Trinidad and Tobago’s National Under 17 footballers got a chance to fine tune their finishing under former National Senior and Youth Team coach Bertille St Clair at the Dwight Yorke Stadium last week.
The Under 17s, preparing for the CONCACAF Final Round of qualification towards the 2007 FIFA Under 17 World Championship, were engaged in a live-in training camp in the sister-isle and head coach Anton Corneal offered the invitation to St Clair to work with the youth players . He subsequently conducted two sessions and also assisted in other aspects of the team’s program at the Yorke Stadium.
The U17s closed off their camp with a 4-2 win over St Clair’s Coaching School with Stephen Knox grabbing a double, Franz Husbands netting one and an own goal completing the four items. T&T led 2-0 at the break.
Corneal explained that it was ideal for St Clair, highly respected for his work at the youth level being the only local coach to take T&T to a World Youth Cup, to work with the present crop.
“I felt it was ideal for him to step in and play a part,” Corneal told TTFF Media. “He worked with them on finishing and playing at a faster pace and I think with his experience, it made it a valuable one for the boys. He is ideal when it comes to getting discipline where it should be and for them to hear from someone else was important. They are young boys but they are aware of who he is and his history with the game here,” Corneal said, adding that while finishing is mostly linked with forwards and midfielders, all position players benefited from the work out.
He added that St Clair never hesitated when asked to offer his services.
“This was done with the blessings of the TTFF. He accepted without any hesitations and it worked out well for us and the country on a whole because it shows that this is not about being Anton Corneal’s team but it is in fact the country’s team and we have to put Trinidad and Tobago first at all times.
“I hope we can move on from here and take the experience with us. The boys know that the upcoming tournament could play such a vital role in their careers because it’s a chance to play in a World Cup at a youth level. We will be patient but we know where our focus should be and we will continue working towards giving our best in the final round of the qualifying tournament later this month,” Corneal concluded.
Group A action got going in El Salvador last week but T&T will go into Group B fixtures in Kingston against Costa Rica on April 28, USA (April 30), Canada (May 4) and Jamaica on May 6. The top three teams from the five-nation group will advance to the World Under 17 Championship in Korea in August this year.