Trinidad and Tobago’s National Under 17 squad for the upcoming FIFA Under 17 World Championship in Korea next month was announced by head coach Anton Corneal on Sunday, a week before the contingent departs for Holland for a training camp ahead of its opening match against Ghana.

Corneal and his staff met with the players on the weekend and revealed the squad with 21 players being selected, four being named as reserves and five players missing out after weeks of preparation following T&T’s qualification for the Championship after a 1-0 win over Jamaica in Kingston in early May.

Defence Force midfielder and TTFF’s young player of the year for 2006 Leston Paul will captain the team which includes all but three players who were part of the squad during the final round of qualifiers. There are also three new additions in US-born duo, goalkeeper Kern Cesar and midfielder Aaron Maund while United Petrotrin Stephan Campbell also broke into the team. Forward Daniel Joseph, who missed the qualifiers due to injury is also in the final squad going to Korea.

“It’s always a tough decision to release players who have been together with you for such a long time. It goes past just the coach/player relationship and is more like a coach/son attachment,” Corneal’s first statement to TTFF Media was following the initial announcing of the squad.

“I think the group of thirty players we had worked hard and very well together but it’s unfortunate that we cannot take them all to the tournament. In the end we decided to utilize players who were compatible with each other and most ready at this time. Whatever players who were released today will rejoin us as soon as we get back from the tournament,” Corneal added.

The former national player explained that the selection of the 21-man squad was a process over a period of time, particular the past three weeks and done collectively with the other coaches attached to the team. Hutson Charles is an assistant with Ross Russell as goalkeeper coach. Senior Team head coach Wim Rijsbergen has also worked with the team.

“We had been looking at various compositions over the past few weeks. The other coaches all gave their full opinion and we came together with very similar names so it was therefore something across the board that led  to the final squad. It was also difficult for the other coaches as we have been looking at these players for a while in practice, game situations and all other aspects such as their mental readiness, fitness level, tactical awareness and their understanding of the game. And this is what we thought was best for our country at this time going into the tournament.”

Finally, Corneal was firm when asked whether he felt the team could gave a respectable showing at the Championship and return with the benefits that would auger well in the future of T&T’s football, particularly on the international scene.

“Yes! I think this team is capable of achieving that. I think they can do it because they all have the right to be there. It’s a first time experience for all the teams at the Under 17 level. No team has more experience than us at an Under 17 World Cup. We have countries in there with maybe more of a footballing reputation. But I think we have had good enough exposure and we are also a World Cup nation. Our players are ready, they are looking forward to it and it’s now a case of going out there and performing to the best of our ability.” Corneal concluded.

T&T, in Group F, will play its first two games in Cheonan on August 20 against Ghana and against Colombia on August 23 before it’s closing Group fixture against Germany on August 26 in Changwon. (July 29, 2007)

T&T 21-man squad for FIFA Under 17 World Championship
 

Goalkeepers: Glenroy Samuel (CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh), Jesse Fullerton (Weston Fury High School), Kern Caesar (Victory Christian Academy)

Defenders: Ryan O’Neil (Defence Force), Robert Primus (Jabloteh), Shelon Bateau (Jabloteh), Akeem Adams (W Connection), Jean Luc Rochford (B Mobile Joe Public), Brenton Balbosa (Defence Force)

Midfielders: Leston Paul (Defence Force, captain), Chike Sullivan (Jaboteh), Sean De Silva (Superstar Rangers), Kevin Molino (Jaboteh), Micah Lewis (Jabloteh), Aubrey David ( W Connection), Aaron Maund (FC Greater Boston), Marcus Joseph (United Petrotrin), Stephan Campbell (United Petrotrin).

Forwards:  Stephen Knox (Jaboteh), Daniel Joseph (Jabloteh), Daneil Cyrus (Stokely Vale FC, Tobago).

Reserves - Stephan Chang (Jabloteh), Wesley Douglas (unattached), Cameron Roget (LA Jolla Nomads), Chad De Freitas (Superstar Rangers).