Trinidad and Tobago national men's senior team head coach Stephen Hart has submitted a 34-man roster for the upcoming 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament which is set to kick-off this summer in the United States from July 7 - 26.
While all other countries has submitted 35 players, Trinidad and Tobago went ahead and named just 34 and is currently looking into adding an additional player to bring the squad up to 35.
Hart told the Soca Warriors Online: "We were originally told to name 30 but last week they contacted us and said we could go with 35 players, added Hart."
The Soca Warriors meanwhile, are scheduled to take on Guatemala in their opening encounter on July 9th in Chicago. They then meet Cuba in Phoenix on the 12th and then completing it's group stage game against the mighty Mexicans 3-days later in Charlotte.
Each team must select 23 players from the 35 for its opening tournament squad, which will be announced June 23. Each nation that advances may replace six players after the group stage, with the replacements coming from among the original 35. An injured player from the final list may be replaced by another from provisional list 24 hours before his national team's first game.
Trinidad & Tobago Provisional Squad
Goalkeepers:
Jan-Michael Williams (Central FC), Marvin Phillip (Point Fortin Civic), Adrian Foncette (Police FC), Cleon John (North East Stars).
Defenders:
Radanfah Abu Bakr (HB Køge—Denmark), Justin Hoyte (Millwall—UK), Carlyle Mitchell (Seoul E-Land FC—South Korea), Mekeil Williams (W Connection), Kaydion Gabriel (Central FC), Sheldon Bateau (KV Mechelen—Belgium), Joevin Jones (Chicago Fire—USA), Gavin Hoyte (Barnet FC—UK), Daneil Cyrus (W Connection), Aubrey David (Shakhter Karagandy—Kazakhstan), Yohance Marshall (Juventud Independiente—El Salvador), Eljiah Belgrave (Police FC).
Midfielders:
Andre Boucaud (Dagenham & Redbridge—UK), Leston Paul (Central FC), Khaleem Hyland (KVC Westerlo—Belgium), Ataullah Guerra (Central FC), Sean De Silva (Central FC), Keron Cummings (North East Stars), Cordell Cato (San Jose Earthquakes—USA), Lester Peltier (Slovan Bratislava—Slovakia), Dwane James (North East Stars), Kadeem Corbin (St Ann’s Rangers), Kevan George (Columbus Crew—USA).
Forwards:
Shahdon Winchester (W Connection), Kenwyne Jones - capt - (Bournemouth—UK), Devorn Jorsling (Defence Force), Willis Plaza (Central FC), Rundell Winchester (Portland Timbers 2—USA), Jonathan Glenn (ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar—Iceland), Trevin Caesar (Austin Aztex—USA).
Coach - Stephen Hart.
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Hart calls up uncapped quartet.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Soca Warriors coach Stephen Hart has named uncapped quartet Kadeem Corbin (St Ann’s Rangers), Kaydion Gabriel (Central FC), Elijah Belgrave (Police FC) and goalkeeper Adrian Foncette (Police FC) in a 34-man squad submitted by the T&T Football Association to Concacaf ahead of the Concacaf Gold Cup 2015 which kicks off in the USA next month.
The trio of Corbin, a former national Under-20 striker and ‘Most Valuable Player’ of last year’s Caribbean Football Union Under-20 Championship, right-back Gabriel and defender Belgrave had their first senior national team outings against Curacao in a 1-0 friendly loss last Friday in Willemstad, but that encounter will not be considered an official international by FIFA, as the host were allowed to play two separate teams in each half against the Soca Warriors, something which was agreed to by both teams as they continued preparations for their respective international engagements.
Foncette on the other hand was the third choice goalkeeper for the Soca Warriors during last year’s Caribbean Football Union Cup and along with Japs North East Stars custodian Cleon John, who has one cap from in 2013 will be hoping to unseat regular duo, Jan-Michael Williams and Marvin Phillip.
The roster of the T&T squad and 11 other participating teams was revealed by Concacaf on Wednesday, but the Soca Warriors were the only team to submit a 34 players instead of the full provisional 35-player rosters for the tournament. According to Concacaf rules, the binding rosters will serve as the foundation for teams to select their final rosters that will ultimately compete in the Confederation’s flagship national team tournament, from July 7-26.
