Thread for the T&T vs Grenada Game (29-Apr-2017)

[Flex]

As usual, any updates/scores, shout-outs, reports, predictions, views, etc, on the T&T vs Grenada game in Grenada on the 29th of April 2017 will be posted here, this way, we can maintain the message board and not make it look too scrappy with un-necessary or related headlines and postings on game day.

For the internet users, you can follow the game at:

To be updated.

Possible Online Streams.

I95.5.FM (7:30pm EST)

Possible TV Station.

To be updated.

Trinidad & Tobago Squad

Goalkeepers:

Marvin Phillip (Point Fortin Civic Centre), Glenroy Samuel (Ma Pau Stars), Jan-Michael Williams (North East Stars).

Defenders:

Keston George (Central FC), Curtis Gonzales (Defence Force), Triston Hodge (W Connection), Alvin Jones (W Connection), Seon Power (Central FC), Yohance Marshall (Murcielagos FC), Carlos Edwards (Central FC), Taryk Sampson (Central FC).

Midfielders:

Marcus Joseph (W Connection), Kevon Goddard (W Connection), Nathan Lewis (San Juan Jabloteh), Jared London (Club Sando), Leston Paul (North East Stars), Hughton Hector (W Connection), Hashim Arcia (Defence Force), Keron Cummings (Central FC), Jomal Williams (Murcielagos FC).

Forwards:

Akeem Roach (Central FC), Shahdon Winchester (Murcielagos FC), Jerrel Britto (Honduras Progreso), Jamille Boatswain (Defence Force).

Coach - Dennis Lawrence.

Grenada Squad

Goalkeepers

To be updated.

Defenders

To be updated.

Midfielders

To be updated.

Forwards

To be updated.

Coach - To be updated.


Updates to follow as we get more info, so keep checking back.

[Trini _2026]

I hope DJW  try to get a game against canada AND Venezuela  before the USA  game

[palos]

I hope DJW  try to get a game against canada AND Venezuela  before the USA  game

More likely against Guyana, Grenada, and Defence Force

[Jumbie]

   no Central FC?

[Flex]

T&T Senior Men to play Grenada on April 29 in St George’s
TTFA Media.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Senior Men will travel to St George’s, Grenada to play the Grenada Men’s Senior Team in an International Friendly on April 29th.

The match will be part of the official opening of the Grenada National Football League.

Trinidad and Tobago head coach Dennis Lawrence will use the match as another tune up for his home-based players as the country looks ahead to the 2018 World Cup qualifier away to the United States on June 8th and Costa Rica on June 13th.

“This international game will be useful in terms of it being part of the preparations for our squad ahead of the next set of World Cup qualifiers in June. It’s a good opportunity for myself and the coaching staff to have a further look at the players who are on the fringe of World Cup team selection, also including those who were involved in the past two qualifying matches,” Lawrence told TTFA Media.

“It will be a good opportunity for us to have the players together again, particularly for those who are in off season as it gives us a chance to continue implementing some of the things that we started a few weeks ago in the lead up to the last set of games against Barbados, Panama and Mexico,” Lawrence added

Lawrence will announce his Roster for the match later this month.

[palos]

No matter how you look at it....playing Grenada in Grenada and say you preppin players to play against USA and Mexico away is ultimately a futile exercise

Unsure how this could be of any benefit to a team supposedly seeking to qualify for the Wold Cup 2018

[asylumseeker]

No matter how you look at it....playing Grenada in Grenada and say you preppin players to play against USA and Mexico away is ultimately a futile exercise

Unsure how this could be of any benefit to a team supposedly seeking to qualify for the Wold Cup 2018

I suppose the idea is to let the local-based come to terms with how Dennis wishes to play (movements etc.). Always easier to imprint these versus comparable opposition. The challenge is replicating it up the ladder. But, getting the imprint is fundamental.

[Sando prince]

Well sorry I see this encounter as useless preparation before playing the quality of the US. If we going to use mostly locals in this match against Grenada who will not play against the US then are we preparing them for the next Caribbean Cup cycle ? and even if we were to use our best players in a match against Grenada in the middle of a final WC campaign how does that prepare them? What happened to playing a South American nation?

