National Team head coach Wim Rijsbergen has recalled local based World Cup duo Aurtis Whitley and Densill Theobald as well as in form MLS striker Scott Sealy for this country’s friendly international against Austria in Vienna on November 15.
By Shaun FuentesThe game, which will be played on the eve of the one year anniversary of T&T’s World Cup qualification, will see both Whitley and Theobald line up for the country for the first time since the Germany finals.
And Rijsbergen and not to forget fans of the “Soca Warriors” will be pleased to note that several of the regulars have made themselves available and have been selected for the match which has a kick off time of 3:30 pm (TT time) at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna. Incidentally, T&T will also play the game in white shirts just like they did against Bahrain on that faithful day as the hosts will be in their accustomed red shirts.
Those include Swansea City defender Dennis Lawrence, the man who scored the goal to beat Bahrain on November 16, 2005, Chris Birchall – another scorer versus Bahrain, Stern John (Coventry City), Atiba Charles (Glenavon), Cyd Gray (San Juan Jabloteh), Jason Scotland (St Johnstone), Carlos Edwards (Luton Town), Collin Samuel (Dundee United), Densill Theobald (Caledonia AIA), Aurtis Whitley (Jabloteh) and skipper Dwight Yorke (Sunderland). Kansas City Wizards’ Scott Sealy and Walsall’s Hector Sam have also earned recalls.
The others included in the team include five Pro League players who were in the squad for the recent wins over St Vincent/Grenadines and Panama. They are goalkeepers Jan-Michael Williams (W Connection) and Marvin Phillip, Andrei Pacheco (W Connection), Dwayne Jack (Tobago United) and Nigel Daniel (San Juan Jabloteh).
Yorke was marking his 35th birthday in Sunderland’s team hotel on Friday as they prepared to face Norwich City and he added that he will confirm his availability with manager Roy Keane on Saturday.
Rijsbergen summed up his squad selection, saying that he would continue the process of see what’s at his disposal at least for another year leading up to the start of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
“It’s another friendly where we get a chance to see how our players are doing and those who are coming on at this level. We are still going through that stage,” Rijsbergen told TTFF Media.
“We are constantly looking at players both here and abroad. If we don’t see them then we get the information from the coaches.”
The Dutchman also commented on the recall of Theobald and Whitley by saying: “I was talking to Densill and explained to him and Silvio (Spann), that as soon as they start playing again, then we can see you decide if you can be invited to the national team. It’s the same with Silvio and of course we now have Aurtis again who has been part of the squad along the way.
“We keep trying to find new players and also rotating. That’s why we brought back Scott (Sealy) to see what his level of play is like now and the it’s the same with Hector Sam who suffered an injury before. We will give them and other players to chance to train and possibly play and this will be the continuing story for at least another year or so. It all depends on how players perform for us, for their clubs or through the Pro League,” Rijsbergen explained.
On the recall of Pacheco and Daniel, Rijsbergen noted: “We gave them a chance and Nigel did well for us. As for Pacheco, he isn’t playing all the time but he has the potential and we decided to invite him again. At least he will train on a certain level and we can see how he can be used in the future. We don’t have Avery for this game because he asked toe be excused because of their playoffs and that possibly means even trying Andrie in defense depending on how the training goes.”
Williams and Phillip, both goalkeepers of T&T’s Under 17 team at the 2001 FIFA Championship held here have kept their places after the last couple games and Rijsbergen maintains they will continue to grow at this level and under the guidance of goalkeeping coach Michael Maurice.
“Clayton Ince was injured and Kelvin is only just starting back and if you want to improve your local goalies then they have to get this experience. It’s different with goalies and we will use this opportunity to give them the chance.”
Rijsbergen and Dutch assistant coach Jan Van Deinsen and Anton Corneal have ensured that their work involves helping the Under 20s get ready for their continuing qualifying bid and the same goes with the Under 17s. All three men will also visit Charleston, South Carolina for a scouting camp which runs from November 22-26. Corneal noted that the sessions are not opened but upon invitation as numbers have been increasingly high. He mentioned that preference is being given to players who have had any association with past national teams, All-Americans or others “who may have been worked with before and lost through the system of the transfer to the US Leagues.”
