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Offline Flex

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Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« on: October 09, 2006, 10:19:23 AM »
Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).
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Just over 4,000 patrons turned up at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Saturday as the Trinidad and Tobago national football team took the field in its first home appearance since a heroic showing at the 2006 Germany World Cup tournament.
Four months ago, more than ten times that crowd turned out to see team captain Dwight Yorke and company walk through customs at the Piarco International Airport. And they were not doing ball juggling tricks either like those Brazilian show offs.
So where was the love?
An overcast evening seemed to do little to invoke any romance between even the Warriors and the dignitaries who did turn out.
President Maxwell Richards flew 14 hours to see the “Soca Warriors” play a historic qualifier in Bahrain and attended a luncheon with the players in Germany. But he was not led on to the field to greet the squad before kick off against St Vincent on Saturday. In fact, no one from the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) bothered with the traditional nod and handshake ceremony that seems to precede any match worth attending.
Presumably, Richards knew all the players by now and Yorke did not show any obvious signs of disorientation at the snub. Hey, so long as your boss pays you at the end of the month, right? Indeed.
No love lost on the field either. Two Vincentians were sent off for unsporting tackles and Trinidad and Tobago cruised to a 5-0 win.
National record goal scorer Stern John notched a double to take his tally to 67 goals from 99 caps while Chris Birchall, Yorke and substitute Kerry Baptiste contributed a goal apiece.
John was distinctly underwhelmed at the affair.
“I think we could have gotten better opposition,” John told the Trinidad Express. “We way past St Vincent… It is like we went back a few steps.”
But Saturday evening seemed to have little to do with St Vincent or even South Africa 2010. It had scarcely anything to do with football at all.
Four thousand plus spectators did not have World Cup qualification on their minds. They paid for front row seats to the disbandment of the popular “Soca Warriors” who, on Friday, announced plans for a mass retirement after a dispute with the T&TFF.
Yorke, in a prepared statement, suggested that the local football body was dishonest—at the least. T&TFF general secretary Richard Groden responded by labeling the players as delinquent and dishonourable. Rijsbergen tried to stand as still as possible so no one would ask his opinion.
It was not football; it was a reality show.
Would T&TFF special advisor Jack Warner take action to stop Yorke and friends from voting themselves out of the series? Might the players ask the fraud squad to investigate the T&TFF’s alarmingly inconsistent accounting?
Last December, the T&TFF announced a record US$11.8 million ($73,036,500 TT) clothing deal with Adidas. When it came time for the players’ cut, though, the T&TFF claimed that Adidas actually only offered US$292,683 ($1.8 million TT).
From just one deal, $71 million was missing. It is a good thing Warner is also FIFA’s Finance Committee deputy chairman or fans might have really been worried.
Forget Vincentian captain Wesley John, the fans in Port of Spain would have paid double the $100 and $200 admission fee to see Yorke and Warner whip out calculators and try to match financial statements.
Yorke was scheduled to leave Trinidad yesterday for England. Warner, according to the T&TFF, is still abroad at ports unknown.
The local football scene cannot seem to afford both of them. Synergy’s “Model Search” reality program is not nearly as gripping.
Go figure.
… Warner mum as Warrior spirit fades.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).


$5,644.08 per player!
 