[maxg]

No matter how you look at it....playing Grenada in Grenada and say you preppin players to play against USA and Mexico away is ultimately a futile exercise

Unsure how this could be of any benefit to a team supposedly seeking to qualify for the Wold Cup 2018

I suppose the idea is to let the local-based come to terms with how Dennis wishes to play (movements etc.). Always easier to imprint these versus comparable opposition. The challenge is replicating it up the ladder. But, getting the imprint is fundamental.

I think so seeker, best yuh try to instill and excute yuh philosophy and plays to the locals against a Grenada, rather than straight out going and embarass your charges and youself against a Higher caliber team. If things work out and the plays are positive, yuh try it again against harder opposition. If they do not work, chances are you may still have a decent run and positive result with normal player abilities. But to go and try stuff out against say , Colombia, or Peru, and it not working, they might just never want to waste their time with us again.

[vb]

No matter how you look at it....playing Grenada in Grenada and say you preppin players to play against USA and Mexico away is ultimately a futile exercise

Unsure how this could be of any benefit to a team supposedly seeking to qualify for the Wold Cup 2018

I suppose the idea is to let the local-based come to terms with how Dennis wishes to play (movements etc.). Always easier to imprint these versus comparable opposition. The challenge is replicating it up the ladder. But, getting the imprint is fundamental.

I think so seeker, best yuh try to instill and excute yuh philosophy and plays to the locals against a Grenada, rather than straight out going and embarass your charges and youself against a Higher caliber team. If things work out and the plays are positive, yuh try it again against harder opposition. If they do not work, chances are you may still have a decent run and positive result with normal player abilities. But to go and try stuff out against say , Colombia, or Peru, and it not working, they might just never want to waste their time with us again.

 

[Mose]

No matter how you look at it....playing Grenada in Grenada and say you preppin players to play against USA and Mexico away is ultimately a futile exercise

Unsure how this could be of any benefit to a team supposedly seeking to qualify for the Wold Cup 2018

I suppose the idea is to let the local-based come to terms with how Dennis wishes to play (movements etc.). Always easier to imprint these versus comparable opposition. The challenge is replicating it up the ladder. But, getting the imprint is fundamental.

I think so seeker, best yuh try to instill and excute yuh philosophy and plays to the locals against a Grenada, rather than straight out going and embarass your charges and youself against a Higher caliber team. If things work out and the plays are positive, yuh try it again against harder opposition. If they do not work, chances are you may still have a decent run and positive result with normal player abilities. But to go and try stuff out against say , Colombia, or Peru, and it not working, they might just never want to waste their time with us again.

 

  
1 each fuh maxg and 'seeker! 

[Sando prince]

I hope DJW  try to get a game against canada AND Venezuela  before the USA  game

More likely against Guyana, Grenada, and Defence Force

Doh worry who don't hear will feel! when time comes everyone will ask what we did wrong

[g]

This is what you call a SMART objective

play the football.

[palos]

I see this as a "make work" project for the senior mens national team coaching staff

The reality is this......when playing any kind of meaningful match....the senior mens national team will not be relying on the local based players to fill the vast majority of positions.

People made observations about Joevin Jones when he went to Udinese on trial and how he looked hopelessly out of depth.  And he was.  At the time, he was arguably also the best player in the Pro League.

In order for Joevin to approach fulfilling his talent, he had to go abroad.  He is where he is now...considered one of the best left backs in MLS. 

Jut like oil......he had to be refined.  We have ZERO football refineries in T&T.  That's just the truth. 

So keep Dennis Lawrence and co busy...sure.  But until we start to develop those refineries...we'll be dependent on our players being refined in REPUTABLE leagues abroad. 

And by REPUTABLE, I NOT talking about leagues in Phillipines, India, Vietnam etc.

BTW......it is NOT Dennis Lawrence and his coaching staff's responsibility to refine our players.  Players should come to a senior national team already refined.  We know in too many cases, that's just not the case.

[Jefferz]

I see this as a "make work" project for the senior mens national team coaching staff

The reality is this......when playing any kind of meaningful match....the senior mens national team will not be relying on the local based players to fill the vast majority of positions.

People made observations about Joevin Jones when he went to Udinese on trial and how he looked hopelessly out of depth.  And he was.  At the time, he was arguably also the best player in the Pro League.

In order for Joevin to approach fulfilling his talent, he had to go abroad.  He is where he is now...considered one of the best left backs in MLS. 

Jut like oil......he had to be refined.  We have ZERO football refineries in T&T.  That's just the truth. 

