Nakhid, Seabra, Andrews in TT Digicel squad

MIDFIELD trio David Nakhid, Jose Luis Seabra and Lyndon ‘Chubby’ Andrews were all recalled to the Trinidad and Tobago football team for the Digicel Caribbean Cup Finals, scheduled to run from Sunday until next Thursday, in Bridgetown, Barbados. Nakhid made his international comeback against Haiti on February 3. The 40-year-old, who also serves as one of the team’s assistant coaches, replaces another former TT captain Anthony Rougier who has returned to his club Nanjing Yoyo in China.

The 31-year-old Brazilian-born Seabra has made a favourable impression since making his national debut against Azerbaijan last month. But, while he has been granted residential status, the W Connection player is yet to receive a TT passport which will make him eligible to represent the team in the current CONCACAF Final Round World Cup qualifiers. And the 29-year-old Andrews has been recalled after two years in the wilderness, during which time he has been a consistent performer with Starworld Strikers.

Retaining their places in the 18-member squad, following last week’s 2-1 defeat to the United States in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifier, are defenders Marlon Rojas of Real Salt Lake in the US, Anton Pierre (Defence Force) and Derek King (Joe Public), midfielders Angus Eve (San Juan Jabloteh), Leslie ‘‘Tiger’’ Fitzpatrick (Atlanta Silverbacks) and Densil Theobald (Caledonia Fire), as well as US-based strikers Cornell Glen (Dallas) and Scott Sealy (Kansas City). Completing the team, who would leave for Barbados today, are the unrelated Williams’ goalkeepers Duarance (Jabloteh) and Jan-Michael Willams (Connection), the Jabloteh quartet of defenders Cyd Gray and Keyeno Thomas, midfielder Kerry Baptiste and striker Nigel ‘‘Croc’’ Pierre, and Fire’s striker Conrad Smith. Team coach Bertille St Clair said, “it’s going to be the first set of games for the team after the defeat to the United States and I believe it has come at a good time for us,”

“We are without several of our players who are based in the UK because we have not been able to access them because of their schedules,” he continued, “but this gives some of the other players a chance to demonstrate what they are capable of doing.” Jamaica, Cuba and hosts Barbados are the other teams in the round-robin competition, with the top three finishers advancing to the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States in July. The Digicel Final champ would also walk away with a jackpot of US$100,000. Trinidad and Tobago would oppose the ‘‘Reggae Boyz’’ Jamaica in the opening match on Sunday at 6 pm.

Matches would be aired live on DirecTV, with delayed broadcasts on CCN TV6. In related news, W Connection defender David Atiba Charles would be unable to make the trip due to a trial stint in England. Team manager Richard Brathwaite stated: “the issue of the local versus foreign-based players is a dead one because, if for example Atiba is successful on his trial, he now becomes a overseas pro and will face the same problems in being a full time member of the team. “I don’t think we should discard him because of that. It’s a bit unfortunate but we are prepared to move on in warrior-like fashion. Brathwaite continued, “we were informed that Atiba Charles is leaving on Sunday for a trial with an English club so the coach has had to make a last minute adjustment to the squad. It is not an ideal time for us but it is in the interest of his professional career and we wish him well.”

Team - Duarance Williams, Jan Michael Williams (goalkeepers); Keyeno Thomas, Marlon Rojas, Derek King, Anton Pierre, Cyd Gray (defenders); Leslie Fitzpatrick, David Nakhid, Densil Theobald, Angus Eve, Lyndon Andrews, Jose Seabra, Kerry Baptiste (midfielders); Scott Sealy, Cornell Glen, Nigel Pierre, Conrad Smith.