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“SOCA WARRIORS” coach Wim Rijsbergen has called up 41 players, both local and foreign-based, for a five-day training camp later this month, in preparation for the 2007 Digicel Caribbean Cup.
Rijsbergen, following a recent scouting exercise in South Carolina, has indicated that he has opened the doors to several of the players based in the T&T Pro League for the camp before selecting a 20-man squad later in the month.
The final 20 will go into specialised training before the “Soca Wariors” opening match against Barbados at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on January 12.
Among the list of those called up are midfielder Silvio Spann who was a late omission from the World Cup Germany squad because of injury, Densil Theobald, Aurtis Whitley, Anthony Wolfe and Cyd Gray, who all took part in the World Cup, City Wizards striker Scott Sealy, Leslie “Tiger” Fizpatrick and ex-National Under 20 captain Makan Hislop.
The training camp will be held between December 18-22 at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
“We are always looking at and seeing what the foreign-based players can do.
“We have also seen several matches in the local Pro League with a lot of players who we have invited now to be part of the training, and we also have some of the players who we saw in the North American camp and they can all show us what they have on the field and whether they can be part of the 20 or 18-man squad for the Digicel Cup,” Rijsbergen said.
“We will finalise the group for the tournament and then train later in the year and of course in January before the tournament starts.”
The four top teams from the Digicel Cup will advance to the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Apart from the opener, the “Soca Warriors” will take on Martinique on January 15 and then the winner of Group J (Bermuda, Dominican Repubic, Haiti) which will be contested in Trinidad from January 5-9.
Players invited: Osei Telesford (Liberty University), Darryl Roberts (Liberty University), Leslie Fitzpatrick (free agent), Darren Toby (Charleston College), Keeron Benito (University of Tampa), Terrence Williams (Lipscomb University) Abiola Clarence (University of Incarnate Word), Anthony Noreiga (Vancouver Whitecaps, Scott Sealy (Kansas City Wizards), Makan Hislop (University of South Carolina) Daurance Williams, Keyeno Thomas, Ian Gray, Marcelle Francois, Nigel Daniel, Glenton Wolfe, Kerry Baptiste, Aurtis Whitely, Trent Noel, Jason Marcano, Anthony Wofe, Cyd Gray (CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh); Marvin Phillip (Starworld Strikers); Kerwyn Jemmot (Superstar Rangers); Kevon Carter, Christian Baptiste (Defence Force); Tristan Charles, Sylvester Teesdale, Kevon Clement (United Petrotrin); Seon Power, Terrance McAllister, Gary Glasgow (Joe Public); Conrad Smith, Densill Theobald, Nigel Pierre, Hayden Tinto (Caledonia AIA); Dwayne Jack, Kwame Wiltshire (Tobago United); Jan Michael Williams, Nicholson Thomas, Silvio Spann (W Connection).
Youthful ‘Soca Warriors’ for Digicel
By JOEL BAILEY Friday, January 5 2007
NATIONAL coach Wim Rijsbergen has chosen a youthful 21-member squad for a live-in camp as Trinidad and Tobago prepare for the forthcoming Digicel Caribbean Cup football series.
The Digicel Cup will be staged here in Trinidad from January 12 to 23.
With top local club CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh refusing to release their players for this tournament because the club is preparing for the Caribbean Club Championships, the technical staff which includes assistants Jan Van Deinsen, Anton Corneal and Brian Williams, included 11 players from the T&T Pro League and six from the US collegiate circuit.
Striker Gary Glasgow and playmaker Kerwyn “Hardest” Jemmott, who have been in and out of the team due to injuries and disciplinary reasons respectively, and midfielder Densil Theobald are the experienced members of the team. Also included are US-based striker Scott Sealy and free agent midfielder Leslie “Tiger” Fitzpatrick, who were both part of the successful “Journey to Germany 2006” campaign.
The Pro League representatives are Glasgow and defender Seon Power of league kings Joe Public, Jemmott of Superstar Rangers, Theobald and striker Hayden Tinto of Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA, goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams and wing-back Nicholson Thomas of W Connection, the Tobago United pair of defender Dwayne Jack and playmaker Kwame Wiltshire, midfielder Christian Baptiste of Defence Force and goalie Marvin Phillips of Starworld Strikers.
And the American-based college players are defenders Makan Hislop (University of South Carolina) and Yohance Marshall (University of South Florida), midfielders Keeron Benito (University of Tampa, Florida) and Osei Telesford (Liberty University, Virginia), and the striking trio of Abiola Clarence (University of the Incarnate Word, Texas) and Darryl Roberts (Liberty University).
Completing the team is lanky central defender Anthony Noreiga of Vancouver Whitecaps in the American A-League and striker Joel Bailey of Montreal Impacts.
A total of 10 selectees are yet to make their international debuts — Power, Tinto, Wiltshire, Baptiste, Hislop, Marshall, Benito, Telesford Clarence and Bailey.
The team will hold a training session at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva tomorrow.
The full team: Jan-Michael Williams, Marvin Phillips (goalkeepers); Nicholson Thomas, Seon Power, Makan Hislop, Yohance Marshall, Anthony Noreiga, Dwayne Jack (defenders); Keeron Benito, Kwame Wiltshire, Osei Telesford, Densil Theobald, Kerwyn Jemmott, Christian Baptiste, Leslie Fitzpatrick (midfielders); Gary Glasgow, Abiola Clarence, Hayden Tinto, Joel Bailey, Darryl Roberts, Scott Sealy (strikers).
