European-based T&T international Levi Garcia is expected to miss out on representing the national Under-20 football team coached by Brian Williams at next month's Concacaf Final Round of Under-20 qualification in Costa Rica next month.
In Costa Rica, T&T tackles Bermuda in its opening Concacaf qualifier at the Ricardo Saprissa Stadium on February 19, before taking on hosts Costa Rica at the National Stadium on February 22 and El Salvador at the same venue on February 25th.
Williams will name a 26-man squad today before going on 21-day training camp in Colombia later this week was hopeful of having 19-year-old Garcia who plies his trade with AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie in his final squad to be named by the end of the first week in February for the 12-team tournament.
However, according to a source close to the local football federation (T&TFA), Williams can expect to be without the speedy and nippy winger who made his senior team under former T&T senior men's coach Stephen Hart during the Semifinal Round of the current 2018 Concacaf World Cup campaign away to St Vincent and The Grenadines last year (March 25) at Arnos Vale Ground.
It was a memorable debut for the then 18-year-old Garcia as he netted the decisive item in a come-from-behind 3-2 win.
So far this season, Garcia has featured in eight matches for AZ Alkmaar and has one goal to his credit, and it was hoped that his lack of game time would pave the way for his release.
But with the Concacaf competition not falling within a Fifa stipulated window to release players for national team duty, it is likely Williams will have to do without his key asset.
In much more positive news, Williams, a former national defender with the 'Strike Squad' team which narrowly missed out on a spot on the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy by one point has his eyes set on another European-based player in Denmark-born midfielder Mark Gangiah, who needs to do some document work in terms of acquiring his T&T passport."
Other overseas-based expected to be in the mix and should be on the plane for the camp in Colombia are US-collegiate duo Jared Dass and Taofik Lucas-Walker, as well as goalkeeper Montell Joseph who were all part of the training squad along with national team captain, Jabari Mitchell, recently back from a trial stint in Mexico.
The team is expected to be loaded with overseas talent as Andrew Rullow, Morgan Bruce and Noah Powder are all in the fray as well, while Central FC striker Nicholas Dillon, who left last week for a trial with Belgian Second Division Club, K.Patro Maasmechelen, should be in the squad for Central America next month barring any injuries.
While at the camp in Colombia, Williams is expected to submit his final team to Concacaf.
Last week, the T&T coach conducted a ten-day live-in camp at the Metro Hotel in Couva with sessions at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva as the team continue preparations for the 12-team Concacaf qualifiers from which four countries will qualify to the 2017 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Korea.
Under the new format, designed to increase the number of meaningful, competitive matches, the top two teams from Groups A, B, and C will advance to the Classification Stage, where the Confederation's four tickets to the World Cup at this level will be determined in round robin play among two groups of three teams each.