Training squad named for U20 national football team
The U17 national team prior to first qualifying game against Aruba during 2016 CFU World Cup playoffs
(CNS Local Life): In preparation for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Under 20 World Cup Playoffs, scheduled for July/August 2018, 50 players have been chosen to train as the Cayman Islands Men’s Under 20 National Football team. Over the course of one year, the squad will be reduced to a manageable 35 players.
CFU, CONCACAF and FIFA regulations only allow 18 to 25 registered players per tournament so competition for a place on the national squad will be fierce, stated a Cayman Islands Football Association press release.
The coaching staff for the team comprises Ernie “Gillie” Seymour (head coach), Ken Downey (assistant coach), Antwan Seymour (assistant coach/manager), Luis Morejon (goalkeeper coach) and Andrew Holness (equipment manager).
Training takes place every Friday from 4pm-6pm at the Annex Field in George Town.
The players who are attending school overseas will be contacted by email regarding their selection and will be communicated with on a regular basis along with their school and club coaches.
The nucleus of this under 20 national squad has been together since 2011, participating in several local and overseas tournaments and camps in preparation for the various Youth World Cup competitions.
As the Under 15 National Team in 2015, the team finished an historic third-place in the CFU Under 15 Boys’ Championships in St Maarten; as the Under 17 National Team, they were runners-up to reigning Under 17 Caribbean Champions Haiti in the CFU Under 17 World Cup Playoffs Group 2 qualifiers in August 2016.
Assistant coach Antwan Seymour said of the selection of the young players: “For far too long, the Cayman Islands has only ‘participated’ in several international competitions. We now want to win and we are slowly but surely changing the mindset with these players and through our performances in the Under 15 Championships in 2015 and the recent CFU Under 17 World Cup Playoffs in 2016 proves that the hard work is paying off.
“We anticipate ‘raising the bar’ in the CFU Under 20 World Cup Playoffs in 2018 and setting a precedent for future youth national teams to follow.”
Players who are unable to attend the scheduled training sessions in July and August due to injury or being on summer vacation, should call (925-7407) or email Antwan Seymour. Players who are not interested in being a part of the squad or do not make contact with Seymour by Friday, 4 August, will be removed from the list.
Players selected to train as the under 20 national team:
Albertini Holness, Callhan Studenhofft, Zion Coe, Shawn Scott (Cayman Brac), Jelani Campbell, Jose La Rosa-Ebanks, Devonte Morejon, D’Andre Rowe, Oladapo Bailey, Rohelio Wright, Ricardo Wright, Francisco Murillo-Johnson, Javier Ardilla, Jabari Campbell, Daniel Manderson, Jalen Walters, Ackeem Hyde, Eric Wilson Jr., Andre Alexander, Andrew Alexander, Maikel Ebanks, Ricardo Damasso, Nicholas Chung, Rico Bodden, Trey Ebanks, Navaro Pearson, Kion Parchmont, Kareem Foster, Jayden Downey, Alexander Clarke-Ramirez, Bryan Ramoon, Sullivan Zelaya, Gonzalo McLaughlin Jr., Jamar Frederick, Kailian Miller, Dominic Owens, Cody Ebanks, Jerome Lawson, Shakur Silburn, Tyrese Berry, Kaled Giron, Shaquille Roberts, Adebayo Oremule, Jiffon Robinson, Louis Gordon (overseas), Kameron Mendez (overseas), Corey Mellaneo (overseas), Winston Wood (overseas), Leighton Thomas (overseas) and Kray Foster (overseas).
