La Forest confident of good show

The round-robin competition kicks off today with the hosts meeting Dominica at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima, while the same venue will stage the matchup between Dominica and the Haitians on Sunday and the final fixture between TT and Haiti on Tuesday.

All the games will start at 4 pm, with the group winner progressing to the 2006 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Colombia.

“I personally don’t have a clue about either of (the teams),” he admitted, following a training session at the Arima venue on Tuesday, “but what I know is (what) we have here is a wonderful bunch of guys that I think could compete with the best.”

La Forest, the former Trinidad and Tobago striker, and his assistant, ex-national goalkeeper Michael McComie, will have a team comprising most of the top Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) headliners from 2002-2004, including TT midfielder Kevon Neaves, Clevon George, Yohance Marshall and Marcelle Francois, all members of the 2002 La Forest-coached St Anthony’s College outfit.

The Under-21s were the beneficiaries of a recent tour of the United States, which exposed the players to a high level of skill and intensity, which will be put to the test over the next five days.

But they will be without another TT player Ricky Shakes, as the English-born utility player was not granted permission by his club Swansea City.

According to La Forest, “with everything else, Ricky Shakes is a plus.

“As the old saying goes, if you don’t have one, you go with the others,” he continued. “It is a lost but we would compensate by putting in (players) similar to him.”

The team’s think-tank, which also includes Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) technical director Lincoln “Tiger” Phillips, have emphasised development with the crop of national youth players.

And it is evident as half of the 18-member TT squad were involved in the 2005 CONCACAF Under-20 Final Round Qualification in Los Angeles last year —defenders Francois, Karlon Murray, Akile Edwards and Makan Hislop; midfielders Hayden Tinto and Kendall Jagdeosingh; strikers Shane Calderon and Abiola Sandy; and goalkeeper Thorne Holder.

La Forest noted, “like everything else, when you know your family it’s easier to get along with.

“So having the nucleus of them playing last year, to bring them back here with some of the newcomers should be much easier to blend.

La Forest, the ex-national assistant and Under-17 coach, is also keen on utilising the experience brought to the team by the American-based Neaves, George, Marshall, Francois, Hislop, Sandy, Ancil Farrier and Jason Devenish.

On the other side of the coin, the technical staff is also expecting a lot from the rest of the players, who are involved in the national Pro and Super Leagues. La Forest said, “I’m most impressed with them because these guys play at the highest level, the professional league.”

TT team: Thorne Holder, Kerwyn Beckles (goalkeepers); Yohance Marshall, Marcelle Francois, Karlon Murray, Akile Edwards, Makan Hislop, Ancil Farrier (defenders); Kevon Neaves, Clevon George, Hayden Tinto, Kendall Jagdeosingh, Jason Devenish, Josimar Belgrave (midfielders); Shane Calderon, Abiola Sandy, Judah Hernandez, Keston Alexander (strikers).