So keep Dennis Lawrence and co busy...sure.  But until we start to develop those refineries...we'll be dependent on our players being refined in REPUTABLE leagues abroad. 

And by REPUTABLE, I NOT talking about leagues in Phillipines, India, Vietnam etc.

BTW......it is NOT Dennis Lawrence and his coaching staff's responsibility to refine our players.  Players should come to a senior national team already refined.  We know in too many cases, that's just not the case.

cosign.

[g]

I see this as a "make work" project for the senior mens national team coaching staff

The reality is this......when playing any kind of meaningful match....the senior mens national team will not be relying on the local based players to fill the vast majority of positions.

People made observations about Joevin Jones when he went to Udinese on trial and how he looked hopelessly out of depth.  And he was.  At the time, he was arguably also the best player in the Pro League.

In order for Joevin to approach fulfilling his talent, he had to go abroad.  He is where he is now...considered one of the best left backs in MLS. 

Jut like oil......he had to be refined.  We have ZERO football refineries in T&T.  That's just the truth. 

So keep Dennis Lawrence and co busy...sure.  But until we start to develop those refineries...we'll be dependent on our players being refined in REPUTABLE leagues abroad. 

And by REPUTABLE, I NOT talking about leagues in Phillipines, India, Vietnam etc.

BTW......it is NOT Dennis Lawrence and his coaching staff's responsibility to refine our players.  Players should come to a senior national team already refined.  We know in too many cases, that's just not the case.

It's a Pro League all star team posing as a national team. The notion about having local players in a camp continuously training is laudable but is not the international norm and it comes at a cost too.

But the opposition is at a pro league level so let them play.

[palos]

It's a Pro League all star team posing as a national team. The notion about having local players in a camp continuously training is laudable but is not the international norm and it comes at a cost too.

But the opposition is at a pro league level so let them play.

1 - Don't then try to sell it as a warm up match for world cup qualifying. 

2 - Strengthens my claim that this is just a make work project for the national team coaching staff.  A CEPEP for football as it were

[g]

It's a Pro League all star team posing as a national team. The notion about having local players in a camp continuously training is laudable but is not the international norm and it comes at a cost too.

But the opposition is at a pro league level so let them play.

1 - Don't then try to sell it as a warm up match for world cup qualifying. 

2 - Strengthens my claim that this is just a make work project for the national team coaching staff.  A CEPEP for football as it were

Optics........ People were clamoring for warm up games, some right here in this forum, albeit against better opposition but always wanting the national team to be actively training or in game mode. I have a fundamental disagreement with this approach. It takes the responsibility out of the club system for developing their players and puts it on the national team. The national team is not a club.

Every time I see a Pro League team grouped in CONCACAF champions league I cringe, because every time is a hiding, especially away from home. The very best of what we have locally from a player and coaching perspective... licks! Who is our Technical Director again? What is the purpose of the TTFA technical committee? Do they assess the overall standard of play, the developmental system from grassroots to senior? Do they establish benchmarks on fitness, nutrition, tactics and coaching to develop systematic action plans?

So yea it's a make work project, apparently its an exhibition for the opening of the Grenada domestic season. So if nothing else go, get a good result and build some confidence.

[Adam Lake]

For the life of me I cya understand how we gone from Playing Teams Like Argentina, China, Mexico and Uruguay under Tim Kee's Administration to now playing Barbados and Grenada under DJW. Even worse, this is during an all important WC qualification....

[palos]

It's a Pro League all star team posing as a national team. The notion about having local players in a camp continuously training is laudable but is not the international norm and it comes at a cost too.

But the opposition is at a pro league level so let them play.

1 - Don't then try to sell it as a warm up match for world cup qualifying. 

2 - Strengthens my claim that this is just a make work project for the national team coaching staff.  A CEPEP for football as it were

Optics........ People were clamoring for warm up games, some right here in this forum, albeit against better opposition but always wanting the national team to be actively training or in game mode. I have a fundamental disagreement with this approach. It takes the responsibility out of the club system for developing their players and puts it on the national team. The national team is not a club.

Every time I see a Pro League team grouped in CONCACAF champions league I cringe, because every time is a hiding, especially away from home. The very best of what we have locally from a player and coaching perspective... licks! Who is our Technical Director again? What is the purpose of the TTFA technical committee? Do they assess the overall standard of play, the developmental system from grassroots to senior? Do they establish benchmarks on fitness, nutrition, tactics and coaching to develop systematic action plans?

