(ABOVE) Turks & Caicos Islands (pictured) will open its 2018 FIFA Word Cup qualifying campaign at St. Kitts & Nevis on March 23, 2015
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands – It has been 12 years since St. Kitts & Nevis swept the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) in a two-legged World Cup qualifying series, 14-0.
When the sides meet again on Monday in a CONCACAF first round, first leg qualifier for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, TCI technical director Craig Harrington is optimistic that a different outcome can be realized.
“The whole goal, of course, is win and advance to round two,” Harrington told CONCACAF.com. “That has been the target since the squad was being assembled. This next week figures to provide answers about if we can do that and which players are ready to contribute in the long term.”
Turks & Caicos has not played a competitive match since beating the British Virgin Islands 2-0 in the Caribbean Cup on June 3, 2014. Harrington, who spent three seasons coaching in the youth academy of USA’s LA Galaxy (2010-2013), wants to gauge the status of his development program.
“It takes a lot of consistency and hard work in order to become a really good player,” he stressed. “A number of younger players have come into the senior team environment and have learned a lot on and off the field. We want all our players to step out of their comfort zone and deal with problems on the field during training sessions and then take that new intelligence into the games.”
That first exam will be administered on the road at Warner Park Football Stadium in Bassaterre.
“We will see how these games go and if we can achieve our goal,” Harrington added.
The second leg will be played Thursday at the TCIFA National Academy.
Turks & Caicos Islands: Dady Aristide, Alex Bryan, Widlin Calixte, Wildens Delva, Stevens Derilien, Fred Dorvil, Marcdonald Fenelus, Marco Fenelus, Billy Forbes, Syed Hassan, Ian Jones, Bobby Kwatt Evans, Kely Louima, Herby Magny, James Rene, Lenford Singh.
