National coach Angus Eve has picked a 39-man provisional squad that sees call-ups for Dantaye Gilbert (Jong - PSV), Tyrese Spicer (Toronto FC), and Steffen Yeates (Pacific FC), as well as several players who created a stir at the last two international friendly encounters with Guyana at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.
They include veteran marksman Kevon 'Showtime' Woodley and Ezekiel Kesar of Point Fortin Civic. The squad will be used to prepare for the coming matches against Grenada on June 5 and the Bahamas on June 8 in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Eve only a day ago received news of Honduras being his opponent in the Concacaf Nations League on September 6 away, with French Guiana also being a counterpart four days later on September 10. Eve's charges will then face Cuba in two matches away and at home on October 10 and 14 in Group B.
Eve, when asked for his thoughts on the group he described it as tricky.
"I wanted to play Jamaica actually because you know what happened to us in the Concacaf Gold Cup, so we're a bit sore with that, but we wanted to be back in the 'A' League so we wanted to play these types of games. You could imagine an opportunity to play them at home at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, the people really want to come out and see the Jamaicans and see how we match up against them because they think that we are a different team than the one in the Gold Cup," Eve said yesterday.
According to Eve- " Honduras, good unit, well coached and I think they're in transition, kind of like us. They're not a team to take lightly at all, these Central American teams are very competitive and you look at French Guiana. We played them at the Gold Cup and beat them on penalties and they had guys in the team who played with Paris St Germain and that kind of thing, so they're still going to have these types of players coming into the group, so it would be a tricky match for us."
"And then Cuba, you see what they did at the Gold Cup, they're an extremely competitive unit and we have to play them twice, so they're a very tricky team, but we want to be here, we want to be playing these games and these games are going to get us back to where we want to be," Eve noted.
The Soca Warriors will carry the burden of a World Cup qualifying spot which has been made easier by the World Cup being hosted in the Concacaf region by Canada, USA, and Mexico. Eve will have a busy schedule with his players having to contest the Nations League and the World Cup Qualifiers.
This he also described as tricky for his charges. " Based on how it is stretched out, it's going to be a tricky one because I keep saying that we don't get the time to expose players. Anytime we play, it's a tournament scenario, but if we can get the opportunity to expose players in the Nations League we will but we do not want to come out of the 'A' League so it's very tricky."
"If you continue to play the players, they're playing at their clubs, they're coming back to play, they're doing a lot of traveling to play for the national team, so we want to limit the amount of flying so the nations league team may be a little bit different, but still trying to maintain our position in the 'A' League while trying to qualify for the Gold Cup."
PROVISIONAL SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Denzil Smith (Club Sando), Aaron Enill (Prison FC), Christopher Biggette (Defence Force), Adrian Foncette (Miscellaneous Police FC);
Defenders: Aubrey David (CS Cartagines—Costa Rica), Alvin Jones, Robert Primus (both Miscellaneous Police FC), Isaiah Garcia, Justin Garcia (both Defence Force), Josiah Trimmingham (Montego Bay Utd—Jamaica), Shannon Gomez (San Antonio FC—USA), Andre Raymond (unattached), Jesse Williams (Chattanooga FC—USA), Sheldon Bateau (SK Beveren—Belgium), Leland Archer (Charleston Battery—USA), Triston Hodge (Hartford Athletic—USA), Ross Russell (Terminix La Horquetta Rangers);
Midfielders: Duane Muckette, Michel Poon-Angeron (both AC Port of Spain), Kevon Goddard (Defence Force), Andre Rampersad (HFX Wanderers—Canada), Kristian Lee Him (Eskilstuna—Sweden), Matthew Woo Ling (Defence Force), Noah Powder (Northern Colorado Hailstorm—USA), Dantaye Gilbert (Jong PSV—Netherlands), Steffen Yeates (Pacific FC—Canada), Molik Khan (Minnesota Utd II—USA), Daniel Phillips (St Johnstone FC—Scotland), Ajani Fortune (Atlanta United—USA);
Attackers: Kaile Auvray, Nathaniel James (both Mount Pleasant FC—Jamaica), Real Gill (Northern Colorado Hailstorm—USA), Reon Moore (Pacific FC—Canada), Malcolm Shaw (Cavalry FC—Canada), Levi Garcia (AEK Athens—Greece), Tyrese Spicer (Toronto FC—Canada), Ezekiel Kesar (Point Fortin Civic), Kevon Woodley (Morvant Caledonia Utd), Ryan Telfer (HFX Wanderers—Canada).
SOURCE: T&T Guardian