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Post by Admin on Jun 15, 2021 2:52:00 GMT
[UPDATED] Ex-national footballers temper expectations: Eve no magic manJELANI BECKLES YESTERDAY In this Aug 25, 2020 file photo, men's U17 head coach Angus Eve speaks with the media outside the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. On Sunday, the TT Football Association's FIFA-appointed normalisation committee named Eve as the new TT senior men's head coach. - Vidya Thurab newsday.co.tt/2021/06/13/new-coach-angus-eve-to-lift-trinidad-and-tobago-football/In this Aug 25, 2020 file photo, men's U17 head coach Angus Eve speaks with the media outside the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. On Sunday, the TT Football Association's FIFA-appointed normalisation committee named Eve as the new TT senior men's head coach. - Vidya Thurab FORMER national footballers Brian Williams and Densill Theobald have both endorsed the decision to appoint Angus Eve as the interim TT men's senior football coach, but said Eve has a tough job on his hands in turning around TT football. A media release on Sunday, said, "The FIFA-appointed normalisation committee of the TT Football Association (TTFA) has appointed Angus Eve as interim head coach ahead of the Gold Cup preliminary round, which takes place in early July 2021." On accepting the position, which runs until August 31, 2021, Eve told TTFA Media, “I’m really honoured and privileged to have this opportunity to continue to represent my country. I’m committed to provide a lift to TT, especially in this time where we are battling with so many different adversities at the same time.” Williams, in an interview with Newsday, said, "From my perspective I think it is a great opportunity, a great choice at this point in time taking into consideration the present footballing atmosphere in TT." The former Strike Squad defender said the TT public should not expect Eve to make an immediate impact. "I know it is going to be a difficult job. Remember he is not no magic man, we got to be patient with him...because going to the Gold Cup will be a great challenge for him and he has limited time." Discussing what Eve will bring to the table, Williams said, "What I think Angus could bring is a bit of cohesiveness among the players and what has been missing with the national team for the longest while, which is national pride." Williams said the national players would have seen Eve play for TT which will help them develop a connection with him. Williams also called on all national coaches to support each other. Terry Fenwick, along with assistant coaches Derek King and Kelvin Jack were fired on Friday days after being eliminated from the first round of the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign. Eve, a former national player, has coached many teams during his career. He is the coach at Naparima College and at Club Sando and is a former TT junior coach. Theobald, a former national team-mate of Eve, said, "I wish Angus Eve all the best. I thought he was knocking on the door of TT football in terms of coaching for a long while. I know that he is competent coach." Theobald also said people cannot expect miracles. "I know it is not going to be an easy task for him in terms of what lies ahead, but I know once he gets hold of the job, he gets hold of the players that he wants to choose and be part of his set up...I know that he has a bright future ahead in terms of the national team." The former midfielder said Eve will bring his style of play to TT football. Theobald said Eve will bring the best out of the players, the team will be well organised and TT will have energy and aggression. The TTFA release added, “With the Gold Cup around the corner, the appointment of an interim head coach had to be made in very short order. As such, a selection panel of normalisation committee member Nicholas Gomez, Anton Corneal, Anthony Sherwood and Richard Chinapoo met on the 12 June to finalise the selection of the interim head coach and Eve was recommended to the normalisation committee as the preferred candidate. Normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad said, “We thank the previous coaching staff for their commitment and efforts. We now look forward to the Gold Cup competition and wish Angus all the best. We will do our very best to support him and the team.” The normalisation committee will be consulting with Eve to finalize his coaching staff. After the Gold Cup, a process overseen by an independent selection panel will invite and review applications, in anticipation of appointing the new senior men’s national team head coach in September 2021. This story was originally published with the title "New coach Angus Eve to 'lift' Trinidad and Tobago football" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below. The Normalisation Committee has appointed Angus Eve as the Interim Head Coach of the Senior Men’s National Team. The FIFA-appointed normalisation committee of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) has appointed Angus Eve as interim head coach ahead of the Gold Cup preliminary round, which takes place in early July 2021. On accepting the position, which runs until 31st August 2021, Eve told TTFA media, “I’m really honoured and privileged to have this opportunity to continue to represent my country. I’m committed to provide a lift to TT, especially in this time where we are battling with so many different adversities at the same time.” Terry Fenwick, along with assistant coaches Derek King and Kelvin Jack were fired on Friday day after being eliminated from the first round of the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign. Eve, a former national player, has coached many teams during his career. He is the coach at Naparima College and at Club Sando and is a former TT junior coach. The release added, “With the Gold Cup around the corner, the appointment of an interim head coach had to be made in very short order. As such, a selection panel of normalisation committee member Nicholas Gomez, Anton Corneal, Anthony Sherwood and Richard Chinapoo met on the 12 June to finalize the selection of the interim head coach and Eve was recommended to the normalisation committee as the preferred candidate. Normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad said, “We thank the previous coaching staff for their commitment and efforts. We now look forward to the Gold Cup competition and wish Angus all the best. We will do our very best to support him and the team.” The normalisation committee will be consulting with Eve to finalize his coaching staff. After the Gold Cup, a process overseen by an independent selection panel will invite and review applications, in anticipation of appointing the new senior men’s national team head coach in September 2021.
