this was tken from the Trinidad Guardian..
By Jovan Ravello
With the air of a proud father, patron of local football, Austin Jack Warner, Concacaf president, FIFA vice-president and special adviser to the T&T Football Federation, yesterday announced Cabinet’s approval of $13.5 million for the Warriors’ home and away play-off against the Asian Zone’s Bahrain.
Warner had been lobbying for further support from both the Government and the corporate community and, after consultation with Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Roger Boynes, T&TFF president Oliver Camps, Warner and other officials at the ministry, his pleas appear to have been clearly heard.
While admitting that at times he had been hard on the Government’s belated response to repeated calls for financial support, Warner intimated that the task has become less difficult with the assistance of the Government and the corporate community.
At yesterday’s press conference hosted by the T&TFF in the VIP lounge of the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, Warner also divulged information concerning the November 12 and 16 play-off against Bahrain.
Warner told of a phone conversation with Sydney FC footballer and Warriors captain Dwight Yorke during which Yorke expressed a need for his players to be focussed on playing football and getting to the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
That chat ended with Warner pledging to double the match fees of each player, a gesture he said was well worth it because there is no price for the dedication shown by the players over the past couple months.
Warner went a step further to assuage fears among the players; he had approached FIFA on having the yellow cards held by players of both teams lifted, he was assured that if he submitted correspondence to the world body that the request will be examined, a course of action Warner said he would undertake on his visit to Zurich, Switzerland, on Monday.
He also noted that, despite contentious undertones within the two organisations, that the Guatemala Football Federation turned down the Bahrain team’s approach to have a training camp in their country ahead of the November 12 match, despite an attractive financial offer, in solidarity with its Concacaf neighbours.
Captain Horace Burrell of the Jamaican Football Federation was subsequently approached with a similar offer and, after speaking with Warner, it was decided that that country’s football federation would host the Asian zone team.
This, Warner pointed out, was beneficial to both T&T and the Bahrainians in that while it was offering them an opportunity to get acclimatised and to get a feel for the region’s style of play, it was a good opportunity for the T&T team’s scouts to get a closer look at their opponents.
That camp is scheduled to run from November 2 to 10.
Also reportedly on board as team sponsors are the National Gas Company, Unit Trust Corporation, Eastern Credit Union, Carib and BHP Billiton, who have joined current contributors KFC, TSTT, S M Jaleel makers of Busta soft drinks, Blue Waters and apparel sponsor Finta, who all reaffirmed their commitment to the cause.
And Warner revealed that German apparel company Adidas was in the country to make an approach to sponsor the team for the next four years, but noted that this was just a chip of the iceberg and that clothing superpower Puma was also expected to make an offer.
Also coming out of the meeting was a request that the services of Warriors’ coach Leo Beenhakker be retained for a further two to four years in order to utilise his expertise for training programmes.
The November 12 match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium is scheduled to begin at 6 pm and tickets will go on sale two days before the match at the regular outlets and on match day at the venue.
Request to the Government of T&T made by the T&TFF
1. Administrative cost (three months ending October 2005)
Includes salaries, rent, vehicle rental, telephone
2. Qualifying Games (three months ending October 2005)
Includes accommodation, accreditation and uniforms, FIFA/Concacaf, insurance, players match fees, printing of tickets, refreshments, security: $7,091,200.
3. For play-off matches T&T vs Bahrain
Includes hotel accommodation in Trinidad, departure tax, accommodation in Bahrain, match fees and bonus: $2,001,800.
4. Assistance with charter flight: $4,400,000
5. Broadcast rights for November 16 match: $315,000