Eve to lead TT vs Bermuda

ANGUS EVE, who retired from national senior football team duties after the failed 2002 World Cup campaign, has been appointed captain of the 18-member TT squad who will oppose Bermuda in two friendly internationals, in Bermuda, next Tuesday and Thursday.

A veteran midfielder with over 100 international caps, Eve who will turn 32 on February 23, was a member of the national Under-20 squad who played at the 1991 World Championships in Portugal, under current coach Bertille St Clair. Since his retirement from national duty in late 2001, the former Defence Force and Jo Public attacker served as coach of the CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh Under-20 team and vice-captain of their senior squad during the 2003 TT Pro League. The team will comprise two players based in the United Kingdom — Birmingham City’s Stern John and Dundee’s Jason Scotland. Other players earning recalls to the local team include defenders Ansil Elcock (Jabloteh), Anton Pierre (Defence Force) and Derek King (Joe Public) as well as midfielders Conrad Smith (Caledonia AIA) and Stokely Mason (W Connection).

The 34-year-old Elcock, with over 100 caps under his belt, and Mason are the other senior members of the team while Pierre (26), Smith (22) and King (23) will be looking to resurrect their careers, in particular King who last wore national colours during the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup — ironically St Clair’s final competition as head coach. Seasoned players in the line-up are Connection’s stopper David Atiba Charles and five Jabloteh members — Tobago-born right-back Cyd Gray, defensive midfielder Travis Mulraine, playmaker Trent Noel, midfielder/striker Otis Seaton (Aurtis Whitley) and striker Cornell Glen.

Rounding off the squad are four uncapped players — Joe Public goalkeeper Kevin Graham, clubmates Garvin McKenna, the aggressive Tobago-born midfielder, defender Jamal Hamid and Starworld Strikers goalkeeper Marvin Phillip. Both 19-year-olds Hamid and Phillip were part of the national U-17 World Cup squad in 2001. The squad, including the recuperated St Clair (who was hospitalised after suffering stomach pains in England last week), will leave for the UK colony today. Meanwhile, assistant coach Ron La Forest, who conducted sessions at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Tunapuna in St Clair’s absence, described the progress of the team as “satisfactory.” “Everyone seems to be in good shape, good condition, good attitude and we’ll await Bermuda,” he indicated.

Team — Kevin Graham, Marvin Phillip (goalkeepers); Anton Pierre, Derek King, David Atiba Charles, Ansil Elcock, Jamal Hamid, Cyd Gray (defenders); Conrad Smith, Garvin McKenna, Stokely Mason, Trent Noel, Travis Mulraine, Otis Seaton, Angus Eve (midfielders); Cornell Glen, Stern John, Jason Scotland (strikers).