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Post by Admin on Jun 15, 2021 3:36:18 GMT
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Post by Admin on Jun 16, 2021 8:08:04 GMT
Angus Eve wants to bring ' a ray of hope' to Trinidad and Tobago football
JOEL BAILEY 19 HRS AGO In this Aug 25, 2020 file photo, then men’s U17 head coach Angus Eve speaks with the media outside the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. On Sunday, the TTFA’s normalisation committee appointed Eve as the senior men’s team head coach. - Vidya Thurab newsday.co.tt/2021/06/15/new-natl-coach-eve-wants-to-bring-a-ray-of-hope-to-trinidad-and-tobago-football/INTERIM TT men’s football team coach Angus Eve wants to give the TT public “a ray of hope” as he takes over the mantle from Terry Fenwick, who was sacked last Friday. The 49-year-old Eve, who is TT’s most capped player with 117 international appearances, will serve as the national coach until August 31. However, the former TT midfielder and captain would like to improve the team’s fortunes, after they were eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup Concacaf Zone qualifiers last week. Eve was unveiled as the new men’s team coach during a Zoom media conference on Monday, organised by the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee, which runs the affairs of the TT Football Association (TTFA). “I want to say thank you to the normalisation committee for showing faith in me, for giving me this opportunity at this point in time,” said the former Joe Public, Defence Force and San Juan Jabloteh player. “This is a total honour and privilege for me to have the opportunity to serve my country in a different capacity. “My total aim is to try to help us to come out of a trying and difficult time in (TT) football. I want to give people a ray of hope and I embrace that opportunity.” Eve’s immediate focus will be booking a place at the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup in July, in the United States, with TT set to face Montserrat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in the Gold Cup qualifiers. Eve was asked about his view on the use of local-based players, especially in these covid19 times and no local football taking place. “I was a local player for most of my career,” was his response. “I think that we do have the ability and the talent here in our pool. In the past, I thought they weren’t given a fair chance. That was my opinion at the time. In this scenario, it’s a bit different. We may have to look at the players who, actually, are in form. “It does not matter whether they are local or foreign,” Eve continued. “Hopefully we’ll have an opportunity to see the local players because the guys have been doing stuff at home. So, we’ll have to look at them once we bring them in, and see if there is an opportunity for anyone to be selected.” A few European-based players, including central defender Sheldon Bateau and winger Levi Garcia, may be afforded time to rest after their 14-day quarantine period ends next week. The pair were part of the TT team who drew 0-0 against the Bahamas (June 5) and defeated St Kitts/Nevis 2-0 (June 8). Eve said, “I have spoken to some of the European-based players. A lot of them have been going non-stop. Some players will be given a bit of a break and they’ll rejoin the team at a particular time.” Eve, who had stints as coach of North East Stars, St Ann’s Rangers and Club Sando (Pro League), Naparima (Secondary Schools Football League) and the TT Under-23 team, acknowledged, “This is an opportunity that I could not walk by. This is an opportunity to serve my country. I had to take the chance. It is a difficult job but, with the proper support, I still believe that we can achieve some level of success. “I believe that the person who has the jersey has the right to lose the jersey,” he added. “I’m going to give it the best that I can and, hopefully, bring people around me who have that same desire and will to achieve the objectives at hand.” Concerning the Gold Cup qualifiers, Eve said, “Nothing is impossible. Everybody knows the players that we have. There is always the possibility.” Due to the State of Emergency and lockdown measures, Eve hinted that he may have to organise a few warm-up matches in Florida. “The way that we can solve that problem is actually being away from Trinidad so that we can have a couple of practice matches in Fort Lauderdale,” he said.
