Talks with the Ministry of National Security have been taking place behind the scenes as national men's football coach Terry Fenwick intensifies his efforts to secure a few international friendly matches, ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in March.
Fenwick's men are set to face Guyana in their opening match on March 25 but their preparations for the past few months, have been hampered by exemptions needed by the Ministry of National Security, for the teams coming into and going out of the country.
"We have had some concerted efforts behind the scenes with National Security trying to help us to get games. Obviously, in the world we live in today quarantine is a big issue, and it's not just before the games but it's the country that they go back to, so they're in five to seven or 10-day quarantine camps," said Fenwick.
"In the UK, as we speak you have two weeks, wherever you go you've two weeks quarantine. So we recognise the difficulties around the world, yes we're trying to get games, everywhere else around the world they're playing football and we're not. We have got a World Cup qualifier coming up on the 25th of March that is all-important, so we are working hard behind the scenes to achieve these goals."
The former San Juan Jabloteh and Central FC coach has, on numerous occasions, highlighted the challenges being encountered in securing international friendly matches, amid a deadly COVID-19 pandemic, but he said on Tuesday that he is hoping that within the next 24 hours they can announce something of significance.
In the recent past, Fenwick had lined up a number of international matches - with Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica, as well as a camp in the United States, all of which fell through due to a combination of lack of funding, and the difficulty involved in arranging matches due to the coronavirus protocols.
Following the team's opening match at home, the Warriors will then face Puerto Rico on March 28 (away), the Bahamas on June 5 (away), and St Kitts and Nevis on June 8 (at home).
In spite of the challenges, however, Fenwick continued his preparations on Tuesday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo with a large, enthusiastic crop of mostly young players, who will have to work doubly hard to seal a place on the team.
Like Fenwick, the players have had their own challenges with no local football taking place for the past year and a half. Due to this, Fenwick has had to scour the globe in search of match-fit players, which he told the media he has done successfully.
The English-born coach has already identified some 25 players from the UK and in the United States which he said may most likely be the players to represent the country at the qualifiers.
In the meanwhile, the local players have been developing a playing style that will suit the team.
Fenwick explained: "We're establishing a style of play. We've identified lots of players overseas, UK, Europe, and North America and they are playing at a much better standard of football than the guys here in Trinidad, but we've all got to come to a style of football that suits the players that we've got, that's what I am doing with the local guys here on the ground."