[GOLD CUP] Many believe that Shalrie Joseph would have been a fixture in midfield for the U.S. national team if he chose to play for his adopted homeland. Instead, the New England Revolution star leads Grenada in its first appearance at the Gold Cup, beginning with a game against the USA on Saturday in Seattle.

This isn't the first time Joseph, who was born in Grenada and moved to Brooklyn when he was 15, has met the USA. The Spice Boyz lost, 3-0 and 3-2, in a pair of 2006 World Cup qualifying games played in 2004.

Joseph is one of five players from the 2004 team who will be at the Gold Cup. The others are defenders Anthony Modeste and Patrick Modeste and midfielders Byron Bubb and Ricky Charles.

Coach Tommy Taylor, the former West Ham United player, only recently took over the Grenada national team program with the initial task of leading it at the Gold Cup.

His squad includes players recalled from teams in England, Germany, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago, as well as the United States. Perhaps the top prospect is 19-year-old defender Rimmel Daniel of English club Gillingham.

The other U.S.-based player is Kwasi Paul, who will be a sophomore this fall at Marshalltown Community College in Iowa.

Grenada qualified for the Gold Cup after finishing second in its final-round group at the Digicel Caribbean Cup ahead of host Trinidad & Tobago, which it beat, 2-1, in their first game.

The Spice Boyz were eliminated from 2010 World Cup qualifying after losing to Costa Rica, 5-2, on aggregate. (They kept the series close enough that Tico coach Hernan Medford was fired afterward.)

GRENADA ROSTER:
Goalkeepers
Andray Baptiste, Harrow Borough (England)
Josh Charles, Hard Rock FC
Desmond Noel, QPR FC
Defenders
Rimmel Daniel, Gillingham (England)
Cassim Langainge, Hurricane FC
Michael Mark, ESS FC
Marc Marshall, GBSS FC
Anthony Modeste, Portmore United (Jamaica)
Patrick Modeste, QPR FC
Midfielders
Euon Brown, free agent
Byron Bubb, Slough Town (England)
Ricky Charles, St. Ann's Rangers (Trin. & Tobago)
Shalrie Joseph, New England Revolution (USA)
Dwayne Leo, South Stars FC
Kwasi Paul, Marshalltown County College (USA)
Shane Rennie, Paradise FC
Forwards
Lyndon Antoine, free agent
Kithson Bain, Ball Dogs FC
Denron Daniel, Hard Rock FC
Delroy Facey, Notts County (England)
Marcus Julien, ESS FC
Jake Rennie, Bonner SC (Germany)