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Post by Admin on Jun 16, 2021 8:24:07 GMT
Strike Squad, Sancho endorse Eve as best choice
by Walter Alibey 7 hours ago Tue Jun 15 2021 guardian.co.tt/sports/strike-squad-sancho-endorse-eve-as-best-choice-6.2.1343183.cc167a6267Brian Williams, the former national player. Walter Alibey The appointment of Angus Eve as the new national coach is being hailed as the right choice to lift T&T football and take it through the CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign said hard-tackling "Strike Squad" defender Brian Williams, and echoed by Brent Sancho, also a formr national defender who has played with Eve during his hey-days and know him very well as a coach. "Gus" as he is commonly called in local football circles, replaced sacked coach, Englishman Terry Fenwick, whose estimated US$20,000 per month salary has been sighted as a financial burden on the T&T Football Association (TTFA), according to Trevor Gomez, an instrumental member of the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee (NC), while addressing the media during a virtual press conference on Monday. Under Fenwick, a former England World Cup player, the T&T Soca Warriors were booted out of the World Cup Qualifiers after the first round, finishing second in Group F, in a tournament inwhich only the top team was advancing to the next round. The team's under-par performance was summarised by wins against Guyana (3-0) and St Kitts and Nevis (2-0) and drawn matches against Puerto Rico (1-1) and the Bahamas (0-0). Eve, a former national player who has coached at the national level with the Under-15s, U-17s, U-20s and at the U-23 levels, is set to commence training duties soon in preparation for T&T's opening match of the Concacaf Gold Cup Tournament against Montserrat on July 2 in the USA. Speaking to Guardian Media Sports yesterday, Williams, the rugged "Strike Squad" defender of 1989, said on behalf of his team: "The members of the 1989 Strike Squad Company, through its executive, congratulate and fully endorse the presently appointed interim T&T national senior men's football team head coach Angus Eve and his staff. We feel once more a science of connectivity, pride and patriotism, having a local staff mainly persons who served this country's football at all levels over the years. "This feeling also brings to us the call for a unified T&T coaches minds for the proper development and restoration of our football from the ground up." Sancho, on the other hand, said: "One thing I know about Angus as a teammate and now as a coach is that he is an intelligent enough person to know exactly what situation he is getting himself involved in. He would have taken a holistic look at what is being asked of him and more importantly what the task is. I think he would have looked at it and believed he could be successful doing this task. There is no coach, and I know Angus as an extremely, ultra-competitive individual, that would go into a situation thinking that they would fail."
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Post by Admin on Jul 14, 2021 20:05:43 GMT
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Post by Admin on Jul 17, 2021 23:29:14 GMT
Soca Warriors coach Angus Eve encouraged by growth of team
JOEL BAILEY YESTERDAY El Salvador goalkeeper Mario Gonzalez (1) punches the ball away during a 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup Group A soccer match against Trinidad, Wednesday, July 14, 2021, in Frisco, Texas. El Salvador won 2-0. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade) - newsday.co.tt/2021/07/16/soca-warriors-coach-angus-eve-encouraged-by-growth-of-team/- INTERIM coach of the Trinidad and Tobago men’s football team Angus Eve said on Thursday morning that he was disappointed by his team’s 2-0 defeat against El Salvador on Wednesday, in their second Concacaf Gold Cup Group A encounter, at the Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas, United States. The result leaves TT in third spot on the four-team group with one point (following their goalless draw against Mexico last Saturday). El Salvador guaranteed a place in the last eight, since they have six points from two games, while Mexico are in second place with four points. Mexico whipped Guatemala 3-0 on Wednesday. The final matches in the group will be contested on Sunday, with TT facing cellar-placed Guatemala and Mexico opposing El Salvador. In a Zoom media conference with members of the TT media, Eve said, “I’m disappointed in the result obviously, but I think a lot of encouragement in the performance of the team, playing against one of the teams who would have qualified proper for the Gold Cup and probably fresher than us.” The former TT captain and midfielder continued, “In the first half, it showed. I thought a much-improved performance in the second half but probably we deserved to get a little bit more out of the game. It augurs well for the work we’ve been doing in a very short space of time. It’s encouragement for the future.” Security around the TT team in Texas was beefed up after the players and technical staff received death threats and racist attacks, after the Mexico fixture. “We try to keep them as comfortable as possible,” Eve said. “We had no