So yea it's a make work project, apparently its an exhibition for the opening of the Grenada domestic season. So if nothing else go, get a good result and build some confidence.

we on the same page.  Except for calling it what it really is

A fete match for local based players.  Some local based players will get the opportunity to get a match in....even though it's a fete match.

Makes me question whether the TTFA is truly invested in qualifying for the 2018 world cup

Plenty on this site does cuss Conto for his theories......but most does only see what they want to see too.

[lefty]

For the life of me I cya understand how we gone from Playing Teams Like Argentina, China, Mexico and Uruguay under Tim Kee's Administration to now playing Barbados and Grenada under DJW. Even worse, this is during an all important WC qualification....

team development was undermined from the word go.........whether it was ah clumsy attempts to earn caps for pro league players or worse an attempt to rack losses to justify hart's ouster, it was still in poor taste and represented, to me, a nasty disregard the progress that had been made previously.......we can't move forward in ANY sport developmentally as long as succession is seen as break down to build back up and is consistently poisoned by small minded jealousies and frenism, which to me has defined DJWs presidency and precipitated the string successes turned failure we have witnessed......upward trajectory has been shot to shit by d PDF man and he minions

[maxg]

For the life of me I cya understand how we gone from Playing Teams Like Argentina, China, Mexico and Uruguay under Tim Kee's Administration to now playing Barbados and Grenada under DJW. Even worse, this is during an all important WC qualification....

Let's look at it another way..The next FIFA intl break is june 5th to 13th, means
Trinidad & Tobago Squad becomes

Goalkeepers:
Jan-Michael Williams (Central FC), Marvin Phillip (Morvant Caledonia United), Glenroy Samuel (Ma Pau Stars).
Defenders:
Radanfah Abu Bakr (FK Sūduva Marijampolė—LTU), Aubrey David (PS Kemi Kings—FIN), Curtis Gonzales (Defence Force), Sheldon Bateau (Krylia Sovetov Samara—RUS), Daneil Cyrus (W Connection), Mekeil Williams (Colorado Rapids—USA), Tristan Hodge (W Connection), Carlos Edwards (Ma Pau Stars), Alvin Jones (W Connection).
Midfielders:
Andre Boucaud (Dagenham & Redbridge—ENG), Joevin Jones (Seattle Sounders FC—USA), Nathan Lewis (San Juan Jabloteh), Khaleem Hyland (KVC Westerlo—BEL), Kevan George (Jacksonville Armada—USA), Hughtun Hector (W Connection), Hashim Arcia (Defence Force), Kevin Molino (Minnesota United FC—USA), Leston Paul (Central FC), Levi Garcia (AZ Alkmaar—NED).
Forwards:
Cordell Cato (San Jose Earthquakes—USA), Kenwyne Jones (Atlanta United—USA), Willis Plaza (East Bengal FC—IND), Jamille Boatswain (Defence Force).

+ any National team trialist
So you really want to play C teams from Argentina, China, Mexico and Uruguay and the like with the guys possibly available and expect it to be really helpful ? oor do a "make work project" and take the opportunity to cement/develop the current selectees and a few possible candidates to physically and mentally practice the system you will attempt to establish during the limited time, you will have all of the team together against an opposition that will give them the time and chance to first do it slowly and then hopefully later at a faster pace, peaking when it matters most. I think the latter is the purpose. If you choose opposition where they do not have time or opportunity to learn and execute, then it would be best we avoid any games at all. You can't take all elementary or all High school kids and teach them high-ed University programs. Providing we agree our ProLeague players are operating in an elemetary setting. Yes, there is talent, yes, there is potential, but prerequisites must be covered and at many cases mastered, before the final exams. No player left behind, sort of. Yet, one or two will still fail, the manager job is without any major stress, try to prepare the guys he will eventually select and then from those actually take a guess as to which would most likely succeed. However, it's still a team sport, thus he also have to determine the correct chemical combination to ensure success. So he needs to do these little test, rather than no test at all. My thoughts anyway.

add: in the long run, he and those selected still might get it wrong, but at least they would have tried all available processes.

[Deeks]

A fete match for local based players.  Some local based players will get the opportunity to get a match in....even though it's a fete match.

