61
Football / PFL scouting list from Digicel Tournament
« on: January 18, 2007, 08:36:34 PM »Which players would be good signings for our PFL teams
Martinique
St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Cuba?
Guadeloupe
Haiti
Barbados
Guyana
May 23, 2024, 02:43:51 PM
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Which players would be good signings for our PFL teams
Martinique
St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Cuba?
Guadeloupe
Haiti
Barbados
Guyana
62
General Discussion / HU Bison Trini Posse - Jan 3rd Harvard Sports Club
« on: December 11, 2006, 12:55:42 PM »HU Bison Trini Posse
Howard University Alumni of Trinidad & Tobago invite you to the first annual
Reunion
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
5:30 pm
Harvard Sports Club
106 Tragarete Road, St. James, Trinidad and Tobago
Join your fellow alumni to
network with colleagues and students
relive the memories
catch up on old times
discuss forming a local branch of the alumni association
rekindle old friendships
and celebrate the new year
Cash bar
Even if you can't make it, please spread the word to all HU Alumni that you know Thanks!
For more information:
Please contact Delano Sanchez at Delano@huttalumni.org
or
exec@huttalumni.org
Howard University Alumni of Trinidad & Tobago invite you to the first annual
Reunion
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
5:30 pm
Harvard Sports Club
106 Tragarete Road, St. James, Trinidad and Tobago
Join your fellow alumni to
network with colleagues and students
relive the memories
catch up on old times
discuss forming a local branch of the alumni association
rekindle old friendships
and celebrate the new year
Cash bar
Even if you can't make it, please spread the word to all HU Alumni that you know Thanks!
For more information:
Please contact Delano Sanchez at Delano@huttalumni.org
or
exec@huttalumni.org
64
General Discussion / All Presidents not equal
« on: November 17, 2006, 10:48:10 AM »DESPITE a decade of sterling service to Trinidad and Tobago as the second Head of State, Former President Noor Mohammed Hassanali left a will consisting merely of the modest car he was driving and a tiny insurance policy.
His will, lodged in the Hall of Justice, is worth just $40,000, comprised of a $30,000 second-hand car and a $10,000 life insurance policy.
The policy was issued by Guardian Life and the car is a 1997 Ford Taurus, registration number PBB 7035. The will listed no other asset such as money, shares, land or investments. While Hassanali's will listed his address as 8A Caribi Towers in Westmoorings, which was also listed as his wife Zalayhar's address, there is no indication in the document that Hassanali owned the apartment.
Hassanali's modest will was in contrast to the wealth of service he gave Trinidad and Tobago having served as a Magistrate, Assistant Solicitor-General, Judge and finally President of the Republic for two terms from 1987 to 1997.
Hassanali left his modest estate to his wife Zalayhar on condition that she survive him by 30 days, which she has in fact done. If she had not survived, the will said the estate would have gone to his son Khalid Mohammed Hassanali and daughter Amena Hassanali-Sutton. Khalid is an official of Petrotrin, eTeck, Plipdeco and the Telecommunications Authority, while Amena is deputy head teacher of a secondary school in Oxfordshire, UK.
Zalayhar and Khalid were named as trustees and executors of the will which was witnessed by Hassanali's comptroller of the household of the President, captain Lloyd Duff and attorney Ashmead Ali.
Hassanali made his will on 7 April 1993. He died aged 88-years-old, on August 25. The claim for probate of the will was filed on October 11.
Hassanali suffered financially under the current PNM Administration who refused him favours enjoyed by another Head of State, a fact highlighted in a Newsday story "All President's not equal", reprinted on 27 August shortly after his death.
Hassanali did not enjoy the $33,000 per month tax-free pension for life that is paid to former President Arthur Robinson and which President George Maxwell Richards will also get upon retirement. Further, while Robinson enjoyed a Cabinet waiver of all taxes on the purchase of two luxury vehicles - a million-dollar BMW and a $200,000 Toyota - Hassanali was not so fortunate. The story said: "President Noor Hassanali cannot even get Cabinet to waive taxes on an ordinary car which he needs or has now purchased paying all duties and taxes himself". In addition, while the State has paid for Robinson's driver, security guard, secretary and nurses, the Hassanalis had to pay for their own security and driver. Also, Robinson is having a 80th birthday bash at Crowne Plaza on December 16.
Security was likely an important concern for Hassanali given the fact that in 1989, two gunmen had shot at a car containing Zalayhar Hassanali, and the fact that former President Sir Ellis Clarke was the victim of a mugging.
The Hassanalis refused to talk to the media about their woes, but friends were appalled by the differences in treatment.
It was alleged that the difference in treatment was due to the fact that the PNM Government saw Hassanali as a 'NAR President', while in contrast they were indebted to Robinson for bringing them back into power after the 18-18 tie in the general elections of 2001.
Another possible strain on the financial resources of Hassanali was his reported ill-health, thought to be Alzheimer's Disease, ironically a condition reportedly also afflicting Robinson's wife and former First Lady, Patricia Robinson.
[/b]
The notion that all men are equal does not apply to former Presidents of Trinidad and Tobago.
At least one President is more equal than the others whom he succeeded.
Former President ANR Robinson is the most favoured. For starters he is the beneficiary of a Salaries Review Commission salary increase that made his pension $33,000 per month tax free for life. President Max Richards will get the same when he retires. Mr Robinson has enjoyed the waiver by Cabinet of all the taxes on the purchase of two luxury cars a million dollar BMW and a Toyota with a sale price of $200,000.
But while Robinson enjoys these and more benefits his immediate predecessor, former President Noor Hassanali cannot even get Cabinet to waive the taxes on an ordinary car which he needs or has by now purchased paying all duties and taxes himself.
Robinson's package which he negotiated for himself is sweet indeed. The Manning Cabinet agreed that the State pays for a driver, security guard, a secretary, nurses for himself and his wife, Patricia who suffers with Alzheimer's. It is also rumoured that the package also includes a valet to attend to Mr Robinson's personal needs.
No security is provided for Sir Ellis Clarke, the first President and before that Governor General and author of the country's Constitution. President Noor Hassanali and Mrs Hassanali pay for their own security. They also pay their driver and the two former Heads of State do not come close to the privileges enjoyed by Robinson.
Is this fair?
Friends of the Hassanalis say they frequently use taxis or rented vehicles, and consider this unacceptable for a former Head of State.
Robinson is very active socially and is regularly seen at social functions a bodyguard always in attendance. In fact not so long ago while he was attending a private dinner party at a house in St Augustine, his guard who was standing outside the house near the car was shot and killed.
President Hassanali is never seen at public functions these days and rumours are that he is ill. In fact he has reportedly decided not to attend any official functions because of the Government's attitude towards former Heads of State moreso persons such as Sir Ellis Clarke and himself who have given so many years of service to the State. A quiet, reserved gentleman, Hassanali will not speak to the media on these matters. Neither will Mrs Hassanali, but friends and associates are said to be appalled at the different standards that are being applied.
"Of course," a well placed political source told Sunday Newsday, "the PNM Cabinet led by Prime Minister Patrick Manning, owes Mr Robinson big."
It was a reference to Robinson's decision in 2000 to select Manning as Prime Minister over UNC's Basdeo Panday in the wake of the 18-18 tie in the general election of that year.
Many consider that it was a case of payback time for Robinson who after his retirement as President in 2003 wrote to Cabinet with a list of requests including that he be provided with security, driver, secretary, nurses and waiver on the taxes in the purchase of two luxury cars. Cabinet made these special concessions for Robinson alone. The conditions were not extended to Hassanali and Clarke.
In March 1997 when Hassanali retired, Cabinet agreed to waiver taxes on a car he bought for his private use.
Eight years later according to a White Hall source, the Hassanalis wrote to Patrick Manning requesting the tax waiver on the purchase of a new car.
Mr Manning reportedly did not reply, but it is believed that the request was denied. The matter has come up again and again and is now said to be "before Cabinet", a stock phrase and another way of saying that it remains tied up in bureaucracy and nothing will come of it.
Yet while Cabinet takes time to consider a request from a former Head of State, ordinary government employees who are travelling officers buy their vehicles tax free? What's wrong with this picture? The answer is simple. Hassanali is not Robinson. Sir Ellis Clarke was given security for one year after he left office in 1987.
In fact although he lives today in a gated community the car in which he was travelling was held up sometime ago and stolen, and his driver was tied up in the security hut. Luckily Sir Ellis was not hurt.
Indeed all three former Presidents have been victims of violence. When the Hassanalis were in office, a car in which Mrs Hassanali was driving was shot at around the Savannah not far from President's House. She was not injured. When he was Prime Minister, Robinson was held hostage at gunpoint in the Red House during the 1990 attempted coup. He was shot in the leg and beaten by members of the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen.
Security for our former heads of state should be a matter of major concern particularly in these times of criminal activity and the three former Presidents should be equally treated.
Hassanali probably gets the worst treatment because he is deemed a NAR President having been elected when the NAR came to power in 1987. In 1995 Hassanali was again in the spotlight. Manning, Prime Minister since 1991 called an early general election. PNM won 17 seats. The UNC won 17 seats. The NAR of Tobago led by Robinson won two seats historically swinging the balance of power in his hands. Everyone, including President Hassanali waited to see what Robinson would do, whether he would align himself with Manning or Panday.
In the end, Robinson chose Panday's UNC and thus a coalition government was formed with Panday as Prime Minister, the first person of East Indian descent in the country to achieve the office.
This alliance allowed Robinson to achieve his last ambition of becoming President. The alliance was not to last and inevitably Robinson and Panday clashed when Robinson refused to carry out several of Panday's wishes, including appointing to the Senate defeated UNC candidates.
Many believe that what became an ongoing battle between Robinson and Panday led to Robinson's selection of Manning in 2000 when that general election ended in an 18-18 tie.