FIFA vice-president and Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) special advisor Jack Warner maintained his silence yesterday as the “Soca Warriors” continued to slide towards disbandment.
On Friday evening, the Warriors, led by team captain Dwight Yorke, declared their intention to resign from international duty due to an alleged breach of contract by the T&TFF.
A hasty release from T&TFF general secretary Richard Groden, which erroneously accused the players of planning a boycott of Saturday’s friendly against St Vincent, suggested that the problem lay with the distribution of sponsorship money.
Groden submitted an audited statement of income and expenditure to the national media, which claimed that the T&TFF received $18,255,952 for its part in the Germany 2006 World Cup.
The players are believed to be concerned about the accuracy of the T&TFF’s accounting.
For starters, there was no mention of money accrued from television rights. The deal, which was agreed to between the players and Warner two days before the first leg World Cup Play Off against Bahrain, did not agree to split money for the Bahrain legs as well as a host of friendly matches against the likes of Iceland, Wales and the Czech Republic. These matches were televised throughout Europe by prestigious stations like Sky Sports and Euro Sports.
There is worry that several sponsors were omitted or figures doctored as well. The T&TFF’s accountant, by its own admission, is Kenny Rampersad who was revealed to be Warner’s business partner during investigations on Simpaul Travel Services last December. Rampersad, at the time, was mandated to act on Simpaul’s behalf.
Worse, as far as the players were concerned, the T&TFF then deducted expenses before handing over the agreed split to the Warriors. And a $9 million share was reduced to $141,102 to be split 25 ways—24 players and one share for the players’ committee.
Last Thursday, Yorke and his teammates were told that their reward for taking Trinidad and Tobago to its inaugural World Cup—a feat that secured them a place in FIFA’s history book as well as $1 million and a Chaconia (Gold) Medal each from the government—was worth $5,644.08 TT per player to the T&TFF.
The sponsorship figures had more nips and tucks than a week at any plastic surgeon’s office.
But, in short, Groden contended that sponsors hustling to get on board after the team’s qualification for the Germany World Cup were coherent enough to insist that the T&TFF put aside one third of their money for the 2010 campaign.
The T&TFF also deducted expenses before sharing the spoils although the players insisted that there was no such agreement for the division of the money. Even if the T&TFF’s version was correct, the local body calculated expenses from February 2005 while the deal with the players was done nine months later.
The income and expenses section both had questionable figures too.
In near two years—a period that included six World Cup qualifiers and the farewell fixture for retired legend Russell Latapy—the T&TFF claimed to receive just $5,217 from its bar. The bar was clearly a monumental failure considering that, in the expenses column, $238,715 was deducted for refreshments.
There was also the Adidas deal. Last December, the T&TFF announced that Adidas had spent US$11.8 million ($73,036,500 TT) to join the World Cup party. At the time, the local body boasted that it was the biggest deal in the Federation’s history.
But, when it became time to give the players their cut, the T&TFF claimed that the clothing deal was actually worth just $1.8 million (US$292,683)—a difference of over $71 million.
Yorke might have been surprised to note that the players were paying their own salaries too. The players’ match fees, allowances, accommodation, transportation and refreshment were all deducted from their World Cup bonus package as were the T&TFF’s “FIFA/CONCACAF dues”, gate equipment and scouting fees.
He was also entitled to wonder about the whereabouts of the $45 million in taxpayers’ money that was given to the T&TFF to negate all expenses for the 2006 World Cup campaign. Neither Warner nor Groden indicated that they did not receive or are no longer promised government funding.
Yorke does not hold an accounting degree but he clearly felt that something was awry.
“We cannot see how we can build on anything if the contracts that we enter to are not worth the paper they are written on,” said Yorke, who read from a prepared statement. “It is for these reasons we now feel the need to say goodbye to the international stage.”
It is Warner who agreed a contract with the Warriors but, to date, Groden has had to defend the T&TFF’s interpretation of it.
Yorke was scheduled to leave Trinidad yesterday evening to return to his employers, the Sunderland Football Club, in England. The Warriors’ 5-0 win over St Vincent might be the last time that local fans see him sport national colours.
T&TFF press officer Shaun Fuentes could not confirm Warner’s whereabouts yesterday. Presumably, he will have something to say about the turn of events when he can spare the time.
The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline dreamer

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #1 on: October 09, 2006, 10:26:47 AM »
Fabulous first article by Liburd, a one of a kind breed of journalist. Thanks Flex. Master stroke
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Offline g

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2006, 10:41:32 AM »
D more i read about this the more i just shake meh head.

