Warriors happy with union awareness.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).
The Football Players Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FPATT) applauded themselves on an encouraging start to the organisation's rebirth after the final of two charity matches last Friday at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet.
It took penalty kicks, once more, to separate the "Soca Warriors" from a celebrity all-star squad after a 5-5 tie in Tobago. The financial rewards of their trip to the sister isle are unlikely to match the $10,000 accrued from May 20 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain.
However, event co-ordinator Alison Ayres felt that the two charity matches fulfilled the purpose of raising public awareness in the fledgling union.
"The objective was achieved," said Ayres, "because our intention was to create the awareness of the players' association and we achieved that objective."
The first leg, according to Ayres, brought roughly 3,500 patrons through the turnstiles at the Hasely Crawford Stadium although, in Tobago, only 500-odd spectators came out to witness the Warriors in action. The latter match was hosted by Tobago United coach Peter Granville.
FPATT meet today to form an interim body and officially re-launch the organisation that started four years ago following a disagreement between a group of locally based national players and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF).
In 2003, the national team-then under head coach Hannibal Najjar-walked out of a practice session after complaining of poor training conditions. The players, who included 2006 World Cup members Brent Sancho, Kelvin Jack and Cornell Glen, argued that the T&TFF failed to provide medical equipment and meals at sessions and refused to financially reward them for national duty.
Nineteen players were immediately blacklisted by the T&TFF for their stance although, four months later, the local football body recalled them to national duty.
There is a blacklist in place today as well over a dispute regarding World Cup bonuses but FPATT's members stressed that they are more interested in looking after the welfare of the players than fighting with any particular body.
On Friday, lanky Swansea defender Dennis Lawrence scored twice while Raith Rovers defender Marvin Andrews, North East Stars attacker Anthony Wolfe and CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh's Glen chipped in a goal apiece for the Warriors.
Jabloteh right back Cyd Gray, who wed on Saturday, also featured for the national squad along with new Swansea signing Jason Scotland, the Sunderland duo of winger Carlos Edwards and striker Stern John and Sancho, who just left Gillingham.
The celebrity squad included soca star Terry Seales, former "Strike Squad" captain Clayton Morris, journalist Walter Alibey, WIPA president Dinanth Ramnarine and youth coach Jean Lilywhite.
