By Neto Baptiste
The Antigua and Barbuda Football Association has confirmed the appointment of England-based coaches Top Curtis and Mikele Liegertwood to the top of it’s top coaching position as they look to kickoff preparations for the CONCACAF leg of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers starting in March.
The duo will be joined by local coaches Schyan Jeffers, George Warner, Lenny Hewlett and Janiel Simon (goalkeeper coach).
National teams General Manager and former national defender, Fernando Abraham, however revealed that both Curtis and Leigertwood will be based in England but will be in constant contact with the assistant coaches who will run the day to day preparations.
“Both of them will work together from England and they will both still have their English jobs, so they are not appointed permanently but they will be assisting us during this period of time. They will be based in England but we will be able to bring them for short stints for them to work with the team and then go back but they will liaison with the local coaches,” he said.
The other members of the management team are Frederick Joseph. The trainers are Evans Jones and Gregson Matthew with Julio Gonzalez and Keston Daley as physiotherapist and assistant physiotherapist.
Courtney Francis, Danny Benjamin and Malcolm Challenger are the equipment coordinators.
A list of 37 players was also released by Abraham who said training will commence Monday at the ABFA technical and training center in Paynters. The players, he added, will train in separate batches of two due to the Covid-19 protocols.
“We have to do it in two batches because of the amount of persons we have in the squad, so a set will come on Monday and then another set will come on Tuesday and then they will rotate throughout the week. We will be going four days per week plus physicals on Saturdays, so we will cover five days of each week for the next month or so, and then we will change that pattern,” he said.
Training Squad: Goalkeepers: Molvin James, Jayden Martin, Brent Parker and Prince Walters; Defenders: Kimon Harrigan, Tyrique Tonge, Mervyn Hazelwood, Javez Lee, Leroy Graham, Jamoy Stevens, Vashami Allen and Karanja Mack.
Midfielders: Quinton Griffith, Eugene Kirwan, D’Andre Bishop, Novelle Francis, Ncozie Harvey, Shakkimba Williams, Juwan Roberts, Shavorn Phillip, Kendukar Challenger, Tomarley Thomas, Gason Gregory and Romario Brathwaite.
Forwards: Kwame Kirby, Peter Byers, Javorn Stevens, Carl Osbourne, Junior Benjamin, Trevaughn Harriette, Lloyd Jeremy and Demiah Joseph.
A number of development players in Denny Henry (Blue Jays), Akeem Isaac (Pigotts Bullets), D’Jarie Sheppard (Willikies), Antyon Henry (Greenbay Hoppers) and Jevorn Benjamin (Liberta) are also included in the squad.
Antigua and Barbuda will contest Group A of the CONCACAF qualifiers alongside El Salvador, Grenada, Montserrat and the US Virgin Islands.
The Benna Boys are scheduled to face Montserrat on 24th March 2001 before taking on the US Virgin Islands three days later. The Benna Boys will then round off their group campaign against Grenada on April 6.