Belgium-based T&T defender, Sheldon Bateau says he expects Friday's international friendly against Panama to be a gripping contest when both teams take the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva pitch from 7 pm.
The match will be the first of the year for the Stephen Hart-coached Soca Warriors as they look ahead to the 2015 Concacaf Gold Cup where they will face Guatemala, Cuba and Mexico in Pool C round-robin play.
Bateau who plays in the Belgium Premier Division with KV Mechelen is one of three European-based pros selected by head coach Stephen Hart for the contest. Racing Genk midfielder Khaleem Hyland and former England youth international and Millwall defender Justin Hoyte are the other two.
Bateau who lined up with San Juan Jabloteh in the T&T Pro League before moving to Mechelen in 2012, is applauding the move by Hart to include several of the T&T home-based pros in the team for Friday's match.
"It's a bold step but I think it's the right thing at this stage as it will give him (Hart) a good idea of how these players are shaping up because we need a big pool to take us through to the World Cup qualifiers," Bateau said, ahead of a training session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo yesterday.
"There is some experience in the squad but it's also important that a lot of the players from home who are a bit younger get that opportunity early to taste international football. We don't have the luxury of playing a lot of international games so the coach has to take the chance to see these guys in an international game before he can know for sure who can really make it at that level of the Gold Cup and playing against the likes of a Mexico, USA or Costa Rica at the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers," the 24-year-old defender added.
Bateau has played ten matches for T&T at the senior level since making his debut against a star-studded Peru team at the Ato Boldon Stadium in February 2013. The likes of Bayern Munich striker Claudio Pizarro was in the Peru team that night and Bateau remembers it quite clearly.
"I remember it quite well. I had now settled in Belgium and here it was I was coming into the team to play Peru and joining the national team with players like Kenwyne Jones, Carlos Edwards and other senior players. Your senior debut is always a special experience and a very important game in your career. So for these young players coming into the team now it's important that we help them along and create a good situation for them. They must also realize very early that this is a different level and they have to raise everything about themselves," he added.
Looking ahead to Friday's contest, Bateau said he expects the game to be a difficult one for T&T.
"It's going to be difficult but it's the kind of game we want to play. Panama are a good team and this will show us where we are at now and the coach will know exactly what needs to be done between now and the Gold Cup in July and the World Cup qualifiers later this year," he said.
Hart has included ten uncapped home-based professionals in his final selection.
Among them are National Under-20 captain Shannon Gomez and his team-mates from the recent Under-20 team Neveal Hackshaw, Aikim Andrews and late call-up Akeem Garcia of DirecTV W Connection, who replaces Central FC's Rundell Winchester.
Winchester had to be excused from the team for the match as he is currently in the USA, where he is expected to sign with Major League Soccer's Portland Timbers, US Soccer League outfit before the week concludes.
Winchester even featured for the Timbers on the weekend as they continuing preparations for their inaugural 2015 USL season opener, with a 4-1 win over the University of Portland in which the Tobago-born speedy striker set up the opener for Kharlton Belmar to head home.
Also earning their first call ups to the Soca Warriors team are former Under-17 and Under-20 World Cup defender Uriah Bentick of Central FC, d W Connection's Jomal Williams and Johan Peltier of San Juan Jabloteh, the brother of Slovakian-based winger/forward Lester Peltier .
The other newcomers include Central FC's Akeem Benjamin and Jamal Jack and San Juan Jabloteh's Tyone Charles and North East Stars' Dwayne James.
The two goalkeepers are regulars Jan-Michael Williams and Marvin Phillip. Central FC forward Willis Plaza has earned a recall while his club teammate Ataulla Guerra has also been included.
Today, the team will train twice at the Hasely Crawford Stadium as well as tomorrow while the Central Americans who are preparing at home will arrive in Port of Spain tomorrow.
Tickets for the T&T versus Panama encounter cost $100 and are available at Fan Club Movietowne (POS, Trincity Mall, Gulf City Mall), All Out Restaurant (QP Oval), Heritage Sports Tobago, Ramsingh's Sportsworld, Couva, Econo Supermart and Kenny's Sports Shops. Gates at the venue open at 4pm on Friday. (SEE PAGE 56)
T&T squad for Panama match:
Jan Michael Williams (Central FC), Marvin Phillip (Point Fortin Civic Centre), Sheldon Bateau (KV Mechelen), Justin Hoyte (Millwall), Mekeil Williams (W Connection), Jamal Jack (Central FC), Akeen Benjamin (Central FC) Shannon Gomez (W Connection), Uriah Bentick (Central FC), Dwayne James (North East Stars), Khaleem Hyland (Racing Genk), Jomal Williams (W Connection), Neveal Hackshaw (North East Stars), Marcus Joseph (Point Fortin Civic Centre), Aikim Andrews (W Connection), Hashim Arcia (W Connection), Ataulla Guerra (Central FC), Kevin Molino (Orlando Cuty), Tyrone Charles (San Juan Jabloteh), Willis Plaza (Central FC), Akeem Garcia (W Connection), Johan Peltier (San Juan Jabloteh)