Though they faced several hurdles in preparation, Trinidad and Tobago’s Under-17 head coach Shawn Cooper remains optimistic about his team’s chances of progressing in the Concacaf U-17 Men’s Qualifiers in Costa Rica.

Cooper, who has assembled a 23-man squad featuring eight overseas-based players, admitted that his team’s build-up to the tournament did not go as planned. However, he believes they have done everything possible to get ready and will fight for qualification when their Group B campaign kicks off against Guyana on February 7.

“It’s basically a fresh team, with six to eight survivors from the last T&T U-15 team,” Cooper noted.

The young Soca Warriors have been in training for the past eight weeks, playing local practice matches against QPCC, Defence Force’s Tier Two team, Police FC, AC Port of Spain, and Club Sando.

However, their biggest setback came in their inability to secure pre-tournament matches against South or Central American opposition, which Cooper feels would have better prepared them for Costa Rica’s style of play.

“We had a number of plans that didn’t materialize. We wanted those games to really get us prepared for the Central American game against Costa Rica. We had a couple of engagements cancelled because of one reason or another, which we have no control over,” Cooper shared.

In the absence of those games, Cooper’s technical staff simulated tournament conditions to get the players accustomed to playing, resting, and playing again within short intervals.

“It’s a different situation than what these boys are accustomed to, especially those playing in the colleges’ league who play on a Wednesday and Saturday. You have to get them prepared both physically and mentally to play two games in three days. But we did what we had to do,” he noted.

Cooper had also hoped the team could arrive in Costa Rica earlier to acclimate and play additional warm-up matches, but despite those limitations, he remains focused on the task ahead.

With just one team from each group advancing to the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup, the margin for error is small. However, Cooper is clear about his objective.

“The game plan is to win. Whatever system or tactics we use; it will come as we go along. We’ll have a plan A, plan B as the game goes along, and we’ll play in the moments of the game. When these moments come up, we’ll have our game model to suit,” Cooper declared.

After Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago will face British Virgin Islands, St Maarten, and hosts Costa Rica on February 9, 13 and 16, respectively, in their quest to top Group B.

TT U17 Squad: Levi Williams (Inter Miami/USA), Necose Moore (Chaguanas North Secondary), Mikhail Clement (Naparima College/Cox Coaching School), Sheridan McNish (New England Revolution/USA), Jaydon Caprietta (Naparima College/Cox Coaching School), Jimally Renne (Presentation College San Fernando/Point Fortin Youth Academy), Chaz Williams, Quinton John (both Inter Miami/USA), Adam Pierre (St Benedict’s College/Point Fortin Civic), Eran McLeod (St Mary’s College/San Juan Jabloteh), Dominic Joseph (Vancouver Whitecaps/Canada), Criston Gomez (Arima North Secondary/QPCC FC), Nikosi Foncette (Presentation College San Fernando/Crowne Trace FC), Seth Hadeed (Fatima College/QPCC FC), Dominic Joseph (Vancouver Whitecaps/Canada), Caden Trestrail (Fatima College/Defence Force), Timothy Valentine (TSF Academy/USA), Jasai Theophilus (QRC/ Pro Series), Adasa Richardson (Naparima College/Cox Coaching School), Phillip Nelson (QRC/City FC), Josiah Kallicharan (Eastbourne United/England)