Soca Warriors excited: Yorke has clear plans, demands players' best

TT PLAYERS said new senior men’s football team head coach Dwight Yorke is already demanding the best from them, after the local and Manchester United legend held his first training session on November 12.

The first session under Yorke and his new coaching staff was held on a brand new turf at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva.

There, a number of locally-based players reunited with returning foreign-based nationals for the FIFA November 11-19 international window, and got their first chance to do light training under the eyes of three-time English Premier League title-winner Yorke.

Yorke, who arrived in Trinidad on November 8 to begin his stint at the helm, was joined by some members of the squad’s new coaching staff, which included Yorke’s former TT teammate Russell Latapy and ex-Manchester United Under-23 manager Neil Wood.

Joining them was Derek King, who served as caretaker coach for the senior team for three months, on the heels of Angus Eve’s sacking in July. King will also serve as assistant coach, the same role he held during Eve’s tenure for almost three years.

A national midfielder who is training with the squad said he is impressed by the start. "The first couple training sessions were great," he said.

He said Yorke wants the national players to represent the TT shirt with pride. "Things that stood out for me was the professional atmosphere that the coach has created, from demanding that the players uphold their standards and quality in each and everything they do, to the attitude applied to the training sessions."

The players are also satisfied with how he is interacting with them. The midfielder said, "I also noticed he is very measured, experienced and humble in his approach to coach us. All in all, I think it is very exciting for TT football and shows a lot of promise for these crucial years coming up."

When asked what he thought of the introductory session, one of the TT defenders said he believes TT’s 2026 World Cup campaign is in the right hands.

“It has been spot on from the first day. His (Yorke) intentions and plans are clear as day. The level of professionalism and standards he is setting is a top-class one that would carry us to the next level,” he said via WhatsApp on November 13.

He said he did not know much about the backroom staff as yet, but expressed confidence that Yorke would make the right decisions to chart the best way forward.

“I didn’t really get to meet too much of them, but I would say is that I’m sure coach Yorke would not have anyone on his staff who can’t uphold the level and standards he portrays."

Some of the players who attended the first training were former MLS attacking midfielder Kevin Molino, Pacific FC forward Reon Moore, Defence Force defender Justin Garcia, Police right back Alvin Jones, Police midfielder Joevin Jones, AC Port of Spain midfielders Duane Muckette and Michel Poon-Angeron and former national youth footballer Gary Griffith III.

Yorke will be officially unveiled as head coach at the Ato Boldon Stadium’s main field on November 14.

Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, whose ministry allocated $2 million over the next two years towards the team’s World Cup campaign, will also be present.

TT resume their World Cup campaign on June 6, 2025, against St Kitts and Nevis.

TT Football Association president Kieron Edwards described Yorke’s hiring as a “new chapter for TT football” with plans to energise the team’s training and development in preparation for the rigours of international competition.

Yorke’s main goal is to help TT qualify for the 2026 World Cup which will held in the US, Canada and Mexico. With those three Concacaf nations serving as hosts, TT’s chances of qualification have amplified for the new-look 48-team tournament.