Nathaniel James Thread

[Flex]

James excited as Invitational Tournament draws near.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).

QRC STUDENT Nathaniel James will be one of the players local football fans can look out for when the national Boys Under-15 team take center stage from July 17 at the TTFA (TT Football Association) Youth Invitational tournament.

Three days of matches are scheduled for the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva and Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, with Boys teams from Panama, Mexico and Venezuela taking part, while the Curacao Girls Under-16s will face off with TT’s Girls U-16s in two matches.

Under the guidance of coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier, T&T’s boys are preparing for the 2019 CONCACAF Under-15 Championship at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, United States.

The team has been together since 2017 with regular training sessions and practice games every week with one overseas tour to Curacao in August 2018 where they topped hosts Curacao 2-0 to finish winners of their Caribbean Football Union (CFU) group.

“It’s been a really enjoyable and exciting journey so far,” said James, who recently had a stint in Spain with David Nakhid’s International Academy at the Madrid International Cup.

“We have been in training for quite some time and this tournament coming up will be great opportunity for us to test ourselves. I’m really excited because it will will be the first time we are playing against opposition from outside of the Caribbean. I think my teammates are very excited also. It will really give us a chance to see what level we are at and how much we have developed over the past two years,” he added. “We are going to match them. We are going to compete and we are going to give our best.”

James has honour and pride on his shoulders everytime he steps on the pitch in TT colours.

“What makes me feel honoured is hearing my national team’s anthem when I am about to play. You feel all the nerves before the game but when the whistle blows everything takes over after that.

“It means everything to me to represent my country. Ever since I was a little boy I’ve wanted to represent TT.” The 14-year-old attributed his discipline and success to not only his personal sacrifices but the efforts of his both parents. “They have been with me through it all. I’ve had some difficult times. There was a time when I had training and I would reach home late most days. It was hard to keep up with my school work and my grades were dropping. It needed a little more effort to improve myself and get better grades. I have to miss a lot of time with my friends and I can’t lime late. I have to be asleep early,” James noted.

“The people who inspire me to be who I am will definitely be my mom and dad and my idol Lionel Messi. I admire my parents for the way they try to help me in every single way. The time when I got my lowest grades ever my mom and dad were very disappointed and almost at the point where they probably wanted to give up on me. But they didn’t stop. They came and tried with me and it’s working out now and I really appreciate them for that,” he said.

“I want to make it a World Cup. I want to play in a Champions League and I just want to take Trinidad and Tobago football to greater heights. I’m a proud Trinbagonian and I am inviting the fans to come out and support us from July 17,” James ended.

T&T face Panama at 7.15 pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium on July 17 with Mexico and Venezuela’s U-15s squaring off from 5 pm at the Couva venue.

Tickets are available at all NLCB Lotto outlets. Tickets are priced at $40 per matchday and $100 for tournament pass which will give fans access to all three matchdays.

[Tallman]

Meet Nathaniel "Natty" James
By Calisa Joseph (Total SporTT)

The W Connection midfielder joins the exclusive group of 15 year olds to have debuted in the T&T Pro League.

Age you realized you wanted to play professionally?
I realized I wanted to play professionally when I turned 10 years old.

Interests beside football?
I enjoy playing the steel pan, playing video games and Djing. As a career then I would definitely be interested in Sport Nutrition. .

Advice given to you by senior players on pro-league debut at 15?
They encouraged me, they told me to be confident, be brave and believe in my ability. They also promised to protect me on the field, and that they did.

How did it feel to be a pro-league debutant at such a young age?
I felt proud and happy, I began with 15 and 20 minutes per game and some days on the bench, but as I got more confident my coach (Earl Jean and Stewart Favier) started giving me more and more time and this certainly helped improve my game but I know I still have a lot to learn.

Your dream club?
I have always dreamed about playing for Barcelona but as I got older I grew to love Man City because of their style of play.