security when we came here (in the US), except when we were going to the games. Now it’s very visible around them. We have a private detail in the hotel because the threats were that bad.” The TT coach continued, “I don’t know if that played a part in the players’ mental, hence the reason why we may have started a bit slow (on Wednesday). It has taken some adjusting to. “If somebody is threatening your life and calling your family back home, it’s unfortunate that this had to happen. We’re not going to make than an excuse for anything.” Eve made seven changes to his starting line-up for the El Salvador game, including recalling regular starters Kevin Molino (captain), fellow midfielder Neveal Hackshaw and goalkeeper Nicklas Frenderup. According to the TT tactician, “We know that a lot of our players have not been playing for a very long time. We just had three weeks to put this group (of players) together. We knew that against Mexico we had to be resolute, and we were trying to get something out of the game which we did. We know that, in the other games, we’ll want to express ourselves a bit more.” Eve said his players were quiet and equally disappointed after the 2-0 defeat on Wednesday. “They believed they gave everything that they had. We can’t fault any of the players for the effort that they had given. The dressing room was quiet, you could hear a pin drop.” Looking ahead to the Guatemala game, Eve said, “We have the same mindset. Coming into this tournament, our particular goal was to try and get into the group stage. Coming out of a failed World Cup campaign, we thought realistically what we had to do is to improve the performances of the team. “We’re basically using this tournament as a trial for our players,” he added. “To think that we can come and dominate teams who are (still) in the World Cup (qualifiers) and, without the likes of Sheldon Bateau and Levi Garcia, we think, so far, it is a good showing, to keep our ambition realistic. We would try to do something in the next game.”
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Post by Admin on Jan 10, 2022 0:12:13 GMT
Eve hands full with U-20, senior teams
by Walter Alibey 29 days ago Sat Dec 11 2021 National men’s senior and Under-20 football coach Angus Eve. TTFA Media National senior men's football coach Angus Eve will have his hands full over the coming months, having been tasked with the responsibility of preparing both the country's Under-20 and senior men's teams. Screening sessions for the U-20s began on Saturday at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva, and from some 400 registered players, Eve worked with only 100, having to adhere to the COVID-19 protocol and ensure safety. Technical director Dion La Foucade has been working alongside Eve and his staff to assess and select players ahead of the CONCACAF Qualifiers, mid-next year. Because of the need to follow the COVID-19 protocol, Eve and his staff have had to conduct their sessions in alphabetical order, on Saturday working with players with surnames that begin with A, B, C and D. And on December 18, he will work with players with last names beginning with E to K from 8 am. Screening sessions will continue on December 21 for players with surnames beginning with L to W from 9 am at the Couva venue. But the question is whether Eve will be able to handle the workload, with the national senior team training expected to resume in January. Training for the senior team was stopped more than a month ago for two main reasons, one is the unavailability of contracts to staff members which is in the process of being sorted out, Guardian Media Sports has been reliably informed, and the other is because the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee which is managing the T&T Football Association (TTFA) is strategically planning a programme for football for next year, according to Amiel Mohammed, TTFA's general secretary. Mohammed said: "It's more sitting down and analysing the strategic plan ahead, especially from a financial point of view. And then once we know we've come out with something, then if it's sustainable over a period of time, rather throughout 2022. "We know that the TTFA recently activated the bankruptcy and insolvency process and then at the same time we've been doing a review of how things look for 2022. It's projected to be a very busy calendar." Eve, on Saturday did not answer his cell phone, but La Foucade said the coach, considered one of the better youth coaches in the country, will have to manage his time wisely to cope with both teams. Guardian Media Sports has been told that a number of international friendly matches have been planned for the senior team next year, as the team prepares for the CONCACAF Nations League. With the U-20s, Eve is also scheduled to have a session for players returning home from abroad for the Christmas holidays on December 27, and will also have to work with players from the sister isle of Tobago at a date to be determined. Eve is also set to leave local shores, either at the end of February or early March next year, to conduct a series of overseas screenings for international players. Tagged in:
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Post by Admin on May 25, 2022 21:48:49 GMT
