Digicel Pro League Champions Defence Force will depart Piarco Airport on Wednesday morning with its destination Brazil, for the 5th CISM Military World Games held from July 16 - 24.
Defence Force led by head coach Ross Russell and assistant coach Marvin Gordon qualified for the Military World Games—illustrated as the Military Olympics—by reaching the Final of the 2010 Armed Forces Continental Football Championship tournament in Suriname last November. Russell’s charges were edged 5-4 on penalties after a goalless draw in the Final.
The Pro League club’s journey to the Armed Forces Continental Football Championship Final saw it top Group B with wins over hosts Suriname (3-0) and Canada (5-0) before edging Ecuador (4-3) in the semi-final round.
The T&T soldiers will now depart Piarco around 6:45am and meet a connection flight in Suriname around mid-day for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil—host nation of the Military Games Village.
The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force is grouped with the Defence Forces of Germany, Cameroon and Egypt. The group winner and best overall second positioned finisher will advance into the Semi-Final Round.
Defence Force FC will first meet the Germans on Friday 15 July followed by Cameroon on Sunday 17 July and Egypt in their final group match on Tuesday 19 July.
Accompanying Russell and Gordon in team management are Captain Keston Charles (Manager), Mark Lewis (Trainer), David Cumberbatch (Physiotherapist) and Corporal Michael Smith (Media Representative).
While the 20-man travelling squad includes Corey Rivers(team captain), goalkeepers Kevin Graham and Dillon Prince, Rawyle Fletcher, Aklie Edwards, Keston Williams, Kerry Joseph, Anton Joseph, Jerywn Balthazar, Dexter Pacheco, Sean Narcis, Javon Neptune, Jemel Seabro, Balondemu Julius, Richard Roy, Michael Edwards, Albert Dexter Thornhill, Rondell Elcock and Devin Jordan.
“It’s a bit of youth and experience,” explained assistant coach Gordon on Tuesday morning following final preparations at the Defence Force Headquarters Ground in Chaguaramas.
“We have the Rawyle Fletcher, the Michael Edwards, the skipper Corey Rivers as the experience and we have the young Jemel Seabro, Richard Roy, Dexter Thornhill as the youths. We blend the team with youth and experience because the younger players need experienced players to guide them especially in tournaments like these.”
Apart from attempting to win the tournament in Brazil, Gordon explained added benefits for the Pro League club.
He said, “As well as going to try and win the tournament, we see it as a great pre-season for us in coming back to defend our League title. We think it would give us a better advantage over other teams coming off a tournament like this and heading straight into the season.
“We will be more match-ready and suppose to get a better start than all the teams this year (in the Digicel Pro League Championship).”
The Military World Games, which appears every four years, is organized by the International Military Sports Council (CISM). The Military World Games began in 1995 and hosted in Rome, Italy. Zagreb, Croatia hosted the Games in 1999, Catania, Italy in 2003 and Hyderabad, India in 2007. Mungyeong, South Korea have already been chosen 2015 hosts.
This year the Military World Games will comprise twenty-four(24) sports, some of them appearing for the first time in military world games, such as beach volleyball.
Precautionary decision – Carter left out Military Games squad
Defence Force attacker Kevon Carter has been left out of a 20-man squad which leaves Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday morning for the 5th CISM Military World Games held from July 16 – 24 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
It was a precautionary move according to assistant coach Marvin Gordon who said they followed advice of team physiotherapist David Cumberbatch to rest out the 27 year old Trinidad and Tobago international who suffered a broken right leg ten months ago.
Carter suffered the injury on October 01 in the quarterfinals of the First Citizens Cup against St. Ann's Rangers at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium under a challenge by defender Elijah Belgrave.
Defence Force went on to reach the Final on October 24 but suffered a 3-0 penalty kicks defeat against Joe Public at Marvin Lee Stadium following a 1-1 draw as Carter looked on from the stands. He underwent surgery six days after picking up the injury.
But since then Carter has not played a fully competitive match although deemed fully recovered.
Carter featured for Defence Force in a 3-1 practice match win over Caledonia on Saturday however the club prefers not to risk what is considered its most valuable asset.
The 20-man travelling squad includes Corey Rivers (team captain), goalkeepers Kevin Graham and Dillon Prince, Rawyle Fletcher, Aklie Edwards, Keston Williams, Kerry Joseph, Anton Joseph, Jerywn Balthazar, Dexter Pacheco, Sean Narcis, Javon Neptune, Jemel Seabro, Balondemu Julius, Richard Roy, Michael Edwards, Albert Dexter Thornhill, Rondell Elcock and Devin Jordan.
The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force is grouped with the Defence Forces of Germany, Cameroon and Egypt. The group winner and best overall second positioned finisher will advance into the Semi-Final Round.
Defence Force FC will first meet the Germans on Friday 15 July followed by Cameroon on Sunday 17 July and Egypt in their final group match on Tuesday 19 July.