Anton Corneal takes over as U-20 coach

EX-NATIONAL striker and current Director of Youth Development Anton Corneal has taken over the vacant position of coach of the Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 football team with immediate effect. And a 30-member squad will begin preparation for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) qualifiers for the 2005 FIFA World Under-20 Championships in the Netherlands. Barbados, Guyana/Anguilla and Montserrat/Grenada will join host Trinidad and Tobago for the CFU first leg from August 4-8, with the winners advancing to the CFU final in September, where the top two teams will earn berths to the final CONCACAF stage.

Corneal who played in the national team during the late 1970s and 1980s, was appointed by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF), based on the recommendation of  technical director Lincoln “Tiger” Phillips. Ron La Forest previously held the post of U-20 coach before he was promoted to the position of assistant coach of the senior team in January. The training squad will have their first session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 11.30 am tomorrow. It  includes 13 members of the 2002 Under-17 team, reigning Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Player of the Year Gorean Highley, fellow strikers Akil De Freitas and Simba Aberdeen; midfielders Sean Bateau, Josimar Belgrave, Kwesi Thomas, Marlon Ramsumair and Kitwana Abosi; defenders Matthew Cupid, Machel James, Jamal Warner and Shevhon Abraham, and goalkeeper Thorne Holder.

Full squad is: Thorne Holder, Jason Devenish, Simba Aberdeen (QRC); Kerwyn Beckles (W Connection); Adrian Toussaint (Joe Public); Rondell Renwick (Starworld Strikers); Kevon Neaves, Clevon George, Yohance Marshall, Kwesi Thomas, Troy Thompson, Akil De Freitas, Abiola Sandy (St Anthony’s); Matthew Cupid (Morvant/Laventille); Jamal Warner (St George’s); Machel James (QRC), Shevhon Abraham (Joe Public); Kezi Lara, Ancil Farrier (Naparima); Carlon Roberts (Mayaro Composite); Josimar Belgrave, Sean Bateau, Kern Gardner (Fatima); Kitwana Abosi, Gorean Highley, Dorian Daniel (Arima Senior); Marlon Ramsumair (Union Claxton Bay); Dion Peters (El Dorado); Adisa Alexander (South West Drillers); Shane Calderon (St Augustine Senior).