Manning owed his selection to Robinson and Robinson got all he wanted and more from a PNM government. Hassanali seen as a NAR President has not been so favoured.
Mr Hassanali and Sir Ellis Clarke are distinguished sons of the soil who have played major roles in our history and have given yeoman service.
They deserve better respect than we give them, even when we may not have always agreed with their decisions.
Sir Ellis was the brain behind the Independence Constitution and the change to Republicanism. He continues to serve the country, freely giving the benefit of his vast intellect and experience when called upon. After so many years of service, the State provided his security for one year and that was the end of it. The Hassanalis served this country for ten years and served it well at a time when money was short and public service salaries were being cut.
It is well known that they saved the State considerable funds by not serving alcohol at President's House functions. This was prompted by religious grounds but it saved taxpayers money.
They grew their own vegetables and bred red tilapia fish in a big pond on the grounds. All the flowers that adorned the residence were cultivated in their gardens. When they moved there in 1987 the residence was in state of great disrepair. They tried to maintain it but faced the usual government red tape. Insiders say they may have spent their own money on some repairs, but this could not be confirmed.
Even after demitting office, Mrs Hassanali continued the voluntary social work, virtually pressed into service by organisations to perform duties that would normally have fallen to the incumbent First Lady, but Mrs Robinson was ill and never able to function in that capacity.
Why the difference in the treatment of our former presidents? And what about the almost forgotten widow of the country's first Governor-General Lady Thelma Hochoy? Does the State provide any support for her except a pension? A car and driver? Security? Most importantly, what about medical expenses for these very senior citizens?
Should not the terms and conditions apply across the board and be based on principle and not on personality? The State should set down the terms and conditions for our Presidents when they leave office and it should apply to all. It is demeaning for former Presidents to have to beg for waiver of taxes on a car, or to be without security. There is need for greater respect for the holders of the highest office in our land. We should recall with shame what happened when Sir Elis left office in 1987 and was leaving for England.
The Regiment planned a formal send-off outside the Residence or/at Piarco. This was struck down by the powers-that-be.
It was left to the then President of the Senate, Mr Michael Williams (who was going to act in the interregnum) before Mr Hassanali was sworn in to display the common courtesy of going to Piarco to see the retiring President off. No other top official bothered.
65
General Discussion / Smelter Number 3
« on: October 28, 2006, 10:28:53 PM »Manning said, " We have proposals for a third aluminum smelter plant to be constructed in Trinidad. We would examine these proposals and if they are accepted by Government and meet the EMA requirements it will be smelter number three."
Trinidad Express
Sunday, October 29th 2006
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161042364
66
General Discussion / T&T Stock Market crash?
« on: October 21, 2006, 03:15:06 PM »Trinidad & Tobago Newsday
Saturday, October 21 2006
Yetming Takes Stock- 'The Market is Collapsing'
RIA TAITT
Of all the contributions given in the Budget debate in the House of Representatives, the Parliament received the greatest number of requests for copies of St Joseph MP, Gerald Yetmings speech. This is hardly surprising, since Gerald Yetmings statements, which appear to have a basis in fact, have caused a serious look to be taken at the performance of the Stock Exchange and the tremendous loss being sustained by people who have invested there, in Mutual Funds and in the financial market generally.
It was not by chance that Yetming, an outspoken public figure who has come out of the banking system, was the first person to publicly voice what was quietly being discussed in privileged financial circles the literal crash of the (local) Stock Market.
But long before Yetmings perceptive Budget contribution the man-in-the-street who had been benefitting for so many years from investment in the Unit Trust Corporations First Scheme (the Growth and Income Fund) and in various Mutual Funds began to experience a loss in their holdings, with no idea why.
Yetming sat down for an interview with Newsday on Wednesday at his Diego Martin home on financial and political matters.
Stock Market Crash
The stock market is collapsing and it hasnt finished collapsing, he said. The big sufferers are the pension funds whose huge surpluses which have now been wiped out. Unit Trust is also a big player and persons who hold units have seen the value of their units decrease, he said.
Why has all this happened? In December 2004, the Inspector of Financial Institutions, suddenly imposed a condition that she should have allowed to have spread over a period of time...maybe five years. She called on institutional investors to limit the amount of stocks and shares they held, to 50 percent of their investment portfolios. The problem was that when these institutional investors, of which the pension plans make up about 80 percent (of the activity on the stock market), had to suddenly dump $2.2 billion in shares and there was no demand for them, share prices went down...And they havent sold the entire $2.2 billion. They still have $500 million more to sell. So while they continue to dump (shares) with no buyers, the price will keep going down.
Yetming, who was hard on the Inspector of Financial Institutions, said once she realised what was happening she ought to have met with the Central Bank Governor, who ought to have met with the Minister of Finance, and worked out a more realistic approach.
Yetming noted that people with a lot of money were now going into other forms of investment such as real estate where prices are up or were investing their money outside of the country, depriving the country of the use of their savings. The little man who has units in the Unit Trust, or investment in mutual funds in the bank, are feeling the pinch, he said.
The Prime Minister never responded to Yetmings points in his Budget wind-up, but Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Conrad Enill, in his wind-up in the Senate on Thursday night, conceded that the action of the Inspector of the Financial Institution did affect the Stock Exchange.
Restoring
sanity to the Stock Market
Government should immediately bring legislation to allow institutional investors to increase their stocks and shares holdings to 60 percent of their portfolio, until the Central Bank works out a long-term solution in keeping with international best practice, Yetming said. One suggestion is a change of formula where the average price of the share is used in the computation (rather than the market price) of the equity ratio.
The Unit Trust
Yetming slammed the Unit Trust for putting out a press statement which basically said Yetming was wrong. Unit trust investors are not losing any money. What they are hiding behind is a marketing tool, where they say if you put money in Unit Trust now, we would guarantee your principle for three years, because they realised that people had stopped putting money in the Unit Trust in this environment of declining values. In the belief that this is a short term problem, they have given depositors a three year committment to guarantee the principle. But the guarantee only applies if you leave the money with them for three years. But what happens if before the three years are up, you want to cash in your units to make a down payment on an HDC house? You lose he said.
Concerning the divestment of state enterprises in a falling market The Prime Minister stated that Government would be putting some State Enterprises on the market. When you privatise a company when the market is buoyant, you get a high price (for its shares). But when the market is in a crash condition, you get the lowest price. So Governments decision to privatise at this time doesnt make sense. And therefore you cannot escape the suspicion that this is being done so that they could arrange for their partners to buy the shares dead cheap and of course make plenty money when the market corrects itself. If you going to put FCB on the market and its shares goes at $10 instead of $20, you are giving it away.
Winston Dookeran as a leader
Yetming was the first UNC MP to come out in support of Winston Dookeran as political leader in August last year. He said then that Dookeran did not possess 100 per cent of the qualities one might wish to see in a leader, but that he brought critical qualities to the table. How does he feel about Dookeran now?
No one can profess to be perfect- except maybe pastor Manning. But certain things stand out with Winston. There is no question about his integrity, his professional competence, his ability to provide solution, his desire to surround himself with the best people. But more recently he has demonstrated his staying power with the convictions of the action, not withstanding the criticisms, as seen in his approach to the problem with the leadership of the UNC. And he has demonstrated an ability to fight that few of us knew existed to the extent it is coming across now. He has shown the entire country that he is not soft, not afraid of a fight and not afraid to carry the fight.
Did Dookeran make a blunder of immense proportions in the the Budget debate? Can his image as a leader recover?
I think it is grossly unfair to question Mr Dookerans leadership qualities and his competence only because he was not present in the House at the time (of the premature closure of the Budget debate). People are absent from the House during a debate for all kinds of reasons. I was absent after I gave my contribution because of my slipped disc.
But Manning, Basdeo Panday and Kamla Persad-Bissessar should not be the ones to criticise Dookeran. Manning is frequently out of the chamber. He is frequently asleep by his own admission.
And for him to say I work hard and I only sleep four and a half hours a night and therefore that is my reason for falling asleep in the Chamber, is a damn insult to us.
As for Panday, for the years we have been in the Opposition, he never stayed after he gave his contribution. I remember that I was usually the first (Opposition) speaker after him. And he never heard a word that I had to say (because he left)! He never heard the other side. So who is he to be talking about Winstons leadership? It is hypocritical!
And the current Leader of the Opposition (Persad-Bissessar) is always out of the House. The difference with her is that it (her absence) is not at the tail-end (if the debate), but from the beginning of the sitting, she is out. And what is she doing? Smoking cigarettes on the corridor!
Accepting blame
But all this is no excuse (for the COPs culpability in the Budget fiasco). When nobody stood up (to speak), one of us should have. And whether it was Manohar (Ramsaran) or Ganga (Singh), one of them should have (rose to speak). But sometimes in the heat of the moment, a mans reflexes arent as fast as they ought to be. The Congress is going to be held to a higher standard and I totally accept that. And we must be prepared to conform to that higher standard.
Regarding the PMs statement on COP members facing arrest Yetming said, After five years of government, with all the financial and investigative powers of the State at your command, you cant lay a charge. And all you could do is go to convention and demonstrate your total contempt for the DPP, AG, and the Police, to the point where they all have to come out and put you in your place.
The PM does not have the moral authority to speak. He has two former ministers, on charges, who are still sitting in the Parliament. With them, the courts must decide, I cast no aspersions on their character or integrity. We are yet to hear what he intends to do about Landate. Again I cast no aspersions. But the Prime Minister has been known to be associating with one Reverend Kitty Lutchmansingh, a man who for years had been saying that he was due to inherit billions of dollars, a man who is on several fraud charges and who is the subject of private litigation for the recovery of monies loaned to him. This same Lutchmansingh at whose book launch Manning gave the feature address.
