Trinidad and Tobago men's footballers Kaile Auvray and Jesse Williams are calling for unity in the team ahead of their Concacaf Nations League opener against Curacao on Thursday.
The teams clash at 6pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain.
The players spoke to TTFA media about TT's upcoming matches vs Curacao and El Salvador (September 10). TT men's coach Angus Eve, just three days before kick-off, is yet to name his final 23-man squad.
Both players were named in Eve's 40-man provisional squad, which also included former captain Kevin Molino. However, the 33-year-old Molino on Friday announced his retirement from international football.
Molino alleged a lack of respect for players by Eve as well as the FIFA-appointed TTFA normalisation committee, headed by Robert Hadad. The Columbus Crew attacker who captained TT during the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup also complained about a lack of strategy by Eve during that tournament. TT exited the Gold Cup with one win vs St Kitts and crushing losses to Jamaica (4-1) and USA (6-0).
The French-born Auvray, who switched allegiance from Martinique to TT, said, "I think the key will be communication, making sure everyone is communicating with each other, letting each other know certain things."
He said the team must show that the public "we really are here for business...every single time that we're out on the field."
Williams, who missed the Gold Cup, added, "The key for us will be togetherness; being together, gelling as one and letting unity prevail.
"We understand the task, we understand everything that's happening, but it's for us who got called upon to get the job done by any means necessary."
Auvray said the players are looking to bounce back from their group stage exit in the Gold Cup and show that they deserve to be in League A. TT benefited from the expulsion of Nicaragua from League A for fielding an ineligible player, Uruguayan-born Richard Rodriguez, in League B.
Nicaragua had topped their group in League B and earned promotion to League A as well as automatic qualification to the 2023 Gold Cup. However, Concacaf's disciplinary committee eventually penalised Nicaragua and promoted group runners-up, TT.
Auvray said players have been doing their homework watching tapes and seeing where they can improve individually as well as collectively.
He said three points in the first game vs Curacao is essential for the team to start on the right foot.
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