Hislop leads Under-20s in football qualifiers

DEFENDER Makan Hislop, nephew of veteran English-born national goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, will lead the 18-member Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 football team at the CONCACAF Under-20 qualifiers, which kicks off today. The Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya will be the venue for first round action in Group “A”, with Barbados meeting Grenada at 6 pm followed by the clash between hosts TT and Guyana two hours later. Hislop was a member of the national Under-17 team who featured in the 2001 World Championships held here in Trinidad and Tobago. The former Signal Hill defender is currently pursuing a scholarship at the University of South Carolina. Another overseas-based player in the squad is striker Kevin Crooks who plays for Young Harris College in Georgia while defender Kirk Hearn, a TT-born Canadian resident, also made the final 18.

Familiar names in the team include QRC goalkeeper Thorne Holder, who was voted Most Outstanding Goalkeeper in the 2003 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL); Naparima’s left-back Ancil Farrier; and the St Anthony’s quartet of Clevon George, Kevon Neaves, Abiola Sandy and Christopher Sam, members of the 2002 and 2003 SSFL champs. Speaking before the team’s final training session yesterday, head coach Anton Corneal revealed that he is “satisfied with where we are.” “I think we have worked things out defensively,” he continued. “We’ve put things in place (regarding) how we’re going to attack. All I’m hoping for is we can be disciplined in our game.”

The former national player was conscious of the fact that the team is not the finished product but he stressed that “this is a very good team with a lot of potential.” “I know we’re going into a situation where all the teams are coming out for Trinidad and Tobago, not just because we’re more recognised as a nation but we’re playing at home,” added Corneal. There are four groups of four teams in the CONCACAF First Round qualifiers, with the winners being paired in two groups for a home-and-away Second Round series next month. The two Second Round winners will then advance to the CONCACAF Finals in January 2005 for a spot in the 2005 World Youth Championships in the Netherlands.

TT TEAM —
Goalkeepers: Thorne Holder (QRC, San Juan Jabloteh), Colin Belgrave (Fyzabad Composite, W Connection).
Defenders: Makan Hislop, Kirk Hearn, Karlon Murray (Barataria Senior, Jabloteh), Joel James (Defence Force), Keegan Mills (Scarborough Secondary, Tobago United), Radanfar Abu Bakr (QRC, Arima/Morvant Fire), Ancil Farrier (Naparima, South West Drillers).
Midfielders: Clevon George (St Anthony’s, Defence Force), Devon Maxwell (North East Stars), Kevon Neaves (St Anthony’s), Terrel Elwin (San Juan Senior, Jabloteh), Gabriel Lashley (Tobago United).
Strikers: Christopher Sam (St Anthony’s, Jabloteh), Abiola Sandy (St Anthony’s, Fire), Shane Calderon (St Augustine, W Connection), Kevin Crooks (Young Harris College).
Technical Staff —  Anton Corneal (coach), Brian Williams (assistant coach), Ross Russell (goalkeeper coach), Rudy Roberts (manager), Gilbert Bateau (trainer), Wayne Lawson (physio), Esmond O’Brien (equipment manager).