Who needs the Warriors? T&TFF threaten to go local for 2010.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).[/size]
Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) general secretary Richard Groden yesterday declared his intention to eradicate the "anxieties" and "distractions" facing his organisation on the road to the 2010 South Africa World Cup, referring to their own players.
In a press release entitled "
Update on Soca Warriors conflict", the T&TFF revealed they are considering asking players from the Trinidad and Tobago Pro League, as well as the Under-20 and Under-17 squads, to shoulder the responsibility of the 2010 World Cup campaign.
"We are actively contemplating a swifter than originally envisaged consideration of incorporating the rising brood of players," stated Groden's release, "from our Professional League, under-20 and even under-17 squads to form the nucleus of our team for 2010."
Groden, via a release, explained that the T&TFF were "contemplating" this "consideration" as a result of the players' "vacillation" over 2006 World Cup bonuses.
The row began on October 6 when the World Cup players expressed their dissatisfaction with the T&TFF over bonuses. The Warriors were offered $141,102 to be split 25 ways, which equated to $5,644.08 per player.
Both parties agreed the players were due 50 per cent of World Cup generated revenue, although the T&TFF insisted that expenses be deducted before bonuses were paid out and one-third of the money be kept aside for the 2010 campaign.
The T&TFF claimed to receive $18,255,952 for their Germany campaign. However, Athletes One Legal, a London firm hired by the players, called for an independent audit of the T&TFF's accounts in a legal letter sent to FIFA, as well as the local football body. Groden claimed that the T&TFF's auditors, KPMG, was in the process of reviewing their World Cup Income and Expenditure.
Still, the T&TFF offered an improved figure of $475,201.75 on October 13, which they claimed to have raised by waiving their 2010 investment. This updated figure means that each player would pocket $19,008.07.
However, the T&TFF claimed that Gillingham defender Brent Sancho rebuffed their offer as "not one capable of acceptance".
Groden called Sancho's response "terse" and "illogical" and insisted that his stance was contrary to his teammates, Stern John and Dennis Lawrence, who, according to the release, accepted the T&TFF's position.
The T&TFF also questioned the role of Athletes One Legal, who the Federation referred to as "the purported agent of (Gillingham goalkeeper) Kelvin Jack".
Three years ago, Sancho and Jack were among a group of players banned from representing their country after the national players refused to turn out in an international friendly against Finland.
The Gillingham players, who both represented their country in Germany, were left out of the national squad for Wednesday's 4-1 friendly defeat in Austria.
The remaining Warriors may be next as the T&TFF threatened to promote the under-20 players who struggled in qualifying games against St Kitts and the Dominican Republic this month and the Pro League players dismissed by present national coach Wim Rijsbergen as being far from the desired standard.
Groden accused the players of confusing fans and "jeopardising future sponsorship deals" with their "baseless suspicion". He explained the T&TFF intentionally waited until after the Austria friendly to respond as the local body consider their future and that of their star players.
Groden claimed that yesterday's release was a result of a T&TFF emergency session called after T&TFF special adviser Jack Warner's threat to pull out of local football.
The FIFA vice-president made a similar claim after the 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign but returned in time for the 2006 series. The national players refused comment on the release and explained that their legal representative would respond on Monday. However, one player admitted that they were concerned about their international futures, but it would not stop their legal battle.
"Of course you have fears about your career," said the player, who preferred to remain anonymous, "but right is right and it is one of those things you have to do".
