TRINIDAD and Tobago Under-20 defender Marvin Waldrop said the team is prepared to battle for their country at the Concacaf Under-20 Men’s Championships in Honduras.
T&T are in Group F alongside Mexico, Haiti and Suriname. T&T will open their campaign against Haiti on Sunday from 6 pm.
T&T will leave San Jose, Costa Rica on Friday morning following a training camp.
Defender Waldrop, speaking about the camaraderie in the camp, said, “Really a great group of fellas. (It is an) amazing experience playing against such great teams. We have everything - we have good pitches, we have good gyms, we have good trainers. It is just for us to deliver and work hard together.”
Waldrop said the players are ready to give their all.
“The boys willing to give their blood, sweat and tears for the country. We determined, we have the grit and we hoping to make everybody at home proud.”
Midfielder Josiah Wilson said, “Playing under coach Angus (Eve) and working with him is a great feeling because he is such a good coach and he motivates us to do better every training session.”
He said the camp in Costa Rica was rewarding. “I would describe this training camp in Costa Rica as tough because we are all working towards the first game and it is a very competitive team and we all have to work hard to earn a spot on the team.”
Wilson is anticipating the challenge of playing in the tournament. The top four teams in the 20-team tournament will qualify for the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Indonesia. The finalists will also earn a spot at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Watch Wilson and Waldrop keen to begin Concacaf challenge
Watch Meet Noah Roka - The Austrian-born left back playing for T&T U-20s
(Trinidad and Tobago 20-member team)
Goalkeepers: 18.Rushon Sandy (Patuxent Football Athletics—USA), 1.Jahiem Wickham (Toronto FC—Canada),
Defenders: 5.Jaron Pascall (Police FC), 4.Jaheim Joseph (W Connection), 14.Josiah Cooper (Club Sando), 2.Christian Bailey (Defence Force FC), 13.Noah Roka (FC Stadieu—Austria), 3.Marvin Waldrop (Club Sando), 19.Isaiah Thompson (Unattached), 16.Tyrik Trotman (Hartford Community College—USA),
Midfielders: 8.Luke Phillip (Deportivo Point Fortin), 17.Andrew De Gannes (Atlanta Utd Academy—USA), 7.Kaihim Thomas (Terminix La Horquetta Rangers), 6.Kassidy Davidson (IFAPT—Portugal), 10.Molik Jesse Khan (Minnesota United II—USA), 15.Micah Cain (TSV Meerbusch—Germany),
Attackers: 9.Real Gill (Terminix La Horquetta Rangers), 12.Josiah Wilson (Cercle Brugge KSV—Belgium), 11.Nathaniel James (W Connection), 20.Tarik Lee (W Connection).
Head coach: Angus Eve