National Senior team defender Joevin Jones has been included in Trinidad and Tobago’s National Under 20 team for a tour of Venezuela on Sunday where they will participate in a four-nation tournament from October 18-25 against the hosts, Costa Rica and Colombia in Puerto Ordaz.
The 20-man squad, coached by Zoran Vranes, includes several experienced players including National Under 20 trio Marcus Joseph, Sheldon Bateau and Akeem Adams who were all members of the T&T team which appeared at the 2009 FIFA Under 20 World Cup in Egypt.
Adams meantime, will join the squad straight out of a trial with Seattle Sounders of the American MLS. Jones is coming off six consecutive appearances for the National Senior team including the 1-0 loss to Jamaica in Kingston on Sunday where he impressed with his intelligent and composed display in the left back position.
“We have a squad that is very capable of doing well especially with some of the experienced players from the last World Cup,” Vranes told TTFF Media.
“It’s not that we will depend solely on them because some of the other players are also doing well and putting a lot of effort in the preparations.
This tournament in Venezuela should give us a good idea as to how strong we are right now and then of course we will go straight into the Caribbean qualifiers. The main objective right now is preparation and then of course to move on to the Final round in Concacaf,” he added.
Vranes’ assistants are Hutson Charles and Dale Saunders whileGilbert Bateau is the trainer and Cheryl Abrams is the manager of the team.
T&T will go into a home and away Caribbean Football Union qualifier with St Vincent and the Grenadines on November 16 (home) and 23 and the winners from that tie will meet the winners of Aruba/Suriname for a spot in the Concacaf Final Round of qualification Meantime, last week Jamaica finished atop Caribbean Group C with three wins in as many games and outscoring its opponents 21-1.
Jamaica now moves on to the Final round in Guatemala along with already qualified teams Canada, USA and Mexico from April 3-7 in 2011. The 2011 FIFA Under 20 World Cup will be held in Colombia.
T&T Squad for Venezuela
1.Jamaal Francois
2.John Thomas
3.Jeron Quashie
4.Dinelle Lopez
5.Dwight Ceballo
6.Akeem Adams
7.Joevin Jones
8.Joshua Bachan
9.Sheldon Bateau
10.Marcus Joseph
11.Jerrel Britto
12.Johan Peltier
13.Jerron Morris
14.Kinez Williams
15.Brandon Simpson
16.Wesley John
17.Vernel Ramirez
18.Dion McCree
19.Reshard Wint
20.Ross Russel Jr