Trinidad and Tobago head coach Francisco Maturana and Assistant Coach Russell Latapy will hold further discussions over the next twenty four hours to finalize the 20-man Trinidad and Tobago Squad that will assemble in San Salvador for the upcoming 2010 World Cup qualifier against El Salvador on February 11.
“Yes of course but in these circumstances it’s not a headache that you don’t want to have because it gives us a lot more to choose from and a lot more to think of before the game in El Salvador,” Maturana told TTFF Media.
Initially an 18-man squad was carded to assemble in San Salvador but the coaches have opted to carry two extra players. This final squad will be announced on Tuesday.
“A win would have been better for us because we had the better showing today but we changed up the team in the second half and my players allowed Platense to get back into the game. But I am pleased with the way the players here have done their jobs. They have been strong and have shown committment to do well on this trip. Any coach would be happy with that.”
Midfielder Densill Theobald got his first start in four matches against Platense on Saturday but expects that the competition for places in the team will be extremely tight.
“As a player you always want to give it your best to get into the final team and I think that all the players here have done that.. They are all working very hard and performing well in the training sessions and the matches. And because of the amount of time we have been training as a group, you are seeing players stepping up. It’s good for the team on a whole but it means too that a few players will not get into the final team which can be disappointing,” Theobald told TTFF Media.
“But all in all I think we can safely say that level has been lifted on this tour and we now have to link up well with the overseas pros coming in and make sure the best team goes out there against El Salvador,” Theobald said.
During Sunday’s off day, members of the team were treated to a tour of the Boca Juniors Stadium getting an upclose look of the facility including a single yellow seat which is reserved for Argentine legend Diego Maradona.
The team will train twice on Monday at the Hindu Camp facility and play a final warm up game on Tuesday before leaving the San Salvador a day later.