Motivation after a bad game?
After a bad game I am usually very hard on myself. I can only blame myself which allows me to hold myself to a higher standard for the next game. But motivation also comes from my coaches and my father. I was fortunate to have some excellent coaches thus far, and my father, well let’s just say “that man could talk lol”.

Player(s) you model your game after?
I model my game after Lionel Messi and Paulo Dybala. Messi is an excellent dribbler he deceives defenders well and Dybala has the same qualities in my opinion.

Where do you see yourself at aged 20?
I see myself playing professional football in England at the age of 20 years.

Thank you for participating Natty. We at Total SporTT cannot wait to see what life has in store for you. Work hard, keep the socials clean and always be determined to give 💯

[Tallman]

National U-20 player Nathaniel "Natty" James has joined Spanish sixth tier club, CF Independiente Alicante.

[Trini _2026]

i wonder what is the reason behind this move ?

[asylumseeker]

i wonder what is the reason behind this move ?

Optimism ... whether blind or benign.

[Peong]

Did he have something better? Good luck to him

[Tallman]

Nathaniel James on goal vs Curacao: 'I wanted to be explosive'
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)

Nineteen-year-old attacker Nathaniel “Natty” James was Trinidad and Tobago’s impact player against Curacao in their opening Concacaf Nations League contest on Thursday, as he netted the lone goal to give T&T a 1-0 victory to start the tourney.

James was substituted on in the 82nd minute, replacing Kaile Auvray, 19, and found the back of the net five minutes later, to grab three crucial points for T&T. This was his first goal as a senior player.

Despite being outplayed at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo in the first half, T&T upped the ante late in the second period and were rewarded for their efforts courtesy James’s timely strike.

When he was called up on by head coach Angus Eve, with just eight minutes to go before the end of regulation time, James knew what he was being asked to deliver.

“I knew when the coach called me, it was to make an impact on the game. I wanted to be explosive and be an asset to the team. It was a great feeling (to score).

“The ball came (off a downward header from teammate Ryan Telfer).

"Everything just happened in slow motion. (There were) a lot of emotions running through my mind. I’m really proud and thankful for the opportunity,” James said in the post-match interview.

The La Horquetta-born player was pleased that Eve trusted him to help turn things around.

He added, “It was a big confidence boost. The coach showed me in a time like this, although so late in the game, he believed in me, and it showed me that he thinks I can compete at this level. I want to continue doing that and be part of the team and be big in personality.”

Eve did not attend the post-match briefing since he was “unavoidably absent,” according to TTFA media officer Shaun Fuentes.

Assistant coach Derek King was grateful for the team’s efforts as they shook off a listless first half to get the win. T&T struggled to string together passes in the first half and enjoyed just 37 per cent possession for the game.

King said, “We went with our game plan as well. It’s a new team, in the sense that we played with just a few experienced players and we played a team with some new players and a new coach.

“So I think we did well today. We were disciplined. The more the game went on, in the second half the players were really outstanding, and we came out with the three points.”

The five substitutions in the second half – James, Andre Raymond, Duane Muckette, Reon Moore and Kristian Lee-Him – were crucial, King said.

He said T&T’s pool of potential players remains bountiful, and sees a brighter future.

“We saw our midfield line, with the likes of Daniel Phillip, he did well. And the likes of Muckette and Moore coming on as more ball players. So I think we started to handle the ball in the second half and get joy going forward.

“It’s very important for us as a young team – step by step. The main thing was to get a good result at home, but we will build. We are still analysing players who will add to the team. We have a few players who are injured at the moment. Once we get the bunch together and gel, you’d see a different T&T team.”

King also praised James’s performance.

“A young player – we saw him at youth level: he’s knocking on the door for an overseas contract. He’s someone that we really had to nurture as a youth. (By) just introducing him today, he did well, and that will build his confidence going forward.”

Additionally, captain and defender Aubrey David was also in good spirits, but stressed the importance of maintaining the momentum heading into Sunday’s away match against El Salvador.

FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification, he said, is the ultimate target.