In line with the Concacaf Gold Cup 2015 regulations, the preliminary rosters publicized will provide the total universe of players from which each national team may choose its initial 23-player roster. Each national team will also be permitted to make up to six replacements to that 23-player list after the conclusion of the tournament’s group stage. Those replacements must also come from the provisional list of 35 published today.
The final 23-player roster announcement will be made by Concacaf and the participating member associations on June 23. When asked to explain why T&T did not use its full quota of players for the initial roster after the Concacaf website initially showed the T&TFA had submitted only 30 players, coach Hart said the problem was already rectified.
He explained, “It was a simple error by both parties because Concacaf had originally asked us for a list of 30 players and we did that, but then they came back and said that we had room for five more players. “But during that time we were in Curacao for the friendly encounter, so we forwarded the information to them with regards to the other players to add to the team, but by then they had already did their lines-up for the story which was seen on the website.
Commenting on the selection of the squad, Hart said the reason he did not include a few emerging younger players like Shannon Gomez, Neveal Hackshaw, Alvin Jones and Jomal Williams, was because he felt it was much wiser and important at this time for them to be part of the Zoran Vranes-coached Pan American Games and Olympic qualifiers squad.
He added, “Unless it’s absolutely necessary it will serve all parties involved well. Because it will make no sense to have them in the senior squad and take them to tournaments and leave them on the bench, when they could be helping the cause of the Pan Am and Olympic qualifying teams. “At those tournaments they will be of much more importance to their teams and also be able to gain some much needed exposure and experience.”
“At the lower level, they will more than likely start every match, and if they are needed for the senior team, then they can be drafted back into the squad when the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers begin for us,” said Hart. For this year’s Gold Cup, host USA is the defending champion and along with the 2013 title, secured half a ticket to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.
The Americans could clinch a berth in that intercontinental competition by defending their title in 2015. If the champion of the 2015 Gold Cup is any team other than the USA, that team will qualify for a playoff match against the Americans to decide which Concacaf national team will represent the region in the next Confederations Cup.
Not included in the squad named by Hart are the long-term injured trio of Hughtun Hector (Hanoi T&T/Vietnam), Kevin Molino (Orlando City/USA) and Seon Power (Chainat FC/Thailand) while USA-based duo, defender Julius James (San Antonio Scorpions/USA) and midfielder Kareem Moses (Edmonton FC/USA), were both overlooked.
The 12 national teams qualified for this year’s tournament are, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, T&T and USA.
T&T Gold Cup 2015 Provisional rosters
T&T GK (4)—Adrian Foncette (Police); Marvin Phillip (PFCC); Jan-Michael Williams (Central FC), Cleon John (North East Stars)
DF (10)—Radanfah Abu Bakr (HB Koge/Denmark); Sheldon Bateau (KV Mechelen/Belgium); Daneil Cyrus (Ha Noi/Vietnam); Aubrey David (Shakhter Karagandy /Kazakhstan); Gavin Hoyte (unattached); Justin Hoyte (Millwall/England); Yohance Marshall (Juventud Independiente/El Salvador); Carlyle Mitchell (Seoul E-Land FC/Korea Republic); Mekeil Williams (DirecTV W Connection), Elijah Belgrave (Police FC)
MF (11)—Andre Boucaud (Dagenham & Redbridge/England); Cordell Cato (San Jose Earthquakes/USA); Keron Cummings (North East Stars); Sean De Silva (Central FC); Kaydion Gabriel (Central FC); Khaleem Hyland (Genk/Belgium); Dwane James (North East Stars); Joevin Jones (Chicago Fire/USA); Leston Paul (Central FC); Lester Peltier (Slovan Bratislava/Slovakia), Kevon George (Columbus Crew),
F (9)—Trevin Caesar (San Antonio Scorpions/USA); Jonathan Glenn (IBV/Iceland); Kenwyne Jones (Cardiff City/Wales); Devorn Jorsling (Defence Force); Atuallah Guerra (Central FC); Willis Plaza (Central FC); Rundell Winchester (Portland Timbers 2/USA); Shahdon Winchester (DirecTV W Connection), Kadeem Corbin (St Ann’s Rangers).
2015 CONCACAF GOLD CUP Groups
GROUP A: USA, Panama, Haiti, Honduras
GROUP B: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Canada, Jamaica
GROUP C: Mexico, Guatemala, Trinidad & Tobago, Cuba