National Senior Team head coach Leo Beenhakker is expected back in the country tomorrow to resume training with a set of home-based and US-based players vying for selection on the team for upcoming World Cup preparation matches.
He will arrive with assistant Wim Rijsbergen and both are expected to meet with fellow assistant Anton Corneal to further discuss the selection of players for the training sessions here and those who would have earned notable mention following the recent sessions with the under-23 players based in the United States and at home. This is all ahead of T&T's next international match against Iceland on February 28 in London. Current T&T players in Major League Soccer (MLS) who now at home, will also be considered. But missing will be Aurtis Whitley and Cyd Gray, both currently away on trials in England and Densil Theobald, who heads off to Falkirk, Scotland today.
Corneal, recently brought onto the technical staff by Beenhakker, said: "We intend to show coach Beenhakker a video of the sessions with these Under 23 players and then we can make recommendations from there. We will decide whether they will join preparations before the World Cup and if not, we will look at those who can be in the programme following the World Cup or for other national teams selection."
Corneal was quick to commend the players who made themselves available for the recent training sessions.
"We always have to thank them for making themselves available because we don't want to end up in situations where we might lose a player to another country like the United States," he told TTFF Media.
"Even if you get two players out of such an exercise then it would have been worth the time. So far we are on the right track because these players develop every year. They mature as individuals, they get better physically and their discipline in the game itself improves."
Two of those players, defenders Anthony Noreiga and Julius James were also glad to be involved in the recent sessions. They also noted that since T&T's qualification for Germany 2006, the country's players on the outside are now moving around with more respect shown towards them.
"People don't give talks anymore. They can't since we qualify because now we are getting that bit of respect out there. All the Caribbean players too, like from Jamaica, can't keep giving us talks because we have the bragging rights now and it's just good for us because it will ensure that we try to keep those rights by playing at a high standard," said James, formerly a national under-17 and St Anthony's College player who is now at the University of Connecticut.
About the recent opportunity to train under national coaches, James said: "It's really good because it makes us feel that the coaching staff and the Federation are looking out for the players, especially those of us who have to come back home and get the chance to take part in a camp like this rather than all the focus just being on the big team. There's a lot more encouragement now for players."
Noreiga, who was involved in the MLS Combine sessions over the past few days, felt the same way.
"Well before, people didn't respect Trinidad and Tobago players. They felt we were always there just for show. We have talented players but we were never able to really demonstrate it with any power. Now we have that and there's a big turnaround," said the ex-Princes Town Senior Comprehensive and national Under 23 player.