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T&T player and assistant coach of the Senior Men's Football Team Russell Latapy talks to players Trent Lougheed (left) and Uriah Bentick (right) as they prepare for Saturday's opening 2009 CONCACAF World Championship qualifier against Canada at the Marvin Lee Stadium at 6pm. Photo courtesy TTFF media.

Trinidad and Tobago’s National Under 20 footballers received a surprise courtesy visit from local midfield wizard and coach Russell Latapy as they trained at the Marvin Lee Stadium on Wednesday evening ahead of Saturday’s opening CONCACAF Under 20 World Qualifier against Canada.

Midway through the session as coach Zoran Vranes observed an eleven versus eleven scrimmage, Latapy ran on to pitch which gave skipper Leston Paul and his teammates a first opportunity to play or train alongside the T&T great.

German-based striker Jamal Gay was just as excited as his teammates.
 
“We are here for a serious stuff but it’s Russell Latapy we are talking about so you can’t help but be star struck when he steps on to the field alongside you. He was giving us advice and talking to us as though he was our long time friend. That was a great touch at training today,” Gay said.
 
“But looking ahead to the tournament, I think we are very focused. I feel the team has a good chance to go all the way. Personally my experience in Germany has been very good and I hope I can bring to this to the team and improve our chances,” added Gay who arrived from Germany on Tuesday where he is based with Bundesliga Second Division team Rot Weiss Oberhausen. Saturday’s game kicks off at 6pm while Costa Rica faces Mexico from 4pm.