A Trinidad and Tobago President’s Eleven team will square off a visiting Grenada Olympic team in the first of two matches at the Larry Gomes Stadium from 7pm.
The matches, arranged as fine tuners for Leo Beenhakker’s World Cup squad players, is of course just a training encounter but for a few of the players recalled, it will serve as a chance to get some much needed match fitness as the country prepares for the upcoming friendly international against Peru on May 10 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
One man in particular who is hoping to go error less in the two games is Coventry City goalie Clayton Ince who took part in the team’s first session on Monday morning at the match venue.
Ince has had to look on regularly from the sidelines this season but he has kept his head up and is equally eager to lift his spirits under Beenhakker.
“I wasn’t surprised over the selection in the World Cup squad because I know my capabilities and the coach told us that he would always try to look out for the players who worked with him in the qualifiers,” Ince told TTFF Media in between the morning session and an afternoon one at the Arima venue.
“For other people it may have been a surprise to see my name on the list but I was always optimistic and as goalkeeper you always have to be confident. Over the season even though I have not been playing, I have always kept a close look at myself and I remained focused. The session today was a satisfactory one and I am very happy to be among the home-based players and it also gives me a chance to work with the younger ones like Jan Michael (Williams) who is the other goalie in the team (for the two matches against Grenada.”
“I always try to stay positive and I know at some point things will work out. These two games are important for all the players because for me it will give a chance to show the coach that I can still do the job and I intend to press not just for a place on the bench but also a first team pick in the other matches to follow before the World Cup and then also on the big stage itself,” Ince added.
While Ince has not had much match action, local midfielder Aurtis Whitley and Anthony Wolfe have been running out for CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh and they felt the Grenada games came in good timing.
“I am enjoying a good start to the season and I really hope to keep it up against Grenada and then Peru. These matches are ideal at the moment,” Wolfe said.
Whitley added: “It’s just about getting that vibes going again and you can see that there are quite a few of the players here who have made the World Cup squad so it’s a really good chance for us to work together and hopefully pick up two good wins and play well at the same time because the coach has his ideas and he wants to see us execute,” Whitley said.
The World Cup bound players in the squad include Falkirk midfielder Densill Theobald, Ince and New England Revolution defender Avery John, Cyd Gray, Whitley, Wolfe, Anthony Rougier, Atiba Charles and Silvio Spann. The rest of the team has the likes of Joe Public striker Gary Glasgow, Brent Rahim and Glenton Wolfe.
Tickets for the games are priced at $20 (covered) and $10 (uncovered) school kids in uniform pay nothing to enter the venue. Thursday’s second game at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium also kicks off at 7pm.
The President’s Eleven team : Clayton Ince (Coventry City), Jan Michael Williams (W Connection) Aurtis Whitley (CL FinancialSan Juan Jabloteh), Cyd Gray (San Juan Jabloteh), Anthony Rougier (United Petrotrin), Silvio Spann, Atiba Charles (W Connection), Anthony Wolfe (Jabloteh), Densill Theobald (Falkirk) and Avery John (New England Revolution), Brent Rahim (Jabloteh), Trent Noel (Jabloteh), Gary Glasgow (Joe Public), Trent Noel (Jabloteh), Glenton Wolfe (Jabloteh) Kerry Baptiste (Jabloteh) and Evans Wise