Trinidad and Tobago and Birmingham City striker Dwight Yorke has had a change of heart about representing his country in international football.
Yorke telephoned THA Chief Secretary Orville
London yesterday from England to say he would be returning home at
month-end and he had made a decision to join the national squad for the
World Cup qualifying campaign.
London told reporters at a news conference that Yorke said in his telephone call that he would be here one week before the opening World Cup qualifier against the United States at the Queen's Park Oval on February 9. London said he was not certain Yorke would be playing but he had passed on his appreciation on behalf of the people of Tobago for the decision
The THA Chief Secretary said he didn't want to get into the reasons for Yorke delaying his decision to return to the national squad but his decision had sent "a very strong signal for all of us and I think it gives us more hope because at 34 he is still the best we have".
London expressed his personal satisfaction Yorke had made this decision and hoped it would be a catalyst for greater performance from the national team.
He had written Yorke at the end of January last year telling him he believed the time was right for a renewal of the highly-successful partnership of coach Bertille St Clair and himself and urged him to reconsider his decision and return to the national squad for a concerted bid for a place in the 2006 World Cup finals.
"Tobago and the country need you now and, as a Tobagonian, your former teacher and your longstanding fan, I urge you to answer the country's call at this time," London had written.