Birds of a feather flock together. Lutchmansingh is a pastor. Manning wants to be a pastor. Lutchmansingh says he is going to inherit billions. Manning believes that he has already inherited billions, except it is Trinidad and Tobagos money which he is spending anyhow he wants a private jet and a $60 million house. So the PM does not have the moral and legal authority to speak about anyone. Furthermore someone in the AGs Department, who ought to know, told me that they have absolutely nothing on any COP member.
Leadership
ambitions?
Yetming was the first UNC MP to publicly say that Panday should go, he was the first to identify the problems of succession and to publicly hitch his wagon to Dookeran, he was the first to go on the back bench. He has always been bold and decisive, qualities which make many feel that he has leadership potential. Does he have leadership ambitions? What stops him, who was involved in politics since the ONR and NAR, from going the full distance? Race maybe?
My shelf life in the politics is going to expire very soon. I think that the desire to bring peoples together, to get away from the racial politics, that goal is as much Winstons as it is mine. And I think for that and other reasons, Winston has accepted to go forward as Leader and I am prepared to totally support him in that respect. My major interest is, beyond the present, is to assist in attracting and developing the next line of leadership in this country.
And beyond that I have no ambitions. But your preamble to the question was quite appreciated, he said, with a smile.
67
Football / Charity Football Match in DC - Saturday at Howard University
« on: October 16, 2006, 01:41:51 PM »
68
General Discussion / Want to talk to Manning - He is in Boston
« on: October 06, 2006, 07:27:42 AM »The MIT Caribbean Club proudly presents the 1st MIT Caribbean Students' Conference taking place Friday, October 6th through Saturday, October 7th, 2006. The theme for this year's Conference will be "Technology and Society in the Caribbean" approaching issues in the Caribbean's socio-economic framework in the solutions-based setting of MIT.
FEATURING:
A Keynote Speech by PRIME MINISTER PATRICK MANNING of Trinidad & Tobago!!!
And much much more!!
Go to http://web.mit.edu/caribbean/www/conference today for more details and to register!!
FEATURING:
A Keynote Speech by PRIME MINISTER PATRICK MANNING of Trinidad & Tobago!!!
And much much more!!
Go to http://web.mit.edu/caribbean/www/conference today for more details and to register!!
69
General Discussion / Budget 2006
« on: October 04, 2006, 06:37:04 AM »On the radio they say they have a possible "leak" of the budget.
Couple billion for the first stage of the rail project in December.
Couple billion for the Uriah Butler fly-over/interchange
New Hospital in POS.
I think they also mention work on highways.
70
General Discussion / Bingo Spam from Sw.net peeps?
« on: September 21, 2006, 12:10:34 PM »I getting emails from you people about playing Bingo.
Is this legit or are you'll victims of a virus/spyware or something?
I get from Feliz, TriniCana and FireBrand so far.
I eh clicking that link in the email.
Wuz de scene?
71
Football / Peter O'Connor chimes in
« on: September 10, 2006, 12:03:03 PM »
Trinidad & Tobago Newsday
Sunday, September 10 2006
A shame not to honour Jack
by
PETER O CONNOR
WE ARE currently in a lull a quiet spot in terms of our involvement in international sports, and this has come following a long and exciting period of activity.
Only our women footballers are active-representing TT in the CONCACAF Womens Gold Cup Qualifiers, and they are off to a great start, beating Suriname 4-0 last Wednesday.
Of course, many of our male footballers are back in club action in Europe, but they are not representing TT.
Following the World Junior Athletic Championships, our two gold medal winners, Renny Quow and Rhonda Watkins, along with coach and former Olympic 4X400 metres bronze medalist (Tokyo 1964) Edwin Skinner, were duly honoured at the Independence Day Awards.
Also getting a Humming Bird Silver Medal was former national cricketer now top administrator Dudnath Ramkessoon.
However, there was no award, nor honour for Sports Administrator Jack Warner, the man who carried our country to the FIFA World Cup Finals.
The players who went were justly rewarded and given national honours. Even those who did not go to Germany were justly recognised and rewarded.
The team coaches, managers, and support staff were also acknowledged. However, the man who committed his lifes work to getting Trinidad and Tobago to the World Cup finals was not honoured.
The man whom every player and coach acknowledged as the driving force behind the teams success, and the countrys presence in Germany, was excluded from any award or token of appreciation by his country.
Clearly, we do not understand the shame that we carry because of this omission. In my view, and I may well be alone in this, the refusal to bestow an award upon Jack Warner has soiled the awards given to the players and the coaches.
How do they feel today when they look at their Chaconia Gold Medals, and know that the man responsible for them having this honour has been excluded from any honour at all?
How is this insult for that is what it is explained to our people, to the Caribbean people, and to the world at large?
But let us not dwell on that that is how we are, petty and spiteful, and self-demeaning. Instead, let us look at some of the issues we are facing as we prepare for the next stages of competitions.
On the lighter side, there was the football match between the Strike Squad 1989 and the West Indies Players Association. It was great to see the old Strike Squad again, and they moved the ball around beautifully.
Promoters, next time please put the Strike Squad in their original and unique uniforms! Brian Lara showed some of the form that made him a TT footballer at Under-12 level, when he was on the national team with Shaka Hislop, Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy.
And in mentioning Dwight, I am sure we are all pleased that he is closer to home, back in England with English Championship club Sunderland.
OK, I know we no longer call it Second division, we call it Championship. But, the reality is that it is the second tier in divisional standings, no matter how fancy a name we put on it! Dwights manager (we call it coach) there will be his former Manchester United Skipper, Roy Keane. I am confident that Dwight will enjoy being back with Keane, both having shared that magnificent Treble the League, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League Cup in 1999.
They also both had fallings-out with Alex Ferguson before they left the club. I remember the season after the Treble, Dwight was having problems to find his form and was not scoring goals. When he finally scored his first for the season, Roy Keane grabbed him, and shouted, seemingly in anger, at Dwight You see you can do it.
That tough, but supportive approach will do well for Sunderland, so lets wish them, and Dwight, a season of climbing back up.
And in the absence of action, we had issues to discuss, and for a change, they are being discussed in a rational, mature atmosphere.
In the first instance we had the issue of whether the Under-16 footballers should be allowed to play for their schools, or should they be withdrawn to prepare for the Concacaf Qualifications next April.
Today, as I write, it has been agreed that the youngsters will play for their schools until the end of October. I am very pleased this has been settled, as the schools need these players to keep their league attractive.
The players also need the league right now, for a full programme of training and matches apparently is not yet in place.
The other issue was the cancellation of the two senior matches against Mexico and Colombia. These matches were called off when it was apparent that we could not get our overseas players released by their clubs for these matches even though there was a FIFA window for these days.
Contray to what is believed, the FIFA windows apply to all clubs the top divisions in Europe and the lower divisions, where most of the Concacaf, and many of the African and Asian Players are.
FIFA should ensure that small countries are not discriminated against as the top countries get their players released, but the smaller countries do not.
One hopes that FIFA will get all leagues, not just the top division, shut down for international breaks, so that we can develop just like the big countries do.
There has been some criticism about the cancellations, citing the need for the locally-based players to acquire International experience.
I agree with this concern, but I think that putting a locally-based squad against the likes of Mexico or Colombia will be counter-productive.
There should be a programme for these players to get their international experience, against countries like Haiti, Cuba, or Venezuela and El Salvador, before putting them, as a team, against Mexico.
However, what is encouraging to me is the fact that we are discussing these issues without the recrimination and bitterness which characterised these debates in the past. Once again, sports is showing the country how to deal with issues.
The West Indies cricket team, fresh from their loss to the Strike Squad, has departed for Malaysia. Sleepless nights loom ahead for all the fans, but we wish them the very best (players and fans!).
When they return home it will be 2007, and the Cricket World Cup will be the next big event here and in the West Indies.
In the meantime, get out and support all the local sports Schools, Pro-League and Super League football, the Womens Football and any other sports event thats on.
Just because our national teams are currently marking time, does not mean there is no sport to watch. And enjoy it all.
Sunday, September 10 2006
A shame not to honour Jack
by
PETER O CONNOR
WE ARE currently in a lull a quiet spot in terms of our involvement in international sports, and this has come following a long and exciting period of activity.
Only our women footballers are active-representing TT in the CONCACAF Womens Gold Cup Qualifiers, and they are off to a great start, beating Suriname 4-0 last Wednesday.
Of course, many of our male footballers are back in club action in Europe, but they are not representing TT.
Following the World Junior Athletic Championships, our two gold medal winners, Renny Quow and Rhonda Watkins, along with coach and former Olympic 4X400 metres bronze medalist (Tokyo 1964) Edwin Skinner, were duly honoured at the Independence Day Awards.
Also getting a Humming Bird Silver Medal was former national cricketer now top administrator Dudnath Ramkessoon.
However, there was no award, nor honour for Sports Administrator Jack Warner, the man who carried our country to the FIFA World Cup Finals.
The players who went were justly rewarded and given national honours. Even those who did not go to Germany were justly recognised and rewarded.
The team coaches, managers, and support staff were also acknowledged. However, the man who committed his lifes work to getting Trinidad and Tobago to the World Cup finals was not honoured.
The man whom every player and coach acknowledged as the driving force behind the teams success, and the countrys presence in Germany, was excluded from any award or token of appreciation by his country.
Clearly, we do not understand the shame that we carry because of this omission. In my view, and I may well be alone in this, the refusal to bestow an award upon Jack Warner has soiled the awards given to the players and the coaches.
How do they feel today when they look at their Chaconia Gold Medals, and know that the man responsible for them having this honour has been excluded from any honour at all?
How is this insult for that is what it is explained to our people, to the Caribbean people, and to the world at large?
But let us not dwell on that that is how we are, petty and spiteful, and self-demeaning. Instead, let us look at some of the issues we are facing as we prepare for the next stages of competitions.
On the lighter side, there was the football match between the Strike Squad 1989 and the West Indies Players Association. It was great to see the old Strike Squad again, and they moved the ball around beautifully.
