The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) at its Centennial Dinner at the Centre of Excellence in Macoya on Friday night, received a gift of US$400,000 from FIFA president Sepp Blatter for a Goal Project.
Warner said that the federation is still paying rent for its present premises at the corner of Oxford and Dundonald Street in Port-of-Spain and that the time has come for it to have a place of its own.
“They can use it for its own place that can be equipped with its own library and archives among other things,” Warner, who is also vice president of the world governing body for football (FIFA) said.
The FIFA Goal Project is normally used by territorial football federations to upgrade its facilities and ensure the development of the game.
It is a project engineered by FIFA to developing countries to assist in the maintenance of continuity in football development.
Warner and the TTFF’s president Oliver Camps said the awarding of the FIFA Goal Project funds came as a pleasant surprise.
The presentation came as the FIFA boss was congratulating the football federation for the work it has done for the sport in Trinidad and Tobago. Blatter later presented Warner and Camps with plaques for their work in a federation that has guided the Soca Warriors to regional football supremacy as well as qualifying for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Trinidad and Tobago are also in the midst of a semi-final round of qualifying matches for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
On Friday, the TTFF officially recognised the contributions of more than 200 past footballers, administrators, secretaries, referees, officials, journalists and others who have played important roles in the development of the sport in our twin-island republic.
Also attending the banquet were French football legend now UEFA president Michel Platini, former FIFA president Joao Havelange of Brazil, FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke and Lord Triesman, chairman of the English FA.