Sancho: Chance for Fenwick to see new faces

FORMER TT defender Brent Sancho says Sunday’s friendly football international match between TT and hosts United States, at the Exploria Stadium, Orlando, Florida, will be a chance for TT coach Terry Fenwick to see some new faces in his squad.

Half of Fenwick’s 24-man squad have never played at the international level, among them midfielder Federico Pena (born in TT but raised in Canada) and the US-born pair of defender Michael Deshields and utility player Jonathan Jimenez.

In an interview on Thursday, Sancho, who is also the chairman of the TT Pro League and owner of ex-Pro League champs Central FC, is eager to see how things transpire in Sunday’s match, which will mark Fenwick’s debut as TT coach.

Fenwick was hired as TT coach in January 2020, but has not been afforded an international match, due to the coronavirus lockdown and FIFA’s two-month-long suspension of the TT Football Association (between September and November).

“It’s the new norm,” said Sancho. “Everyone is starting from a similar perspective. There are very few leagues (in) the Concacaf region that is being played, particularly in the Caribbean. Many of the countries have not played a lot of football. It’s put a lot of international (coaches) in a unique position. They would have spent quite a significant amount of time with their charges.”

Sancho, the former Minister of Sports, continued, “Since September, Terry had the team (in training). It would have given him a very good look at what is here locally (and) a very good look at some of the foreign-based.”

It will be a virtual baptism of fire for the TT squad, who will be using Sunday’s game as preparation for the start of their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

Sancho mentioned, “It is an opportunity for players to get 90 minutes of international football under their belt. A game that (they) would learn very quickly, both the players and the coaching staff, their strengths and their weaknesses. It’s a team in the region, most importantly.

“The US has always been a tough proposition, whether it is a US A, B or C team,” he continued. “They have a lot of depth in their team, a lot of good youngsters coming through their programmes. It’s going to be an interesting (match). It gives us the opportunity to look at some new faces.

There are lots more positives than negatives.”