Trinidad and Tobago Under-23 coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier has selected seven players each from reigning national champions CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh and runners up VIBE CT 105FM W Connection.
The T&T 20-man squad leaves for Guadalajara on Friday via Miami and will be joined there by Samuel and United States College duo Scott Sealey and Anthony Noreiga.
Sealey is coming off an outstanding season with Wake Forest University in the USA, while Noreiga also enjoyed a successful campaign with George Mason University also in the USA. Both players were in training with the squad over the Christmas period.
English-based striker Jason Norville of Watford FC was originally expected to join the squad as well but has been ruled out because of injury. T&T is coming off two narrow defeats to the Cuban Senior team, going down 1-0 in both matches last week and coach Fevrier is quietly optimistic about a strong showing in Mexico. T&T conceded goals in the 57th and 59th minutes respectively. “I think the two matches in Cuba definitely have us a chance to see how well the players are coping at that level of the game. “We played their full senior team and we were on par with them tactically but I think a lapse in concentration cost us the two matches and we will be working on improving that aspect as we enter the games,” Charles-Fevrier said yesterday. “Though we would obviously have liked more time, I think barring any injuries, we can definitely go there and give just as good a fight as any of the other teams,” he added.
The squad will be captained by Silvio Spann and other members include the likes of CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh striker Devon Mitchell who has been on trial with Scottish club Falkirk, current team of Russell Latapy, Vibe CT 105 W Connection trio Kenwyne Jones, goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams and Kendall Davis, senior team midfielder Nigel Daniel as well as Jabloteh duo Michael Celestine and Kerry Baptiste, all capable of giving their opponents a miserable time on their days.
T&T face Mexico on February 2 at the Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara and then clash with Costa Rica on Feb 4 and Jamaica two days later. The top two teams advance to the semi-finals to meet the other two teams from the Group B comprising of United States, Honduras, Panama and Canada. The two finalists will advance to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
T&T Squad: Jan-Michael Williams, Lyndon Diaz, Kenwyne Jones, Silvio Spann, Clyde Leon, Kendall Davis, Jason Marcano (W Connection), Kerry Baptiste, Josh Johnson, Nigel Daniel, Devon Mitchell, Michael Celestine, Daurance Williams, Ronald Primus (Jabloteh), Devon Caseman (Joe Public), Kern Thomas (North East Stars), Errol Charles (Starworld Strikers), Scott Sealey (Wake Forest University), Anthony Noreiga (George Mason University), Colin Samuel (Dundee United).
Tech Staff: Stuart Fevrier (head coach), Brian Williams (assistant coach), Wayne Lawson (physio), Ikin Williams (equipment manager), George Joseph (Manager).