U-20s leave for warm-up tournament in VenezuelaFriday, July 17 2009
A 20-MAN Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 team will depart for Caracas Venezuela today where they play a series of warm-up matches as they continue preparations for the FIFA Under-20 World Championship in Egypt in September, 2009.
Head Coach Zoran Vranes will get the opportunity to have his team come up against their counterparts of Brazil, Costa Rica, Paraguay and the hosts in Puerto La Cruz.
Egypt will also be taking part in the mini-tournament called the Puerto La Cruz International U-20 Hexagonal but they will not face TT as both will face off in the opening match of the World Championship in Alexandria.
The tournament is being hosted by licensed FIFA Match and Player Agents — World Eleven who also assisted TT in its build up to the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany.
TT Under-20s are slated to play several warm-up internationals later on as well, with a training camp in England carded for the coming weeks as well as matches against Tunisia, Malta and Australia set to come off.
TT will go straight into action tomorrow against Costa Rica and will then face Brazil on Monday followed by matches against Paraguay on Wednesday and Venezuela next Sunday.
The schedule has Vranes excited.
“Well it’s a great chance for us to get some practice matches against a very good opposition and this is what we need before we go to Egypt,” Vranes said.
“Every player hopes for games like these and as coach I am also very mindful of how important it is to get these type of games. It is a big boost to our preparations because we need to see at what level we are at. The last tour was a good one and ended well for us with the 2-2 draw with Nigeria so we showed that we can compete.
“Now we know these games will not be easy but we do our best to compete well and get the best out of the experience as we get ready for the tournament in Egypt,” Vranes said.
Defender Akeem Adams, who made a second half appearance for the TT senior team against St Kitts Nevis last weekend is in the squad along with striker Trent Lougheed who also travelled and trained with Russell Latapy’s team.
Back in the team too is striker Stephen Knox and Sheldon Bateau who did not make the last tour to Dubai, Nigeria and South Korea because of injury.
Robert Primus and goalie Jesse Fullerton have also been selected for the trip to Venezuela.
Leston Paul, who goes off to University of South Florida in January is also in the mix along with Qian Grosvenor and Sean De Silva who are both also attached to the Joe Public Super League team.
List of 20-man squad.
Players CLUBS
Jesse Fullerton; Nova University; Glenroy Samuel, Petrotrin; Aubrey David, W Connection; Curtis Gonzales, Ma Pau; Sheldon Bateau, Jabloteh; Akeem Adams, Petrotrin; Leston Paul, USF; Sean de Silva, College Of Charleston; Trent Lougheed, Petrotrin; Robert Primus, Jaboloteh, Jean-Luc Rochford, Joe Public; Uriah Bentick, Unattached; Marcus Joseph, Southend; Daneil Cyrus, Unattached; Qian Grosvenor, USF; Chike Sullivan, Colorado School of Mines; Stephen Knox, Boston College; Mekeil Williams, Ma Pau; Jevon Morris, St Ann’s; Juma Jamal Clarence, Petrotrin.
Team Staff
Christopher de Silva — Manager, Zoran Vranes — Head Coach, Hutson Charles — Assistant Coach, Anton Corneal — Assistant Coach. Michael Williams — Equipment Manager, Gilbert Bateau — Trainer, Zada Hassanali — Doctor, Ashton Mills — Physio.
