Joseph replaces Garcia for UAE match

W CONNECTION striker Marcus Joseph has replaced Israel-based winger Levi Garcia on the 20-member Trinidad and Tobago team to face the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday in Girona, Spain.

Garcia suffering a hamstring injury in the 42nd minute of his club Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona FC's 2-1 loss to Happoel Ra’anana on Saturday.

TT coach Dennis Lawrence, in a media conference last Monday, announced that Joseph was not included in the original squad since he did not possess a United States visa. The local-based TT players and technical staff left yesterday for Spain via Miami, Florida.

Joseph, who has netted seven goals for Connection in the 2018 Pro League, will join the team tomorrow, via London, England.

“It is always disappointing to lose a player like Levi Garcia for an international fixture but this happens in football and we have to make the adjustments,” Lawrence commented in a TT Football Association (TTFA) media release. “It’s fortunate that we have been able to make arrangements for Marcus to join the team. He is in fine form in the Pro League this season and we are eager to see this translated unto the international stage.”

In related news, the TTFA held a pair of meetings last month, with US Embassy Consular Chief Tim Swanson and Panama Ambassador to TT Luis Cigarruista Vargas.

A month ago, TTFA president David John-Williams bemoaned the fact that the national Under-15 women football team were unable to get visas to travel to the US to compete at the CONCACAF Under-15 Women's Championship.

But John McIntyre, Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy, fired back in a statement, which accused John-Williams of poor planning.

Last Wednesday, TTFA general secretary Justin Latapy-George and TT men's Under-20 team manager Alexandrine Elliot-Procupe met with Swanson at the US Embassy, Port of Spain to discuss the visa process and requirements for TT team members travelling to the US for future tournaments.

The national women's team are expected to compete at the CONCACAF Women's Championship in October and the men's Under-20 squad are due to feature at the CONCACAF qualifiers in Florida in November.

The meeting between Vargas, Latapy-George and Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) general secretary Azaad Khan took place at the Panama Embassy in St Clair on August 14.

Latapy-George, in the TTFA media release, said, "(Vargas) was particularly interested in Exchange Programmes, All Star Games and training and development that included language as an element. (He) was very open about his expectations and will now engage persons within his networks so we can forge forward with planning and agreeing on a defined partnership.”