Bostock in Soca Warriors team for WC qualifiers
Friday, August 26 2016
Newsday
JOHN BOSTO CK has been included in the 24-man Soca Warriors squad for the crucial Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala and USA, as head coach Stephen Hart is confident he will get the all clear from FIFA.
TT will face Guatemala on September 2 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port-of-Spain from 7.06 pm before playing USA on September 6. Bostock, who is an English based player born to a Trinidadian father and Scottish mother, has been trying to get clearance from world football body FIFA to play for Trinidad and Tobago.
Yesterday at a press conference at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain Hart was confident that Bostock would get the clearance and included him in the 24-man squad.
Hart explained, “the situation with Bostock is that there has been ongoing dialogue between the president (of the TT Football Association David John Williams) and FIFA. The president has been persistent in his push to get this situation clarified. We are almost 100 percent sure that the situation should be resolved by Monday. All the documentation and dialogue has been ongoing for weeks now.” Also included in the TT lineup is Canadian-born goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh who plays for Louisville City FC in the United Soccer League in USA.
Hart said Ranjitsingh has been showing potential. “I have had him scouted quite extensively. He has been having a very consistent season. I thought it would be an opportunity for him to come in to work with Michael Maurice and to of course push for selection within the squad.” TT , which is on top of group three with 10 points, needs just one point from their remaining two matches to ensure a place in the final round of World Cup qualifiers.
Hart expects a difficult match against Guatemala. “Guatemala as well as everybody knows what this game means. Both Guatemala and the United States arguably have a better set up in that they are both going to play their final games at home. Guatemala knows very well that this is a game they have to come and get a result and they are going to come and fight for that result. We have to be aware of that ourselves, I don’t anticipate this game to be pretty at all.” Hart said that the TT team will have a small training session on Sunday before the official camp begins on Monday with the full compliment of players.
Keron Cummings has been left out of the squad as Hart believes he is not ready to resume his international career. Cummings was shot in his right leg in December 2015 which kept him out for months. He has played matches for North Stars FC in the TT Pro League since May but thinks the midfielder needs more time.
“I think his touch is there, his mobility is still a little bit questionable.
He is still a little bit scared of tackles and situations like that but his touch and vision is there. I am not sure if he is ready to play an international game yet but I will keep my eyes on him of course.” TT SQUAD - Kenwyne Jones (captain), Marvin Phillip, Greg Ranjitsingh, Adrian Foncette, Aubrey David, Radanfah Abu Bakr, Sheldon Bateau, Carlyle Mitchell, Daneil Cyrus, Yohance Marshall, Mekeil Williams, Joevin Jones, Andre Boucaud, Hughtun Hector, John Bostock, Levi Garcia, Kevin Molino, Khaleem Hyland, Neveal Hackshaw, Jomal Williams, Trevin Caesar, Shahdon Winchester, Kevan George, Cordell Cato, Kenwyne Jones
