Former National captain David Nakhid has agreed to join the National Senior Team as assistant coach to Bertille St Clair with immediate effect.
St Clair made the request for Nakhid's services and the TTFF readily agreed to have the former Greece-based professional come on board. Specific senior team roles for technical director Lincoln Phillips and Alvin Corneal are yet to be finalized.
Nakhid, who is expected to arrive in the country to take up duties on the weekend from Lebanon, expressed enthusiasm ahead of his new role.
"It is always an honour to serve one's country and I am very pleased that Bertille has asked me to come on board," Nakhid told TTFF Media on Monday. "I played under him for several years and we have a deep respect for each other. I have been doing a lot of coaching recently and I know that I can make a contribution to the Technical Staff. I am really looking forward to the challenge."
St Clair, currently preparing the local team for Wednesday's opening Digicel Cup fixture against Puerto Rico, said Nakhid's addition to the staff is a welcomed one and he expects his involvement to be an inspiring one to the "Soca Warriors"not only because of his professional attitude but because of the fact that he has been involved as a player in the past with several members of the current World Cup squad.
"I am very pleased that David has accepted my offer and I think he will be a great addition to the Technical Staff. He knows the game and he is a great example for the players. When he was here a few months ago he came directly to me and said that he was willing to assist the national team in any way we wanted.
“He has always been committed to the national team and I decided that it was time to bring him in. He is a fine example of how former national players should operate. The door is open for all those who feel they have a contribution to make but we need people who are committed to the national cause and who are willing to put country before self,"St Clair told TTFF Media.
St Clair added that he has been forced to make some changes to the squad for the Digicel Cup due some players suffering for niggling injuries.
Among those out include Scottish-based midfielder Brent Rahim, Angus Eve, Jerren Nixon, Kerry Baptiste, Errol McFarlane, Marlon Rojas and Silvio Spann. Among the new additions include US-based College player Stephen Cruickshank and A-League-based pro Leslie "Tiger" Fitzpatrick with striker Nigel Pierre and Kerwyn Jemmott being given another try.
"We have been hit hard by injuries and some players who we were expecting to have in the side are no longer available. Spann was injured yesterday in the FA game and he will be out for a couple weeks. Nixon, McFarlane, Kerry Baptiste , Rojas, Rahim are also injured and Eve is unavailable.
On top of that some of the players that we were expecting to turn out have not attended the training sessions. So we have had to make some last minute adjustments but I think it gives an opportunity to other players to step up."
T&T squad for Digicel Cup:
Daurance Williams, Jan-Michael Williams, Keyeno Thomas, Derek King, Anton Pierre, Derek Philips, Avery John, Denzil Theobald, Kerwyn Jemmott, Leslie Fitzpatrick, Nigel Pierre, Atiba Charles, Cyd Gray, Michael Celestine, Cornell Glen, Conrad Smith, Odelle Armstrong, Stephen Cruickshank.