Local fans will get a double dose of international football warm ups on Wednesday following the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation’s move to card a double header at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
The T&T Senior team resumed training at the Mucurapo venue on Monday and will move into a live-in camp at the Crowne Plaza on Tuesday. The full squad, minus Joe Public’s Keyeno Thomas and Kerry Baptiste (away on Concacaf Champions League duty) but inclusive of the overseas professionals will assemble on Tuesday.
That list includes Swansea City duo Dennis Lawrence and Jason Scotland, Sunderland midfielder Carlos Edwards, Hungary-based goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams, US-based defenders Avery John and Julius James. Former national captain Dwight Yorke has also confirmed his availability for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers beginning with Saturday’s fixture against the Guatemalans who arrive in Port of Spain on Thursday. The Sunderland midfielder will join the team on Tuesday. Baptiste and Thomas will return home on Wednesday.
Defence Force defender Aklie Edwards is also in the squad and will be eligible for action in the qualifiers having completed a four-match suspension for a red card offense in an Olympic qualifier against Cuba earlier this year.
Among the other home-based pros include midfielder Keon Daniel, the double scorer against Cuba as well as Densill Theobald, Cornell Glen, Cyd Gray, Anthony Wolfe, Andre Toussaint Clyde Leon and goalkeeper Marvin Phillip among the others.
Striker Cornell Glen says T&T will not be complacent against Guatemala particularly when one looks back at the two past World Cup qualifiers. Guatemala were handsome 5-1 winners in Guatemala City before a late Stern John double gave T&T a come from behind 3-2 win at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on the final stretch to Germany 2006.
“I feel we are coming on stronger as a team after the last two matches (against El Salvador and Cuba) but at the same time Guatemala is a team that can really come good on their day so we cannot take them lightly. We never go out there to take any team lightly but for this game as it is. I think we need to go all out to get three points. It is really important for us to take all our points in the first home game,” Glen told TTFF Media.
“Personally I am hoping to keep up my form and make whatever contribution that will benefit the team. All the guys are really starting to understand their positions and what the coach wants from them but more time will help us. We have to be on point and try to push forward and take our chances like we did in the last two games,” added the ex-LA Galaxy front man.
T&T currently sits atop the four-team group ahead of the Americans on goal difference but Bob Bradley’s team is keen to cut short that stay. Bradley has named a 22-man roster for his team’s match against Cuba on Saturday and against T&T on September 10 in Chicago.
“These next two games are very important to help us position ourselves to advance to the final stage,” said Bradley.
“With the win against Guatemala, we have put ourselves in a good situation at the start of the semifinal round. I was very pleased with the way our team stuck together in a difficult environment. We need to have that same type of effort in the matches against Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago.”
Many of the usual suspects are included in Bradley’s roster, including 16 of the 20 players called in for the Guatemala game, led by captain Carlos Bocanegra, who scored the winning goal. In a further indication that youth will continue to be served under Bob Bradley, six players from the Olympic team have been summoned, including increasingly regular members Sacha Kljestan, Maurice Edu, and Michael Bradley.
Two other Olympians on the roster are interesting selections. Toronto FC wingback Marvell Wynne was impressive in three starts for the US in Beijing. San Luis's uncapped defender Michael Orozco, on the other hand, was the goat for the U.S. team at the Olympics when he picked up a silly red card early in the Americans’ deciding group match against Nigeria.
USA Squad for games vs T&T and Cuba
GOALKEEPERS: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton)
DEFENDERS: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Michael Orozco (San Luis), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC)
MIDFIELDERS: DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers), Michael Bradley (Heerenveen), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Eddie Lewis (Los Angeles Galaxy)
FORWARDS: Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Eddie Johnson (Cardiff City)