Dis is some real gestapo business yes, somehow i felt Yorke and the rest of the players were not happy for a while but in the interest of a single focus for WC probably didn't say anything till now. Their availability is their only leverage in this case and i support their stance. They are not asking for anything more than what was previously agreed upon.

Fair is fair.
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Offline jamaica2099

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2006, 10:46:30 AM »
D more i read about this the more i just shake meh head.

Dis is some real gestapo business yes, somehow i felt Yorke and the rest of the players were not happy for a while but in the interest of a single focus for WC probably didn't say anything till now. Their availability is their only leverage in this case and i support their stance. They are not asking for anything more than what was previously agreed upon.

Fair is fair.
You shouldn't even be worrying because Jack Warner will ultimately tell the TTFF to give the players what they want. From where I stand the TTFF sounds like a boneless and useless entity.
jjbrown

Offline Trini _2026

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2006, 10:56:58 AM »
D more i read about this the more i just shake meh head.

Dis is some real gestapo business yes, somehow i felt Yorke and the rest of the players were not happy for a while but in the interest of a single focus for WC probably didn't say anything till now. Their availability is their only leverage in this case and i support their stance. They are not asking for anything more than what was previously agreed upon.

Fair is fair.
You shouldn't even be worrying because Jack Warner will ultimately tell the TTFF to give the players what they want. From where I stand the TTFF sounds like a boneless and useless entity.

like the JFF under burrel and boxhill remember RB  wanted to strike FUH MONEY  before the 1998 WC and burrel force them to play
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Offline Trini

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2006, 06:50:09 PM »
This is a bunch of comic relief to me.

Allyuh really surprised that there is controversy with players and the TTFF? This is the same TTFF who cant make a profit, cant get decent quality opposition lined up for the Warriors, and had Simoes working for free for a good few months. This is the same TTFF that has a habit of announcing games and big plans every now and then, only to see them evaporate later on.

This thing will most likely get sorted out last minute.

And even if the players resign, so what?

Allyuh really feel they will stay resigned forever?

If Yorke and Latas could come back, who is the rest of them small men?

And even if they dont come back, this will just force us to go with a total local club from now, something plenty people calling for.

We know we will get a good performance from the Warriors on Wed vs Panama, cause the players will feel like they have something to prove to the country..they are the best and they could potentially leave if the TTFF dont co-operate. It will be their supposed 'last' game and will go all out to trounce Panama. If they get beaten, they will feel the country will start to lose faith in them and dont support them as much in their TTFF battle.

Allyuh dont worry, we in a win-win situation.


Offline Padams

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2006, 07:31:35 PM »
This is a bunch of comic relief to me.

Allyuh really surprised that there is controversy with players and the TTFF? This is the same TTFF who cant make a profit, cant get decent quality opposition lined up for the Warriors, and had Simoes working for free for a good few months. This is the same TTFF that has a habit of announcing games and big plans every now and then, only to see them evaporate later on.

This thing will most likely get sorted out last minute.

And even if the players resign, so what?

Allyuh really feel they will stay resigned forever?

If Yorke and Latas could come back, who is the rest of them small men?

And even if they dont come back, this will just force us to go with a total local club from now, something plenty people calling for.

We know we will get a good performance from the Warriors on Wed vs Panama, cause the players will feel like they have something to prove to the country..they are the best and they could potentially leave if the TTFF dont co-operate. It will be their supposed 'last' game and will go all out to trounce Panama. If they get beaten, they will feel the country will start to lose faith in them and dont support them as much in their TTFF battle.

Allyuh dont worry, we in a win-win situation.





I fully agree dat they will go all out against Panama on Wed...who say 4-0??
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Offline dreamer

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2006, 07:53:59 PM »

Dis is some real gestapo business yes, somehow i felt Yorke and the rest of the players were not happy for a while but in the interest of a single focus for WC probably didn't say anything till now.
 

