A 21-man Trinidad and Tobago Under 23 Men’s team will face Jamaica’s Under 23s in a friendly encounter on March 7 at the Edward Seaga Complex from 7pm.
The squad, under head coach Angus Eve, will depart for Kingston on Tuesday and will also face a Jamaican Premier League club on March 9 before heading to Fort Lauderdale for a training camp.
Eve is anticipating a good work out from the Jamaicans as they are also expected to include some senior players in the line-up for the clash next Wednesday.
“It’s a good warm up for us to have at this stage of the preparation. Of course several of our players would have played on Friday and then on Sunday before we head off to Jamaica but we’re hoping everyone remains injury free and then we’ll be set for the rest of the campaign going into the final round,” Eve told TTFF Media on Sunday.
Her Excellency High Commissioner Dr. Iva Gloudon will also meet the T&T contingent during their brief stay in Jamaica
The Olympic qualifying round is not set within a FIFA date which means that the clubs are not obligated to release the players. Belgium club Raving Genk will not release Khaleem Hyland but in the case of the local and US clubs, the TTFF appreciates their cooperation and support as they will be releasing the players for an extended period which also includes the training camp in Fort Lauderdale from March 10 up until the end of the qualifiers in April.
T&T are slated to play five training matches in Fort Lauderdale including one against Canada’s Under 23 team and another against Orlando City, pro team of midfielder Kevin Molino.
“We are looking to play five matches within the two week period before the tournament,” Eve said.
“We will play three matches in the first week to assess the new overseas players coming in in terms of their fitness and how well they fit into the squad and then the final week we will play a couple more games as we decide on the final squad for the tournament.”
Team manager William Wallace said that Molino, Sean De Silva and Columbus Crew’s Kevan George will join the squad in the US. However there is some uncertainty over Mekeil Williams who recently signed with Polish club Pogon Szczecin FC while US-born player Nick De Leon has not committed to date.
“We have confirmation on three of the players but there’s no final word on the availability of Williams and De Leon who has indicated his willingness to play but we are still awaiting final word from him. If that doesn’t come within the next week or so then we will arrange to suit by use of another player,” Wallace said.
T&T 21-man squad to Jamaica
San Juan Jabloteh - Sheldon Bateau.
Defence Force F.C. - Sheldon Clarke, Curtis Gonzales.
North East Stars - Kaydion Gabriel, Andre Marchan, Jean-Luc Rochford, Jeromie Williams.
Caledonia AIA - Trevin Caesar, Jamal Gay, Micah Lewis, Nuru Abdullah Mohammad, Aquil Selby.
St. Ann's Rangers F.C. - Kareem Moses, Cameron Roget.
T&TEC F.C. - Jayson Joseph, Marcus Joseph.
W Connection - Joevin Jones, Shahdon Winchester, Jomal Williams, Leslie Russell.
1st Santa Rosa FC – Daneil Cyrus.