National senior football coach Theodore Whitmore is expecting the arrival of overseas-based players Eric Vernon, Rudolf Austin, Demar Phillips and Tyrone Marshall to boost his current squad which is preparing for this Sunday’s friendly clash with Canada at the National Stadium.

Vernon, Austin and Phillips all ply their trade professionally in Norway, while Marshall plays in the US Major League. They are expected in by the latest Thursday.

Minus these four, the Reggae Boyz squad, comprising mostly local based players had a session yesterday at the Stadium East ground and Whitmore revealed that by Thursday his squad for the match will be cut to 22 players.

He said the players are currently undergoing mental and physical preparation and he will be paying particular attention to the younger invitees. “We are working on the mental and physical aspect of the game. Some of the players had premier league yesterday (on Sunday) so we are going to do some physical (tests),” he said while adding that practice sessions will continue up to Saturday afternoon.

When quizzed about the young players that were drafted in to train with the team, Whitmore said that once the players impressed in training they would be called into the final squad. “Once they are here there is a chance, so hopefully they take it. They may fit in, (but) you never know,” he stated.