THE TRINIDAD and Tobago football team welcomed back two players from CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh for the upcoming Digicel Caribbean Cup which kicks off this Friday with a double-header at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
National team coach Wim Rijsbergen named a 21-man squad last week minus players from Jabloteh after their management requested their exemption from the Digicel Cup to facilitate their preparations for the CFU Club Championship in late January.
However yesterday, on the urging of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, it was agreed that two players — Nigel Daniel and Kerry Baptiste — will rejoin the national team and were scheduled to be part of the training session at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
The TTFF also stated that if the two players selected failed to show up they could face suspension from all football related activities at the club and international level, including the CFU Club Championship.
Rijsbergen stated that he had already started final training before the tournament with the 21 players selected and as such called on Daniel and Baptiste, particularly as the current squad had a couple players with niggling injuries, including Abiola Clarence (hamstring) and Densill Theobald (ankle).
US-based Yohance Marshall has also had to withdraw from the squad as his University of South Florida has decided against giving him time off from studies for the tournament.
Meanwhile, the team’s preparations continued yesterday with a morning and afternoon session at the Couva training pitch. So far, the players, with ten first timers at the senior international level have shown great enthusiasm in the build-up.
And American-based midfielder Osei Telesford feels this will work in favour of the hosts.
Telesford was part of the team which were in a training camp under former head coach Leo Beenhakker in Miami last year leading up to the World Cup and he has been one of the higher rated players out of the US college system.
Having completed his tenure at Liberty University, Telesford is hoping for a solid showing in the tournament as he has sights set on securing a professional contract.
Currently MLS clubs Kansas City Wizards and Toronto FC have shown interest and he is also looking at options on Europe.
“This a big opportunity for all of us and I think this is what will help bring the best out of the team for the tournament,” Telesford said yesterday.
“For me it’s a privilege to get the chance to play at the senior level for the country and for the other guys as well because we are very keen to show that we can do it at this level.
“Most of us are coming off college football and we were balancing studies and football and it takes a high amount of discipline to do that.
“Now we hope to take this over to the national team and make an impact. We know it will not be easy but the commitment and the drive is there,” Telesford said.
“I am looking to also make that transition to the professional stage and there are some clubs from the MLS and also in the Scandanavian Leagues that are already holding talks.
“Then there is the local Pro League which is a final resort so obviously I want to put on a good showing,” said Telesford.
He said his experience under Beenhakker and playing alongside others who went to the World Cup in Germany has played an essential role in his development over the past year or so.
“I think just being able to be part of that training camp for the week and working with some of the other players has done a lot of good for me and of course now joining up with the experience of guys like Densill, (Gary) Glasgow and (Leslie) Fitzpatrick will only auger well for the younger ones like myself.
“There will always be obstacles in the way but I think that is what will bring out stronger characters and it will benefit us in the long run.
The coach has worked with us because he’s trying to get the team as best ready as possible for the tournament and we are hungry to rise to the challenge,” Telesford added.
The Soca Warriors will continue training at the Ato Boldon Stadium at Couva this week before facing Barbados from 6 pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Friday.
Flames Roberts and Telesford Part of Trinidad and Tobago Squad
January 10, 2007
Lynchburg, Va.
Osei Telesford
Former Liberty soccer players Darryl Roberts and Osei Telesford have been selected to the 21-member Trinidad and Tobago team which will challenge for the 2007 Digicel Carribean Cup. Trinidad and Tobago will host the tournament in January.
The two former Flames, who completed their Liberty eligibility this past fall, were among 41 players overall who were invited to a camp to select the team in late December. The pair was then named to the team this week.
"This is a great opportunity for Darryl and Osei to cut their teeth at the international level. It is also a great day for Liberty University and our men's soccer program,” stated Liberty Head Coach Jeff Alder. “There is not another university in the country right now which can boast that two of their players from this past season are currently representing their country at the senior national team level. This is just the beginning of a bright future for both of these players.”
Roberts became Liberty’s all-time leading scorer in his final season as a Flame this fall. The forward scored four goals and assisted on three others in 10 contests for 94 career points, eclipsing James Wright’s mark of 89, set from 1992 to 1994. The Trincity, Trinidad native was also selected to his second All-South Atlantic Region team with his selection to the third team. Roberts was named to the second team as freshman in 2002. In addition, he was named to his third Big South All-Conference second team to go along with a first team selection in 2002. In 2002, Roberts was selected a Freshman All-America after scoring a nation-high 17 goals.
Telesford, a defender, finished his senior season this past fall by being named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-South Atlantic Region First Team for the second straight year. In addition, he was named to his fourth successive Big South All-Conference team. His selection this season was his third to the conference’s first team to go along with one second team mention. One of the two captains for the Flames in 2006, the San Juan, Trinidad native was a key member of the Liberty defense which allowed only one goal during a five-game winning streak at season’s end. During the streak, the Flames posted four of the team’s five shutouts. Liberty held opponents scoreless for 347:54 in their last three contests, before Winthrop scored late in a 2-1 OT loss in the Big South Championship semifinals to end the Flames season. This past summer, he was named the Premier Development League’s Defender of the Year.
Host Trinidad and Tobago opens the 2007 Digicel Caribbean Cup on January 12 against Barbados.
- By JK37
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