National Team head coach head coach Leo Beenhakker will carry ten home-based players to Fort Lauderdale, Miami to join another six players based in the United States for a five-day training camp as the “Soca Warriors” look ahead to their February 28 friendly international against Iceland. The camp will run at the Sunrise Hilton and training centre which has been a venue used on occasions before by the National team.
Beenhakker held sessions with the home-based players last Saturday and has decided to include midfielder Aurtis Whitley, fresh from a trial with English Premier League club Portsmouth, new CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh signing Anthony Wolfe, Atiba Charles of W Connection and teammate goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams, Jabloteh midfielder Kerry Baptiste as well as Errol McFarlane, Anthony Rougier, Nigel Henry, ex-Japanese-based player Silvio Spann and defender Cyd Gray for the training camp. Gray is coming off a trial at English club Luton Town. Both Gray and Whitley reportedly held their own during the trials and will await further word from the respective clubs through their agents.
The main purpose of the overseas camp is also for Beenhakker to have a further look at some of the promising US-based players who were involved in a training camp here last month under the eyes of assistant coach Anton Corneal.
They are George Mason University defender Anthony Noreiga who was on MLS trials last week, former St Anthony’s College duo Julius James out of University of Connecticut and Kevon Neaves of University of South Florida, as well as Liberty University duo Osei Telesford and Darryl Roberts and former US National Youth player Quavas Kirk. Kirk’s father is Trinidadian and he has made 34 starts for the United States National Under 17 team with 15 international starts. He was the team’s topscorer in 2004 with eleven goals. The 17-year-old striker was drafted by MLS side LA Galaxy in the 2005 MLS Superdraft. He was attached to the Chicago Magic club before moving to the Galaxy.
Current MLS players Cornell Glen (Colorado Rapids), Avery John (New England Revolution) and Scott Sealy (Kansas City Wizards) were not considered for this camp as they are all reporting back to their clubs for preseason training. Brent Rahim, who was part of Saturday’s sessions with the other US-based pros is also heading off to Dallas FC from February 4.
“We don’t have to forget that there are several local players who were part of the team who can possibly make the team that goes to the World Cup We will give our attention to these players. Based on the job that Anton did with the Under 23 and Under 21 players, we can have some interested players from the United States and we will also give them the full attention,” Beenhakker told TTFF Media.
Beenhakker will be accompanied by assistant coaches Wim Rijsbergen and Corneal, team sports physio Zeph Nicholas, goalkeeper coach Michael Maurice and equipment manager Ikin Williams on his technical staff while Bruce Aanensen (Manager) and George Joseph (Assistant manager) will also make the trip.