Warner calls on Camps to quit.
By: Nigel Simon (Guardian).FIFA vice-president and Concacaf boss Austin Jack Warner has suggested to long-serving T&T Football Federation that he relinquish the post as head of the local federation.
Warner was speaking at the official launch of the Caribbean Football Union Under-15 Tournament at the VIP Lounge, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, yesterday.
In his brief address, Warner said: “Mr Camps, it’s time for you to resign from your president of T&TFF and become an executive president like in some of the other countries.
“The sport of football is now a big business and the post needs a full-time professional person. So if any time for you to quit is right, I would say the time is now.”
With regards to the CFU tournament which will feature 19 teams and kicks off on August 18 Warner not for the first time lamented on the lack of support from corporate T&T.
He said: “If anything in the world will bankrupt me then youth football will and this tournament in particular.
“Over the past two years of the tournament it has failed to attract any sort of sponsorship and it seems as though they only like the players when they are big and have important qualifiers in Bahrain and other places.
“But it seems those same people don’t like to contribute to their development when they are at a young age. These youngsters have to be seen as an investment.”
Noting that the tournament is being run at a cost of eight million, the Concacaf boss said they asked for help from numerous companies and what they got in return was zero.
“There is nobody we failed to ask, and nobody came forward. But the show goes on.”
He asked the audience, “How can we be in a land of plenty and nobody has stepped forward?”
Warner also thanked all the teams, who have decided to compete in the tournament with little at stake.
“I would like to thank the countries which will be participating in an event where there is now money.”
Warner who leaves on Tuesday to witness the opening of the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in Korea next Saturday (August 18) also praised the tournament for helping T&T and Haiti reach Korea.
“If we did not have these types of competitions we will not at the moment have two teams from the CFU in Korea.
“Some people may say that God smiled on us. But they must remember Haiti qualified by beating Honduras and previous Under-17 World Cup winners Mexico, the.”
Fifa vice president Jack Warner, centre with T&TFF president Oliver Camps.