The T&T Under-20 footballers are stepping up their preparations for the Group “A” final round matches in the 2005 CONCACAF Under-20 World Youth Championships qualification series with a live-in camp at the Centre of Excellence in Macoya, Tunapuna, which started at miday yesterday.
In the series scheduled from January 12 to 16 in the USA, T&T will meet host team Costa Rica and Panama.
Group “B” of the CONCACAF series in Honduras from January 26 to 30 will involve Mexico, Canada, Jamaica and host side Honduras, and will be played at the Francisco Marazan Stadium.
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championships finals in the Netherlands from June 10 to July 2.
T&T Under-20 team coach Anton Corneal said yesterday: “We need to have a lot of concentration sessions at the moment.
“In order for us to have long periods of training we need to spend to spend a lot of time together and over the next five days we will have that opportunity.
“It’s like our final preparation before we leave for the USA.”
Corneal expressed disappointment, however, that some proposed friendly matches against the Venezuela and Colombia Under-20 teams have not materialised.
“We still have no word on whether or not we will be facing any international opponents before the round-robin series in the USA, so we will have to make do with some matches against the local clubs.
“Over the last couple of days we have put in a lot of work and were fortunate to have the services of US-based players Cleavon George, Abiola Sandy, Makan Hislop and Kevin Crooks,” he said.
Looking ahead to the tournament, Corneal said: “It’s going to very difficult for me to pick a final 18-man team from the squad of 25 players; all the guys have been giving their best.”
With regards to his opponents, Corneal stated that he has some knowledge of the US team while Costa Rica and Panama remain a mystery.
“I have some connections in the US and have been getting some feedback on the USA team — their strengths individually and as a team and their key players.
“Some of the guys in the USA team came through the collegiate ranks while some like Freddy Adu are in the Major League Soccer. “
T&T reached the CONCACAF final round series with a 6-5 aggregate win over Cuba — 3-2 away win and 3-3 at home.