Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 03/Oct 08:13

Yorke: Trinidad and Tobago a mach away from turnaround

WITH 12 points still up for grabs to determine if TT will qualify directly for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, head coach of the national men’s senior football team Dwight Yorke says his players are one match away from turning the qualification campaign around and asked the local public to continue believing in them. TT’s campaign got off to a shaky start as a draw against Curacao and a defeat to Jamaica leave the national team with just one point. Jamaica lead Group B with six points, followed by Curacao (four points), TT (one point) and Bermuda (zero points). Suriname lead Group A, with Honduras in charge in Group C. The first-placed team in each group will book their ticket for next year’s World Cup, which will be held in the US, Canada and Mexico. The best two second-placed teams will enter the intercontinental playoff round, featuring teams from outside the Concacaf region. Yorke has his eyes on the next two hurdles with matches on October 10 and 14 away to Bermuda and Curacao respectively. “We’ve got four games (left), 12 points to play for. What is behind us has already happened,” Yorke told TT Football Association media. “We can only control what is in front of us and that is the positive message (we are trying to convey). We just ask the country to give us that continued support like they have.” TT were held to a goalless draw by Curacao in front a near capacity crowd at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo on September 5, before falling 2-0 to the Reggae Boyz in Kingston four days later. Against Jamaica, TT found the back of the net three times but they were all ruled offside. Star striker Levi Garcia was the culprit on all three occasions. TT are the only team yet to score in Group B. Yorke thinks the team is heading in the right direction. “I think a lot of people who are in the football fraternity can see the growth and the progress we are making and I feel we are only one game from really turning things around. There is no hiding place, there is no excuses from our end. We need to produce the results against Bermuda and really take that momentum into Curacao within the next couple weeks.” GRANDPARENTS RULE Yorke is thankful that the grandparent rule will benefit the team in the near future. “I think the government has done a fantastic job in trying to move that law forward very quickly for us.” The grandparent law will allow players with a connection to TT through their grandparents to play for the national team. Currently, a player must be connected to TT through a parent to be eligible to play. The head coach said two players are on his radar whenever the law is passed. “We are always looking to try and build and try to add to the squad...we have already identified may be two players who will like to get under the grandparents ruling...I have already been in contact with these players.” TT president Christine Kangaloo and the TTFA president Kieron Edwards are working closely to have all the paperwork completed. Any new players will more than likely be unavailable for the qualifiers this month, but with two more matches in November, Yorke’s options may increase. The national team has benefited from recruiting players recently with a local connection. Dante Sealy has settled into the team like a duck to water, making an immediate impact as an attacking player. Sealy is the son of former national player Scott Sealy. Defender Kobi Henry also impressed many during the first two rounds of matches. Both Sealy and Henry are based in the US. The post Yorke: Trinidad and Tobago a mach away from turnaround appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.