King targets perfect execution of game plan

2026-03-27 - 01:03

Senior Multimedia Reporter nigel.simon@guardian.co.tt T&T men’s interim head coach Derek King says he is banking on his players executing their game plan to come away with a good result when they face neighbours Venezuela from 6 am today in their FIFA Series opener at Pakhtakor Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Speaking at the pre-match press conference at match venue yesterday, the 45-year-old King said, “I have told the players that once we go out there and execute our game plan we will come out with a positive result.” “This is a very good tournament for us as a team and as I said before its a good experience for our players. As a team we didn’t qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, so this is a building process at this moment with the likes of Venezuela, who missed out on qualifying to the World Cup as well, Gabon two very good teams.” “But the focus for us is against Venezuela, which is a very experienced team, technically sound and have a lot of players with good experience as well.” The T&T 24-man squad comprises two uncapped players in goalkeeper Teshorne Ragoo of Club Sando FC and USA-born Orlando City B defender Jaylen Yearwood. ​Ragoo was an unused substitute for King in T&T’s 3-0 away loss to Bolivia earlier this month in their first international friendly since he took over following the sacking of Dwight Yorke last month, while the 21-year-old Yearwood was signed last month by Orlando City B to an MLS NEXT Pro contract through the 2026 season after the University of North Florida product was selected as the 14th overall pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. In addition to Ragoo, the T&T squad features six other locally based players in goalkeeper Jabari Brice (Central FC), defender Adam Pierre (Central FC), midfielders Daniel David (Central FC) and Lindell Sween (San Juan Jabloteh), defender Shervohnez Hamilton (Club Sando), and striker Jaheim Faustin (San Juan Jabloteh), the son of former national midfielder Marvin Faustin. ​Among the overseas-based call-ups are several players who last donned the national colours in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Concacaf Final Round Qualifiers, including Levi Garcia (Spartak Moscow), Roald Mitchell (New York Red Bulls, USA), Denzil Smith (AV Alta FC, USA), Deron Payne (FC Volendam, Holland), Rio Cardines (Crystal Palace, England), Justin Garcia (Song Lam Nghe An, Vietnam), Noah Powder (Westchester SC, USA), Andre Rampersad (Halifax Wanderers, Canada), Jerrin Jackie (Bahla Club, Oman), Dantaye Gilbert (FK Dukla Prague, Czech Republic), Ryan Telfer (Halifax Wanderers, Canada), and Nathaniel James (North Texas SC, USA). ​There were also recalls for Duane Muckette (Sohar FC, Oman), John-Paul Rochford (Al-Khaboura SC, Oman), and Reon Moore (Song Lam Nghe An, Vietnam), all of whom were overlooked for most of the Final Round qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup by former coach Dwight Yorke. However, the T&T squad will be without a quartet of Major League Soccer (MLS) players in Tyrese Spicer (Orlando City), Dante Sealy (Colorado Rapids), Wayne Frederick II (Colorado Rapids), and defender Kobi Henry (Real Salt Lake). Also missing are Daniel Phillips (Stevenage, England) and Steffan Yeates (Inter Toronto, Canada), while Andre Raymond and Molik Khan are sidelined through injury. The MLS quartet were all part of the T&T squad during the 2026 FIFA Concacaf Final Round World Cup qualifiers but declined invitations for these two matches. Today’s match will be a special outing for Venezuela coach Owaldo Vizcarrondo as it will mark “El Patrón’s” debut as the team’s full-time manager. Their squad features players across top leagues in Europe and South America inclusive of West Ham United, ACF Fiorentina, Fluminense FC, and Real Sociedad. Looking ahead to their matches after the South Americans finished eighth in the ten-nation CONMEBOL qualifying table and missed out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, Vizcarrondo said he will try to implement the style of play he wants to employ. In that vein, he added that the team is looking to extrapolate the knowledge that the players bring from their clubs to “create resources for what’s to come, for what lies ahead within a process, since we are firmly convinced that we have the elements to carry out what we want to develop, but understanding that this is about results; and that is what prevails in professional football.” The most notable absences are those of Yangel Herrera and Daniel Pereira due to injury, and Ender Echenique and Ángel Azuaje due to documentation issues. T&T will then face Gabon on March 30 while Venezuela takes on Uzbekistan in their second and final matches. T&T FIFA Series squad Goalkeepers Jabari Brice (Cental FC), Denzil Smith (AV Alta FC/USA), Teshore Ragoo (Club Sando FC), Defenders Deron Payne (Fc Volendam/Holland), Rio Cardines (Crystal Palace/England), Adam Pierre (Central FC), Justin Garcia (Song Lam Nghe/Vietnam), Jaylen Yearwood (Orlando City/USA), Noah Powder (Westchester SC/USA), Midfielders Daniel David (Central FC), Duane Muckette (Sohar FC/Oman), Andre Rampersad (Halifax Wanderers/Canada), John-Paul Rochford (Al-Khaboura SC/Oman), Lindell Sween (San Juan Jabloteh), Shervohnez Hamilton (Club Sando), Jerrin Jackie (Bahla Club/Oman), Jaheim Faustin (San Juan Jabloteh), Dantaye Gilbert (FK Dukla Prague/Czech Republic) Fowards Levi Garcia (Spartak Moscow/Russia), Reon More (SOng Lam Nghe/Vietnam), Ryan Telfer (Halifax Wanderers/Canada), Roald Mitchell (New York Red Bulls/USA), Nathaniel James (North Texas SC/USA) Coach: Derek King Venezuela team from Goalkeepers José Contreras (Barcelona SC/Ecuador), Cristopher Varela (Deportivo La Guaira), Jesús Camargo (Deportivo Táchira), Frankarlos Benítez (Caracas FC) Defenders Nahuel Ferraresi (Botafogo/Brazil), Carlos Vivas (Inter Bogota/Colombia), Jon Aramburu (Real Sociedad/Spain), Teo Quintero (Sparta Rotterdam/Netherlands), Diego Osio (Deportivo La Guaira), Delvin Alfonzo (Deportivo Táchira), Luis Balbo (Fiorentina/Italy), Andrusw Araujo (Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih/Ukraine) Midfielders: Cristian Cásseres (Toulouse FC/France), Jorge Yriarte (Śląsk Wrocław/Poland), Carlos Faya (Deportivo La Guaira), Gustavo González (Puerto Cabello Academy), Gleiker Mendoza (Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih/Ukraine), Jefferson Savarino (Fluminense/Brazil), Carlos Sosa (Deportivo Táchira), Telasco Segovia (Inter Miam/USA), Wikelman Carmona (CF Montréal/Canada), David Martinez (Los Angeles FC/USA), Keiber Lamadrid (West Ham United/England), Luis González (Deportivo Táchira) Forwards: Salomón Rondón (Pachuca/Mexico), Jovanny Bolívar (UCV FC), Alejandro Marqués (Estoril Praia, Portugal), Jesús Ramírez (Nacional Madeira, Portugal) Coach: Owaldo Vizcarrondo