SENIOR SELECTEE Diquan Adamson and three other overseas-based footballers headline a 40-member squad invited to national training for next year’s CONCACAF qualifiers of the 2013 World Under-20 Youth Cup.
Adamson left the island on Boxing Day for the United States to join the Chicago Magic Youth team on a six-month stint, along with fellow striker Shaquille Stewart, who has also been called to trials.
They are due to return in June but with the qualifiers set to kick off in May at a venue still to be decided, they may be forced to return home at least a fortnight earlier.
Stewart was one of the finds of the inaugural David Thompson Memorial Constituency Council’s Classic. He scored the most goals in the tournament and was named Most Valuable Player even though his side, St Thomas, lost 3-2 to The City in the final at Kensington Oval.
The other overseas selectees are strikers Kemar Headley and Zari Prescod, who are also on Chicago Magic’s roster.
Two Hungary-trained coaches, Asquith Howell and Jerry Skeete, have been appointed as head coach and assistant coach/trainer respectively, having both previously served as assistant coaches of the national squad. The first training session is expected to be held early in the new year.
Defenders Akeem Maloney and Ricardio Morris, who were also invited to senior trials, are also among the trialists as well as Amal Mayers, who captained the Barbados Under-17 team which reached the final stage of qualification for the CONCACAF Youth World Cup.
Another notable invitee is Gall Hill’ skilful striker Jabari “Pappy” Chandler, who distinguished himself by scoring the most goals – eight – in the entire CONCACAF Under-17 campaign.
St John’s Sonnets’ midfielder Romario Harewood, Ellerton’s Raheem Thomas and Paradise’s Jomo Harris, are among the selectees with Premier League experience.
Former FIFA referee Barney Callender will manage the squad with Denis Callender as the medic.
Meanwhile, a reduced 32-member Under-17 squad will resume training on January 4 in preparation for the first phase of qualification starting on July 20 for the 2013 Youth World Cup.
UNDER-20 SQUAD
Diquan Adamson, Mario Alleyne, Keon Atkins, Stephan Batson, Romario Bryan, Mark Bushell, Jabari Chandler, Jevon Durant, Steven Gill, Romario Griffith, Armande Griffith, Daniel Griffith, Ramon Hackett, Romario Harewood, Jomo Harris, Kemar Headley, Jamal Hinds, Raymond Hope, Akeem Maloney, Ramon Manning, Amal Mayers, Nathaniel Maynard, Ricardio Morris, Renako Moseley, Jabarry Nicholls, Kishmar Nurse, Jamal Prescod, Zari Prescod, Leonard Rice, Shane Sealy, Tremaine St Hill, Shamari Stephenson, Shaquille Stewart, Raheem Thomas, Runacko Thompson, Damian Thorington, Dayo Ward, Romario Watson, Shaquille Williams.
Management: Barney Callender (manager), Asquith?Howell (head coach), Jerry Skeete (assistant coach/trainer), Denis Callender (medic)
