National Under 23 team head coach Zoran Vranes will have former National midfielder Angus Eve and Clint Marcelle as his two assistants as preparations step up with this country’s Olympic team ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in England.
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation made the appointments of Eve and Marcelle, both former senior team and English-based professionals.
And longstanding administrator Norris Ferguson has been appointed as the manager of the team while Jefferson George will take up the position of goalkeeper coach for the team which comprises of several players who participated at the 2007 FIFA Under 17 World Cup and 2009 FIFA Under 20 World Youth Cup in Egypt.
Both Marcelle and Eve have also played for T&T at the Under 23 and other related teams at the youth level. The 42-year-old Marcelle played in Portugal and England from 1991-2006 and lined up for the likes of Barnsley, Falgueiras, West Bromwich Albion, Scunthorpe, Hull City, Darlington and Grimsby Town among other clubs.
Marcelle is also a past coach with DirecTV North East Stars. The 37-year-old Eve meantime played for Chester City in England and also lined up locally for Defence Force, Joe Public and San Juan Jabloteh.
He has been working as a coach for Ma Pau FC and was also an assistant coach with San Juan Jabloteh. Eve is listed as the player with the most senior international appearances for T&T at 117.
Vranes emphasized the importance of kickstarting the preparations of the Under 23 team and is looking forward to having both men as part of his coaching staff.
“Well this group of players possess tremendous experience of having played in two World Cups at the youth level and already we are seeing some of them on the Senior Team. I think they have the ability to become a really good senior team in the future,” Vranes told TTFF Media.
“And we have arranged a staff that is capable of coming together and working in the best interest of taking the team forward to the Olympics and other international competitions.
I know both individuals and what they are capable of in terms of the knowledge of the game and hopefully we can prepare the team in the best possible way. We will work on creating a good understanding and bond within the team.”
Vranes said he was looking ahead to the start of training following the Digicel Caribbean Cup Finals and the TTFF FA Trophy tournament. The full technical staff will be finalized and announced in due course.