Newly appointed T&T men's senior team interim coach Angus Eve enjoyed his first day on the job with a core of locally-based players on Sunday as they begin preparations for the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup preliminary qualifiers.
T&T, who were recently knocked out from the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup Qualifiers under fired coach Englishman Terry Fenwick after failing to advance from their first round round-robin pool of five which was won by St Kitts and Nevis earlier this month, is carded to meet Montserrat on July 2.
The match will be played in Florida, USA and only a win will afford the Soca Warriors the right to advance to the next round of the qualifiers where a match-up with the winner of the Cuba and French Guiana tie on July 6.
Reached for comment, former national captain Eve, 49, who has made the most appearances for T&T at senior level - 117, scoring 34 goals said, the live-in camp for the locally-based players was due to kick off on Saturday, but due to minor hiccups had to be delayed by one day which now means the camp will conclude on Thursday, a day later as well.
He added, “It was a very good first day where all the players who were invited have shown up and they all have an equal chance to impress."
Twenty-four (24) players, not the final squad for the upcoming Gold Cup qualifiers in Miami next month, is in camp at the Home of Football in Balmain, Couva and had their first session at the Ato Boldon Stadium, on Sunday morning.
With time against him, Eve who is also the coach of Secondary Schools Football League powerhouse Naparima College as well as professional outfit, Club Sando, did note that it was far too early for him to say exactly how much of the locally-based players he will be taking with him for the Gold Cup qualifiers.
“We have to assess the players and based on what we see, then we will be able to know how much of them will make the cut, then we also have to take into account the players that are coming from overseas who will or may not be available."
The TTFA yesterday announced the appointment of the interim senior men's team staff. They are assistant coaches Reynold Carrington and Hutson Charles, goalkeeper coach Clayton Ince, strength and conditioning coach Adaryll John, performance trainer/massage therapist Saron Joseph and physiotherapist Roger Ryan.
They will be assisted by national teams director Richard Piper, team manager Adrian Romain, logistics manager Basil Thompson, team Doctor Akash Dhanai, equipment manager Michael Williams and press officer Shaun Fuentes.
Training squad in camp:
Goalkeepers
Aaron Enill (Defence Force), Adrian Foncette (Police FC), Marvin Phillip (Unattached), Denzil Smith (W Connection)
Defenders
Radanfah Abu Bakr (Unattached), Justin Garcia (Defence Force), Keston George (La Horquetta Rangers), Curtis Gonzales (Defence Force), Darnell Hospedales (Point Fortin FC), Alvin Jones (Unattached), Ross Russell Jr (La Horquetta Rangers), Jesse Williams (Coleraine FC)
Midfielders
Jamal Creighton (La Horquetta Rangers), Judah Garcia (Unattached), Kevon Goddard (Defence Force), Aaron Lester (Defence Force), Reon Moore (Defence Force), Duane Muckette (Unattached), Michel Poon-Angeron (Unattached), John-Paul Rochford (Unattached), Hashim Arcia (Defence Force)
Forwards
Aikim Andrews (La Horquetta Rangers), Isaiah Lee (La Horquetta Rangers), Marcus Joseph (Unattached)
Interim Senior Men's Team Staff:
Angus Eve (head coach) Reynold Carrington (assistant coach), Hutson Charles (assistant coach), Clayton Ince (goalkeeper coach), Adaryll John (strength and conditioning coach), Saron Joseph (performance trainer/massage therapist), Roger Ryan (physio).