialist Lester Peltier who along with his teammates Khaleem Hyland and Atullah Guerra had been the subject of much debate over the past few weeks because of their failure to turn up for training.
All three were dropped from the final team for the qualifiers earlier this month but were subsequently recalled to the training squad for upcoming games against Cuba and Grenada. However on Thursday Peltier showed up injured and looked on from the sidelines. It is understood that the player has separate shin and ankle problems and is expected to undergo surgery. Guerra didn’t show up due to personal problems while Hyland took part in the session as CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh head coach Terry Fenwick also looking on from his BMW X5.
Jabloteh also sent player Elton John to the session despite him not being included in the squad. McComie didn’t turn the player away though.
T&T will contest for the top spot from the three-team group from which the winner advances to the CONCACAF Final round next year. And with the Cubans sure to be no push overs, McComie is looking to strengthen his squad and at the moment is in talks with overseas-based players Kevon Neaves, Andre Charles, Aaron Downing and Matthew Bartholomew over the availability for the tournament next month.
“I think today’s session was a good one with respect to the players coming out and giving their all.
“The only player unaccounted for was Guerra, we have six players hurt because of club duty. We had a food talk and they understand the seriousness of the preparations. The attitude has been fantastic. We are also looking forward to shortlisting the team for the tournament. It was also good to see Mr Fenwick around the national team session for the first time. And as you know anybody from T&T is invited to come around and see the National Under 23 train,” McComie told TTFF Media.
“There have been a lot of off the field things happening but we are about taking care of what happens on the pitch and the players showed all willingness to get on with the task which is a good sign for us,”McComie told TTFF Media.
On Peltier’s matter, McComie added “From the information we have he has to go and do surgery and we wish him the best. Hopefully he can join us again when he’s fit once we get past this next stage. There’s no animosity between him and the national team coaches and he understand that the incidents in the past were unfortunate. We being who we are, we will not turn back a player in Elton John’s case but of course we will discus his further with the club… the player understood he was not invited to join the national team.”
McComie added that the overseas players will also have to be available for the live in camp before the tournament as no player will be invited only to appear in matches. On September 25 the team will resume training at the Couva venue will efforts being made to have the Pro League clubs agree on releasing its players for a one-week live in training camp leading up to the tournament.
News from the 18th of September 2007
Olympic Team resumes training.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic team coaches Michael McComie and Jan Van Deinsen have extended further invitations to CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh trio Lester Peltier, Atullah Guerra and Khaleem Hyland to attend training ahead of next months Caribbean Football Union final round of Olympic qualifiers. The T&T team, fresh from topping Group A in the first round will resume competition next month against Grenada and Cuba at a venue to be finalized. The top team from the Group will advance to the CONCACAF Final stage next year leading to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Previously, the Jabloteh trio had been excluded from the squad for not showing up to training sessions prior to the previous round. The Olympic team is also considering adding some of the overseas-based players eligible to play in the competition and they could include the likes of English-based goalkeeper Andre Charles, US-based College striker Kevon Neaves, Belgium-based duo Matthew Bartholomew and Aaron Downing and Ancil Farrier.
McComie stressed that once the Jabloteh players turned up for training then they were to be considered for final team selection to face the next two teams that have been scouted by T&T.
“We have been and continue to always be trying to pick the strongest team for the tournament. There was never anything personal against the players,” McComie told TTFF Media. “But once a player is selected to attend training and does not turn up then he will not be selected. That’s part of our philosophy.”
McComie further explained that the players invited for training still have to prove their worth before making the final squad which will go into a live in training camp October 1, a week before the next stage of the competition begins.
“If they accept the invitation through the club then that’s fine. We haven’t yet finalized a squad because we also have to look into the possibilities of acquiring the services of some our overseas based players who we hope to have for this upcoming round.
“We have expressed some concern also about players saying they sometimes don’t get the official notification of invitations and training schedules from the club after it’s been sent out by the TTFF. Players saying they are not advised of the notifications or being told by the club when they can attend and when they cannot show up is a bit strange and we will not allow those things to have a negative effect on the team’s preparations. We will also be exercising the right to bring back some of the overseas players to strengthen certain departments of the team,” McComie added.
Both National Senior Team head coach Wim Rijsbergen and McComie will meet this week at a date to be finalized with T&T Pro League club coaches and CEO Dexter Skeene to discuss the team’s preparations for the remainder of the Olympic qualifying campaign.
