MANY senior players have been included in a 26-member T&T men's senior football squad to face Guyana in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match on March 25 in the Dominican Republic.
Among the defenders chosen are Sheldon Bateau, Aubrey David, Joevin Jones and Radanfah Abu Bakr and the midfield includes former captain Khaleem Hyland and Andre Boucaud.
The talented Levi Garcia will lead the attack, along with other players Willis Plaza and Brent Sam. Adrian Foncette and Marvin Phillip are among four goalkeepers who will make the trip.
Kevin Molino and Alvin Jones are injured and have been excluded.
Trinidad and Tobago Squad
Goalkeepers:
Marvin Phillip (Unattached), Adrian Foncette (Police FC), Denzil Smith (W Connection), Nicklas Frenderup (Stjørdals-Blink);
Defenders:
Noah Powder (Real Salt Lake), Leland Archer (Charleston Battery), Justin Garcia (Defence Force FC), Sheldon Bateau (KV Mechelen), Aubrey David (Deportivo Saprissa), Radanfah Abu Bakr (Unattached), Robert Roberts (Bengaluru United), Joevin Jones (Inter Miami CF);
Midfielders:
Michel Poon-Angeron (Club Atlético Banfield), Andre Boucaud (Maidstone United), Neveal Hackshaw (Indy Eleven FC), Duane Muckette (Unattached), Daniel Phillips (Watford FC), Judah Garcia (Neroca FC), Khaleem Hyland (Al Batin FC), Levi Garcia (AEK Athens), Sean Bonval (Central FC);
Attackers:
Brent Sam (Defence Force FC), Ryan Telfer (York United FC), Willis Plaza (Mohammedan SC), Jabari Mitchell (Police FC), Marcus Joseph (Unattached).
Staff
Terence Fenwick (head coach), Derek King (assistant coach), Kelvin Jack (assistant/goalkeeper coach), Sion Cain (masseuse), Joseph Rooplal (physiotherapist), Akash Dhanai (doctor), Michael Williams (equipment manager), Shaun Fuentes (media officer), Clyde Thompson (logistics coordinator), Adrian Romain (team manager).
Guyana Squad
Goalkeepers
Akel Clarke (Mount Pleasant Academy), Kai McKenzie-Lyle (Cambridge United), Shawn Adonis (Guyana Police Force FC);
Defenders
Matthew Briggs (Vejle Boldklub), Miguel Scarlett (Unattached), Kadell Daniel (Margate FC), Jeremy Garrett (Guyana Defence Force FC), Nicolai Andrews (Santos FC), Bayli Spencer-Adams (Watford FC), Terence Vancooten (Stevenage FC);
Midfielders
Nathan Moriah-Welsh (Bournemouth FC), Sam Cox (capt) (Hampton & Richmond FC), Daniel Wilson (Guyana Police Force FC), Jobe Caesar (Guyana Defence Force FC), Ryan Hackett (Guyana Defence Force FC), Pernel Schultz (Guyana Police Force FC);
Attackers
Callum Harriott (Colchester United), Keanu Marsh-Brown (Newport County AFC), Omari Glasgow (Fruta Conquerors FC), Kelsey Benjamin (Guyana Defence Force FC), Nicolas McArthur (Fruta Conquerors FC), Trayon Bobb (Uitvlugt Warriors FC), Emery Welshman (Hapoel Ra'anana AFC).
Coach - Márcio Máximo Barcellos (BRA).
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No Kevin Molino
...many surprises as T&T depart for D/Republic
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express).
A DAY prior to today’s departure for World Cup qualifying, Trinidad and Tobago’s men national football coach Terry Fenwick faces a litany of woes, including a likely ban on his European-based footballers, Sheldon Bateau and Levi Garcia, from entering Puerto Rico due to US Covid-19 protocols.
The former England defender also has to deal with the unavailability, through injury, of key players Kevin Molino (hamstring strain) and Alvin Jones. At midday yesterday, Fenwick still did not know the final composition of his squad or definitely who would be his captain.
“It’s a difficult situation,” stated Fenwick. “We are still trying to get a friendly game in the Dominican Republic. A lot of things are last minute,” added Fenwick during a brief media window prior to yesterday’s final training session on local soil.
Inadequate at times, rarely has Trinidad and Tobago’s preparation for international competition been so chaotic. And Fenwick’s tone in his response suggests that things may not have improved in the one year since FIFA appointed its normalisation committee to run the local game.
“These games, I think, were announced on the 23rd of August. So there has been a long, long time for us to get organised and make sure that we nail everything down...and we still have these problems,” Fenwick lamented.
T&T open qualifying for the Qatar 2022 World Cup against Guyana on March 25 at the Estadio Panamericano, in the capital Santo Domingo, before flying to Puerto Rico for another qualifier three days later at Estadio Centroamericano in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
Belgium-based Mechelen defender Sheldon Bateau is available for the Guyana match, but US protocols—concerning exposure to possible Covid-19 variants —prevent him from entering the US territory of Puerto Rico without a 14-day quarantine.
“A lot of the European players would not be able to play in Puerto Rico, so that is a bit of a concern, stated Fenwick, ”Most of them will not be available for the second game against Puerto Rico, which is being played on a synthetic (surface) — another surprise to us.
”The contradiction for me is that most of the guys (playing) for Puerto Rico are coming from the US, which has the same (Covid-19) situation. But they are putting (restrictions) strongly on the European guys, like Sheldon Bateau and the guys we got coming out of England. So, that will be a bitter pill for us to swallow.”
Fenwick eventually went for experience, including giving a recall to 36-year-old England-born midfielder Andre Boucaud after a five-year absence; along with Willis Plaza and Radanfah Abu Bakr. He also gave a first call up to young Watford midfielder Daniel Phillips.
“I want to be able to put men out on the pitch. Guys that are prepared to go out there to get a result for Trinidad and Tobago,” stated Fenwick, “It’s very important that we have them big characters in the squad,” he added.