Warner: T&T will surprise the English.
By: Shaun Fuentes.[/size]
Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation Special Advisor Jack Warner made a prediction that the "Soca Warriors" will pull off a surprise victory over England in their Group B World Cup encounter in Germany on June 15, a match he has labeled as this country's "World Cup final".
Warner, who predicted that T&T would draw England for the opening round was being his usual optimistic self and is keeping his head up ahead of the country’s first even World Cup appearance.
During Monday night’s gala dinner at the Trinidad Hilton to mark Franz Beckenbauer’s visit to this country as part of his organizing committee’s ‘Welcome Tour” Warner, after being presented with a piece of memorabilia by the German visitors, was given the microphone and made the following comments.
"I told you to keep the faith when we were three matches down with one point, I kept saying we would qualify," "I said we would find a good coach, we found one. I told you we would qualify...we have qualified. I tell you tonight...we shall beat England!"
The event was part of the Organising Committee's tour of the 32 qualifying nations for the World Cup, headed by president Franz Beckenbauer, one of Germany's most famous sons, World Cup winner as captain and player in 1974 and as coach in 1990.
Beckenbauer and his entourage came to Trinidad on Sunday night from Brazil and had a busy schedule, which included visits to President George Maxwell Richards, Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Roger Boynes, followed by a luncheon and another meeting.
The Germans have attached the theme "A time to make friends" to the World Cup and they are going all out to soften their international image from the traditional persona of perfection and rigidity to one of fun and friendship for the 2006 World Cup, which they host in June-July.
Members of the Organising Committee painted an inviting picture of the Germans in their capacity as hosts, with video presentations featuring some of the world's top players and displaying the 12 stadiums and host cities, and a video showing the different faces of football in Germany, as well as a humourous collage of images of people and peculiar situations not normally associated with football.
There was also a special video presentation showing the hotels and training facilities for the T&T team in Rotenburh, Nurnberg, Dortmund and Kaiserslautern.
Beckenbauer, in addition to presenting this new face of the Germans, attempted to allay recent safety fears relating to the venues where matches will be played, saying the sites have been recently tested and assuring the public they are "very safe".
The host cities are: Dortmund, Kaiserslautern, Nuremberg-the three cities T&T will play in during the first round of the tournament, Gelsenkirchen, Leipzig, Koln, Stuttgart, Hannover, Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, the site of the July 9 final.
The "Kaiser", as Beckenbauer is widely known, did not want to make any predictions on T&T's chances of beating Group B opponents Sweden, England and Paraguay, but felt that despite being the only World Cup debutants in the group, the opposition presents a real opportunity for the "Soca Warriors"
"Football is 90 minutes, and in 90 minutes, anything is possible," Beckenbauer told the gathering of local football officials , ministers and other dignitaries.
He also complimented T&T head coach and longtime friend Leo Beenhakker for his choice of the small town of Rotenberg to set up the national team's base camp for the tournament.
"Holland is very close to your base camp...I think it was a very good decision. He's staying at home, I believe. It's much cheaper for the (T&T) federation. You'd need one apartment less," he joked.
The Organising Committee officials disclosed that this World Cup is shaping up to be one of the biggest ever, with record television viewership expected.
The World Cup is also expecting 4,000 international and 900 local accredited journalists and photographers, and a total of 10,000 TV personnel.
There will also be official events in the 12 cities, and public viewing of all matches on large format screens.
During the function Beckenbauer was given a plaque by Warner and TTFF president Oliver Camps to commemorate his visit to T&T, while Beckenbauer presented Beenhakker with the official mascot of the 2006 World Cup, a lion called Goleo VI, dressed in a red "Soca Warriors" T-shirt. The Organising Committee members left T&T yesterday morning for Costa Rica and they will also visit the other two CONCACAF qualifiers, Mexico and the USA.
Franz: We don't care
By: Kern De Freitas.[/size]
Beckenbauer responds to World Cup ticket fiasco.
"We don't care. It's not our business."
That was Organising Committee Germany FIFA World Cup 2006 president Franz Beckenbauer's response to the ticket fiasco surrounding FIFA vice-president Jack Warner's association with Simpaul Travel Service, official World Cup ticket distributors for the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF).
The "Kaiser", as Beckenbauer is familiarly known, made his comments on Monday night following the Organising Committee's welcoming function at the Hilton Trinidad in St Ann's, during his visit to personally congratulate Trinidad and Tobago on qualifying for the World Cup and present a progress report on preparations for the tournament.
"It's not our business," the former World Cup-winning German skipper and coach reiterated. "Our business is to give the participating countries the tickets they deserve. What they are doing with the tickets, it's not our business."
T&TFF special adviser Warner, though, did not seem all too pleased with FIFA's response to what he said was his request for advice on the matter and insisted there is no controversy.
"I am in no controversy," Warner stressed. "I asked the FIFA for advice, and they give the advice I asked them for to the world. I have to deal with that in March. That is no controversy. I repeat...I asked them for advice. I asked you for advice, you didn't answer me, you answered to the world. So I'll talk to you in March. That's all."
Warner also claimed he was not worried about the issue.
"I have been associated with all kinds of memories before, and it wouldn't be the last time, it won't be the first time. I remember a judge saying his skin is as thick as an alligator's. My own is doubly thick. It hasn't fazed me in the least. And believe me, I am okay. I'll land on my feet. Right now, I'll tell you this, though, I'm not trembling in my shoes."
The CONCACAF president also slammed the Culture Ministry for their preparations, or lack of, for T&T's trip to Germany for the World Cup in June.
"Germany is ready. More than ready. And I wonder if we are. Because up to now, we haven't gotten our act together as yet," he said.
"...at least we should know who is going, who is not going, what activities we will be having and so on, when and where...the programme should be known."
And when asked who was responsible for those preparations, Warner responded: "We have a Culture Ministry, don't we?"
Beckenbauer was also of the opinion that the only disadvantage T&T's "Soca Warriors" face is the fact they are making their debut at the world's premier football tournament.
"I think Trinidad and Tobago, they have a good team. The only disadvantage I think is that they are participating (in the World Cup) for the first time. They are not used to every situation in a World Cup.
"But they are playing football, and they can be a surprise."
Warner, though, will be satisfied with victory over England in T&T's second match on June 15.
"You know Trinis. For us I think that the sky is the limit. The biggest concern to all of us is the game against England. I'll tell you this...when we beat England, we would have won the World Cup. That's enough for me."
Last week, FIFA determined Warner's involvement with Simpaul created a conflict of interest as he is also on the FIFA executive, which is a breach of the organisation's code of ethics.
Warner faces suspension from FIFA, who have reserved sanction until next month, when the executive committee will meet to discuss the matter.
