Seabra trains with national squad

JOSE LUIS SEABRA began training with  the national footballers at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, yesterday, but is still not yet a  citizen. The 30-year-old  Brazilian-born defender/midfielder participated in his first training session with Bertille St Clair’s team, despite knowing he will not be eligible to wear national colours in their Digicel Cup second round second-leg clash against the British Virgin Islands on Sunday. Seabra, who has lived in Trinidad for the past five years, has declared his intention to become a citizen and play for the Soca Warriors. The game against BVI is carded for the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, Tunapuna, but the technical staff of the TT squad were insistent that the venue be switched to either the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, or the Ato Boldon Stadium because of the poor ground conditions at Macoya.

Seabra will get a second chance to impress St Clair tomorrow, and the TT coach will also be taking a closer look at the left-back pair of Derek Phillip and Marlon Rojas, who are both recovering from injuries. The team is also setting their sights firmly on the 2005 CONCACAF Final Round World Cup Qualification, with home-and-away fixtures against the United States, Mexico, Panama, Guatemala and Costa Rica from February 9 until October 12. A source close to the team’s think-tank noted that a number of plans are being arranged in order to get the squad fully prepared in time for the final countdown. “The team definitely needs to train regularly and continuously,” he said. “The coach has identified physical fitness as a weakness and therefore the trainers Zeph Nicholas and Dave Cumberbatch have come up with a plan to address that situation over the next few weeks.

“There are also plans to have some friendly games and the TTFF and Mr (Jack) Warner in particular, have been extremely helpful in this regard, to ensure that the team gets the type of preparation necessary for the next round of World Cup campaigning,” ended the source. Players in training include: Daurance Williams, Jan-Michael Williams (goalkeepers); David Atiba Charles, Cyd Gray, Derek Phillip, Marlon Rojas, Avery John, Stephen Cruickshank, Derek King, Anton Pierre (defenders); Angus Eve (capt), Michael Celestine, Leslie Fitzpatrick, Silvio Spann, Densil Theobald, Kerry Baptiste (midfielders); Scott Sealy, Odelle Armstrong, Nigel Pierre, Conrad Smith (strikers).