The Trinidad and Tobago National Senior team had two players from CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh reinstated for the upcoming Digicel Caribbean Cup which kicks off this Friday with a double header at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Head coach Wim Rijsbergen named a 21-man squad last week minus players from the Jabloteh club after management requested that the players be excused from the Digicel Cup in order to facilitate their preparations for the CFU Club Championship in late January.
However, on Monday, the TTFF made its decision clear and it was agreed that two players – Nigel Daniel and Kerry Baptiste will rejoin the national team and were scheduled to be part of the training session at the Ato Boldon Stadium. The TTFF also advised that if the two players selected failed to show for national duty they could face suspension from all football related activities at the club and international level, including the CFU Club Championship.
Rijsbergen stated that he had already commenced final training before the tournament with the 21 players selected and as such called on Daniel and Baptiste, particularly as the current squad had a couple players with niggling injuries, including Abiola Clarence (hamstring) and Densill Theobald (ankle). US-based Yohance Marshall has also had to withdraw himself from the squad as his University of South Florida have decided against giving him time off from studies for the tournament.
Meantime, the team’s preparations continued on Monday with a morning and afternoon session at the Couva training pitch. So far, the players, with some ten being first timers for the country at the senior international level have shown a high amount of enthusiasm in the build up. And American-based midfielder Osei Telesford feels this will work in favour of the hosts,
Telesford was part of the team which engaged in a training camp under former head coach Leo Beenhakker in Miami last year leading up to the World Cup and he has been one of the higher rated players out of the US College system.
Having completed his tenure at Liberty University, Telesford is hoping for a solid showing in the tournament as he has sights set on securing a professional contract. Currently MLS clubs Kansas City Wizards and Toronto FC have shown interest and he is also looking at options on Europe.
“This a big opportunity for all of us and I think this is what will help bring the best out of the team for the tournament,” Telesford told TTFF Media on Monday. “For me it’s a privilege to get the chance to play at the senior level for the country and for the other guys as well because we are very keen to show that we can do it at this level. Most of us are coming off College football and we were balancing studies and football and it takes a high amount of discipline to do that. Now we hope to take this over to the national team and make an impact. We know it will not be easy but the commitment and the drive is there,” he added. “I am looking to also make that transition to the professional stage and there are some clubs from the MLS and also in the Scandanavian Leagues that are already holding talks. Then there is the local Pro League which is a final resort so obviously I want to put on a good showing.
He mentioned that his experience under Beenhakker and alongside other players who went to the Finals in Germany has played an essential role in his development over the past year or so.
“I think just being able to be part of that training camp for the week and working with some of the other players has done a lot of good for me and of course now joining up with the experience of guys like Densill, (Gary) Glasgow and (Leslie) Fitzpatrick will only auger well for the younger ones like myself.
“There will always be obstacles in the way but I think that is what will bring out stronger characters and it will benefit us in the long run. The coach has worked with us because he’s trying to get the team as best ready as possible for the tournament and we are hungry to rise to the challenge,” Telesford added.
The team will continue training at the Couva venue this week before facing Barbados from 6pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Friday.