Latapy names 18-man squad to face Chile.
TTFF Media.
National Senior Team head coach Russell Latapy has finalized an 18-man squad to take on Chile’s Men Senior Team in a friendly international next Wednesday in Iquique.
And in it includes nine players who were part of the T&T’s World Cup squad which appeared in the 2010 qualifying campaign among them being Densill Theobald, Keon Daniel, Keston Williams, Kern Cupid, Hughton Hector, Devon Jorsling, Jan Michael Williams, Aklie Edwards and Clyde Leon.
And following his training sessions since being reappointed as head coach Latapy has also selected newcomers: W Connection defender Jovin Jones, son of ex-Strike Squad member Kelvin Jones, Ma Pau FC’s Devon Jamerson, son of another ex-national Kerry Jamerson, Under 23 duo Daniel Cyrus and Andre Marchan, midfielders Kerron Cummings of W Connection and Jesse Stewart of University of Trinidad and Tobago as well as W Connection strike duo Matthew Bartholomew and Shahdon Winchester who was part of the squad at a point last year but has not made his senior international debut. Defence Force midfielder Kevon Carter completes the squad.
Unavailable for selection are players from Joe Public and San Juan Jabloteh such as 2009 TT Pro League “MVP” Kerry Baptiste, Hayden Tinto,Trent Noel, Marvin Phillip, Radanfah Abu Bakr, Robert Primus, Makan Hislop, and Jason Marcano due to commitments in the Final Round of the Caribbean Club Championship which starts on May 5.
Despite the absence of several first team regulars, Latapy is seeing the opportunity for some of the newcomers to stake their claim against the World Cup bound South Americans.
“It’s a little bit of a difficult situation because we will not have some of the players from the two clubs as well as the other overseas-based players are obviously not available at this time but I prefer to see it as a good opportunity for some of the newer talents… the upcoming ones to stake a claim for themselves,” Latapy told TTFF Media.
“Right now we are in a rebuilding stage and we definitely want to be playing the likes of Chile which is a World Cup team and it’s an ideal chance for us to match up against a team like theirs as we prepare for our qualification towards the World Cup in 2014. “
Chile meantime is coached by former Argentina national team boss Marcelo Bielsa. They are ranked number 13 on the current FIFA rankings and finished second in the South American World Cup qualifying campaign with 33 points, one behind Brazil.
Chile will face World Cup favourites Spain, Switzerland and Honduras in South Africa this summer. The T&T team departs Port of Spain on Monday morning and will arrive in Iquique later that day via Caracas.
T&T National Squad of 18 Players to face Chile
Goalkeepers
1.Jan Michael Williams – W Connection
2.Andre Marchan – National Under 23 Team
Defenders
3.Jovin Jones – W Connection
4.Keston Williams – Defence Force
5. Kern Cupid – W Connection
6.Daneil Cyrus – Caledonia AIA
7.Aklie Edwards – Defence Force
Midfielders
8.Kevon Carter – Defence Force
9.Hughton Hector – W Connection
10. Devon Jamerson – Ma Pau S.C.
11.Clyde Leon – W Connection
12.Densill Theobald – Caledonia AIA
13.Keron Cummings – W Connection
14.Jesse Stewart – University of Trinidad & Tobago
15.Keon Daniel- Caledonia AIA
Forwards
16.Shahdon Winchester – W Connection
17.Devon Jorsling – Defence Force
18.Matthew Bartholomew – W Connection