Promoters, next time please put the Strike Squad in their original and unique uniforms! Brian Lara showed some of the form that made him a TT footballer at Under-12 level, when he was on the national team with Shaka Hislop, Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy.
And in mentioning Dwight, I am sure we are all pleased that he is closer to home, back in England with English Championship club Sunderland.
OK, I know we no longer call it Second division, we call it Championship. But, the reality is that it is the second tier in divisional standings, no matter how fancy a name we put on it! Dwights manager (we call it coach) there will be his former Manchester United Skipper, Roy Keane. I am confident that Dwight will enjoy being back with Keane, both having shared that magnificent Treble the League, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League Cup in 1999.
They also both had fallings-out with Alex Ferguson before they left the club. I remember the season after the Treble, Dwight was having problems to find his form and was not scoring goals. When he finally scored his first for the season, Roy Keane grabbed him, and shouted, seemingly in anger, at Dwight You see you can do it.
That tough, but supportive approach will do well for Sunderland, so lets wish them, and Dwight, a season of climbing back up.
And in the absence of action, we had issues to discuss, and for a change, they are being discussed in a rational, mature atmosphere.
In the first instance we had the issue of whether the Under-16 footballers should be allowed to play for their schools, or should they be withdrawn to prepare for the Concacaf Qualifications next April.
Today, as I write, it has been agreed that the youngsters will play for their schools until the end of October. I am very pleased this has been settled, as the schools need these players to keep their league attractive.
The players also need the league right now, for a full programme of training and matches apparently is not yet in place.
The other issue was the cancellation of the two senior matches against Mexico and Colombia. These matches were called off when it was apparent that we could not get our overseas players released by their clubs for these matches even though there was a FIFA window for these days.
Contray to what is believed, the FIFA windows apply to all clubs the top divisions in Europe and the lower divisions, where most of the Concacaf, and many of the African and Asian Players are.
FIFA should ensure that small countries are not discriminated against as the top countries get their players released, but the smaller countries do not.
One hopes that FIFA will get all leagues, not just the top division, shut down for international breaks, so that we can develop just like the big countries do.
There has been some criticism about the cancellations, citing the need for the locally-based players to acquire International experience.
I agree with this concern, but I think that putting a locally-based squad against the likes of Mexico or Colombia will be counter-productive.
There should be a programme for these players to get their international experience, against countries like Haiti, Cuba, or Venezuela and El Salvador, before putting them, as a team, against Mexico.
However, what is encouraging to me is the fact that we are discussing these issues without the recrimination and bitterness which characterised these debates in the past. Once again, sports is showing the country how to deal with issues.
The West Indies cricket team, fresh from their loss to the Strike Squad, has departed for Malaysia. Sleepless nights loom ahead for all the fans, but we wish them the very best (players and fans!).
When they return home it will be 2007, and the Cricket World Cup will be the next big event here and in the West Indies.
In the meantime, get out and support all the local sports Schools, Pro-League and Super League football, the Womens Football and any other sports event thats on.
Just because our national teams are currently marking time, does not mean there is no sport to watch. And enjoy it all.
72
Football / SSFL commentary on 102 now (online) (R)
« on: September 08, 2006, 01:16:49 PM »
Website:
www.power102fm.com
Stream:
mms://www.power102fm.com/Power102FM
Right now:
San Juan vs. Malabar
1 : 0 (as of 13th min)
Supposed to have another match afterward.
www.power102fm.com
Stream:
mms://www.power102fm.com/Power102FM
Right now:
San Juan vs. Malabar
1 : 0 (as of 13th min)
Supposed to have another match afterward.
73
Football / Freedom Festival Aug 27th
« on: August 25, 2006, 11:54:32 AM »
Eddie Hart grounds.
Was this posted before?
Sound like a charitable event with football under lights. (heard it on the radio)
Anyone with details?
Was this posted before?
Sound like a charitable event with football under lights. (heard it on the radio)
Anyone with details?
74
General Discussion / Plane with flaming engine has to return to Piarco
« on: August 04, 2006, 01:35:40 PM »Anybody hear about this?
Supposedly happen 1 or 2 days ago and reported on 96.7 fm.
I haven't read or heard anything...wondering if anyone else knows about it.
75
Football / Trinis in Action (July 08, 2006)
« on: July 08, 2006, 09:06:25 PM »| Player | Team | Opponent | Result | Notes |
| Glen, Cornell | LA Galaxy | Real Salt Lake | - | out injured |
| John, Avery | NE Revolution | Chicago Fire | 2-1 |  64', Full Game |
| Sealy, Scott | KC Wizards | Colorado Rapids | 0-1 |  73' |
76
General Discussion / Breaking news......Ato plane have no Gas
« on: May 19, 2006, 02:20:25 PM »Now listening to the radio (Big Mouth Anil Roberts)
Ato plane line up to take off in Piarco den dey realise the plane doh have enough gas
We hearing ting live and direct...man plane mus be eh even take off yet.
source: trini maco network
77
Football / Where was Lincoln Phillips
« on: May 18, 2006, 11:48:40 AM »
Trinidad Express
Thursday, May 18th 2006
Where was Phillips?
The Soca Warriors were honoured with a gala dinner at the Centre of Excellence a few nights ago.
The President of Trinidad and Tobago was there, together with dignitaries from around the region and as far as Africa. It was indeed a fitting send-off for the Soca Warriors but a notable absentee was the technical director Mr Lincoln Phillips. This raised many eyebrows.
Could Mr Jack Warner and the TTFF hierarchy explain why such a prominent figure in the football realm was absent or must the football public be left to speculate that it was because many of the officers who work with the Soca Warriors have not been paid salaries since last year?
Rudolph Williams
Diego Martin
Trinidad & Tobago Newsday
Thursday, May 18 2006
Plenty soca but no salaries
by RUDOLPH WILLIAMS, Diego Martin
THE EDITOR: The Soca Warriors were honoured with a gala dinner at the Centre of Excellence a few nights ago, the President of Trinidad and Tobago was there with dignitaries from around the region as far as Africa. It was indeed a fitting send off for the Soca Warriors.
However, a notable absentee was the Technical Director, Mr Lincoln Phillips whose absence raised many eyebrows. Could Mr Jack Warner and the TTFF hierarchy explain why such a prominent figure in the football realm was absent; or must the football public be left to speculate that it was because many of the officers of the Soca Warriors have not been paid salaries since last year.
Thursday, May 18th 2006
Where was Phillips?
The Soca Warriors were honoured with a gala dinner at the Centre of Excellence a few nights ago.
The President of Trinidad and Tobago was there, together with dignitaries from around the region and as far as Africa. It was indeed a fitting send-off for the Soca Warriors but a notable absentee was the technical director Mr Lincoln Phillips. This raised many eyebrows.
Could Mr Jack Warner and the TTFF hierarchy explain why such a prominent figure in the football realm was absent or must the football public be left to speculate that it was because many of the officers who work with the Soca Warriors have not been paid salaries since last year?
Rudolph Williams
Diego Martin
Trinidad & Tobago Newsday
Thursday, May 18 2006
Plenty soca but no salaries
by RUDOLPH WILLIAMS, Diego Martin
THE EDITOR: The Soca Warriors were honoured with a gala dinner at the Centre of Excellence a few nights ago, the President of Trinidad and Tobago was there with dignitaries from around the region as far as Africa. It was indeed a fitting send off for the Soca Warriors.
However, a notable absentee was the Technical Director, Mr Lincoln Phillips whose absence raised many eyebrows. Could Mr Jack Warner and the TTFF hierarchy explain why such a prominent figure in the football realm was absent; or must the football public be left to speculate that it was because many of the officers of the Soca Warriors have not been paid salaries since last year.
78
Football / Warrior Nation baby tees for the ladies
« on: May 05, 2006, 11:12:02 AM »
So they are finally here..printed and all.
Warrior Nation members now have a baby-tee option for their membership package while supplies last.
If you are paying dues online put a note in the comments field that you want the baby-tee option along with the name of the design you would like.
Also send a note to us through the contact pages on TheWarriorNation.com
Membership Services
Tallman
Warrior Nation members going to the Family Day at the St. James Secondary grounds this Sunday May 7th will be the first to view, wear, model and pose in these new designs.
Thank you Graphics Committee
Warrior Nation members now have a baby-tee option for their membership package while supplies last.
If you are paying dues online put a note in the comments field that you want the baby-tee option along with the name of the design you would like.
Also send a note to us through the contact pages on TheWarriorNation.com
Membership Services
Tallman
Warrior Nation members going to the Family Day at the St. James Secondary grounds this Sunday May 7th will be the first to view, wear, model and pose in these new designs.
79
General Discussion / Panday Guilty on All 3 Counts?...Jail time?.....NO! - RETRIAL ORDERED
« on: April 24, 2006, 08:51:20 AM »
At 10:30 the judgement was handed down.
I not sure of the sentence but they said he will be spending some time in jail.
Post more details as you hear them.
I not sure of the sentence but they said he will be spending some time in jail.
Post more details as you hear them.
80
Football / West Ham - Middlesbrough FA Cup Semi
« on: April 23, 2006, 09:10:02 AM »Shaka starting.
81
Football / 200 All Expense Paid Trips to the World Cup
« on: April 10, 2006, 07:19:59 AM »
Trinidad Guardian
Monday 10th April, 2006
Reveal names of ‘Germany 200’
MANY people questioned Jack Warner about the distribution of tour packages for World Cup Germany.
I have been reliably informed that the Government has acquired 200 tickets for the finals. These tickets would form part of a package for the World Cup. It means the holders of these tickets would get all-expenses-paid trips to Germany.
The average cost of a tour package is $40,000. Therefore, taxpayers will be called upon to foot a bill of at least $8 million.