Palos, playing Grenada nowadays is no longer a fete match. Maybe 20 yrs ago. It appears that DJW cannot get a high-profile time to play in the FIFA window. If he cannot get a high-profile, then just get a team willing to play. It appears Grenada willing. The Euro and MLS pros will not get released( are discouraged by their clubs teams) unless it is a WC game. Some of us have been clamouring a Trin-Zuela home and away series. But .... no takers.

[maxg]

Might start a rivalry an interfere with the immigration, gun and body organ trafficking 👹

[injunchile]

Look on the bright side, some of the local players getting a sweat against Grenada can boast that they played for Trinidad & Tobago and that they played International football.
 Secondly we have to find work for Dennis and his staff so what better incentive than a three days holiday in Grenada .

[Mose]

I prefer to use the term "training exeercise" as opposed to make work project.

...
BTW......it is NOT Dennis Lawrence and his coaching staff's responsibility to refine our players.  Players should come to a senior national team already refined.  We know in too many cases, that's just not the case.

I agree with what you say here palos, but that leaves DL with two options:
1. Accept that the local based players are substandard and throw them in at the deep end, or
2. Try to do something to better prepare them before throwing them in at the deep end.

I prefer option 2. 

[palos]

I prefer to use the term "training exeercise" as opposed to make work project.

...
BTW......it is NOT Dennis Lawrence and his coaching staff's responsibility to refine our players.  Players should come to a senior national team already refined.  We know in too many cases, that's just not the case.

I agree with what you say here palos, but that leaves DL with two options:
1. Accept that the local based players are substandard and throw them in at the deep end, or
2. Try to do something to better prepare them before throwing them in at the deep end.

I prefer option 2. 

And how has this option 2 worked for past coaching staff?

[Mose]

I prefer to use the term "training exeercise" as opposed to make work project.

...
BTW......it is NOT Dennis Lawrence and his coaching staff's responsibility to refine our players.  Players should come to a senior national team already refined.  We know in too many cases, that's just not the case.

I agree with what you say here palos, but that leaves DL with two options:
1. Accept that the local based players are substandard and throw them in at the deep end, or
2. Try to do something to better prepare them before throwing them in at the deep end.

I prefer option 2. 

And how has this option 2 worked for past coaching staff?

Couldn't really tell you as I'm not in a position to know if it improved anyone or not. And from a team perspective there's no way to undo what you did and go back and play the same games to say one way or the other. Are you seriously insinuating though that option 1 is the better play? If you have another option, feel free to propose it. I'm all for the betterment of the team.

[palos]

Couldn't really tell you as I'm not in a position to know if it improved anyone or not. And from a team perspective there's no way to undo what you did and go back and play the same games to say one way or the other. Are you seriously insinuating though that option 1 is the better play? If you have another option, feel free to propose it. I'm all for the betterment of the team.

I'm NOT for spinnin top in mud...which is what we doing with these kinds of games

SH took a mainly local based team to play China, Peru, etc and take copious lixx.  Not that the China trip would have yielded any other results just based on travel time and lack of acclimatization

Saintfiet played Gold Cup qualifying games at home against Haiti & Suriname with a majority local based squad and ended up with zero points AT HOME 

Maybe Lawrence is a miracle worker.  Daz what we seem to be hoping for.

At this point....we're f**ked.  It doh matter who we play.  The solution is a long term solution with NO HALF MEASURES.

Properly develop players at the youth level and ensure that facilities, coaching, support resources etc are of a professional standard.

The old adage is very true in this case.....

Fail to prepare (properly).  Prepare to (properly) fail.

[Sando prince]

Couldn't really tell you as I'm not in a position to know if it improved anyone or not. And from a team perspective there's no way to undo what you did and go back and play the same games to say one way or the other. Are you seriously insinuating though that option 1 is the better play? If you have another option, feel free to propose it. I'm all for the betterment of the team.

I'm NOT for spinnin top in mud...which is what we doing with these kinds of games

SH took a mainly local based team to play China, Peru, etc and take copious lixx.  Not that the China trip would have yielded any other results just based on travel time and lack of acclimatization

Saintfiet played Gold Cup qualifying games at home against Haiti & Suriname with a majority local based squad and ended up with zero points AT HOME 

Exactly! Iz either we have short memory or just hope in miracles. We have been down this road before recently with moistly local based teams and suffered heavy consequences.
.