There will be no sweeping changes to the "Soca Warriors " team that played in the qualifying matches for the impending World Cup in Germany in June.
Coach Leo Beenhakker is adamant that the nucleus of the team that faces Sweden, England and Paraguay in Group B at the world's biggest football tournament will come from the squad that beat Bahrain in a playoff last year to land their first ever World Cup berth.
"The most credit of course, has the players who did the job," Beenhakker said at a media conference at the Audio/Visual Room of the Hasely Crawford Stadium yesterday.
"That's for sure. Not only the way they did the job, in the results they earned all our respect, and in that way I also have to protect the team spirit they showed us during all these qualification matches. So in that way I want to protect the guys who did that job more than ever."
The Dutchman also told the media fitness was the only criterion that would prevent most of the players making the trip to Germany.
"When they play on (a) regular basis with their clubs, that's about 15 or 16 players from the earlier team have already their ticket for Germany. Once again, if they are fit and in good shape, and everything like that. That means that the door is still open for several players to step in the team."
However, the coach said it was still too early to speculate about the final "Soca Warriors" line up.
"The main part now is following the guys, working with the guys, using for instance the match against Iceland on February 28, probably, to give some new players some opportunity to show if they can be valuable to the team."
The former Real Madrid coach added: "...If there are new players who can make the team stronger, and at the same time are prepared to step in the team and pick up the same spirit and the same ambience we have, then they are always also welcome of course..."
While saying he was "very happy" to have former national Under-20 coach Anton Corneal on his technical staff - which also includes Dutch assistant coach Whim Rijsbergen and goalkeeping coach Michael Maurice - for the World Cup, Beenhakker said he was also looking at some of the players that participated in the recent "Goal 2014" screening programme, which was held in December.
"He (Corneal) knows every player, that will be a good advantage. He knows the actual situation, he knows also the situation of the players in the USA, so in that way, I think that he can help us and I think we have a very good technical staff."
The T&T coach also reiterated his satisfaction with the World Cup draw, including European giants England.
"I said from the beginning, I like the group very much. First of all it's always - I will not say an honour - but it's always something special to play England... also because most players playing in England."
He described Sweden as " a very interesting opponent", and one of the better European teams, with a different style of football from the English.
He was also happy T&T would be facing a South American team, saying he had a liking for the South American style.
He also disclosed that in the second pre-tournament camp in Austria - he first will be for the foreign-based professionals in England - T&T will have the opportunity to play a warm-up match against a club side, as well as three friendly internationals before heading to the third and final camp in Germany.