The last chance – Yorke sharpens troops for Jamaica qualifier

Though the next Fifa international match window officially opens on November 10, TT men's football team coach Dwight Yorke has been getting in some extra yards with his players as they gear up for crucial World Cup qualifiers at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo versus Jamaica and Bermuda on November 13 and 18 respectively.

With Major League Soccer (MLS) players such as Kobi Henry, Dante Sealy and Tyrese Spicer already available, as well as the Canadian Premier League pair of Andre Rampersad and Ryan Telfer, Yorke took the opportunity to host a training camp behind close doors with these overseas-based players and TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) players in an effort to get them up to optimum fitness ahead of the qualifiers.

On November 7 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, that camp culminated with a scrimmage between the players currently available for the national senior team and a TTPFL select XI two match days into the 2025/26 domestic season. Speaking to the media at the start of the session, Yorke said it was important to give the overseas-based players game time while also giving TTPFL prospects the opportunity to possibly make their way into his plans for the immediate future.

"I think it's pretty clear most of the MLS players they are predominantly the big bulk of our squad. They haven't really had the opportunity to play as much due to the MLS closure so we felt it was appropriate to get them together as quickly as possible and make sure and kept that fitness up," he said.

"A game of this magnitude is just to give them another game because two-and-a-half weeks without playing football is a long time. And asking them to step up in an international game is always going to be a bit challenging."

TT currently sit third in group B of Concacaf's final qualifying round on five points, with Jamaica (nine points) and the still unbeaten Curacao (eight points) leading the charge at present. The TT coach reckons his squad has closed the gap on the Reggae Boyz and believes they can get the vital win needed when the teams square off in five days.

"I'm sure there might be a little disappointment in terms of not getting maximum points (in our last two games). But anybody who tells you at international level that you go away to play two games and you get four points from it. I'm sure it's not everybody's cup of tea but I think it's a really good return.

"We're going to try and build on that. We know the significance of the Jamaican game," Yorke said. "There's no hiding place. I've always stated that. We have the home advantage. We have a fantastic record here certainly under my reign and we're looking to try and add to that. We know Jamaica shouldn't be pushovers by any means."

The aforementioned players aside, players such as Kaile Auvray, Real Gill, Isaiah Lee, Kevin Molino, Noah Powder and Jamaican-based defenders Jordan Britto and Josiah Trimmingham made up the senior team contingent for the scrimmage alongside keepers Jabari Brice, Marvin Phillip, Denzil Smith and Jabari St Hillaire.

Meanwhile, the TTPFL XI fielded players such as playmaker Joevin Jones, Sedale McLean, Jabari Mitchell, lanky striker Brent Sam and the exciting attacking trio of Derrel Garcia, Jaheim Faustin and Lindell Sween.

Yorke said there's hope yet for the latter group.

"There is an opportunity here for players to leave an impression because that's what you're expecting against the national team.

"The door is never closed to any of the players. I've always stated that since I've taken the job and I'm sure there are players who have probably felt they should be in the squad and it's an opportunity for them to show why they should be in the squad."

Faustin scored an early goal in the scrimmage, before the nippy Spicer bagged a brace in response up to press time.

Intriguingly, Yorke said the TT Football Association is working hard behind the scenes to try and cash in on the Grandparents Citizenship Law in time for the Jamaica clash. The bill was passed on September 12, giving Yorke and company the chance to possibly widen the player pool at a critical juncture of the campaign.

"It's been a little bit frustrating from our point of view. We're still trying vigorously to try and get something through the door. The team behind the scene is really working extremely hard to try and get an individual over the line for the game on Thursday," Yorke said, not going into details about the player.

"Whether we can pull it off it's really a touch and go scenario. I can assure you, certainly from our side we're trying everything to have this deal done."