LOCAL TRIO HEAD TO PRO TRIALS IN PORTUGAL

Jabarry ‘Bago’ Francis, Kevon ‘Latas’ Williams and Jaheim Faustin are set to depart for Portugal on Tuesday morning where they’ll undergo a series of trials. Aged 22, 21 and 17 respectively, this is the first opportunity of this kind for each of them. Faustin, the youngest goal scorer in the Trinidad and Tobago Pro League (15 years) emphasized on how much he has been waiting for this opportunity to come his way. “I feel great to be honest because I have been waiting a while for this to finally come through and it’s finally here.” The speedy and skillful winger exclusively communicated to T&T Sport Diary.

Tobago-born Francis shared the same sentiments more or less as he’s very excited for the opportunity to do his best and exert what he prepared for. Former Caripachaima stand out who plays anywhere from the midfield to left/right/center forward, Williams, has expressed how much the opportunity means to him and his gratitude for such. “I’m a bit eager and excited at the same time to be honest, knowing it’s my first overseas trial. This opportunity means a lot to me and I’m very much thankful.”

AR Sao Martinho, Valadares Gaia FC and Farense FC are the targets for the trio who represent Club Sando and San Juan Jaboteh in the local top flight. Fellow Trinbagonians and Club Sando teammates Shakqeem Joseph and Martieon Watson have before impressed and signed for GAIA FC so the trip will have some local mentorship available for the boys, if necessary.

Preparing for opportunities like this in Trinidad and Tobago is very much a struggle as Covid-19 has restricted sports in a major way and the players can attest to that as they prepared for even the smallest possibility of playing international club football. “At the start of the pandemic I was doing more strength work and abs because we weren’t able to train on any fields…” said Faustin. Francis has been preparing for some time as well and used our natural resources as his playground. “I started preparing by running down on the beach which is a 2-mile, run in the water for fifteen minutes then some drills on the sand with the ball for 30 minutes. In the evening, I would gym at home for two months and as time got closer, I started training on the field running laps, drills, (etc.)”

The players are being represented by Canadian based 3D Sports Agency who also has been sending a few players well on trials around Europe.