Trinidad and Tobago’s Under-17 ’Soca Princesses’ will get some welcome practice matches when they travel to South Korea on Sunday for a three-match training camp ahead of September’s youth World Cup.
T&T are in the preparation stages as hosts of the 2010 FIFA Under-17 tournament.
The local girls recently had some promising performances at home in last month’s four-nation tournament, holding CONCACAF powerhouses Canada to a 1-1 draw at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella.
In South Korea, T&T will be based at the Paju National Football Centre. They will face the South Koreans, who have already qualified for the World Cup, in matches on April 5, 7 and 10.
Coach Evan Pellerud, also the T&T Football Federation’s (T&TFF) women’s technical director, is pleased about the experience his young charges will get from the short tour.
’I’ve said before that the important action (is) for us to get as many games as possible under our belt, and preferably against good teams,’ Pellerud told TTFF media yesterday.
He continued: ’And seeing now that Korea won the Asian qualification, I can say that we will be playing against one of the better teams in the world.’
The prospect of playing opponents outside of CONCACAF is also exciting for Pellerud.
’This is a wonderful opportunity to play against a team of another style and philosophy in our preparation for the World Cup. It’s another phase of our preparation and educating process of our team.’
The Norwegian stated that the tour is the future of women’s football in Trinidad, and so getting the experience of long trips is something they will need to learn as well.
This is not the first trip to South Korea for a T&T team. In 2007, T&T’s Under-20 boys had a training camp there, while the Under-17 boys competed at the 2007 World Cup in that country.
T&T’s senior men also played to a 1-1 draw in Seoul back in 2004.
U-17 Women leave next week for three-match training camp in Korea.
TTFF Media.
Trinidad and Tobago’s National Under 17 women footballers will depart for Korea Republic on March 28 for a three-match training camp as preparations continue for their participation at the 2010 FIFA Under 17 Women’s World Cup which will be hosted here in September.
Coming off their promising showing at the 4Nation tournament last month in which they held world powerhouse Canada to a 1-1 draw at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Even Pellerud’s team will be hoping to continue their solid run against the Asian giants who have already booked their spot in September’s World Cup along with Korea DPR and Japan.
The T&T team will be based at the Paju National Football Center (NFC) and the matches are slated for April 5,7 and 10.
Pellerud was excited over the upcoming tour which is the second time in two years a T&T national team will be visiting Korea with the Under 20s also undergoing a training camp there in May 2009 while the Under 17s boys team participating in the FIFA Under 17 World Cup in 2007.
The Senior team also played to a 1-1 draw with South Korea’s National Senior Team in Seoul back in 2004.
“I’ve said before that the important action for us to get as many games as possible under our belt and preferably against good teams and seeing now that Korea won the Asian qualification, I can say that we will be playing against one of the better teams in the world,” Pellerud told TTFF Media on Wednesday.
“Most of our girls will be available for this trip so we are excited to see where we stand against a different type of opposition away from Concacaf. This is a wonderful opportunity to play against a team of another style and philosophy in our preparation for the World Cup. It’s another phase of our preparation and educating process of our team.”
He also mentioned the importance of the team playing away from home in spite of the fact that the tournament will be hosted here in September.
“Yes we are preparing for a World Cup in Trinidad but this is also the future of our women’s team for other events and there will be value here in terms of us as a team experiencing what it is to travel long distances and the struggles you can encounter doing it.
Long flights and time difference is something tough but it is something we have to learn as well,” Pellerud added.
NB.The Squad will be announced by Pellerud on Friday.