SENIOR TEST FOR U-19s Eve’s charges to play international teams in CONCACAF warm-ups'BEST WE'VE SEEN': Angus Eve, T&T senior men's football coach. trinidadexpress.com/sports/world/senior-test-for-u-19s/article_95662d26-daf6-11ec-bb76-4f124424094c.html“Very tight”, is how national football coach Angus Eve described the schedule of matches for the Concacaf Nations League starting on June 3. T&T is drawn in Group C of League B which also comprises Nicaragua, the Bahamas and St Vincent and the Grenadines. The winner of the group will advance to League ‘A’ where the benefits will be much greater Eve said. Concacaf on Tuesday announced the group stage schedule that will see the Soca Warriors playing three matches in 10 days. They will open against Nicaragua on June 3 away, before returning home at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo for their second match on June 6 against the Bahamas. Then, the “Soca Warriors” will face St Vincent and the Grenadines away in game three on June 10. Eve’s men will begin training near the end of the month as players are engaged with their respective teams, locally and internationally. Eve, who led the T&T team to the Concacaf Gold Cup’s group phase where they lost to El Salvador but drew with Mexico and Guatemala in 2019 said: “It is a little bit tight, the schedule, everything has to be precise in what you’re doing because usually, you will have a little bit more time. It’s only a ten-day window and you have three matches in that window so we may have to have about 30 players that we will have to look at and try to use in the period of time, hence why we have been expanding the pool of players, not just the locally-based ones but also the foreign-based guys. “So we believe that all of the guys are in season, the locally-based guys, all of them playing football, so we think we’re in a better position than we were in before. Unfortunately, the window starts on May 30 and our first game is on the 3rd away. It’s tight because we have guys playing up until May 29.” Eve promised to take each game one step at a time, starting from the Nicaragua match. “Each game we’re going to try to win, each game that we play, because of the importance of the tournament where the winner of the group goes into League A. “We’re in League ‘B’ right now but we want to be in League ‘A’, so it’s of paramount importance for us to be promoted back up to League A because that brings a lot of different benefits to us from that standpoint. “From the Nicaragua standpoint, their players are homegrown, so they would be training a lot together. We do not have that luxury of having all our players in the same space. “Similarly, we went over there with Tom Saintfiet and lost 2-1 on an astroturf pitch. Before that, it would have been Stephen Hart if my memory serves me right, and they drew 2-2 with us, so it’s not an easy proposition, but you have to play each game.” Tagged in: Sponsored Content Men, You Don't Need the Blue Pill If You Do This Once A Day mensnewstoday.com Incredible $89 Portable AC Is Taking Canada by Storm Cool Tech
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Post by Admin on Jun 19, 2022 19:57:44 GMT
Eve credits Under-20s attitude ahead of Concacaf Champs
JELANI BECKLES 2 DAYS AGO newsday.co.tt/2022/06/18/eve-credits-under-20s-attitude-ahead-of-concacaf-champs/Angus Eve - Marvin Hamilton COACH of the Trinidad and Tobago men’s Under-20 football team Angus Eve has commended the attitude of his players in the build up to the Concacaf Under-20 Men’s Championships in Honduras. TT will open their campaign against Haiti on Sunday from 6 pm. TT are in Group F alongside Mexico, Haiti and Suriname. The top four teams in the 20-team tournament will qualify for the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Indonesia. The finalists will also earn a spot at the 2024 Summer Olympics. TT arrived in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on Friday after participating in a camp in Costa Rica. Discussing the time spent in Costa Rica, Eve said, “The camp was really fruitful. We had two really good games against Costa Rica Under-20s. A lot of the Costa Ricans players, a number of them playing with the senior team and have played senior team football. In our contingent we have one professional player which is Molik Khan and a couple other players who play locally for clubs." Eve praised his players for their professionalism. “In the main it is college kids that we have here. I have been very happy with their application and attitude towards the work. The one area we are lacking to be honest is experience.” Eve thanked the TT Football Association for ensuring that the TT players complete their CXC and CAPE exams while overseas. “The TTFA has to be given a lot of credit. They had an invigilator with the team. The boys are doing all their exams out here, so it is a little bit difficult. We had to schedule training around that because unlike some other teams here who have professional players we have school boys.” TT have been forced to make one change with goalkeeper Tristan Edwards replacing Rushon Sandy in the final squad due to “covid-like symptoms.” Defender Jaron Pascall also remained in Costa Rica in order to sit his CXC exams and will arrive in Honduras, on Saturday.