“We defended well. I think it’s more or less believing in ourselves. It’s a young team and it’s confidence (that matters) at the end of the day. Once we believe in ourselves and maintain ball possession, we will come out with a result.

“We’ll be analysing the game (Curacao), then we’ll be prepared come Sunday.

“Our main focus is 2026. Within the next year FIFA World Cup qualifiers will start so we have to now groom those young players. What we need is to expose them to international football and get proper games (practice) for them as well.

“It’s now for us to stay focused (and) recover as fast as possible, because it’s going to be a challenging game. It’s been a great job by everyone that played, even the substitutes that came on, who changed the game for us.”

[Tallman]

GOAL FOR FALLEN FRIEND – Trinidad and Tobago striker seeks end to La Horquetta violence
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)

"RIP Kaylon Jacob...stop the violence in La Horquetta."

Seven weeks after the fatal shooting of Kaylon Jacob, La Horquetta resident and teenage entrepreneur, tributes to him continue.

On Thursday night, as the Trinidad and Tobago men's football team eked out a 1-0 win, 19-year-old substitute Nathaniel "Natty" James stole the show as he got his first goal at senior level for the national side.

James scored the winning goal against Curacao in the opening match of T&T's 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League A campaign at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.

As he celebrated his goal in the 87th minute, James, himself from La Horquetta, took off his T&T shirt to reveal a poignant message.

The message paid tribute to Jacob, his friend, who was killed on July 22. Jacob, who lived at Winston Mulligan Drive, Phase Four, La Horquetta, ran a grill business and was on his way to deliver food to a relative in Phase Two.

After the match, James explained, "It was just a tribute to my friend who passed away due to gun violence in La Horquetta. I just wanted to dedicate the goal to him."

Jacob was "from my community," he said. "It was about me showing love. It was a big moment for my community, because there has been a lot of violence in La Horquetta these days.

"It was just basically a message to everyone. We need to come together as a community and as a country and just be one with each other and live in harmony."

Speaking to Newsday, Jacob's mother, Kerry-Ann Jacob, said she was overwhelmed on learning of James's tribute. She said Jacob and James were good friends and shared a similar mindset and perspective on life. Both young men were productive in pursuit of their goals.

"(Nathaniel) and Kaylon were really close," Kerry-Ann told Newsday. "Nathaniel's dad and I have known each other for years, as we all grew up together in La Horquetta. Nathaniel and Kaylon used to be in my yard hanging out all the time."

At the time of his death, Jacob was enrolled in the Civil Conservation Corps. He had done courses in barbering and photography, swam competitively during his time at Bon Air Secondary and also had a one-year stint with Exodus Steel Orchestra.

"(Kaylon) had everything, he didn't need anything," his mother said. "He was my everything. His death hurt me a lot. People keep telling me that I'm strong, but I don't think it's strength, it's courage."

When James celebrated her son, she couldn't contain her emotion.

"Oh my God, Nathaniel's celebration touched me!" she said. "I need to see Nathaniel now. I need to reach out to him and give him a big, tight hug.

"Nathaniel took the shirt off and then I saw the message and it had me overwhelmed.

"Kaylon touched so many hearts. I felt so proud about my son when I saw that. I always taught him to respect people, and he did just that. From a young age, I told him that respect would take him a long way in life."

Kerry-Ann, who has lived in La Horquetta for 40-plus years, says she is saddened by the state of the neighbourhood and the country.

"There is a lot of tension in the community. And this is an ongoing thing," she said. "You have boys who went to school together, or whose parents grew up together. They are now going after each other.

"I never expected this to happen to my son. He was defenceless."

She says she has had support from friends, family members and co-workers.

Her son's death, she said, "really took a toll on me, because this crime problem has now hit home. It's a different feeling when it's at your doorstep.

"And I am not speaking about La Horquetta alone, it's happening all over (the country)."

Before the match vs Curacao, T&T head coach Angus Eve also spoke about gun violence.

"I don't focus on negative stuff. I have to be focused for these guys here. These guys I'm putting my belief in for T&T," Eve said. "Young men are dying all over the place with gun violence. These men want to do something positive for their country."

