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Defence Force interim coach Devorn Jorsling said the reigning 2024/25 TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) champions are eager to take TT club football back to the regional summit as they kick off their 2025 Concacaf Caribbean Cup campaign against Haiti's Juventus de Cayes at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on August 21. Kickoff is at 8 pm.
For the 2024/25 TTPFL season, the Army/Coast Guard combination completed a terrific unbeaten league run to take the title, while their winning form extended to the First Citizens Knockout Cup as they were able to secure that trophy for a second straight season. Defence Force were thrown a curveball on July 27 as then-coach Densill Theobald resigned from his post after a stellar debut season. Meanwhile, on August 13, standout players Reon Moore and 2023 TTPFL Player of the Year Justin Garcia signed season-long loans with Vietnam's Song Lam Nghe Am.
Despite the recent departures, Jorsling said the team's preparations have been going well and insisted they're ready to hit the ground running in their opening Caribbean Cup match.
"This is football and this is the nature of the game. Players go and players come. The guys are willing and ready to step up in Justin's absence," Jorsling told Newsday on August 15. Jorsling said left-sided centre back Jelani Peters can fill Garcia's role, while he disclosed that Defence Force have also acquired the services of veteran striker Shackiel Henry. The 31-year-old Henry scored 15 league goals in the 2024/25 TTPFL season for Club Sando and most recently featured for AC Port of Spain in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Shield, even scoring twice in the latter team's 4-1 win over Arnett Gardens on July 29.
Both AC PoS and Miscellaneous Police FC were knocked out of the CFU tourney which saw the pair of Moca FC and Weymouth Wales finishing one-two to qualify for the Caribbean Cup.
Jorsling said Henry was brought in as cover following Moore's departure, while centre back Russel Francois and striker Elijah Seechan have been recruited from San Juan Jabloteh to further help bolster the roster. Both youngsters were instrumental in helping Jabloteh to a fifth-place finish in the 2024/25 season, with Seechan adding 15 leagues to some solid forward play.
Defence Force have also added the promising trio of Theo Crovador, Philip Tinto and Caden Trestrail from their tier-two outfit.
[caption id="attachment_1172729" align="alignnone" width="895"] Former Harlem Strikers coach Devorn Jorsling will be leading the Defence Force in the Caribbean Cup. -[/caption]
Jorsling, who previously coached Harlem Strikers to the TTPFL tier-two title in the 2023/24 season, said he's expecting the Juventus outfit to be physical, skilful and athletic. However, he said Defence Force have quality traits of their own and wants his team to put it on full display from next week.
"It's just about going on the day and trying to impose our style on them and winning our one-versus-one battles," Jorsling said. "The team is buzzing for this opportunity. I've been stressing to them and they know for themselves it's not just about Defence Force, it's about TT football going back in it's rightful place which is being on top in the Caribbean. That's the challenge at hand and we have accepted it and are ready to go."
The 2024/25 season saw Defence Force ending with 62 points and a boasting a huge 16-point lead ahead of runners-up MIC Central FC Reboot. With Caribbean Cup holders Cavalier FC (Jamaica) and last year's runners-up Cibao FC (Dominican Republic) in group B with Jorsling's new troops, he said this a different proposition altogether.
"I'm not taking away anything from what we achieved locally. But at present, our local league is not of the best standard," he said.
"Myself and Densill, we share similar ideas in terms of style of play. What I've emphasised on in these preparations is our defensive shape and organisation when we don't have the ball. I think we could have been better during that aspect last season and I believe once we get that part right, we'll be okay going forward."
Jorsling, who terrorised defenders for many years with his potent finishing in the TT Pro League, said his team should relish playing the region's best.
"If you want to be the best you have to compete against the best and you have to beat the best.
"On Thursday, we'll deal with what's in front of us. We'll go prepare, work and get three points. Then we'll move on. We're not watching names, players or history. Football is played on the day and that's how we'll approach it."
Defence Force's other group matches will be away to Cavalier (September 17) and Cibao (October 1), as well as a home fixture against Weymouth (September 25).
The top two teams in the group will advance to the semifinals, with the top three teams in the tourney advancing to the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Concacaf Caribbean Cup groups:
Group A: Central FC, Moca FC, Mount Pleasant FA, O&M FC, SV Robinhood.
Group B: Cavalier FC, Cibao FC, Defence Force, Juventus de Cayes, Weymouth Wales.
 
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