Just as everyone who called upon Warner to be transparent, as a concerned taxpayer I am requesting that the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs state exactly what is the actual cost of sending this contingent of 200 people. Furthermore, the list of people selected should be made available for taxpayers to scrutinise.
Marie Devoux
Diego Martin
Monday 10th April, 2006
Reveal names of ‘Germany 200’
MANY people questioned Jack Warner about the distribution of tour packages for World Cup Germany.
I have been reliably informed that the Government has acquired 200 tickets for the finals. These tickets would form part of a package for the World Cup. It means the holders of these tickets would get all-expenses-paid trips to Germany.
The average cost of a tour package is $40,000. Therefore, taxpayers will be called upon to foot a bill of at least $8 million.
Just as everyone who called upon Warner to be transparent, as a concerned taxpayer I am requesting that the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs state exactly what is the actual cost of sending this contingent of 200 people. Furthermore, the list of people selected should be made available for taxpayers to scrutinise.
Marie Devoux
Diego Martin
83
Football / Aurtis Whitley gets endorsement contract with The Athletes Foot
« on: March 20, 2006, 10:32:53 AM »Just heard on the radio 95.5fm.
Joel Villlafana reporting that Whitley signed a 12 month endorsement contact with locally based company The Athletes Foot
He says this is the first locally based Pro to do this.
84
Football / Gally on 95.5fm I-sports this Saturday @ 6pm TT time
« on: March 15, 2006, 10:27:07 AM »
Andre Baptiste interviewing.
Send emails to isports@andrebaptiste.com
Please send the man some questions...yuh know he need help...post them here too if yuh want.
Listen @
www.i955fm.com Saturday 6-8pm TT time
The promo was dissing some people who have "failed" in the past.
Send emails to isports@andrebaptiste.com
Please send the man some questions...yuh know he need help...post them here too if yuh want.
Listen @
www.i955fm.com Saturday 6-8pm TT time
The promo was dissing some people who have "failed" in the past.
85
Football / Lara, Yorke, Latapy and Boldon
« on: March 08, 2006, 08:55:22 AM »
Trinidad Guardian
Wednesday 8th March 2006
Looking to our heroes
by Tony Fraser
To remark now on the citizenship of Brian Lara, Russell Latapy and Dwight Yorke seems inconceivable when we reflect on the life and times of these young men flush with youth, fame, good looks, money—lots of it—adoring fans, young women trailing behind and they not being shy to delight in more than their share of the fruits of the “good life.”
Ato Boldon had a different path to the senatorial position he now holds. Even though he was as brash as the others, more verbally combative and brazen than the other three internationally acclaimed sportsmen of the late 20th/early 21st century to have emerged from this tiny island, he at least did not make the headlines for all the wrong reasons during his halcyon period on the track.
Ironically, he has taken his most controversial decision in this period of his maturing years, accepting a politically inspired senatorial appointment. But we will return to that later on.
In a fine example of this new citizenship of which we speak, Lara, on arrival in New Zealand, assumed the role of able defender of the great West Indian legacy in cricket by telling the press that has been doing its best to denigrate WI cricket to have some “respect” for one of the greatest cricketing nations in the world.
Moreover, Lara announced his readiness to do all within his power to reassert our manhood.
Compare this to the time when Lara thought that cricket was “ruining my life,” when he played truant with his distractions seemingly always within reaching distance, to get a full appreciation of how this young man has matured.
Even if Lara’s best intentions in New Zealand fail to stop the slide, at least we know that West Indian pride is not so buried by a decade of indifference on and off the field that it cannot feel the sting of calculated attempts to humble us.
The command of Dwight Yorke of the young T&T football team was no more evident than in the manner of his first goal against Iceland.
He trapped, controlled and shot to goal with such assurance, precision and style, in the process holding himself and his play up for emulation by the likes of John and Jones.
Since returning and taking on the role of captain, Dwight has been roaming the midfield, working twice as hard as anyone else to provide the forwards with opportunity.
To have read about the satisfaction that his manager at Sydney FC (read Ambassador Agostini) has had with his performance on and off the field in Australia generated pride with how the statesman of our football is acquitting himself and bringing credit to his country.
The news is very similar on Russell Latapy. Like Dwight, persuaded out of retirement in the interest of nation and to possibly live out the dream of any soccer play to represent his country in a World Cup finals, Latas has been demonstrating his still dazzling skills, selflessly feeding the young forwards with goal-scoring opportunities he would have converted himself during his prime.
Indicative of his desire to emerge as a coach/manager, Latapy has been pursuing the role at Falkirk, preparing himself perhaps to inevitably take on the role for his country when the time becomes right.
Having matured at an earlier age than the others, Senator Boldon is now set to be a spokesman for young people in the Parliament. That it will be done from a politically partisan bench, notwithstanding Ato’s idealism of bridging the political divide, is unfortunate. But perhaps he will prove us all wrong and be once again in a position to mouth his famous “I told you so” as he did when finishing his races, especially in the Atlanta Olympics.
One of the lessons that we must come to heed from the maturity of the young sportsmen is to resist burdening them too early in their careers with our own desires for them to be role models of behaviour for the young. Moreover when we as a society have not provided them with the adequate grounding.
Let the young sportsmen and women experience their youth, the natural zest for life that goes with being young and talented and capable of conquering the world on the sporting field.
Let us delight in their scoring of goals, their making of double centuries and the running of sub-10 hundred metres for the intrinsic worth of such accomplishments.
The real challenge now is how to best utilise the experiences, discipline, skills and international stature achieved by Lara, Yorke, Latapy and Boldon to guide and develop young people and the wider society.
In Yorke and Latapy we have two men who have played soccer in the most competitive (World Cup would be the ultimate) circuits in the world. No where in T&T are there any two professionals who have undergone sterner tests of discipline, competitiveness, who have interacted with the top professionals in their field and whose talent levels have compared with the best in the world.
Off the field, Yorke and Latapy have fought and won contests against bigotry and racial prejudice and have performed at their best in conditions that were very unlike anything they had previously encountered.
In Lara we have a performer who is unquestionably amongst the five most talented batsmen in the history of the game, but more than that a man who has had to learn the lessons of discipline and perseverance, who has had to overcome the indiscretions of youth to stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone who has ever batted.
These are not merely talented sportsmen, blessed with co-ordination, eyesight and rhythm, but men who have faced and hurdled the greatest challenges to success in any form of endeavour.
In the case of Ato, why should we have allowed him to be left open to the urging of politicians to become involved in the Senate? Since the creation of the Independent bench in the Senate, appointments have followed the accepted path of academia and expertise in business or one of the traditional professions.
A recent IMF survey has found a deficit in the export of talent from the Caribbean versus the remittances we get from those who have left. This column now advocates the establishment of a team of people able to discern the expertise and capabilities these young men have developed over their international careers and how the nation can best utilise those skills.
Wednesday 8th March 2006
Looking to our heroes
by Tony Fraser
To remark now on the citizenship of Brian Lara, Russell Latapy and Dwight Yorke seems inconceivable when we reflect on the life and times of these young men flush with youth, fame, good looks, money—lots of it—adoring fans, young women trailing behind and they not being shy to delight in more than their share of the fruits of the “good life.”
Ato Boldon had a different path to the senatorial position he now holds. Even though he was as brash as the others, more verbally combative and brazen than the other three internationally acclaimed sportsmen of the late 20th/early 21st century to have emerged from this tiny island, he at least did not make the headlines for all the wrong reasons during his halcyon period on the track.
Ironically, he has taken his most controversial decision in this period of his maturing years, accepting a politically inspired senatorial appointment. But we will return to that later on.
In a fine example of this new citizenship of which we speak, Lara, on arrival in New Zealand, assumed the role of able defender of the great West Indian legacy in cricket by telling the press that has been doing its best to denigrate WI cricket to have some “respect” for one of the greatest cricketing nations in the world.
Moreover, Lara announced his readiness to do all within his power to reassert our manhood.
Compare this to the time when Lara thought that cricket was “ruining my life,” when he played truant with his distractions seemingly always within reaching distance, to get a full appreciation of how this young man has matured.
Even if Lara’s best intentions in New Zealand fail to stop the slide, at least we know that West Indian pride is not so buried by a decade of indifference on and off the field that it cannot feel the sting of calculated attempts to humble us.
The command of Dwight Yorke of the young T&T football team was no more evident than in the manner of his first goal against Iceland.
He trapped, controlled and shot to goal with such assurance, precision and style, in the process holding himself and his play up for emulation by the likes of John and Jones.
Since returning and taking on the role of captain, Dwight has been roaming the midfield, working twice as hard as anyone else to provide the forwards with opportunity.
To have read about the satisfaction that his manager at Sydney FC (read Ambassador Agostini) has had with his performance on and off the field in Australia generated pride with how the statesman of our football is acquitting himself and bringing credit to his country.
The news is very similar on Russell Latapy. Like Dwight, persuaded out of retirement in the interest of nation and to possibly live out the dream of any soccer play to represent his country in a World Cup finals, Latas has been demonstrating his still dazzling skills, selflessly feeding the young forwards with goal-scoring opportunities he would have converted himself during his prime.
Indicative of his desire to emerge as a coach/manager, Latapy has been pursuing the role at Falkirk, preparing himself perhaps to inevitably take on the role for his country when the time becomes right.
Having matured at an earlier age than the others, Senator Boldon is now set to be a spokesman for young people in the Parliament. That it will be done from a politically partisan bench, notwithstanding Ato’s idealism of bridging the political divide, is unfortunate. But perhaps he will prove us all wrong and be once again in a position to mouth his famous “I told you so” as he did when finishing his races, especially in the Atlanta Olympics.
One of the lessons that we must come to heed from the maturity of the young sportsmen is to resist burdening them too early in their careers with our own desires for them to be role models of behaviour for the young. Moreover when we as a society have not provided them with the adequate grounding.
Let the young sportsmen and women experience their youth, the natural zest for life that goes with being young and talented and capable of conquering the world on the sporting field.