Of her son's killers, Kerry-Ann said: "I don't want revenge for my son's death. He lived 18 years and he is in a better place now. I am willing to forgive. My child is already gone.

"I just want to know why they did this to Kaylon.

"I want them to put down the guns. You all need to have children, wives and carry on a good life."

There have been over 400 murders for 2023.

[Trini _2026]

Now at mount pleasant

[kounty]

 

[Tallman]

Nathaniel James joins Auvray ar Mount Pleasant FA
By Livingston Scott (Jamaica Gleaner)

Jamaica Premier League champions Mount Pleasant have signed two exciting Trinidadian teenagers, Kaïlé Auvray and Nathaniel James, ahead of the start of the new season.

Both players are 19 years old. Auvray is a winger who played for the United States Under-17s and French Club Lille Under-17s, while James is an attacking midfielder who scored the winner for Trinidad and Tobago in a recent 1-0 win over Curaçao in the Concacaf Nations League.

The two join recent newcomers Gawain Austin from Portmore, Marlon Allen, Romeo Guthrie and Damari Deacon of Arnett Gardens, defender Troy Jules of Dominica, Oquasso Chung from Danish club Esbjerb fB and Vere United defender Fitzroy Cummings ,in a strong Mount Pleasant squad.

General manager Paul Christie said he expects the Trinidad duo to add value to the organisation and quality to the squad.

“These young Trinidad nationals, I think, can help us. They are both full of fire and ready to contribute to the forward movement of the organisation at the Concacaf level and beyond.

“So it was a no-brainer for the organisation to make the decision to acquire their services,” he said.

He declared that the club will continue to look abroad to acquire young talent, with the aim of helping the players develop so they move on to the next level, and at the same time remain competitive in the local premier league.

BUILDING SQUAD

“We are looking not only locally but regionally and internationally to assemble our squad. We want to be a truly professional outfit and improve and get better as we go along.

“So, wherever the talent shows interest, as long as it fits in at Mount Pleasant, we have no issue in acquiring their services.

“We are trying to develop, export and compete all at once. We are trying to do all three at the same time and still be very competitive at our core premier league level,” Christie said.

He added that, with the acquisitions, they should be able to compete on all fronts this season

“We are just trying to improve the team. We want to bring good quality football to the people of St Ann and, by extension, Jamaica and Caribbean.

“We also have serious intentions of competing at the Concacaf level as well,” he stated.

[Tallman]

Warrior Profile: Nathaniel James – My dad is my biggest inspiration
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)

Jamaican-based Trinidad and Tobago men’s team footballer Nathaniel “Natty” James says his father, Mark, is his biggest inspiration and the reason why he is a professional footballer.

James, 19, sealed a move to Jamaica Premier League (JPL) champions Mount Pleasant Football Academy in September. On September 7, the La Horquetta youngster threw himself in the national limelight as he scored a winning goal after coming on as a substitute in T&T’s Concacaf Nations League A game versus Curacao at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo. It was only James’ second cap at senior level. His first appearance for the “Soca Warriors” came in a friendly versus Jamaica at the Catherine Hall Sports Complex in Jamaica back in March.

His impact on the international stage was immediate, but Natty is not new to goal-scoring. The diminutive attacker has been doing it for fun for all of his young career.

James credits his father for his monumental impact on his career and his life.

“My father is my biggest coach. He taught me a lot in football and my father is the reason my technique is so good,” James told Newsday. “He would be with me on the football field in Phase 5 La Horquetta through the sun or rain – any weather.

“He is the reason I’m a footballer to be honest. He took something l liked and made me simply the best version of myself as a footballer. My father made sure l stayed focused and got my education. He made sure I got my CXC passes in case anything went wrong with the football.”

As a footballer, Mark wasn’t too bad himself. He played on a Malick Secondary team which featured former national players such as Arnold Dwarika and Gary Glasgow. Mark helped Malick to a national intercol crown, and often teases Nathaniel about it. The younger James’s Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) career with Queen’s Royal College was cut short by covid19, which effectively stopped the SSFL and other competitive leagues in TT from 2020 to 2021.

