Trinidad and Tobago's National Under 23 team is carded to take on the Canadian National Under 20 team in two warm-up matches here on February 17 and 19, 2003.
T&T will use the games as part of preparations for the Olympic qualifying campaign which is expected to get going by mid-2003. The Canadians will be using the trip as part of their build up towards the World Under 20 Youth Championship. They have been drawn into Group C and will face Brazil, Australia and the Czech Republic in the in the United Arab Emirates from March 25-April 16.
With Hannibal Najjar in Missouri until next week, assistant coach Anthony Barrington will conduct the training which starts on Thursday from 10 am at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Among the players called for training are former Under 17 goalkeeper Marvin Phillip and Defence Force goalie Marlon Sylvester who was in the Senior team that faced Finland last week. Steve Sealey and Kenwyne Jones of St Anthony's College, Lyndon Luke of Princes Town Senior Comprehensive and Naparima College's Jerol Forbes are some of the prominent names coming out of the Secondary Schools League.
Miidfielder Conrad Smith, Joe Public playmaker Denzil Theobald, Joe Public striker Andre Toussaint, CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh midfielder Kerry Baptiste and Devon Mitchell have also been recalled from the last Under 23 team which faced Germany's Under 23s last May under former coach Rene Simoes.
In related news, Trinidad and Tobago's Olympic team will face Bahamas on a date to determined to kick off their 2004 Olympic qualifying campaign. Following the draw at the CONCACAF New York offices on Friday, it was determined that T&T will host the first leg followed by an away encounter against Bahamas. The winners of that tie will then advance to the second round to meet the winners of the Cayman Islands versus Grenada tie.
Once T&T gets through those initial stages, they will then advance to the final qualifying round which will be hosted by Mexico. The Mexicans are among the four seeded teams which includes the United States, Guatemala and Honduras which have all been given first round byes.
Technical Director Hannibal Najjar, speaking from Missouri where he's at for the week, said he will be taking all oppositions strongly.
"Given the information that I've received regarding the draw, I will not underestimate any of the oppositions anywhere in the world and more so the Caribbean again. Therefore coming up against Bahamas, though we have to consider it one of the easier passages, we will have to be very prepared as if should we be coming up against one of the proven teams. Preparations is at the key of what we are doing and nothing is going to be taken lightly or treated less than urgent and important," Najjar told TTFF Media. "As technical director, I must say that the aim is not for us to just get past the opposition but also perform to such a standard that we will be sending a message that Trinidad and Tobago at all levels is to be considered one of CONCACAF's major powerhouses."
The eight final round teams will be divided into two groups of four, with the first and second placed teams in each crossing over in the semifinals with winners of those matches taking the two CONCACAF berths in Athens.
The T&T Olympic team began training on Thursday and have two warm-up matches against Canada Under 20 team, which is preparing for the World Youth Championship, here on February 17 and 19. Jamaica faces Cuba and the winner of that tie will then face Guatemala in the second stage for the right to move on to the final qualifying round. Costa Rica faces Belize and Guyana faces Barbados in other first round matches.
TnT 30-man squad.
CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh.
Marvin Phillip, Daurance Williams, Ronald Primus, Lee Haynes, Devon Bristol, Wendell Joseph, Kerry Baptiste, Michael Celestine, Jerol Forbes.
Joe Public.
Kevin Graham, Andre Toussaint, Devin Jordan, Denzil Theobald.
Defence Force.
Marlon Sylvester.
Arima Fire.
Seon Power, Devon Mitchell, Andre Pacheco, Clyde Leon.
Caledonia AIA.
Serginho Sandy, Conrad Smith, Kareem Joseph.
Vibe CT 105 W Connection.
Anton Joseph, Lyndon Diaz, Kendell Davis, Kevon Clement.
St Anthony's College.
Kenwyne Jones, Clevon George, Steve Sealey.
Tico Strikers.
Anthony Wolfe.
Princes Town SC.
Lyndon Luke.