Yorke's 'new nucleus' to gain Gold Cup experience

SOCA WARRIORS head coach Dwight Yorke believes Trinidad and Tobago football is at a crucial turning point with a fresh nucleus of players set to compete at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Yorke was speaking during Concacaf’s virtual media day on May 20, where head coaches from all 16 competing nations discussed their plans ahead of the June 14-July 6 tournament, which kicks off in 14 stadiums throughout the US and Canada.

Yorke, who was appointed head coach in November 2024, unveiled his 54-man preliminary roster for the Gold Cup one day prior, which included a wealth of youthful talent, reinforced by some of TT’s more longstanding servants.

Yorke, a former TT captain, said the Concacaf tourney will be used to jumpstart the TTFA's long-term vision.

“We’ve taken the time to look at our entire player pool, past and present,” Yorke told reporters. “What you’re going to see coming into this tournament is a new nucleus of players. I’m not saying that the old players that were there (will not be). There are one or two players that the public will be familiar with, but there will be some that you’ve never heard of before. That’s the key, to try to introduce the new era of TT football.”

Integrating new talent into the squad is part of his job, he said, saying they’ve made “decent progress” since he took control of the squad seven months ago

“But there’s still a lot of work to be done. Every player knows what my ideas and philosophies are, and the expectation. We continue to build on what the previous coach (Angus Eve) has done and that’s what we’re going to try to implement in the tournament.”

Even though some of the newer faces on the team have previously been featured, some of the rising talents named in Yorke’s provisional squad were goalkeeper Jabari St Hillaire; defenders Darnell Hosepdales, Shervohnez Hamilton, Michael Kedman and Jesse Williams; midfielders Tyrese Spicer, Wayne Frederick II, Derrel Garcia and Rivaldo Coryat; and attackers Lindel Sween, Justin Obikwu, Rio Cardines and Tyrese Bailey.

TT are in Group D alongside hosts USA, Haiti and guest team Saudi Arabia. The Soca Warriors open their campaign on June 15 against USA, before meeting Haiti on June 19, and Saudi Arabia on June 22, to complete group play.

TT's last progression out of the group stage was in 2015, when a Stephen Hart-coached team topped Group C which included Mexico, Cuba and Guatemala. TT were eliminated by Panama on penalties in the quarterfinal.

Yorke insists that his mission isn’t just about breaking the ten-year dry spell, but about laying the foundation for sustainable success.

“This competition is about gaining experience,” Yorke said.

“We have important World Cup qualifier games (vs St Kitts on June 6 and Costa Rica on June 10) on the horizon, and we want to be ready. But more immediately, we want to show that we can compete at a high standard.”

Before the World Cup qualifiers, TT will also feature in the Unity Cup, alongside Nigeria, Ghana and regional rivals Jamaica, at Brentford Stadium in England, from May 27-31. This means TT will have four high-calibre matches against formidable opposition before they begin their Gold Cup quest.

Yorke said his squad is ready to compete, and while he acknowledged the challenges of limited preparation time at the international level, he remains confident in his players’ understanding of the team’s expectations.

“At this level, you have to bring your A-game and there’s no time to develop slowly. Players must be locked in from day one. That’s part of the job and part of the standard we’re setting.

"When you get together (as a team), you have a limited time to put these pieces together. Players have to focus in on what we’re trying to do."

He said he is not prepared to accept excuses or a sub-standard work ethics.

"Those are the principles that will make up part of my philosophy as well.”

TT are currently ranked 100th in the FIFA men’s rankings. Regarding his plan against seven-time Gold Cup winners and tenth-ranked FIFA men’s team USA, 58th-ranked Saudi Arabia and 83rd-ranked Haiti, like every other manager, Yorke wants to start on the front foot.

“But we have to know our limitations and what we can do and produce. We are, tactically, a better team now, more aware of opposition. We have always been a team that can play in position quite exceptionally, but we’re a team that when we’re out of position, we’re not quite sure how to do that.

“That’s something that we have improved on and you would find that as we progress. It’s an exciting time for us. The Americans have home advantage, are favourites and won the tournament multiple times, so we know what they can do.

“But as every other team in there, if they take their eye off the ball we are ready to pounce, ready to show that we can compete with them at a very high standard. That is what I expect of my team. We play with a lot of passion, desire, organisation and understanding.”

The Gold Cup groups also comprise of title-holders Mexico, Costa Rica, Suriname and Dominican Republic (Group A); Canada, Honduras, El Salvador and Curacao (Group B) and Panama, Jamaica, Guatemala and Guadeloupe (Group C).

TT preliminary Gold Cup squad:

Goalkeepers: Marvin Phillip, Jabari St Hillaire, Denzil Smith, Christopher Biggette, Aaron Enill, Adrian Foncette.

Defenders: Darnell Hospedales, Josiah Trimmingham. Isaiah Garcia, Andre Raymond, Alvin Jones, Justin Garcia, Jamal Jack, Shannon Gomez, Aubrey David, Sheldon Bateau, Shervohnez Hamilton, Triston Hodge,Jelani Peters, Ryan Telfer, Jesse Williams, Michael Kedman.

Midfielders: Joevin Jones, Steffen Yeates, Daniel Phillips, Nathaniel James, Kevin Molino, Levi Garcia, Tyrese Spicer, Wayne Frederick II, Dantaye Gilbert, Andre Rampersad, Ajani Fortune, Real Gill, Kaihim Thomas, Kaile Auvray, Rivaldo Coryat, Derrel Garcia, Judah Garcia, Neveal Hackshaw, Kristian Lee-Him, Reon Moore, Duane Muckette, Michel Poon-Angeron, Noah Powder, John Paul Rochford.

Forwards: Tyrese Bailey. Lindell Sween, Justin Obikwu, Isaiah Leacock, Rio Cardines, Brent Sam, Dante Sealy, Isaiah Lee.