John anxious to rejoin Warriors

TECHNICAL Consultant Graham Taylor and Assistant Coach David Nakhid will join the rest of the Trinidad and Tobago football team in Antigua during the upcoming training camp scheduled for January 10-15. Coach Bertille St Clair will see the team through their Digicel Caribbean Cup encounter against St Vincent and the Grenadines at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain on January 9 before departing for Antigua the following day for training at the Antigua Recreation Ground. Currently St Clair is conducting all-day training camps at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva with a squad of players —  local and some foreign-based, including New York/New Jersey Metrostars striker Cornell Glen and midfielder Silvio Spann.

Among those in training though include Anthony Rougier, Gary Glasgow and Scott Sealy. China-based midfielder Arnold Dwarika has not attended a session since returning home because of a knee injury. Following the training camp in Antigua, the team will travel to face St Vincent in the second leg on January 16 before returning home to resume preparations for the USA clash. Meanwhile, there was good news for England-based defender Ian Cox who netted a double to lead Gillingham to a 3-1 win over Coventry City on Tuesday. Stern John was in the Coventry line-up but added that he is unhappy with the state of the club at the present time. “I hate losing and I want us to move up the table so that we can get back in the Premiership. That’s why I came here,” he said. “We have a decent squad but I feel we need to bring in a few more players and we need some more service up front.

 “I think we definitely need a winger and maybe a central midfielder and centre half —  three players to help take us to the next level to get up there,” John said. He later added that he remains upbeat about rejoining the Trinidad and Tobago team. “I think we are coming to the end of a year which means that there’s now something of a greater height to look forward to in 2005. I’m hoping I can come back and get in some good days with the rest of the team before the USA match and trust me when I say that this is a very big year for the team, so I am very upbeat about coming back home,” John said yesterday. Coach St Clair is also happy following the three goals in as many appearances by Kenwyne Jones since moving on loan to Sheffield yesterday.

“Kenwyne Jones was hardly a household name when he moved to Hillsborough on a loan deal from Premiership strugglers Southampton just before Christmas. But the Trinidad and Tobago international has already got the Owls supporters chanting his name after he netted for the third consecutive match,” the Post reported. “The introduction of Jones has been crucial to Wednesday’s recent good form. The 20-year-old has provided a focal point for Paul Sturrock’s team and he won the majority of his battles with former Hillsborough captain Dean Smith, linking excellently with partner Steve MacLean and holding the ball up to bring in his midfield runners. “Jones is only on a month’s loan, but with new Saints manager Harry Redknapp looking to wheel and deal in next month’s transfer window, Sturrock will be keen to make the switch permanent,” the article stated.