Members of the National Under 17 team have been allowed to play for their respective teams in the ongoing Royal Bank Intercol series and will regroup on Friday for this country’s friendly encounter against Venezuela at the Marvin Lee Stadium from 6pm that same day.
This was revealed by T&T Under 17 coach Nigel Grosvenor who had been conducting sessions with the players in live in camps at the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence on past weekends. But rather than call them into camp this week, he will allow them to play for their school teams. However, the week leading up to the Caribbean Football Union World qualifier against Cuba on November 19, all players will be barred from representing club or school.
“We’ve not been able to play much training games because of the current schools league but at the same time I expect them to have a decent level of fitness because they have been playing football for the past couple months and we have been working on their condition in the sessions. The togetherness is still there and we are hoping to continue where we left off in the last tournament in Tobago,” Grosvenor told TTFF Media on Tuesday. Grosvenor has added three players to the squad for the friendly against Cuba which will be one of a double header with T&T Under 20s tackling their Venezuelan age group counterparts from 8pm at the same venue.
“We know the Venezuelan style of football is a good one coming from South America and of lately they have been improving. They are no longer a push over team and I expect that their youth team will be able to give us a good test. Added to that, the Spanish flavour also finds good favour in the country and we are hoping the fans, both the locals and the Venezuelans will come out and create a nice setting for the guys to go out there and enjoy playing good football,” Grosvenor added.
Stephan De Las, who was on a recent training stint with English club Birmingham City, as well as Signal Hill Senior Comprehensive defender Jevon Morton and Mucurapo SC goalkeeper Nigel Thomas have been drafted into the squad. National Under 20 coach Anton Corneal will finalize his squad on the eve of the Venezuela friendly and will also use the second affair against the visitors on Sunday from 6pm to see what adjustments will be needed for their CFU qualifier against Cuba also being played on November 19.
“It’s a preparation game for Cuba and I am hoping to see one or two new players as well as players who didn’t start in the last tournament. Based on how these two games go, we will know what the squad should look like for Cuba and will decide which of the US College-based players we may need,” said Corneal who returned from a visit in the United States where he spent some time speaking to coaches of College teams and looking at available talent.
T&T Under 17 Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Kareem Charles (Tranquility Secondary), Kevin Mussio (St Anthony’s College), Nigel Thomas (Mucurapo SC).
Defenders:
Jeromy Williams (Scarborough SC), Kurt Williams (Vessigny), Brendon Boucaud (St Anthony’s College), Marvin James (Fatima College), Jevon Morton (Signal Hill SC), Kaleem Hyland (Mucurapo SC), Jevon Morton (Signal Hill SC).
Midfielders:
Javed Mohammed (capt - Naparima College), Kerron Ross (Malick SC), Qian Grosvenor (St Mary’s College), Stephan De Las (St Benedict’s College), Michael Brown (San Juan SC), Shastri Spencer (St Augustine SC), Silas Spann (St Benedict’s College), Nyron Orr (Roxborough Comp).
Forwards:
Carlon Hughes (Mayaro Comp), Kyle McIvor (Queen’s Royal College), Kerlon Fergusson (Mason Hall Gov’t), Lester Peltier (St Anthony’s College).