In the down time, James honed his skills. He is now reaping the rewards.

At the June 2022 Concacaf under-20 championship, James was a revelation for T&T. He scored four goals in the tournament and also registered three assists as TT made the round of 16 stage before being knocked out by Costa Rica. With the ability to play on either flank or through the middle as a “number nine,” James scored twice in a gripping 4-4 draw with Haiti in the opening match. He then came off the bench against Suriname to score a pair of goals in T&T’s final group match to seal their spot in the knockout round.

On that under-20 team, James rubbed shoulders with players such as Molik Khan, Kassidy Davidson and the Fatima College pair of Christian Bailey and goalkeeper Tristan Edwards. All four players represented T&T at under-15 level and emerged from the T&T Football Association (TTFA) youth elite programme which was overseen by St Lucian coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier, a stalwart at T&T club W Connection for many years.

James said he learnt a lot under Charles-Fevrier and credited him with his tactical development and awareness as a player. “That was the most football knowledge I ever gained in my entire life, under Charles-Fevrier and Clyde and those guys. That’s where I learnt the most about tactics and understanding positions. Charles-Fevrier is basically the reason I am able to play about three or four positions on the field. He made all the players who were in that program look at football differently. “It has made it a lot easier for me to adapt to certain things and understand certain things. He went through those things with us at a young age and I wish they would have kept the programme going because a lot of the players would have been (further) ahead right now.” With the T&T under-15 team, James turned out in friendly matches against opposition such as Mexico, Panama and Venezuela. He said the experience exposed him to different aspects of the game and helped his growth tremendously. Even before James donned the red, white and black colours as a 15-year-old, he was turning heads in youth tournaments across the country.

His journey started at age five with FC Santa Rosa and former T&T Super League president Keith Look Loy. Stints with Blast and Jabloteh followed. James scored a whopping 39 goals in a single season with Jabloteh’s under-13s to break the scoring record in the youth Pro League.

A move to W Connection followed for James, who made his senior Pro League against Central FC in January 2020, mere months after featuring for T&T’s under-15 team.

When covid19 caused a lockdown of local football in 2020, James stayed resilient. After representing T&T at the Concacaf under-20 championship in 2022, James lit up the inaugural T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) season in 2023 with Tiger Tanks Club Sando – tallying a league-high 15 goals. Sando qualified for the Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield. James missed the tournament as he went on overseas trials. In September, his presence was most certainly felt as he scored his first international goal and moved to the Jamaican champions, Mount Pleasant.

James will be vying to make his league debut when Mount Pleasant face Portmore United on October 22.

[Flex]

Nathaniel ‘Natty’ James stars at TTPFL awards.
By Andrew Gioannetti (T&T Newsday).

NATHANIEL “Natty” James’s 15 goals for Tiger Tanks Club Sando in the inaugural season of the TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) last season were good enough to win him the golden boot and the Forward of the Year honours when the league hosted its awards at Hilton Hotel, on Friday night.

Tier-one champions Defence Force and Tobago’s 1976 FC Phoenix – winners of the second tier and entrants for the upcoming season – saw their players win the lion’s share of individual awards.

James, who helped Club Sando to a third-place finish last season, earning him a contract in Jamaica, was unable to seal a hat-trick of individual awards, though.

He was pipped for the league’s best player of the season by his T&T teammate and Defence Force central defender Justin Garcia, who was also named the league’s best defender.

James, who is currently in Jamaica, was singled out by Minister of Sports and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis as a “solid example of determination.”

Delivering the feature address, Cudjoe-Lewis, said it would be “remiss of me if I didn’t mention Nathaniel James.

“He (scored) the winning goal against Curacao just a few weeks ago – Mr James, I want to say to you … on behalf (of the nation) we say sincerely, from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.

“But I have just one request,” she quipped, “please don’t leave the action for so late in the game.”

