Stern John in TT team for Venezuela

BIRMINGHAM CITY striker Stern John and Wrexham winger Carlos Edwards are among a squad of 23 players named by national senior football team coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier yesterday to begin preparations for their forthcoming friendly international against Venezuela.

The clash against the South American minnows will take place next Thursday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 6 pm. Also among the players earning a call-up were Edwards’ fellow Wrexham teammates — defender Dennis Lawrence and striker Hector Sam, but play-maker Brent Rahim and defender Brent Sancho will not be part of proceedings — Rahim will leave for London this weekend for trials at an unnamed club while the dreadlocked Sancho will go to Scotland for pre-season training with Premier League team Dundee. Rahim and Sancho, as well as captain Reynold Carrington, Kerry Baptiste, Ian Gray, Keyeno Thomas, Cornell Glen, Silvio Spann, Peter Ramon-Fortune and Nigel Daniel featured in the national team’s 3-0 loss to the Venezuelans on April 30 at San Christobal.

The senior squad will have a warm-up session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium at 8 am followed by the Under-23 team at 10 am. The Olympic (U-23) unit, who whipped Martinique 3-0 on Tuesday, is preparing for their 2004 Athens Games qualifier against Bahamas in September. Featuring in both squads (senior and U-23) are W Connection’s Spann, Kenwyne Jones and Jan Michael Williams, as well as the Jabloteh quartet of Baptiste, Josh Johnson, Duarance Williams and Devon Mitchell. According to Charles-Fevrier, “From now on, we will try to work around the (TT Pro) League to ensure that we get in at least two sessions a week and arrange international games to expose (the players) as much as possible.” Venezuela, listed as 55th in the latest world ratings, one behind Trinidad and Tobago, will arrive here on Tuesday.

Squads:  SENIORS — Jan Michael Williams, Kenwyne Jones, Reynold Carrington, Silvio Spann (W Connection); Derek King, Keyeno Thomas, Nigel Pierre (Joe Public); Dale Saunders (Starworld Strikers); Anthony Wolfe (North East Stars); Kurt Williams (Defence Force); Duarance Williams, Travis Mulraine, Cornell Glenn, Kerry Baptiste, Josh Johnson, Nigel Daniel, Ian Gray, Devon Mitchell (CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh); Peter Ramon-Fortune (Arima Fire); Stern John (Birmingham City); Hector Sam, Dennis Lawrence, Carlos Edwards (Wrexham).
UNDER-23s — Kendall Davis, Jan Michael Williams, Silvio Spann, Kenwyne Jones (W Connection); Serginho Sandy, Conrod Smith, Ryan Stewart (Caledonia AIA); Andre Toussaint, Hollis Brown, Densil Theobald (Joe Public); Cory Rivers (Defence Force); Duarance Williams, Devon Mitchell, Ronald Primus, Nigel Daniel, Josh Johnson, Michael Celestine, Kerry Baptiste (Jabloteh).