Very insightful g. Yuh see how we underestimate Yorke and those guys, calling poor Dwight "All night Dwight'. He is a serious fellah. Don't be fooled by the smile on his face. He knows how to handle Jack, allow photo opps with jack and time his move right. Very mature of him to perform with heart and soul for the World Cup and wait till later to discuss accountability. He put country first. Sancho is the next leader there and has been serving long time.
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Offline The_Ice

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2006, 08:04:54 PM »
This is a bunch of comic relief to me.

Allyuh really surprised that there is controversy with players and the TTFF? This is the same TTFF who cant make a profit, cant get decent quality opposition lined up for the Warriors, and had Simoes working for free for a good few months. This is the same TTFF that has a habit of announcing games and big plans every now and then, only to see them evaporate later on.

This thing will most likely get sorted out last minute.

And even if the players resign, so what?

Allyuh really feel they will stay resigned forever?

If Yorke and Latas could come back, who is the rest of them small men?

And even if they dont come back, this will just force us to go with a total local club from now, something plenty people calling for.

We know we will get a good performance from the Warriors on Wed vs Panama, cause the players will feel like they have something to prove to the country..they are the best and they could potentially leave if the TTFF dont co-operate. It will be their supposed 'last' game and will go all out to trounce Panama. If they get beaten, they will feel the country will start to lose faith in them and dont support them as much in their TTFF battle.

Allyuh dont worry, we in a win-win situation.



totally agree with ur post dude... same set of points i was thinking this weekend

Offline WestCoast

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #9 on: October 09, 2006, 08:15:23 PM »
so how the heck can the Special Advisor sleep at night ???
FIFA you people are something else.
Quote
"Last December, the T&TFF announced a record US$11.8 million ($73,036,500 TT) clothing deal with Adidas. When it came time for the players’ cut, though, the T&TFF claimed that Adidas actually only offered US$292,683 ($1.8 million TT).
From just one deal, $71 million was missing. It is a good thing Warner is also FIFA’s Finance Committee deputy chairman or fans might have really been worried."
allya must really think we are not aware of the REAL situation.

Mr Warner could you please take your possessions and vacate your special advisor's office at TTFF
Really Sir, your time here is over.

Where is Liburd and Jennings?
« Last Edit: October 09, 2006, 08:20:27 PM by RedHowler »
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Offline Andre

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #10 on: October 10, 2006, 06:40:09 AM »
LEAVE MIH BOY!

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Offline fishs

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #11 on: October 10, 2006, 07:14:23 AM »
 If men like Yorke, Stern and the other pros who probably making upwards of 3000 pounds a week was not there , you think the other men woulda treathen resignation?

The answer is no , this story about non payment of agreed fees etc ent nothing new to TTFF, the only difference now is that plenty men on the team not hand to mouth.

Imagine telling the pros that they appearance fee is 250 USD ?
That is probably than what Yorke does pay for a warm body at night.

So what de f**k dey do with de money fifa give dem for qualifying ?
How much euro was it?

It ent have no coming back for dem boys after this, the only players we going tuh see will be de local boys captained by Hardest.
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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #12 on: October 10, 2006, 07:18:55 AM »
It ent have no coming back for dem boys after this, the only players we going tuh see will be de local boys captained by Hardest.

So once again the TTFF (or to be more accurate Jackula) is prepared to destroy a potential world class football team due to their greed and dishonesty!

What do they think our players are, their slaves to be used & abused at will for no pay?!  ???
De higher a monkey climbs is de less his ass is on de line, if he works for FIFA that is! ;-)

Offline fishs

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #13 on: October 10, 2006, 07:27:16 AM »
It ent have no coming back for dem boys after this, the only players we going tuh see will be de local boys captained by Hardest.

So once again the TTFF (or to be more accurate Jackula) is prepared to destroy a potential world class football team due to their greed and dishonesty!

What do they think our players are, their slaves to be used & abused at will for no pay?!  ???

