Calypso Stickmen without veteran Dwain Quan Chan for Indoor World Cup

A 19-member Trinidad and Tobago contingent begins their two-day trip to the Indoor Hockey World Cup in Croatia on January 28, without veteran full-back Dwain Quan Chan in the squad.

Quan Chan made himself unavailable owing to “some urgent family issues two days ago,” head coach Rafael Govia confirmed to Newsday via WhatsApp message on January 27.

Govia said Quan Chan’s absence might “cause some problems in the back line” for the Calypso Stickmen but has entrusted another defender, Arielle Brown, into the 14-member squad. UK-based attacker Teague Marcano will join the travelling unit in London on January 29.

The final 12 players will be selected on the day before TT’s first Group C encounter at the Zatika Arena, versus Australia on February 3. The team had their final training session at Woodbrook Youth Facility on January 27.

While Govia rued the inability to get pre-tournament warm-up matches, he believes his squad is raring to go.

“The men are ready for action as much as possible. I think our sessions went well. The tardy and mind-boggling disappointment of no warm-up tour hopefully won’t show that lack of cutting edge on display,” he said.

Govia, however, was pleased with their training campaign in the lead-up to the Indoor World Cup, and lauded SporTT for the “court improvements that made sessions a lot more productive.”

He said the team selection was “unanimous” at the final cut and described his mixture of players as “quite important to this type of game which requires sharp vision brain and execution to the precision with speed and skill.”

Govia stated that as a physically fit TT World Cup team, the men will come together when it matters and do battle on the court.

Out-of-retirement Darren Cowie captains the team. Pool C also includes Belgium and Namibia while Pool A comprises Austria, Poland, South Africa and hosts Croatia, and Pool B, Argentina, Germany, Iran and Malaysia.

TT’s traveling contingent to Indoor Hockey World Cup

Darren Cowie (captain), Jordan Viera (vice-captain), Ron Alexander (goalkeeper), Karlos Stephens (goalkeeper), Solomon Eccles, Mickel Pierre, Shaquille Daniel, Tarrel Singh, Dylan Francis, Jordan Reynos, Teague Marcano, Lyndel Byer, Arielle Bowen, Nicholas Siu Butt, Keshen Johnson (manager), Nicholas Baldeosingh (video analyst), Akil Howard (physio/trainer), Rafael Govia (coach), Akim Toussaint (coach)