Overseas trio for Grenada matches

This was confirmed by team manager Bruce Aanensen yesterday after national team coach Leo Beenhakker extended the invitation to the players.

He is giving them a chance for some competitive action prior to the upcoming friendly international between the Soca Warriors and Peru on May 10 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

All three have been included in the 24-man squad from which the team will be selected to play Peru match. A 23-man squad will then be named for the World Cup. The trio will join home-based players Atiba Charles, Anthony Wolfe, Anthony Rougier, Cyd Gray and Aurtis Whitley for the matches against Grenada.

Venues for the friendlies are the Larry Gomes Stadium on April 25 and the Manny Ramjohn Stadium on April 27. Kick-off times are 7 pm.

The chance to return home to play in the two matches was welcomed by the trio who have all seen limited action for their respective clubs.

Ince has hardly featured this season for Coventry City while Theobald is yet to make a first debut at Falkirk. John has been on the bench since New England Revolution kicked off their MLS campaign earlier this month.

“The coach felt it was an ideal opportunity for the players to come back home and get some time in with the other players who have been included in the 24-man squad,” Aanensen said. “And they all agreed to come which is a boost because it gives the coach a good opportunity to work with them before the slate of friendly matches coming up starting with the one against Peru.”

“It’s a wonderful opportunity because now I can get some of this excitement off my chest after getting the news of being listed in the 24-man squad by the coach. I am really anxious to play for the national team again,” Theobald said yesterday.

“I have been working hard in training and playing regularly for the reserve team but there’s nothing like being able to play for the national team and the chance to come back and work with the coach is coming at the right time,” he added. Meanwhile veteran midfielder Russell Latapy commented on the selection of Theobald and others who can still be considered relatively young members of the team such as Carlos Edwards, Cornell Glen, Silvio Spann, Chris Birchall, Anthony Wolfe and Kenwyne Jones.

“It’s fantastic for them. I worked on getting Densill up here because once I saw him when I first rejoined the team I thought he was a fantastic talent. Unfortunately he has not had the chance up here for several reasons with the main being because of the fact that when he came here we were not getting the results and the coach changed the type of game we were playing which was to play a more going from back to front type of game,” Latapy said.

“I think these are all experiences that the older players like myself went through and this is why it is so good for them to be getting this type of opportunity now.”