National Under 20 foursome headed by captain Leston Paul have been invited to join Trinidad and Tobago’s National Senior Team for its two remaining matches in the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign against Costa Rica and Mexico on October 10 and 14.
The 22-man squad, as announced by head coach Russell Latapy also includes English-born and Southampton midfielder Jake Thomson who made his debut for the Under 20s against Egypt last Thursday, goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel and defender Robert Primus.
The players are expected to join the senior team on their return to Trinidad this weekend as the team goes into camp before heading to San Jose on October 7.
Latapy’s team includes several regular faces but he will be without San Jose Earthquakes striker Cornell Glen who is nursing a cruciate ligament injury. Clayton Ince and Marvin Andrews have also been excused from these two games.
Regulars Carlos Edwards, Kenwyne Jones, Jason Scotland, Radanfah Abu Bakr and Dennis Lawrence are in the squad while Bolton Wanderers defender Jlloyd Samuel has also been recalled as well as Fulham striker Bobby Zamora who continues to indicate his eagerness to play for T&T.
DC United defender Julius James has also been invited by Latapy.
Among the home-based pros called up are Joe Public’s Hayden Tinto, Kerry Baptiste and Trent Noel, W Connection goalkeepers Marvin Phillip and Jan Michael Williams, Kern Cupid, Hughtun Hector, Caledonia AIA duo Densill Theobald and Keon Daniel and Defence Force forward Devon Jorsling.
Thomson, who has rubbed shoulders with Kenwyne Jones and Stern John during their time at Southampton, said it would be an honour for him to represent T&T’s senior team.
“It’s been a real pleasure for me to represent Trinidad and Tobago in Egypt and for any player, the opportunity to make your debut for the big team, the senior team, is always going to be a big honour,” Thomson told TTFF Media.
“It’s my dream to play for Trinidad at the highest level and when that opportunity comes for me to play for the Senior Team I’m going to try and make the very best of it,” he added..
T&T will go into the match in San Jose against a Costa Rica team that is desperate for a win and which now being coached by former T&T head coach Rene Simoes.
The Brazilian was given the job after Rodrigo Kenton was axed a few weeks ago.
It is hoped that Simoes can bring stability back to the side, which has lost their last three matches, scoring no goals and conceding no less than eight. The Ticos actually led the ‘hexagonal' round for a long stretch, before losing their balance in a spectacular collapse.
A 4-0 thrashing at the hands of neighbours Honduras in August was followed up by a demoralizing 3-0 loss at home against Mexico and seemed to signify something was wrong in the camp. A 1-0 defeat to El Salvador on the road in their last outing then put Costa Rica's campaign, once so promising, in serious jeopardy.
The Brazilian manager, who also coached domestically in Brazil with Coritiba and Fluminense, is eager to get started and expects to be able to turn things around for the Central American powers. "
“A team that has gained 12 points in five qualifying games in CONCACAF has to be strong," Simoes said. "South Africa 2010 is still a good possibility for us because Costa Rica still has a strong team."
List of 22 T&T Players for upcoming WCQ matches Oct.10th & 14th, 2009
Goalkeepers
1. Marvin Phillip – W. Connection, 2. Jan Michael Williams – W. Connection, 3. Glenroy Samuel – T&T National Under 20 Team.
Defenders
4. Robert Primus – T&T National Under 20 Team, 5. Kern Cupid – W. Connection, 6. Radanfah Abu Bakr – Swansea F.C., 7. Jlloyd Samuel – Bolton Wanderers, 8. Dennis Lawrence – San Juan Jabloteh, 9. Julius James – D.C. United.
Midfielders
10.Jake Thomson – T&T National Under 20 Team, 11.Trent Noel – Joe Public F.C., 12.Densill Theobald – Caledonia AIA, 13.Leston Paul – T&T National Under 20 Team, 14.Keon Daniel – Caledonia AIA, 15.Hughtun Hector – W. Connection, 16.Carlos Edwards – Ipswich Town, 17. Hayden Tinto – Joe Public F.C.
Forwards
18.Kerry Baptiste – Joe Public F.C., 19.Devon Jorsling- Defence Force, 20.Bobby Zamora – Fulham F.C., 21.Jason Scotland – Wigan Athletic, 22.Kenwyne Jones – Sunderland F.C.