Overlooked Police FC winger and former Soca Warriors captain Joevin Jones has been recalled to the nation’s provisional squad ahead of upcoming Concacaf Nations League (CNL) matches against Cuba in Santiago on October 10, and at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago, on October 14.
Additionally, former playmaker Kevin ‘Nash’ Molino, who retired from international football in September 2023, was also invited back into the TT set up “and has participated in sessions”, a Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) statement said on September 30.
The last time either player represented TT was at a 3-0 defeat to USA in the CNL quarter-final leg one at the Q2 Stadium in Texas on November 23, 2023. Both were subbed off at half-time and never selected back to the first team, to date. This was under former coach Angus Eve.
However, caretaker head coach Derek King has been working with a group of home-based players at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar and Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, as preparations ramp up ahead of both matches.
King has been focusing on strength and conditioning, while also switching to outfield work during training sessions.
Among the other players in the provisional mix are regulars Duane Muckette, Ross Russell Jr, Alvin Jones, Kevon Woodley, Denzil Smith, Christopher Biggette, Michel Poon-Angeron and Justin Garcia. Also recalled were John-Paul Rochford, Jelani Peters, Ezekiel Kesar and Jamal Jack.
The final squad will be announced within the next six days, with the TT contingent departing for Santiago on October 6.
“We have maintained a strong focus on fitness, strength and conditioning, along with mental fitness training,” King said.
“Our primary goal remains ensuring that each player is both physically and mentally prepared to compete at the highest level. The commitment and energy from the team have been exemplary, and we are confident in our progress as we build toward these crucial fixtures. I want to thank the local clubs, the TT Premier Football League and the TTFA for all the cooperation so far.”
King confirmed his squad will continue to refine their strategies, improve individual and collective performances, to ensure the team is in peak condition to achieve the results they
The 12 CNL matches played in October will determine the four teams (group winners and runners-up) that will join Concacaf’s four top-ranked teams – Canada, Mexico, Panama, and the US – in the quarter-finals, as well as the third, fourth, fifth and sixth-place finishers that will progress to the 2025 Gold Cup Prelims and Nations League play-in, respectively.
The quarter-finals will be played in a home-and-away format in November 2024, with the aggregate score winner in each matchup advancing to the 2025 CNL finals and qualifying for the 2025 Gold Cup. The quarter-final losers will advance to the 2025 Gold Cup prelims.
CNL quarter-final pairings will be determined based on the Concacaf rankings as of October 2024 (after the FIFA window) and the group stage results.
The CNL play-in will ta
