Soca Warriors regroup for Honduras and Guatemala

TRINIDAD and Tobago football coach Bertille St Clair returned from London, England yesterday after a six-day visit with some of his overseas-based professionals. He will resume training at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar from 4.30 pm today. St Clair reportedly held “useful” meetings with the professionals including striker Dwight Yorke, Coventry City’s Stern John and Portsmouth goalie Shaka Hislop.

He also met with Technical Consultant Graham Taylor about Trinidad and Tobago’s recent matches and the upcoming international against Honduras at the Ted Hendricks Stadium in Miami on March 22. “The trip was a useful in the sense that we held some excellent talks with some of the players about what we are aiming to achieve over the next few matches,” St Clair said. “The schedule here is still very hectic and this meant that we were not able to meet personally with some of the guys but we were all in touch and they have all expressed a huge amount of desire to put their best effort forward in the back to back qualifiers we have coming up against Guatemala and Costa Rica,” St Clair said.

For the match against Honduras — who will face the United States in another friendly on March 22 —  TT are expected to have the full quota of overseas and home-based pros. But St Clair could not reveal the final list as some niggling injuries has caused a delay. Dallas FC striker Cornell Glen is struggling with an ankle strain and midfielder Densill Theobald is also nursing an instep injury. Yorke, John, Hislop, Carlos Edwards, Marvin Andrews, Brent Sancho and Kenwyne Jones are almost certain to be in the line-up. “The guys are all confident and it’s important that we go into the friendly with the best team possible because what takes place on the field matters the most. And the friendly against Honduras is just the type of match we need before taking on the other two teams from Central America,” St Clair added.

John scored for Coventry in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Cardiff City with St Clair sitting in the stands. The player is hoping to maintain his form with the TT No 14 on his back. “He knows I can score goals so it was that big of a deal scoring in front of him (St Clair),” John said. “But I think it was an important goal for the club because we are fighting relegation and hopefully I can keep them coming for the next set of matches coming up for TT,” he said. The local contingent departs for Miami on Sunday and will be met by the overseas-pros on the same day ahead of Wednesday’s friendly.  Following the World Cup qualifier against Guatemala on March 26, TT will then host Costa Rica on March 30 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.