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Post by Admin on Feb 13, 2024 3:46:05 GMT
Trinidad and Tobago’s football program requires more technical and human resources, says coach Angus Eve
January 4, 2024 www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/sports/trinidad-and-tobagos-football-program-requires-more-technical-and-human-resources-says-coach-angus-eve/Angus Eve. By Ben McLeod Trinidad and Tobago’s head coach, Angus Eve, is advocating for increased investment in the country’s football program, emphasizing the need for technical and human resource support to elevate the sport. Despite a successful campaign in 2023, including a remarkable victory over the United States, Eve believes there is more work to be done to develop players and provide exposure for them. Eve stressed the importance of player development and consistent exposure to higher-level competition. He highlighted the need for Trinidad and Tobago players to compete internationally, as they did in the past. Laparkan Caribbean News Weekly generic ad revised 728 x 90 test Club involvement The coach encouraged clubs to collaborate with the national team by allowing players to participate in national team activities, even if it requires them to be away for several days. This collaboration between clubs and the national team is seen as essential for player development. Trinidad and Tobago’s recent success, including reaching the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Nations League and earning a spot in the Copa America, has raised ambitions. Eve believes the team should aim to compete at the highest levels in the confederation. - Advertisement - Technical support Eve pointed out the disparities in technical support between Trinidad and Tobago and other nations. He highlighted the extensive support teams that some countries bring to international competitions, including medical and technical departments, as areas where Trinidad and Tobago could benefit from more resources. He noted that the national team currently operates with limited staff, with many departments consisting of just one individual. He emphasized the need for a more comprehensive support structure.
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Post by Admin on Feb 13, 2024 3:47:56 GMT
Angus Eve lauds recent training camp, targets professionalism, consistency
JONATHAN RAMNANANSINGH 3 DAYS AGO Trinidad and Tobago men's football coach Angus Eve. - newsday.co.tt/2024/02/10/eve-lauds-recent-training-camp-targets-professionalism-consistency/Angus Eve, coach of Trinidad and Tobago’s senior men’s football team, said “professionalism and consistency” were some of the targets at a four-day training camp which ended recently. The camp was attended by 35 players, featured first-time invitees German-born Keenon Erfuth, 21, and Denmark-based Marc Gangia, 26, and mainly local-based players. The squad trained at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar from Monday to Thursday as part of preparations for the upcoming Copa America play-in versus Canada, which takes place in Frisco, Texas on March 23. “I thought it was excellent,” Eve told TT Football Association media on Thursday. “The exercises were exactly what we wanted to do. We worked on ball possession, rotating midfielders, creating space for wingers and strikers. What we were working on we were happy with it.” “We’re just building to where we want to be. The camp has been a huge success. We exposed a number of players to what we do as a staff and how we want to play football. We want to play in this attacking style.” Alongside newcomers Erfuth and Gangia, Eve also recalled to the national set up the likes of John-Paul Rochford, Andrian Foncette, Kaihim Thomas, Brent Sam, Jamal Jack and Isaiah Lee. But the core bunch comprised of several TT squad members who featured during the nation’s Concacaf National League quarter-final journey last year. They included TT Premier Football League standouts Denzil Smith, Justin Garcia, Real Gill, Kevon Goddard, Reon Moore, Duane Muckette, Michel Poon-Angeron, Ross Russell Jr, Alvin Jones and Christopher Biggette. This was one of Eve’s first training sessions held for his local crop of players ahead of the Canada playoff. He was keen to get back on the training pitch for the first time since the 2-1 victory over USA in the Nations League last November. Eve also spent time on explaining the importance of professionalism and intensity during matches. “Sometimes when the game is going well we tend to drop our intensity and have a lack of professionalism. But once they could maintain that intensity – because international football is a lot different from the two practice matches we played. “But I think it’s a work in progress. It’s some young kids that we invited here today. The professionalism and the consistency, and to continue to do the right things over and over, is what we’re trying to achieve here.” TT have two practice matches against Jamaica in early March in Trinidad. The Reggae Boyz’s trip to Trinidad follows the Soca Warriors tour of Jamaica last year for two friendly matches. The camp also serves as preparation for the Jamaica clash. A live-in camp in Texas follows, ahead of the Copa American playoff. “This