James, 19, made his national team debut against Curacao in September, coming off the bench in the 82nd minute and scoring a free-kick just five minutes later to win the match.

With respect to his recent form and transfer to Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant FA, Cudjoe-Lewis said, “I think you are one more solid example of determination and dedication to your craft that will only result in tremendous success. You are also a role model .”

Christopher Biggette, a recent addition to the senior men’s national team squad, was named the tier-one’s best goalkeeper of the season, ahead of national team back-up Denzil Smith of W Connection, and 39-year-old AC Port of Spain’s Marvin Phillip, who recently announced his international retirement.

Lloyd Andrews of Defence Force was also awarded coach of the season. Nigel De Souza, head coach of 1976 FC Phoenix, won the Tier Two equivalent.

AC Port of Spain’s Duane Muckette was named the midfielder of the year.

1976 FC Phoenix’s ace forward Mickaeel “Jem” Gordon walked away with three honours to his name, picking up the Forward of the Year, the Golden Boot (with eight goals) and the Player of the Season awards.

His teammate Devaughn Daniel earned the goalkeeper of the year award, while Erick Charles of Petit Valley Diego Martin United and Sean de Silva (QPCC) were named the best defender and midfielder. Daniel and de Silva were also nominated for the Player of the Season awards.

The TTPFL said coaches of all teams were invited to make selections for the awards. The next TTPFL season will kick off on November 24, with the notable absence of long-time T&T and Caribbean club giants W Connection.

Awardees

Tier 1

Goalkeeper of the Season: Christopher Biggette (Defence Force) (winner), Marvin Phillip (AC Port of Spain), Denzil Smith (W Connection).

Defender of the Season: Justin Garcia (Defence Force) (winner), Josiah Trimmingham (Tiger Tanks Club Sando), Randanfa Abu Bakr (AC Port of Spain).

Midfielder of the Season: Duane Muckette (AC Port of Spain) (winner), John-Paul Rochford (AC Port of Spain), Justin Sadoo (Defence Force).

Forward of the Season: Nathaniel James (Tiger Tanks Club Sando) (winner), Ataulla Guerra – Terminix La Horquetta Rangers), Brent Sam (Defence Force).

Player of the Season: Justin Garcia (Defence Force) (winner), Nathaniel James (Tiger Tanks Club Sando), Duane Muckette (AC Port of Spain).

Golden Boot: Nathaniel James (Tiger Tanks Club Sando).

Coach of the Season: Lloyd Andrews (Defence Force).

Tier Two

Goalkeeper of the season: Duvaughn Daniel (1976 FC Phoenix) (winner), Dillon King (QPCC), Cleon John (Police FC).

Defender of the season: Erick Charles (Petit Valley Diego Martin Utd) (winner), Javon Williams (1976 FC Phoenix), Jeremiah Bristol (1976 FC Phoenix).

Midfielder of the season: Sean de Silva (QPCC) (winner), Bringsluck Nche (Petit Valley Diego Martin Utd), Trevin Caesar (1976 FC Phoenix).

Forward of the Season: Mickaeel Gordon (1976 FC Phoenix) (winner), Isaiah Leacock (Harlem Strikers), Jason Devenish (QPCC).

Player of the Season: Mickaeel Gordon (1976 FC Phoenix) (winner), Duvaughn Daniel (1976 FC Phoenix), Sean De Silva (QPCC).

Golden Boot: Mickaeel Gordon (1976 FC Phoenix).

Coach of the Season: Nigel De Souza (1976 FC Phoenix).

[Trini _2026]

The training harder  and the games are  physical and intense in Jamaica but skill level the same. This would prepare him better for europe

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/ZdOfni5OXpk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/ZdOfni5OXpk</a>

[Thomo]

The training harder  and the games are  physical and intense in Jamaica but skill level the same. This would prepare him better for europe

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/ZdOfni5OXpk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/ZdOfni5OXpk</a>

He needs to hire a personal trainer and nutritionist. If not, all the info is available online.