The Trinidad and Tobago camp in Argentina received some welcome news on Thursday when it was informed that Crewe Alexandra defender Dennis Lawrence has recovered from a troubled leg injury and will be sufficiently fit to travel to El Salvador on February 8 to join the final T&T squad for the 2010 World Cup qualifier on February 11.
Lawrence is one of the key defenders for Francisco Maturana’s team and is the only overseas based defender likely to be in the squad which will be finalized within the next few days before the team leaves Buenos Aires for San Salvador on February 4. The overseas-pros will join the camp there on February 8.
The player’s UK-based agent Mike Berry said Lawrence was treated and cleared fit for action which allowed him to play the full 90 in Crewe’s 4-2 loss to Peterborough on Tuesday.“There is always a fear concerning a player’s fitness condition when any kind of injury pops up but we are very pleased to say that Dennis has responded well to the week of treatment and has resumed training and played for his club on Wednesdsay.
This is good news for Trinidad and Tobago because he will now be available for the match against El Salvador which we all know is so important to the team’s quest for South Africa. A positive start away from home will be a real key and Dennis wants desperately to be in the squad to try and ensure the country gets the best possible start to the final round,” Berry told TTFF Media.
The news obviously has good timing and team trainer, Colombian Jorge Ruiz was also quick to point out that the fitness level of the current bunch of players in Argentina has been a key factor in their unbeaten run in three matches so far with the latest being a come from behind 3-2 win over top rated club Tigre.
All the Argentine teams are also nearing the start of their season and are engaged in preseason preparations.“What is very notable is the fitness level of the players. The training in Trinidad and here in Argentina is helping because you can see in the matches that even though we are making changes during the match, the players are all very energized and can give you that extra bit in the game. And we are finishing strongly and playing until the end.
It’s very important to be physically ready for the bigger games and so far we seem to be on target,” Ruiz told TTFF Media.The squad here has been undergoing two sessions per day starting at 8am on the outfield and then groups are split with one set in the gym and the other on the training pitch. On match days, depending the playing time, sessions are also carded for the gym or outfield during the other half of the day.