exercise has gone a long way for us to analyse some of the players who would be probably ready for that. Jamaica is already in training in a local camp over there too. It would be a good workout for both teams,” he said. TT Training Squad: Kaihim Thomas, Reon Moore, Jamali Garcia, Christopher Biggette, Jabari St Hillaire, Kevon Goddard, Justin Garcia, Brent Sam, Nathaniel Garcia, Justin Sadoo (all of Defence Force), Duane Muckette, Michel Poon-Angeron, Liam Burns, John-Paul Rochford, Isaiah Leacock (all of AC PoS), Real Gill, Shervonez Hamilton, Kai Moos, Jamal Jack (all of Club Sando), Alvin Jones, Robert Primus, Adrian Foncette (all of Police FC), Daniel David, Ross Russell Jr, Isaiah Lee (all of La Horquetta Rangers), Luke Phillips, Denzil Smith, Justin Cornwall, Mark Ramdeen (all of Point Fortin Civic), Mickaeel Gordon (1976 Phoenix), Rhondel Gibson (Eagles FC), Keenon Erfurth (VFR Neumunster/Germany), Marc Gangia (Dalum IF, Denmark), Jonathan Assue
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Post by Admin on Feb 13, 2024 3:50:22 GMT
Eve: Soca Warriors can compete with anyone
JELANI BECKLES WEDNESDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2024 TT senior men's football team head coach Angus Eve (R) and TT Football Association communications officer Shaun Fuentes speak with the media, on Wednesday, at the Larry Gomes Sadium, Port of Spain. - ROGER JACOB HEAD coach of the Trinidad and Tobago men’s senior football team Angus Eve believes his players can compete with any team. He wants the Soca Warriors to show that against Canada in the Conmebol Copa America play-in in Frisco, Texas on March 23. The winner of the match will qualify for the 2024 Copa America tournament. Eve spoke to the media during a Soca Warriors training session at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima, yesterday. Eve knows Canada will be a tough assignment, but thinks his players are ready for the challenge. “Like the US team, the Canada team is built up the same, (with) a lot of European-based players. Some of the players (are) playing in the MLS (Major League Soccer), some playing back home, but most of the players are playing in Europe and they are playing with good teams...but we think we can go in there, we think we can compete with anyone right now and we want to show that. We want to show that confidence that we could go out on the park and compete with anyone.” When TT reached the 2006 Fifa World Cup, almost all the local players were playing for foreign clubs. The majority of TT’s players now are playing locally, but Eve was glad to know that two players will be heading abroad soon. Reon Moore of Defence Force and Real Gill of Club Sando both signed to play overseas. Moore is heading to the Canadian Premier Leage and Gill to the United Soccer League in the US. TT senior men’s football team players go through their drills during a training session, on Wedneday, at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar. - ROGER JACOB Eve said, “It shows that the work that we are doing and people are identifying players again, because we (once) had the same set of players getting contracts all the time...this is a new batch of players who are getting contracts, and I could tell you, when people see them playing with the national team, that is how they get that sort of exposure. “It shows that people are watching us again and watching our players and that augurs well for the country and for the team on a whole.” Asked what he wants to see from his players against Canada, Eve said, “We just have to be tactically aware. “A coach can only give instructions. When the players go out there they have to have the mindset to play the position, to play the role that the coaches give them to the best of their ability...because for 90 minutes, a coach could never tell a player for every second of every minute of every part of a game what to do.” TT will have two practice matches against Jamaica in early March in Trinidad, ahead of the Copa America qualifier against Canada. The Reggae Boyz trip to Trinidad follows the Soca Warriors tour of Jamaica last year for two friendly matches. “They promised to return that favour to us, so these two games are supposed to be in early March. We will use those games as the final two warm-up games going into the Conmebol playoff match and when that happens, then we will pick that final squad.” Eve is pleased that TT striker Levi Garcia has been scoring frequently for his Greek club, AEK Athens. He is also satisfied that other TT footballers are playing regularly. “A number of the players are playing in the Pro League (TT Premier League) and doing very well for their respective clubs...a lot of players here (in the training camp) have been in the pool and we continue to use them.” Speaking about the training camp, Eve said he felt “really good. “The intensity of the players (is up to mark) and I said that in the first year of the (TT Premier) League that it would take some time for the players to build back up their rhythm after covid and not playing football for a while. “This is the first time that the guys have played back-to-back seasons, and you can see the effects of that.”
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