Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 women’s football team coach Jamaal Shabazz stated that the team will not be overawed by the challenge that they will face at the CONCACAF Under-20 Final Round Qualifiers, scheduled in Guatemala from January 20-30 in Guatemala.
The Trinidad and Tobago squad will leave tomorrow for Costa Rica, where they will face the hosts in two warm-up matches next week, before moving to the neighbouring Central American nation.
At a media briefing at the CONCACAF office in Port-of-Spain yesterday, Shabazz said, “this team has moved from being slaughtered by Jamaica in August to a team now that can compete with the other teams in CONCACAF.
“I think now that Trinidad and Tobago can compete at the CONCACAF level. Before, we participated in tournaments but now, I think the players have even more confidence because of the new fitness and new aggressive approach. At CONCACAF tournaments now, we would be better able to compete.
“We worked very hard going into this tournament,” Shabazz continued. “We’re thankful for having two warm-up matches against Costa Rica and, if we do our (mathematics) correctly, we may meet Costa Rica somewhere along the road in this tournament again.”
The manager of the Trinidad and Tobago team is ‘senior’ team striker Maylee Attin-Johnson (VIDEO). According to CONCACAF president and Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) special advisor Jack Warner, “she’s the youngest manager ever to be appointed, either in the male or female capacity.
“I want to congratulate Maylee and tell her that you begin with a mission that is not impossible but tough,” he continued. “And I’m quite sure that you and the team will do well.”
The 23-year-old Attin-Johnson, who recently graduated with a degree in Sports Management at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, United States, said, “I’ll like to thank Mr Warner, Mr (Richard) Groden (the TTFF general secretary) and Mr Shabazz for giving me the opportunity to represent my country as the manager.
“All I’ve done in the last five years (were) play football and go to school,” she stated. “To be able to get the opportunity to represent my country, right out of school, is a great pleasure and honour, and a great way to enter the work world. “I’m just looking forward to helping the team move in a new direction and to a higher level.”
In the CONCACAF Qualifiers, Trinidad and Tobago is in Group “B”, alongside Mexico, the United States and Jamaica in Group “B” while Cuba, Canada, Costa Rica and hosts Guatemala are in Group “A”.
The group winners will play the runners-up from the opposite group on January 28, with the championship and third-place matches set for January 30. The finalists and third-place winner will qualify for the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Germany from July 13 to August 1.
T&T Team — Kimika Forbes, Linfah Jones (goalkeepers); Rhea Belgrave, Tiana Bateau, Felina Jack, Camille Borneo, Taylor Mims, Arin King (defenders); Victoria Swift, Afiyah Matthias, Renel Dennis, Karyn Forbes, Cassie McKenzie, Natasha Prentice, Kayla Taylor (midfielders); Candace Seaton, Natasha St Louis, Mariah Shade, Jo Marie Lewis (strikers).
Technical Staff — Jamaal Shabazz (coach), Marlon Charles (assistant coach), Stefon De Four (goalkeeper coach), Brent Elder (trainer), Dave Isaac (physiotherapist), Maylee Attin-Johnson (manager), Steve Frederick (equipment manager), Kurlyn Smith (tutor).