Jul.23.2010

Trinidad and Tobago’s women’s Under-15 football team is continuing their preparations for the first Youth Olympic Games next month.
Team coach Marlon Charles, in a recent interview pointed out that the preparation has been going good. The players are working hard.

“The main focus right now is more mental, and (playing) more games,” continued Charles. “This is what we’re focused on right now.”

The Under-15 team lost a warm-up match, by a 7-1 margin, to the national Under-17 women’s team, at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya on July 16.

“We took the opportunity to play the U-17s to see where we are and I said to the girls ‘If this is the strongest team we play going into Singapore, then we just have to continue to work and get a bit fitter’,” said Charles. “But, overall, the focus was not really the score but to see them play and play (organised).”

With regards to the improvements he’s hoping to see within the team, Charles noted: “I think it’s very important for us to become fitter. And work a little more tactically to defend properly. Other than that I think they’re working very, very hard.”

The inaugural Youth Olympic Games will take place in Singapore from August 14-26, while the football competitions will begin two days earlier (August 12) – all the matches will be staged at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

Six teams will be featured in the girls’ section — Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Iran, Chile, Papau New Guinea and Equatorial Guinea. Trinidad and Tobago will play Chile on August 12 and Equatorial Guinea on August 15, with the semi-finals set for August 21, the fifth-placed game is August 23 and, both the third-place playoff and final, on August 24.