Let us delight in their scoring of goals, their making of double centuries and the running of sub-10 hundred metres for the intrinsic worth of such accomplishments.
The real challenge now is how to best utilise the experiences, discipline, skills and international stature achieved by Lara, Yorke, Latapy and Boldon to guide and develop young people and the wider society.
In Yorke and Latapy we have two men who have played soccer in the most competitive (World Cup would be the ultimate) circuits in the world. No where in T&T are there any two professionals who have undergone sterner tests of discipline, competitiveness, who have interacted with the top professionals in their field and whose talent levels have compared with the best in the world.
Off the field, Yorke and Latapy have fought and won contests against bigotry and racial prejudice and have performed at their best in conditions that were very unlike anything they had previously encountered.
In Lara we have a performer who is unquestionably amongst the five most talented batsmen in the history of the game, but more than that a man who has had to learn the lessons of discipline and perseverance, who has had to overcome the indiscretions of youth to stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone who has ever batted.
These are not merely talented sportsmen, blessed with co-ordination, eyesight and rhythm, but men who have faced and hurdled the greatest challenges to success in any form of endeavour.
In the case of Ato, why should we have allowed him to be left open to the urging of politicians to become involved in the Senate? Since the creation of the Independent bench in the Senate, appointments have followed the accepted path of academia and expertise in business or one of the traditional professions.
A recent IMF survey has found a deficit in the export of talent from the Caribbean versus the remittances we get from those who have left. This column now advocates the establishment of a team of people able to discern the expertise and capabilities these young men have developed over their international careers and how the nation can best utilise those skills.
86
Football / Stadium grounds survive Soca Monarch
« on: March 01, 2006, 08:32:15 AM »
Trinidad Express
Sunday, February 26th 2006
Stadium ok after record trampling
Terry Joseph
Manager of the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Wilfred Stephen yesterday said no permanent damage to the playfield or facilities has been noticed, after Friday night's record crowd for the TSTT International Soca Monarch competition final pranced until shortly before dawn of the following day.
Stephen praised the behaviour of patrons, noting that no damage to chairs or any of the fittings was evident. "They really behaved very well," he said, although late into the night there were reports of sporadic squabbles. A heavy police presence also helped to contain any unseemly conduct.
Soca Monarch creator and executive chairman of show producer, Caribbean Prestige Foundtion for the Performing Arts, William Munroe was not available for comment but the organisation's marketing director, Jack Alexis said extreme care had been taken to protect the stadium facilities.
"We took pains to work with the stadium's rules and concerns," Alexis said. "Areas of the turf that remained uncovered were deliberately left that way, as we were told that any covering might make conditions underneath worse, so we left the majority of the space without any form of overlay.
"The problem was that heat created by the friction of feet on felt would create a burn effect, so we were advised that, except the area was totally wet it should not be covered. You may have noticed that the space close to the stage was covered with felt, as we did for other high-traffic areas but we wet the felt beforehand to assist with cooling," Alexis said.
Use of the stadium for the historically well-attended show had raised certain anxieties within the sports community and holding the International Soca Monarch competition, it was felt, would wreck the turf but quite the opposite turned out to be the case.
Since a 1995 ban on events based on musical entertainment being held there, few large-scale concerts have been granted special permission to use the facility. During last year, only the command performance for Nigeria's President Oluwon Obasanjo and the Bollywood Awards enjoyed such permission.
For Carnival, the concourse outside the stadium's northern end was rented to Iwer George, who created Soca Broadway, a highly utilized party space and last weekend, promoter Cliff Harris was allowed use of the practice field for the annual Caribbean Brass Festival.
Promoters have been complaining about the scarcity of appropriate venues for big shows, with both the Public Service Association (PSA) ground and the Queen's Park Oval, former home of the International Soca Monarch contest, closed for renovations.
Sunday, February 26th 2006
Stadium ok after record trampling
Terry Joseph
Manager of the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Wilfred Stephen yesterday said no permanent damage to the playfield or facilities has been noticed, after Friday night's record crowd for the TSTT International Soca Monarch competition final pranced until shortly before dawn of the following day.
Stephen praised the behaviour of patrons, noting that no damage to chairs or any of the fittings was evident. "They really behaved very well," he said, although late into the night there were reports of sporadic squabbles. A heavy police presence also helped to contain any unseemly conduct.
Soca Monarch creator and executive chairman of show producer, Caribbean Prestige Foundtion for the Performing Arts, William Munroe was not available for comment but the organisation's marketing director, Jack Alexis said extreme care had been taken to protect the stadium facilities.
"We took pains to work with the stadium's rules and concerns," Alexis said. "Areas of the turf that remained uncovered were deliberately left that way, as we were told that any covering might make conditions underneath worse, so we left the majority of the space without any form of overlay.
"The problem was that heat created by the friction of feet on felt would create a burn effect, so we were advised that, except the area was totally wet it should not be covered. You may have noticed that the space close to the stage was covered with felt, as we did for other high-traffic areas but we wet the felt beforehand to assist with cooling," Alexis said.
Use of the stadium for the historically well-attended show had raised certain anxieties within the sports community and holding the International Soca Monarch competition, it was felt, would wreck the turf but quite the opposite turned out to be the case.
Since a 1995 ban on events based on musical entertainment being held there, few large-scale concerts have been granted special permission to use the facility. During last year, only the command performance for Nigeria's President Oluwon Obasanjo and the Bollywood Awards enjoyed such permission.
For Carnival, the concourse outside the stadium's northern end was rented to Iwer George, who created Soca Broadway, a highly utilized party space and last weekend, promoter Cliff Harris was allowed use of the practice field for the annual Caribbean Brass Festival.
Promoters have been complaining about the scarcity of appropriate venues for big shows, with both the Public Service Association (PSA) ground and the Queen's Park Oval, former home of the International Soca Monarch contest, closed for renovations.
87
General Discussion / No more sports @ President's Grounds?
« on: February 04, 2006, 08:24:47 PM »
Trinidad & Tobago Newsday
Saturday 04th February 2006
Prime Minister grabs President’s Grounds
By Lennox Forde
PRIME Minister Patrick Manning was warned on Thursday night to leave President’s Grounds, one of North Trinidad’s popular sporting and community grounds, alone.
The warning came from residents of St Ann’s, Cascade, and Hololo who held an emergency meeting at the Cotton Tree Foundation in Cascade Thursday night to discuss the Prime Minister’s proposal to take President’s Grounds for his private use. They met under the umbrella of the St Ann’s, Cascade and Hololo Community Group, (SACHCG).
In airing their views, the residents stated that the Prime Minister was insensitive to what the President’s Grounds means to them and their children.
What irked them they said, was that they learnt about the Prime Minister’s decision through the proverbial grapevine — "no consultation whatsoever."
Curtis Bateau, President of the Grassroots Association of St Ann’s, said he learnt about it through a Udecott source. He sought more information as to why among other things, the residents were not consulted.
The reply from the Prime Minister’s office was curt and contrary to what he expected.
The Prime Minister’s office recommended that the Grassroot Association apply for use of an appropriate ground within the Queen’s Park Savannah. But the residents thought the Prime Minister was out of place, because they never asked him for an alternative ground.
Speaker after speaker lambasted the Prime Minister for his "cavalier" decision. They wanted to know why the Prime Minister should want to take the President’s Grounds for his private use.
The meeting heard that for more than three generations, the President’s Grounds has been the centre of community life as a public open space for both organised and casual recreation.
One speaker thought it was arrogance on the part of the Prime Minister. Richard Fakoory, chairman of the popular Superstar Rangers Football Club, said members enjoyed the privilege of playing on that ground for more than 40 years.
He also noted that the Northern Rugby Club had been using the facility for even longer than 40 years. He said many other sportsmen used ground — including Clayton Morris, a former TT football captain and Ian Bishop, a former West Indies cricketer.
Senior Counsel Desmond Allum who lives in the area, is chairman of the Cotton Tree Foundation and president of the Superstar Rangers Club, also addressed the gathering.
Allum is a former PNM representative for the constituency.
He said, "President’s Grounds is the only recreational space available to all the young people of St Ann's, Cascade and Hololo. "I find it very difficult to understand why in the same year Trinidad is going to the World Cup in Germany and everybody is taking pride in the Soca Warriors that one cannot see the direct relationship between the recreational space, the fact that we are going to Germany this year and how all those things contribute to the strength of the community.
"At the very least, it seems to me to be a little insensitive."
Allum also explained that against the background of rising incidents of crime, he could not see how persons in authority cannot see the direct relationship between engaging young people in sport and healthy activities and the degradation that takes place when they do not have access to those facilities.
He noted that it was not by accident that areas like Laventille and Morvant experience undesirable criminal activities in a relative way, St Ann's, Cascade and Hololo are spared of such activities.
Allum urged members of the community to resist the Prime Minister’s plans.
When contacted yesterday, Prime Minister Patrick Manning referred Newsday to Udecott.
Saturday 04th February 2006
Prime Minister grabs President’s Grounds
By Lennox Forde
PRIME Minister Patrick Manning was warned on Thursday night to leave President’s Grounds, one of North Trinidad’s popular sporting and community grounds, alone.
The warning came from residents of St Ann’s, Cascade, and Hololo who held an emergency meeting at the Cotton Tree Foundation in Cascade Thursday night to discuss the Prime Minister’s proposal to take President’s Grounds for his private use. They met under the umbrella of the St Ann’s, Cascade and Hololo Community Group, (SACHCG).
In airing their views, the residents stated that the Prime Minister was insensitive to what the President’s Grounds means to them and their children.
What irked them they said, was that they learnt about the Prime Minister’s decision through the proverbial grapevine — "no consultation whatsoever."
Curtis Bateau, President of the Grassroots Association of St Ann’s, said he learnt about it through a Udecott source. He sought more information as to why among other things, the residents were not consulted.
