The Trinidad and Tobago national under-20 football team settled for a 3-3 draw at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya yesterday despite twice leading Angostura 1976 FC Phoenix in their Bmobile Super League encounter.
The relevance of the standings on Zoran Vranes' job security is uncertain. The Yugoslav born coach signed on as national youth coach and ended up in charge of the under-20 "FC". The idea of placing a youth team in a senior league is hardly novel and not necessarily progressive either.
Young Jamal Clarence, who scored one and created another as a second half sub, scored a handful of Pro League goals last season with Police while another substitute, Jean-Luc Rochford already has a few caps with bmobile Joe Public. The wisdom of playing such prospects in an inferior competition for the supposed benefit of prolonged bonding is debatable.
Still, Clarence gave further notice of his offensive threat while Rochford also scored a neat header and left back Uriah Bentick blasted home a low free kick. At the other end, under-20 keeper Sheldon Clarke gifted goals to Dominique Kerr and Dave Grimshaw before Kerr, who routinely tormented the teenaged defence, got the equaliser with a solo effort.
It is worth noting that the under-20 starting central defenders play regularly for the Clico San Juan Jabloteh Pro League team while the top teenaged goalie runs out with their Reserve team.
The contrasting positions of Jabloteh and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) should ensure a lively debate when the CONCACAF qualifiers kick off.
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