Edwards named assistant Trinidad and Tobago women's team coach

FORMER Soca Warriors winger Carlos Edwards will join his ex-club and national teammate Kenwyne Jones on the Trinidad and Tobago women's football team technical staff, following his appointment as the team's assistant coach.

The TT Football Association (TTFA) announced his appointment on Saturday, a week before the squad's scheduled residential camp and less than two weeks before the team play their first 2022 CONCACAF Women's Championship qualifier against Nicaragua at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

Edwards, 43, who holds a UEFA 'B' licence, replaces the recently-departed assistant coach Charlie Mitchell. In a statement from the TTFA, Edwards expressed enthusiasm with his appointment and to work with his former Sunderland and national teammate.

"When I got the call from Kenwyne indicating his interest in me coming on board, obviously for me it was a no-brainer," he said.

"It was an opportunity for myself to work for the country once again and try to give something back. I know it’s not going to be easy but nothing good comes easy as I can vouch for with my experience on the playing side of it.

"Now the opportunity comes to do a bit of coaching, to pass on a bit of knowledge and to work with (Jones)."

Edwards said the opportunity is "something special," and that he is looking forward to "(hitting) the ground running really hard."

"I will try to do what I have to in order to make Kenwyne the best manager. That's part of my job, which is to assist and make Kenwyne as good as possible and to obviously give the ladies something they haven't get seen from my side...

"I hope everyone on board will pulling in the right direction because it is an opportunity for the women’s team to achieve some success. I am grateful for the opportunity and looking forward to it."

The TTFA said Edwards was appointed after the Association worked with Jones "to (create) a short-list of qualified candidates who share a similar coaching philosophy and who Jones has a synergy with given the short time frame."

Edwards previously worked with the Ipswich Town Academy in England, where he played first team football from 2009-2014.

Jones, meanwhile, described Edwards's appointment as a "fantastic addition to the national set-up."

"He is another player who has played for the country, representing at the highest level and now being able to be involved in our football again in a mentoring capacity. We are absolutely delighted to have him on board and we hope that this could be another point in building for our future as Trinbagonian coaches and players."

The team will play four qualifying matches for the Concacaf Women's Championship against Nicaragua (February 17), Dominica (February 20) in Guyana, the Turks and Caicos Islands (April 9) and against Guyana (April 12), with the venues of the latter two matches to be announced.