The reply from the Prime Minister’s office was curt and contrary to what he expected.
The Prime Minister’s office recommended that the Grassroot Association apply for use of an appropriate ground within the Queen’s Park Savannah. But the residents thought the Prime Minister was out of place, because they never asked him for an alternative ground.
Speaker after speaker lambasted the Prime Minister for his "cavalier" decision. They wanted to know why the Prime Minister should want to take the President’s Grounds for his private use.
The meeting heard that for more than three generations, the President’s Grounds has been the centre of community life as a public open space for both organised and casual recreation.
One speaker thought it was arrogance on the part of the Prime Minister. Richard Fakoory, chairman of the popular Superstar Rangers Football Club, said members enjoyed the privilege of playing on that ground for more than 40 years.
He also noted that the Northern Rugby Club had been using the facility for even longer than 40 years. He said many other sportsmen used ground — including Clayton Morris, a former TT football captain and Ian Bishop, a former West Indies cricketer.
Senior Counsel Desmond Allum who lives in the area, is chairman of the Cotton Tree Foundation and president of the Superstar Rangers Club, also addressed the gathering.
Allum is a former PNM representative for the constituency.
He said, "President’s Grounds is the only recreational space available to all the young people of St Ann's, Cascade and Hololo. "I find it very difficult to understand why in the same year Trinidad is going to the World Cup in Germany and everybody is taking pride in the Soca Warriors that one cannot see the direct relationship between the recreational space, the fact that we are going to Germany this year and how all those things contribute to the strength of the community.
"At the very least, it seems to me to be a little insensitive."
Allum also explained that against the background of rising incidents of crime, he could not see how persons in authority cannot see the direct relationship between engaging young people in sport and healthy activities and the degradation that takes place when they do not have access to those facilities.
He noted that it was not by accident that areas like Laventille and Morvant experience undesirable criminal activities in a relative way, St Ann's, Cascade and Hololo are spared of such activities.
Allum urged members of the community to resist the Prime Minister’s plans.
When contacted yesterday, Prime Minister Patrick Manning referred Newsday to Udecott.
88
Football / Interview with Soca Warriors Manager Bruce Aanensen
« on: February 02, 2006, 02:41:40 PM »
[/color][/size]
With so much being written about the coaching of the senior West Indies cricket team; the usefulness or otherwise of West Indies senior team head coach Bennett King and his group of coaches, and with "accountability"suddenly seeming to be the watchword these days in every facet of life in the Caribbean, something that has long come into vogue everywhere else in the world, perhaps now is an excellent time to continue to find out, after the Jimmy Adams' (manager of the West Indies Under-19 team to the ICC World Cup in Sri Lanka) interview last week, what a really good manager or coach is and does.
We continue with this series of interviews of important personnel in the Soca Warriors build-up to Germany and the West Indies (any age-group) to some sort of regular success.
I have not even met the man, so I could not speak to Soca Warriors head coach Leo Beenhakker. I know of him, of course, since he has a long coaching history. I could only promise that, sometime in the not-too-distant future, he too will share his thoughts with us.
In the meantime, I did manage to speak to his team's manager, Bruce Aanensen, someone for whom I have the greatest respect, for his longevity and effectiveness in the business, insurance and banking forums, and his association with the Queen's Park Oval and cricket. I doubt very much that many people really understand that in Bruce Aanensen, the Soca Warriors have a manager who is probably uniquely qualified for the position.
Bruce Aanensen is open, forthright, informative, professional, concise and honest. Like I have said in the past as regards
FIFA vice president, Jack Warner, maybe West Indies cricket needs the honesty and professionalism of a Bruce Aanensen too!
Colin Croft (CC): Bruce Aanensen, you are so very proud of your charges, the Soca Warriors, aren't you? You seem to have a permanent smile. How do you really feel, not the public visage, as Warriors team manager and this achievement overall? Any worries?
Bruce Aanensen (BA): Look, Colin, everyone in the country of Trinidad and Tobago should really realise that this is a fully unbelievable, fantastic achievement. People are still coming to terms with the fact that Trinidad and Tobago is the smallest country to ever have qualified for the FIFA Soccer World Cup Finals. Immediately, this achievement is wonderful and magnificent. I hope that all would understand what the achievement of Trinidad and Tobago qualifying for the FIFA 2006 Soccer World Cup really represents.
The players, to a man, are extremely proud, over the moon, of what they have done. I think that they have worked very hard as a team to get this qualification, supported each other well, and that has been the basic element and the main reason that we have been able to overcome all of the adversity, in words and deeds, and eventually qualify.
CC: You are a former banking, insurance and business executive, now retired from those perhaps stressful situations, with so many years under your belt in the business world. Yet, this must rank as one of, if not indeed the hardest job you may have ever had. Yet, you are taking it all into your stride, with a great wide smile of pleasure, or is it stress?
BA: I will tell you the truth. I am thoroughly enjoying what I am doing now, managing these great guys. I have had over 25 years of human resource management, so dealing with the players in negotiations and those things are elements that I have been doing for many a year. I must say that I feel very comfortable in the role that I have been given.
The one thing that I insist on is that the administration, the management, the coaching staff and all of the players themselves show the relevant and necessary amount of respect for each other and their contributions. It is certainly a two-way street, one that all elements of this team must travel; give and take. That is such a very important ingredient.
I understand that over past years, rifts and everything else came between the players, the management, the administration, whatever. I think that those are now fully absent from this set-up. It makes me very proud to have been a part of implementing some of this.
I think that after all of this, and so far, everyone seems quite happy and relaxed at the way things have been going. Perhaps the hard work is yet to come. However, I do believe that if everyone does what everyone is hired and selected to do, be it player, manager, coach or administrator, there really should be no problems at all. Of course, there will be the exceptions, perhaps those logistics situations that we could not control for ourselves. The team spirit is wonderful, as high as I think it would ever get, 100 per cent, maximum!
CC: Team spirit is excellent in the Soca Warriors soccer team, but would you say that national fervor also helps, perhaps the 12th man on the field, the extra squad member, so to speak? After all, even in such great success, there always still seems to be some strange, underlying political intonations. Any comment on that?
BA: You know, politics always seems to creep into everything in this part of the world. That is quite unfortunate, since everyone should just do what they know best and are qualified for. Meddling and bungling are not what could be called "good management".
As for me, I do not believe that the Warriors' players would allow any so-called politics, or politicians, to intervene, to disrupt the effort of what they have been asked to do.
I have been asked many times about the Trinidad and Tobago Government's promises to the players etc. I would rather hope that sooner, rather than later, the Government would not only state their full position, but would do what they have to do for the players, give them whatever they think is due. We would like all of these issues long behind us as soon as possible, so that the players can remain fully focused with the task at hand.
That is the main reason why Jack (Warner), Richard (Groden) and I went up to London to meet with the players. We had hoped, and we were able to successfully work out all of the details. Every concern that the players and the management had have been resolved. Every request that the players have made have been considered and worked out amicably.
We discussed what finances the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) could afford and what the players feel that is their entitlement etc. I can report that, to be honest, we had some very cordial meetings with all of the players. As far as I can understand and believe, everything has been resolved and in all friendliness too.
CC: From what I have been informed, the Soca Warriors have maybe two, maybe more, practice games, before the big event in June. One game scheduled is against Peru and the other against Iceland. Is this sufficient preparation for such a massive event, such a great tournament? Would the players not be under-prepared, match-fitness-wise?
BA: To be honest, there are a lot more games than those advertised that we will be playing in. The game against Iceland is being played on February 28 (Carnival weekend). That fixture would also allow us to go to see the England vs Uruguay game in Liverpool on March 1. Obviously, we would want to see England play, since they are one of the teams in our group. That would be a wonderful opportunity to assess them.
The next game will be here in Trinidad and Tobago, against Peru, as has been advertised, on or around May 10, as the
build-up continues. It will become much more hectic too.
After that Peru game, we leave for a camp in the UK, a camp that starts on May 14, so we will leave the Caribbean on/around May 12-13. Unfortunately, we could not go before that, since the camp-site is not available until May 14, due to the English Premier League.
We are, at the moment, negotiating to play warm-up games against several teams on May 24, May 27 and then again maybe on June 3. After that game on June 3, we will then go straight into our camp in Germany on June 4. Those games should be enough.
As we speak, there are a number of opponents that we are looking at, for practice games; the Czech Republic, Japan, Slovenia, Slovakia, Austria and Hungary are some of them. Jack (Warner) is at the moment trying to find out which teams are available and willing to play against us on the approximate dates and what financial arrangements could be made for the games, so that they can go ahead. We should know soon enough.
I expect that within the next week or so, we should have all of those schedules worked out and an announcement of the opponents, schedules and venues would be forthcoming.
CC: Quite a few of the Warriors obviously play in the UK, in the Premier League and the lower leagues. The qualifying African teams at least have the African Cup of Nations tournament from which they could start their tune-up. However, the managers of the clubs and even the countries' teams have been making various dissenting noises about the players, their injuries, their efforts and their availability. Some managers are even suggesting that some of the players might be worn out and burnt out before the big event.
BA: The African Nations Cup is a great tournament for the African qualifying teams. Yes, I know that a number of the clubs in the UK are very concerned at losing their players to the national teams for the World Cup, especially at that time of the season.
By now, many of the club teams in the UK are either looking to get to some promotion or winning some trophy or even to get themselves out of the relegation stakes, so they really need their players. To give up some of the top club players to play for a country is always a great debate; this "club vs country" row. It is of great concern to the clubs.
However, the FIFA rules are very clear on this. The African Cup of Nations is an approved FIFA event, and when played, as per schedule, the clubs will simply have no options but to give up the players and give them their blessings to play for their countries.
CC: How would the players who play for the Soca Warriors be affected by all of this "club vs country" war? Could they be affected at all by their clubs' wishes?
