FAST, physical, athletic and blessed with a powerful right-footed shot, T&T men's footballer Alvin Jones can be a match-winner on any day.
Though he plays at right back, the 29-year-old Jones is known for his bombarding runs down the flank and long-range shots which can echo around any stadium he plays in.
Brother of veteran Soca Warriors playmaker Joevin Jones, and son of 1990 "Strike Squad" member Kelvin Jones, Alvin has always had football in his blood. He made his professional debut in 2012 as a teenager for the "Savonetta Boys" of W Connection – a regular in Concacaf club competitions at the time and a six-time T&T Pro League champion.
Following in the footsteps of his brother and his dad, it didn't take long for Alvin's play to be recognised by T&T men's coach Stephen Hart. He made his Soca Warriors debut at 20 in October 2014 in a 2-0 win versus St Lucia in a Caribbean Cup qualifier at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva.
Jones featured sparingly For T&T following his debut, but many would argue his breakthrough in the national colours came three years after his first appearance at the same Balmain venue.
Mocked by the US press after heavy rain caused flooding at the stadium, the Americans were expected to crush T&T, who were bottom of the six-team Concacaf World Cup qualifying standings, in a failed campaign to reach Russia 2018. The US boasted players such as captain Michael Bradley, goalkeeper Tim Howard and rising US star Christian Pulisic, now at Italian Serie A club AC Milan.
However, T&T, then coached by Dennis Lawrence, pulled off a massive upset against the US in a now famous match on October 10, 2017. With T&T up 1-0 in a must-win game for the US on their World Cup qualification bid, Alvin collected a pass from team captain Khaleem Hyland and stunned Howard and the US team with a right-footed blast which arrowed into the corner from 30-plus yards. Alvin's goal sparked wild scenes on the sidelines and it was a goal which led to T&T's 2-1 win – knocking the US out of World Cup contention.
In a 2017 interview with Newsday, Alvin said he felt his goal helped the Strike Squad get some "justice" for their painful World Cup qualification loss to the US in 1989.
After thrilling local fans on that fateful night in Couva and during his time in the T&T Pro League, Alvin sought to make T&T's right back spot his own. He had a six-year wait before he got another goal in national colours though.
He has featured for T&T in three consecutive Concacaf Gold Cup campaigns in 2019, 2021 and 2023, getting past 40 international caps in the process. During the 2021 Gold Cup group stage, Alvin was one of many T&T players to put their body on the line as the Soca Warriors eked out a goalless draw with nine-time Gold Cup champions Mexico.
Alvin's play for Connection and T&T hasn't gone unnoticed, and the Carenage defender has had stints in the US with Oklahoma City, Real Salt Lake and Forward Madison from 2019-2022.
Back in T&T, the all-action right back has found a new home with Tiger Tanks Club Sando. In the inaugural T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) season this year, Jones scored seven goals – including a number of free kicks – to help Club Sando to a third-placed finish and a spot in the Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield. Once again, Jones showed off his shooting range as he scored a wicked, right-footed free kick in a Caribbean Shield semi-final loss against Martinique's Golden Lion FC on August 11.
Alvin's golden touch also came back in the red, white and black, as he scored in a friendly versus Guatemala before the 2023 Gold Cup. He then netted T&T's first goal of the Concacaf showpiece tournament in a 3-0 victory over St Kitts and Nevis on June 25. Alvin played all three matches at the Gold Cup event as T&T made a first round exit.
He was not included in coach Angus Eve's squad as T&T won their first two games of the ongoing Concacaf Nations League (CNL) A 2023/24 campaign to top the group after the two opening fixtures. However, Alvin has been named in T&T's squad for their CNL encounter against Guatemala at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, on Friday. He will try to rekindle his goal-scoring touch against Guatemala as T&T eye a CNL quarterfinal spot. After all, he does have fond memories of this month.
SOURCE: T&T Newsday