Fellas,
Here's the article. I'm sure the government, in light of the current negotiations with TTFF, will find this a very interresting read. It looks like another example of Trini crab in the barrel nonsense. Perhaps the TD was getting too influential for Jack's and Corneal's comfort.
Going Dutch
… TTFF split over 2010 W/Cup plan
Trinidad Express
In the colonial era, Holland rarely laid siege to new territories by force. They were damned good negotiators though.
More than a century on, Dutchman Leo Beenhakker enhanced his country’s stereotype for assimilation and persuasive argument by seemingly finalizing the most extraordinary coaching contract in Trinidad and Tobago’s football history.
Ostensibly, Beenhakker vacated his position as Trinidad and Tobago coach over a week ago when he agreed a two-year deal with European nation, Poland. Yet, Beenhakker’s role within the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) seems stronger than ever.
So much so that the Dutchman’s role—decided upon in a Berlin meeting with CONCACAF vice-president Jack Warner—now extends beyond the senior and under-23 squads to encompass the entire T&TFF organization, which means that the European coaches will oversee everything from national youth teams to the federation’s interaction with the local Pro League.
On the other hand, present technical director Lincoln “Tiger” Phillips—according to a T&TFF release dated July 17—will “be confined” to the development of coaches and goalkeepers. The T&TFF’s Technical Department, which is chaired by Rudi Thomas but has Phillips as its most influential member, will also “be reviewed as a matter of urgency”.
Wim Rijsbergen, a former Holland World Cup player, spearheads the program on paper and enjoys a remarkable promotion from Beenhakker’s assistant to the dual duties of head coach and effective technical director.
But it is hard to see Rijsbergen stepping out of Beenhakker’s shadow.
The 63-year-old Beenhakker, who accepted his Polish post on July 11, now has the job title “technical advisor” and has vowed to attend “Soca Warriors” games and tournaments on a “need to do so” basis.
Beenhakker told TV6 News that he accepted the Poland job to be closer to his family but, almost certainly, he will spend his off days making cross-Atlantic trips from his full-time job in Europe to his part-time Caribbean consultancy position.
The T&TFF did not reveal whether Beenhakker’s position would be a paid one but it is a stretch to suggest that the veteran coach’s nine hour flights are solely down to a newfound emotional tie. Beenhakker, after all, was a no show for the Warriors’ celebrated return home following their World Cup adventure in Germany or their away win in Bahrain last November.
A pragmatic soul, Beenhakker’s popularity is down to the manipulation of his team’s results rather than his ability to sway the public’s affections like former national coach Rene Simoes.
Beenhakker’s stock rose with Trinidad and Tobago’s courageous showings in Germany and it has ensured a rewarding four-year spell. His Polish duties extend only to the 2008 European Championship.
If the ex-Real Madrid and Ajax coach succeeds there, he could theoretically be persuaded to remain for Poland’s 2010 World Cup bid. If not, there is always his technical advisory position in Trinidad and Tobago.
It is unlikely that Rijsbergen had the option of following his mentor into Poland. The East European country has no history of hiring foreign coaches and Beenhakker’s nomination was not completely without resistance. Perhaps Beenhakker’s new employers were unwilling to have their coaching staff dominated by foreigners.
Whatever the reason, Rijsbergen remains in Trinidad on a four-year deal as head coach and will have another Dutch assistant in compatriot Jan Van Deinsen. Local boy, Anton Corneal, completes the national coaching triumvirate.
Corneal also enjoyed a promotion as he is set to head “youth development” while Van Deinsen will also coach the youth teams.
In essence, Phillips’ powers are being usurped by an untested head coach, an unknown new Dutchman and a youth coach who, although long groomed for the international stage, has enjoyed very modest success on his own thus far.
The Technical Department does not intend to take this snub lying down.
In a counter proposal, which was dispatched by its chairman Thomas, the Technical Department made its disagreements clear to the T&TFF.
The Technical Department’s memorandum chided the T&TFF for publishing the ‘Berlin pact’ without lateral consultation and insisted that the failure to make clear demarcation between the role of head coach and technical director was contrary to prior agreements with the former organization.
The T&TFF, Technical Department member Dr Alvin Henderson contended, was changing a plan that worked.
“Because Beenhakker didn’t have the extra job of seeing about player development,” Henderson told the Express Sport Magazine. “He was able to concentrate fully on our qualification… (Beenhakker) didn’t have that (extra) burden on him.”
The Technical Department was not in favour of Beenhakker’s continued involvement either under the present conditions.
“While we appreciate Mr. Beenhakker’s contribution to the Trinidad and Tobago World Cup 2006 effort,” stated Thomas, “we firmly believe that his intermittent involvement… would not have a significant influence on either the players or team development.
“There is no known precedent that is supportive of this arrangement.”
Henderson agreed that Beenhakker’s proposed role as technical advisor was also an unnecessary risk by the T&TFF.
“We all feel that Beenhakker’s role ended when he signed a contract with Poland,” he said. “To have Beenhakker as a long-distance consultant who will come here when things in Poland are quiet. That has never worked in any country in the world that I am aware of and we don’t see why we should be an experiment.”
The Technical Department also vetoed the proposed hiring of Van Deinsen on the grounds that he was an unknown commodity. They preferred to hire a Trinidad and Tobago coach, ex-national players Brian Haynes (Dallas FC, USA) and Russell Latapy (Falkirk, Scotland) were recommended, to work alongside Rijsbergen.
While the ‘Berlin pact’ proposed using Latapy in an essentially ceremonial role, the Technical Department countered that the national icon should coach one of the national youth teams and assist the senior head coach.
Thomas argued that Corneal’s new job title was “unrealistic” as his organization felt that the national assistant coach would personally oversee four male youth teams as well as their female counterparts.
He strongly proposed that Rijsbergen—“in light of previous experiences with national coaches”—should receive no more than a two-year deal from the T&TFF with “the option for renewal following an evaluation of his performance”.
The ‘Berlin pact’ should have been finalized on Monday evening.
Warner, the T&TFF’s self-proclaimed decision maker, can still accept the Technical Department’s recommendations but it seems instructive that they were not included in the first place. Warner either feels that Phillips performed inadequately as technical director or simply that a combination of Rijsbergen and Beenhakker can better serve his and/or his country’s interests.
Phillips, the only employee at present whose salary—paid by the local government—is not diverted through the T&TFF, stressed that he will continue to serve “with honour” once given a role with which he can make a “meaningful contribution”.
But Henderson suggested that Phillips was not given a fair chance after suffering from the T&TFF’s financial shortcomings.
Although the government approved $18 million for youth development, Henderson explained that the T&TFF had not fulfilled the appropriate conditions to ensure the funds reached to the Technical Department.
“The technical department set up an organizational structure more than six months ago and even short listed people,” said Henderson. “But these people have not been hired and the people to hire them are the T&TFF… Everyone is asking why this team or that team is not in training but people are not being paid.
“The money was set aside but there are still certain checks and balance that must be completed and I am not sure what is happening or if the T&TFF even applied for it.”
Phillips took credit for recommending Beenhakker as replacement for former national coach Bertille St Clair last year when Warner was more interested in controversial Englishman, Ron Atkinson.
But the T&TFF’s appreciation for its technical director has apparently cooled since.
Beenhakker, Rijsbergen and Corneal will benefit from the shrinking of Phillips’ duties while the Technical Department may become redundant.
It is debatable whether Trinidad and Tobago’s chance of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa is improved as a result.
An impoverished Eastern European nation and a clever, elderly Dutch coach could be just as relevant to the Warriors.