Butu gets recall

Veteran defender Wesley “Butu” Charles has earned a call up to this country’s senior national Football team, Vincy Heat, for the second round of the Digicel Cup, which gets going this evening at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, Trinidad and Tobago.{{more}}

Charles, a former Vincy Heat captain, last represented St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 2008, against Canada in the world cup qualifiers.

It was there that Charles caught the eyes of the Vancouver White caps coaching staff, and he landed a contract with them in the United Soccer League.

The 34-year-old Charles was however released last year July, after an altercation with a team mate.

He gained a contract with the Montreal Impact last July after the departure of both Cédric Joqueviel and Stefano Pesoli. Charles has played eight matches thus far, but is set to be cut from that club’s roster for the next season.

Charles, the most experienced player on the team by far, joins a youthful team, many of whom he has never played among.

He is among five players who have been included in Technical Director Sammy Carrington’s list .

The other four, who did not make the cut for the preliminary Group B round, held here early last month, include: Wendell Cuffy, Paul Farrell, Norrel George and Durwin Ross. While they have been included, Chester Morgan, who is studying in Venezuela, is unable to make the trip this time around.

Morgan wore the captain’s armband when the team met Barbados in their last game on October 10.

Also not making the Trinidad and Tobago trip are Keith James and Romano Snagg. Both played pivotal roles in Vincy Heat’s advancement to this round, named Group F.

The other members of the team are Dwayne Sandy, Kenyan Lynch, Reginald Richardson, Oscar Nero, Darren Hamlett, Jolanshoy Mc Dowald, Roy Richards, Damal Francis, Chad Balcombe, Seinard Bowens, Emerald George, Joel George, Cornelius Stewart, Myron Samuel and Shandel Samuel.

Otneil Douglas is the team’s Manager and Denis Byam is the Physiotherapist.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines finished second to St. Kitts and Nevis in Group B, after handing a seven-nil licking to Montserrat, and drawing 1-1 with St. Kitts and Nevis and drawing nil-nil with Barbados.

The Vincentians open their campaign this evening against the hosts from 7:30 pm. Prior to that, from 5pm, Haiti meets Guyana.

On Thursday, the Vincentians face Haiti from 5 pm, with Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors facing Guyana from 7:30 pm.

The Vincentians meet Guyana on Saturday also from 5 pm, with Trinidad and Tobago taking on Haiti, in the group’s final encounter.

The matches were shifted to the south venue, after the original venue, the Haseley Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, was deemed unfit because of an unsuitable playing surface.

The winner and runner-up head to Martinique later this month for the Final. Already through to the final phase are Guadeloupe, Grenada, with host Martinique and 2008 winners, Jamaica automatic finalists. (RT)