T&T Squad for Russia announced
King Names 21-Man Squad for Russia International Friendly
Trinidad and Tobago Head Coach Derek King has announced a 21-man squad for Tuesday’s international friendly against Russia, which will be played at the iconic Kaliningrad Arena.
The match kicks off at 7:00 p.m. local time (1:00 p.m. Trinidad and Tobago time) and forms another important step in the national team’s ongoing preparations for the Concacaf Nations League in September.
King and his squad are scheduled to arrive in Kaliningrad later today following their journey through Istanbul, as the team prepares to take on the 35th-ranked Russians in front of what is expected to be a large home crowd.
The squad will be without some of its foreign-based senior players, with MLS quartet Dante Sealy, Tyrese Spicer, Kobi Henry and Jaylon Yearwood, along with Wayne Frederick II, all requesting to be excused from this international window.
Also unavailable for selection are forward Levi Garcia, Crystal Palace defender Rio Cardines, Dutch based defender Deron Payne, and Scotland-based defender Kieran Ngwenya.
Despite those absences, King believes the fixture presents an excellent opportunity to further assess the depth of the national programme and provide valuable international exposure to several emerging players.
“We are looking forward to the opportunity to play Russia in Russia,” King told TTFA Media on Friday.
“It is another important match in our preparation and development as a national team. While a few of our senior foreign-based players will not be available for this fixture, it provides an excellent opportunity for us to continue evaluating players and expanding our player pool.”
The T&T Head Coach pointed to the experience within the squad as a key factor heading into the encounter.
“We will still have experienced players in the squad, including Reon Moore, Andre Rampersad, Daniel Phillips and Denzil Smith, whose leadership and experience will be valuable for the group.”
King also highlighted the importance of integrating the next generation of national team players into the senior environment.
“We are also excited that several players will have the opportunity to play for the senior team. This is part of our long-term vision of building depth, creating competition for places, and identifying players who can contribute to the future success of Trinidad and Tobago football.”
“We see this match as a positive challenge against quality opposition. It is another step in our journey as we continue to build a strong and competitive national team.”
The friendly against Russia continues Trinidad and Tobago’s programme of facing strong international opposition as preparations continue for future competitions.
