The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation has invited twenty five players for the first training camp to be conducted by recently appointed National Senior Team head coach Leo Beenhakker beginning at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Monday morning.
The players, selected on the advice of technical director Lincoln Phillips and the TTFF Technical Advisory Committee will move into a three-day live in camp at the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence, Macoya on Monday. On Sunday they will undergo a medical evaluation by Team Doctor Terrance Babwah.
Beenhakker arrived in Trinidad on Friday with his two assistants Theo De Jonk and Whim Rhizerburg to begin training ahead of the June 4 World Cup qualifying match against Panama at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. Both his assistants played with the 1974 and 1978 Dutch World Cup teams.
Among the players called for the initial training sessions include CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh midfielder Angus Eve, Aurtis Seaton, Nigel Pierre, Keyeno Thomas, Daurance Williams and Michael Celestine. Regular national team midfielder Densill Theobald of Caledonia Fire is also in there with Anton Pierre, Gary Glasgow, Arnold Dwarika and Joe Public’s Derek King also getting the call. Irish-based defender Derek Phillips is expected to arrive home for the sessions.
National Under 20 players Keon Daniel, Karlon Murray, Radanfan Abu Bakr and goalkeeper Thorne Holder have also been invited to join the camp.
“We will be using the next two weeks to get all the knowledge about the players who are playing here. We will be attending some of the matches. We will talk with their coaches and work closely with the players to get as much as we can out of the next two weeks,” Beenhakker told TTFF Media ahead of his first session.
“We need to know exactly who is who and then after that we will have most of the players abroad who will be finished with their Leagues coming over to join the preparations. We will have about ten days with them. We have already met with some of them and seen them play for their clubs. Right now it’s not a situation where we will still have five weeks before the Panama game but rather one where will only have five weeks before what I think are two key matches in this qualification bid and therefore we have to make use everyday within this period.”
Some of the overseas-based pros are expected to start arriving this month including Crewe Alexandra goalie Clayton Ince who arrives with new English-born midfielder Christopher Birchall on May 10 and Scottish-based midfielder Brent Rahim is expected in around the same time.
Beenhakker has stated that with the English and Scottish season being over by mid-May, he wants to have a look at all the overseas pros in training by at least May 18. Two training games are carded to be played inside the last ten days of May.
Squad for training:
Derek Phillips (Shamrock Rovers), Densill Theobold (Caledonia AIA Fire), Keon Daniel (St Clair Coaching School), Gary Glasgow (Unattached), Hasely Holder (Unattached), Anton Pierre (Defence Force), Dwayne Jack (Tobago United), Jan Michael Williams, Arnold Dwarika, Andre Toussaint, Kendall Davis, Atiba Charles (W Connection), Keyeno Thomas, Nigel Daniel, Angus Eve, Daurance Williams, Kerry Baptiste, Trent Noel, Aurtis Whitley, Michael Celestine, Nigel Pierre (CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh), Karlon Murray (Unattached), Kevin Graham, Derek King (Joe Public), Radhanfah Abu Bakr (St Mary’s College).