“We really will be meeting to discuss the upcoming preparations and to get feedback from the coaches pertaining to the training camps among other matters,” the former national team goalie added.
Squad for training on September 19 and 25
Larry Bacchus, Simeon Augustus, Devon Drayton, Keon Daniel, Kevon Rouse (United Petrotrin); Marcus Ambrose, Carlyle Mitchell, Hayden Tinto, Radanfah Abu Bakr, Kerwin Beckles (Caledonia AIA); Akil Edwards, Richard Roy (Defence Force); Kevin Mussio, Lester Peltier, Atullah Guerra, Carlon Murray, Devon Jamerson, Khaleem Hyland (San Juan Jabloteh); Shane Calderon, Kareem Gray (W Connection); Christopher Sam (Police FC); Kendall Jagdeosingh (North East Stars); Silas Spann (Joe Public).
News from the 16th of September 2007
Jones fires black cats to win.
Silvio makes his debut.
By: BBC Sports.
Sunderland's £6m striker Kenwyne Jones inspired his side to victory against Reading on a moving day for the Black Cats at the Stadium of Light. Prior to kick off they paid their respects to 1973 FA Cup-winning scorer Ian Porterfield, who died on Tuesday.
Jones opened the scoring with his first Sunderland goal, a brilliant turn and sizzling finish from 25 yards out.
He laid on a second for Ross Wallace to slot home, before Dave Kitson headed home a late consolation for Reading. It was an emotionally-charged afternoon on Wearside, as Sunderland bade farewell to one of their favourite sons.
Commentary of Porterfield's goal from the 1-0 win over Leeds was played over the tannoy system prior to kick off, followed by a rapturous minute's applause from the 39,272 present.
Once the game got under way, it seemed Sunderland were keen to honour the memory of a man who also managed Reading for 20 months until February 1991.
The visitors had more possession but Sunderland created two early chances, first Jones and then Grant Leadbitter with a 20-yard dipping volley both forcing Marcus Hahnemann to save.
Roy Keane's outlay of £6m on Jones - unproven at Premier League level - had raised eyebrows in some quarters. Jones celebrates his first Sunderland goal in some style
But just before the half-hour mark, the giant Trinidadian began to repay his fee by collecting the ball 25 yards out, turning smartly, shrugging off Ivar Ingimarsson and rifling a left-foot thunderbolt inside Hahnemann's left-hand post.
Jones could have had a hat-trick before half-time, nodding one Danny Collins centre wide and then, remarkably, heading a fine Wallace cross into the ground and over the bar from five yards.
After a bright opening Reading had faded badly and less than 90 seconds into the second half they were even more up against it.
Jones somehow wriggled through three challenges and escaped down the right, his cross evading Michael Chopra but rolling perfectly for Wallace to sidefoot home.
Sunderland boss Roy Keane on a difficult day:"The players were fantastic and the fans were all day. It was quite emotional before the game and it was a great tribute to a top player. It was a good display. The last few minutes were nervous due to a sloppy goal, but we should have been 4-0 up. Kenwyne Jones was different class. They just could not handle him today." Reading manager Steve Coppell:
"Kenwyne Jones was a physical and skilful presence for them, he scored one and was involved in a lot for them. But we didn't defend him very well."
Meantime, current national team midfielder Silvio Spann made his first team debut for Wrexham, coming on in the second half in their 1-0 loss to Rotherham. Spann did have a good effort on goal with a free kick which forced the Rotherham goalie to save. And midfielder magician Russell Latapy almost scored a super solo effort in Falkirk's 1-1 draw with his old club Hibernian in Scottish Premier League action on Saturday.
News from the 14th of September 2007
Roberts tries to break into Sparta starters.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
Dutch-based striker Darryl Roberts, after scoring a last minute equalizer against Willem II Tilburg last month, went from hero to villain two games later when he scored an own goal against SC Heerenveen. Roberts had only entered the field for a few minutes before the mishap which saw the game end 3-3.
The T&T Senior Team striker hasn’t enjoyed the best of times as a starter for the Dutch team. In fact he is yet to start any of their three games this season despite a reasonably good preseason showing.
Sparta have two points from their three outings so far, losing their opener 2-1 to Vitesse Arnhem while Roberts scored in the 2-2 draw with Willem in front of 13, 400 fans.
“The last few weeks have been really tough,” Roberts told TTFF Media.
“We had a lot of training during the preseason in which I saw regular playing time in a lot of the games. But now things are a bit different. I played about seven minutes in the first game and then came on for ten minutes in the second game when I scored the equalizer.
