Following the first meeting between officials of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation and members of the T&T senior team in London yesterday, England-born Premiership goalkeeper Anthony Warner has been added to the "Soca Warriors" family.
T&TFF special adviser Jack Warner and Brent Sancho, who spoke on behalf of the players there, made the announcement.
Team captain Dwight Yorke was in Australia but was in touch with those present and aware of the developments. The Scottish-based T&T players were also at the meeting.
Keeper Warner, fresh from signing a permanent deal with Premier League club Fulham, expressed delight on being welcomed by the Warriors.
"Yes, definitely it's a great step for me and I'm really excited about being given the chance to play for Trinidad and Tobago," Warner told T&TFF media officer Shaun Fuentes. "After being at Liverpool and then Cardiff before finally signing for Fulham, the invitation from Trinidad and Tobago was definitely another big one for me and I'm hoping that I can add some value to what's happening with the football in this country.
"I expressed interest a while back but obviously there were some reasons why I haven't yet played for Trinidad, but now I make a full commitment with the move to Fulham and so on. I know about Shaka (Hislop), Clayton (Ince) and Jack (Kelvin) and it's surely going to be good competition for the spots," said the 31-year-old Warner, who has been to Trinidad previously, his last visit being in 1995.
He is a former player with Liverpool, Milwall, Cardiff, Swindon Town, Celtic and Aberdeen
Warner's father, Clyde Warner, was born in Trinidad and migrated to England some 44 years ago according to his son, who said his next step will be acquiring a T&T passport.
He added he is available for selection for T&T's next warm-up international on March 1.
The Warriors' opponents, among other details from the meeting at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London with Jack Warner, T&TFF general secretary Richard Groden and team manager Bruce Aanensen, will be disclosed today following a second meeting this morning.
"Right now we are teaching him (Anthony Warner) the national anthem and he's fitting in well," Sancho said. "With respect to the meeting, it was a positive one and we were all happy that Mr Warner and the other officials were able to make the trip to come up and meet us. It was definitely one leading to more progress and we agreed that the main picture is football and the national team of Trinidad and Tobago."