Franz Beckenbauer opened his meeting with T&T’s Prime Minister yesterday with a vote of confidence for the smallest country in this year’s World Cup finals.
“You’re going to beat England, right?,” asked the World Cup organising committee president.
Prime Minister Patrick Manning replied:
“We’ll do our best.”
Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup as a player and manager, was visiting T&T for the organising committee’s welcome tour.
In Germany, T&T will play in Group B with Sweden, England and Paraguay.
Although Beckenbauer broke the ice with support for T&T’s “Soca Warriors,” an adviser traveling with him said it would be nearly impossible for the former British colony to upset England.
“They have a very experienced coach (Leo Beenhakker) but the team itself is not that strong,” said Markus Jestaedt, a World Cup media adviser traveling with Beckenbauer.
“As a new team their chances aren’t so good.”
Beckenbauer’s adviser said T&T was too old and the team too inexperienced on the international stage.
“Their star, Dwight Yorke, scored many goals in his career, but that was years ago,” said Jestaedt. But “the World Cup has a lot of surprises, you never know what could happen.”
T&T was the 26th stop on Beckenbauer’s 31-nation tour. He had just arrived from Brazil, the defending World Cup champion. He will go on to Costa Rica today, wrapping up an eight-country swing through the Americas with a visit to Mexico City and New York this week.
“The main country on this tour for us is Costa Rica, because Germany is playing them in the opening match.” said Jestaedt.