Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Angus Eve announced his 24-man squad to face The Bahamas and Nicaragua this morning with speedy forward Rundell Winchester and midfielder Andre Rampersad among his surprise inclusions.
The Soca Warriors need wins over the Bahamas and Nicaragua, on 24 and 27 March respectively, to win promotion to the top tier of the Concacaf Nations League and qualify for the 2023 Gold Cup tournament.
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Winchester, 29, earned the last of his four national senior team caps as a late substitute in Trinidad and Tobago’s 3-0 friendly loss away to Argentina on 4 June 2014.
He was an unused substitute for then coach Stephen Hart at the 2015 Concacaf Gold Cup. However, the Tobagonian has never played in a competitive match for the Soca Warriors.
Eve has shown a taste for attackers who can run on to long passes behind the opposing defence and, with Levi Garcia unavailable through injury, Winchester—who plays for Marsaxlokk in the Maltese First Division—fits the bill.
Winchester’s call-up sees him jump ahead of the likes of Kadeem Corbin (Central FC) and Nicholas Dillon (Club Sando) in an admittedly shallow pool of centre forwards.
There was a recall too for versatile attacker Marcus Joseph, who plays in the India second tier with Mohammedan SC.
(via TTFA Media)
Joseph, who lacks Winchester’s pace but possesses a rocket-launcher for a left foot, has one goal from six international appearances under Eve. His last cap came at Arnos Vale when he was a second half substitute in Trinidad and Tobago’s 2-0 Nations League win over St Vincent and the Grenadines on 10 June 2022.
Rampersad, 28, is set to make his international debut after coming to prominence at Canadian Premier League side HFX Wanderers—also under Hart.
The combative midfielder arguably fills in for Neveal Hackshaw, who is inactive at present due to a snag in his move to a new US employer. Ironically, Rampersad’s own national call-up was delayed for years due to work permit issues in Canada.
Eve opted to retain just four relative newcomers who impressed in their recent trip to Jamaica, as defender Justin Garcia, midfielder Michel Poon-Angeron and flankers Jomal Williams and Kailé Auvray are in the 24-man squad.
(Copyright Allan V Crane/ CA-images/ Wired868)
But defender Josiah Trimmingham and midfielder Kareem Riley (both Club Sando), left backs Jameel Neptune (AC Port of Spain) and Andre Raymond (Dumiense FC—Portugal), utility player Jesse Williams (unattached) and midfielder Matthew Woo Ling (AC Port of Spain) did not get the nod.
There was also no place for Defence Force midfield bruiser Kevon Goddard and AC Port of Spain playmaker Duane Muckette who both started for the Warriors in their last Nations League fixture against St Vincent and the Grenadines on 13 June 2023.
Neither player was selected for the recent friendlies away to Jamaica, where Trinidad and Tobago won 1-0 and then managed a goalless draw.
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Veteran defender Sheldon Bateau, who represents SK Beveren in the Belgium second division, was overlooked too.
Apart from Garcia (L), Eve is also without Kevin Molino and Judah Garcia through injury. However, promised teenaged midfielder Molik Khan is back in the squad after an injury-enforced lay-off.
(Trinidad and Tobago team)
Goalkeepers: Marvin Phillip, Nicklas Frenderup, Denzil Smith,
Defenders: Alvin Jones, Aubrey David, Leland Archer, Justin Garcia, Kareem Moses, Keston Julien, Shannon Gomez, Triston Hodge,
(via TTFA Media)
Midfielders: Michel Poon-Angeron, Molik Khan, Andre Rampersad, Daniel Phillips, Noah Powder, Joevin Jones,
Attackers: Jomal Williams, John-Paul Rochford, Kailé Auvray, Reon Moore, Ryan Telfer, Marcus Joseph, Rundell Winchester.