With TTFF it was never about players, fans or people.
How much time this happen to the players in the past ?
How much time they advertise one tghing and give the spectators , fans something else, change price on yuh etc?
This normal operating procedure for TTFF, if these players had say that they got everything they agreed then ah telling yuh something bro. nineteen greenmen woulda fly out of JW ass.
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Offline grskywalker

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #14 on: October 10, 2006, 07:32:27 AM »
I hope and pray that our team can stay together

Offline doc

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #15 on: October 10, 2006, 07:38:26 AM »
If men like Yorke, Stern and the other pros who probably making upwards of 3000 pounds a week was not there , you think the other men woulda treathen resignation?

The answer is no , this story about non payment of agreed fees etc ent nothing new to TTFF, the only difference now is that plenty men on the team not hand to mouth.

Imagine telling the pros that they appearance fee is 250 USD ?
That is probably than what Yorke does pay for a warm body at night.

So what de f**k dey do with de money fifa give dem for qualifying ?
How much euro was it?

It ent have no coming back for dem boys after this, the only players we going tuh see will be de local boys captained by Hardest.
That fee is a 25% improvement on the post Najjar 2003 agreement :devil:
« Last Edit: October 10, 2006, 07:40:18 AM by doc »
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Offline supporter

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #16 on: October 10, 2006, 02:47:21 PM »
This is a bunch of comic relief to me.

Allyuh really surprised that there is controversy with players and the TTFF? This is the same TTFF who cant make a profit, cant get decent quality opposition lined up for the Warriors, and had Simoes working for free for a good few months. This is the same TTFF that has a habit of announcing games and big plans every now and then, only to see them evaporate later on.

This thing will most likely get sorted out last minute.

And even if the players resign, so what?

Allyuh really feel they will stay resigned forever?

If Yorke and Latas could come back, who is the rest of them small men?

And even if they dont come back, this will just force us to go with a total local club from now, something plenty people calling for.

We know we will get a good performance from the Warriors on Wed vs Panama, cause the players will feel like they have something to prove to the country..they are the best and they could potentially leave if the TTFF dont co-operate. It will be their supposed 'last' game and will go all out to trounce Panama. If they get beaten, they will feel the country will start to lose faith in them and dont support them as much in their TTFF battle.

Allyuh dont worry, we in a win-win situation.



I agree with you in a sense, especially based on history, although i dont know how serious you are being.

But consider this: One day the players wont come back and it hurts them and the fans personally to be screwed around like this. nobody wins

This is a lose-lose situation
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Offline DeSoWa

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #17 on: October 10, 2006, 02:53:30 PM »
what effect would all this have on the Austria game? If the foreign base is not in the team, it won't really make any sense..the TTFF won't put out no money to take PFL players over dey.

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Offline g

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Re: Worrying times… Warriors’ near season finale.
« Reply #18 on: October 10, 2006, 03:04:44 PM »
If men like Yorke, Stern and the other pros who probably making upwards of 3000 pounds a week was not there , you think the other men woulda treathen resignation?

The answer is no , this story about non payment of agreed fees etc ent nothing new to TTFF, the only difference now is that plenty men on the team not hand to mouth.

Imagine telling the pros that they appearance fee is 250 USD ?
That is probably than what Yorke does pay for a warm body at night.

So what de f**k dey do with de money fifa give dem for qualifying ?
How much euro was it?

It ent have no coming back for dem boys after this, the only players we going tuh see will be de local boys captained by Hardest.

The money given by FIFA from qualification was for the tournament itself to ensure that every team shows up with all their players comfortable throughout the tournament. Not in preparation of or in reward for, strictly to make sure that the FIFA event is not marred my teams threatening not to show up and blemishing the tournament as a spectacle. Hence why the togo team nearly end up in real trouble for threatening to boycott the tournament. All other income like TV rights and sponsorship is what the players are referring to.

Worrying times indeed
Soca Warriors, the pride of a nation

 

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