“I had just about the same time on the pitch against Heerenveen but I was a little unlucky by scoring an own goal. But that's how football goes sometimes, one day up and the other down.”
The former Alcons player isn’t hanging his shoulders over the shortage of playing time so far in the League, preparing himself to grab the opportunity straight up when it arrives.
“Although I am still getting little playing time, I am still training very hard and trying to be improve my game on a daily basis. I am just trying to give good performances every time I step on the field and hopefully be more consistent in the goal scoring department in order to help my team. My chances seem like it's not getting better but I have to continue to have a strong mentality and continue working hard, Roberts added.
He’s adapted to the higher work rate in the Netherlands but thinks he can still get the hang of things even further as the season progresses.
“I think that I am settling under these conditions… the work ethics a little bit more since I have been here for some months now. Some of the glitches for me is the inconsistency of the weather patterns and also the traffic congestion within the city.” Roberts added that he was also aware of some fellow Caribbean players in the League from Suriname, Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.
News from the 11th of September 2007
Carlos Edwards injured again
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]
Carlos Edwards has been ruled out for at least another two weeks after suffering a slight muscle tear in training for Sunderland. After suffering a previous hamstring injury, the midfielder was slowly working his way back to full fitness before the latest mishap. Reports had hinted that he possibly would have been back for the upcoming clash against Reading but now Edwards he's definitely out.
"I'm out for a little longer now maybe two weeks," he told TTFF Media on Monday.
"It's another setback and it's frustrating because I want to be out there. It's just a little tear in the muscle but it means I'm out. I'll take it a bit slowly because I need to ensure I'm back and ready again."
Roy Keane had revealed he was too hard on rival managers who complained about injuries when he was a player after admitting Sunderland have sorely missed Edwards and Dean Whitehead in recent weeks.
Keane said: "When I was a player I used to hear managers talking about missing certain players and thought, 'Just deal with it'. But I shouldn't have been so harsh. "We're missing the likes of Deano and Carlos and they are two big players for us, there's no getting away from that. For our squad to be tested so early in the season, for us to be missing these big players, has been hard.
News from the 07th of September 2007
Maund still opts for T&T over the USA.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]
United States-born National Under 17 player Aaron Maund says he would choose Trinidad and Tobago over the country of birth if he had to make that selection any time in the future.
And why? Not only because he’s now represented T&T at a FIFA Under 17 World Championship but because he prefers the feeling he experiences when wearing the red, white and black. In other words, he prefers the vibes of the “Soca Warriors”.
Maund, a 16-year old was in the final pool in the US team before being cut prior to the team’s final qualifying campaign in April. His father being Trinidadian allowed him to play for T&T while another player- Sheannon Williams, who was once attached to Joe Public FC went on to play for the US as a defender at the World Championship. Both Maund and Williams grew up playing in Dorchester. Both players were also part of the Greater Boston Bolts club which won a US National Under 16 title a couple years back.
“The results of the U17 World Cup could go far in determining the futures of its participants. Most of the starting players in this event are either with professional clubs or destined for them soon. The emergence of Maund and Williams also symbolizes the progress of local players, dozens of whom have forged professional careers from Major League Soccer to Eastern Europe,” the Boston Globe newspaper stated.
Maund meantime took everything he could with him from the Korea experience. He started all three matches against Ghana, Colombia and Germany and managed two of T&T’s better chances on goal against the Germans.
“It’s been a really good experience. Coming from the US meant I didn’t know a lot of the guys here at first. But the team welcomed me into the family and that helped the transition. My level of play has grown over the experience and that’s been the benefit of it,” Maund told TTFF Media. He added that he didn’t see any major differences between the T&T and US camps.
“When I first came here I felt the only difference was the accent. It’s a lot of the same… the same stuff in training, the guys are very similar. Some of the off the field things may be different but it’s really isn’t that big of a difference. I think everyone wants to succeed and work hard at trying to achieve that. We need to do more though.”
So which country would he choose tomorrow if the option to represent either country came up again.
“It’s easy! I would be with the Trinidad and Tobago team because I enjoy playing with this team… the coaching staff and all… it’s more of a family unit as opposed to the US where it’s like each player for himself which is the feeling I got. The (T&T team) staff cares about you and the players as well and that’s the kind of unit I want to be in. I want to go on trials possibly outside but next year is the Under 20s and I’ll be back for that definitely. I’m working towards playing for the Trinidad and Tobago Senior team in the future,” Maund concluded.