BA: No, No, not at all. For the game on February 28, against Iceland, we are still trying to get the approval of both FIFA and the clubs in the UK to use our selected players. That should be forthcoming soon too, since the earlier we know, the better we can plan.
I know that the "official" FIFA cut-off allowance date is March 1, after which the clubs must allow the players to go to their countries, so playing the day before should not be any great issue, even if maybe a club or too might want to query that.
The season in the UK finishes on the weekend of May 6-7 We play Peru in T&T after that, on May 10, so there would be no problem there. All of our players who operate in the UK would be released by their clubs by May 6-7 anyway and will be available to play that game against Peru on May 10. There is no problem there at all.
With the English season being closed thereafter, our training camp will not run afoul of any plans/games that might have involved our players. That should work out well for us.
This is really a wonderful time and I hope that we, Trinidad and Tobago and the entire Caribbean, all enjoy this effort by the Soca Warriors. It is really a great achievement by some people who have worked tremendously hard indeed and gotten their just rewards!
CC: Bruce Aanensen, I hope that the enjoyment and success continues. Thank you.
Sometimes in life one gets to meet people that one should try to emulate. If anyone really wants to study business and sport and to have a full appreciation for the effort, ethic and commitment necessary to succeed, then Bruce Aanensen is a great example. Enjoy!
Baharin's Mohammed Hubail, right, challenges for the ball with Trinidad and Tobago's Dennis Lawrence at Bahrain National Stadium in Isa Town, Bahrain, November 16, 2005, during the World Cup 2nd leg qualifying playoff match. Trinidad and Tobago won the match 1-0 to win 2-1 on aggregate and qualified for the June World Cup Finals. Photo: AP
[/size]With so much being written about the coaching of the senior West Indies cricket team; the usefulness or otherwise of West Indies senior team head coach Bennett King and his group of coaches, and with "accountability"suddenly seeming to be the watchword these days in every facet of life in the Caribbean, something that has long come into vogue everywhere else in the world, perhaps now is an excellent time to continue to find out, after the Jimmy Adams' (manager of the West Indies Under-19 team to the ICC World Cup in Sri Lanka) interview last week, what a really good manager or coach is and does.
We continue with this series of interviews of important personnel in the Soca Warriors build-up to Germany and the West Indies (any age-group) to some sort of regular success.
I have not even met the man, so I could not speak to Soca Warriors head coach Leo Beenhakker. I know of him, of course, since he has a long coaching history. I could only promise that, sometime in the not-too-distant future, he too will share his thoughts with us.
In the meantime, I did manage to speak to his team's manager, Bruce Aanensen, someone for whom I have the greatest respect, for his longevity and effectiveness in the business, insurance and banking forums, and his association with the Queen's Park Oval and cricket. I doubt very much that many people really understand that in Bruce Aanensen, the Soca Warriors have a manager who is probably uniquely qualified for the position.
Bruce Aanensen is open, forthright, informative, professional, concise and honest. Like I have said in the past as regards
FIFA vice president, Jack Warner, maybe West Indies cricket needs the honesty and professionalism of a Bruce Aanensen too!
Colin Croft (CC): Bruce Aanensen, you are so very proud of your charges, the Soca Warriors, aren't you? You seem to have a permanent smile. How do you really feel, not the public visage, as Warriors team manager and this achievement overall? Any worries?
Bruce Aanensen (BA): Look, Colin, everyone in the country of Trinidad and Tobago should really realise that this is a fully unbelievable, fantastic achievement. People are still coming to terms with the fact that Trinidad and Tobago is the smallest country to ever have qualified for the FIFA Soccer World Cup Finals. Immediately, this achievement is wonderful and magnificent. I hope that all would understand what the achievement of Trinidad and Tobago qualifying for the FIFA 2006 Soccer World Cup really represents.
The players, to a man, are extremely proud, over the moon, of what they have done. I think that they have worked very hard as a team to get this qualification, supported each other well, and that has been the basic element and the main reason that we have been able to overcome all of the adversity, in words and deeds, and eventually qualify.
CC: You are a former banking, insurance and business executive, now retired from those perhaps stressful situations, with so many years under your belt in the business world. Yet, this must rank as one of, if not indeed the hardest job you may have ever had. Yet, you are taking it all into your stride, with a great wide smile of pleasure, or is it stress?
BA: I will tell you the truth. I am thoroughly enjoying what I am doing now, managing these great guys. I have had over 25 years of human resource management, so dealing with the players in negotiations and those things are elements that I have been doing for many a year. I must say that I feel very comfortable in the role that I have been given.
The one thing that I insist on is that the administration, the management, the coaching staff and all of the players themselves show the relevant and necessary amount of respect for each other and their contributions. It is certainly a two-way street, one that all elements of this team must travel; give and take. That is such a very important ingredient.
I understand that over past years, rifts and everything else came between the players, the management, the administration, whatever. I think that those are now fully absent from this set-up. It makes me very proud to have been a part of implementing some of this.
I think that after all of this, and so far, everyone seems quite happy and relaxed at the way things have been going. Perhaps the hard work is yet to come. However, I do believe that if everyone does what everyone is hired and selected to do, be it player, manager, coach or administrator, there really should be no problems at all. Of course, there will be the exceptions, perhaps those logistics situations that we could not control for ourselves. The team spirit is wonderful, as high as I think it would ever get, 100 per cent, maximum!
CC: Team spirit is excellent in the Soca Warriors soccer team, but would you say that national fervor also helps, perhaps the 12th man on the field, the extra squad member, so to speak? After all, even in such great success, there always still seems to be some strange, underlying political intonations. Any comment on that?
BA: You know, politics always seems to creep into everything in this part of the world. That is quite unfortunate, since everyone should just do what they know best and are qualified for. Meddling and bungling are not what could be called "good management".
As for me, I do not believe that the Warriors' players would allow any so-called politics, or politicians, to intervene, to disrupt the effort of what they have been asked to do.
I have been asked many times about the Trinidad and Tobago Government's promises to the players etc. I would rather hope that sooner, rather than later, the Government would not only state their full position, but would do what they have to do for the players, give them whatever they think is due. We would like all of these issues long behind us as soon as possible, so that the players can remain fully focused with the task at hand.
That is the main reason why Jack (Warner), Richard (Groden) and I went up to London to meet with the players. We had hoped, and we were able to successfully work out all of the details. Every concern that the players and the management had have been resolved. Every request that the players have made have been considered and worked out amicably.
We discussed what finances the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) could afford and what the players feel that is their entitlement etc. I can report that, to be honest, we had some very cordial meetings with all of the players. As far as I can understand and believe, everything has been resolved and in all friendliness too.
CC: From what I have been informed, the Soca Warriors have maybe two, maybe more, practice games, before the big event in June. One game scheduled is against Peru and the other against Iceland. Is this sufficient preparation for such a massive event, such a great tournament? Would the players not be under-prepared, match-fitness-wise?
BA: To be honest, there are a lot more games than those advertised that we will be playing in. The game against Iceland is being played on February 28 (Carnival weekend). That fixture would also allow us to go to see the England vs Uruguay game in Liverpool on March 1. Obviously, we would want to see England play, since they are one of the teams in our group. That would be a wonderful opportunity to assess them.
The next game will be here in Trinidad and Tobago, against Peru, as has been advertised, on or around May 10, as the
build-up continues. It will become much more hectic too.
After that Peru game, we leave for a camp in the UK, a camp that starts on May 14, so we will leave the Caribbean on/around May 12-13. Unfortunately, we could not go before that, since the camp-site is not available until May 14, due to the English Premier League.
We are, at the moment, negotiating to play warm-up games against several teams on May 24, May 27 and then again maybe on June 3. After that game on June 3, we will then go straight into our camp in Germany on June 4. Those games should be enough.
As we speak, there are a number of opponents that we are looking at, for practice games; the Czech Republic, Japan, Slovenia, Slovakia, Austria and Hungary are some of them. Jack (Warner) is at the moment trying to find out which teams are available and willing to play against us on the approximate dates and what financial arrangements could be made for the games, so that they can go ahead. We should know soon enough.
I expect that within the next week or so, we should have all of those schedules worked out and an announcement of the opponents, schedules and venues would be forthcoming.
CC: Quite a few of the Warriors obviously play in the UK, in the Premier League and the lower leagues. The qualifying African teams at least have the African Cup of Nations tournament from which they could start their tune-up. However, the managers of the clubs and even the countries' teams have been making various dissenting noises about the players, their injuries, their efforts and their availability. Some managers are even suggesting that some of the players might be worn out and burnt out before the big event.
BA: The African Nations Cup is a great tournament for the African qualifying teams. Yes, I know that a number of the clubs in the UK are very concerned at losing their players to the national teams for the World Cup, especially at that time of the season.
By now, many of the club teams in the UK are either looking to get to some promotion or winning some trophy or even to get themselves out of the relegation stakes, so they really need their players. To give up some of the top club players to play for a country is always a great debate; this "club vs country" row. It is of great concern to the clubs.
However, the FIFA rules are very clear on this. The African Cup of Nations is an approved FIFA event, and when played, as per schedule, the clubs will simply have no options but to give up the players and give them their blessings to play for their countries.
CC: How would the players who play for the Soca Warriors be affected by all of this "club vs country" war? Could they be affected at all by their clubs' wishes?
BA: No, No, not at all. For the game on February 28, against Iceland, we are still trying to get the approval of both FIFA and the clubs in the UK to use our selected players. That should be forthcoming soon too, since the earlier we know, the better we can plan.
I know that the "official" FIFA cut-off allowance date is March 1, after which the clubs must allow the players to go to their countries, so playing the day before should not be any great issue, even if maybe a club or too might want to query that.
The season in the UK finishes on the weekend of May 6-7 We play Peru in T&T after that, on May 10, so there would be no problem there. All of our players who operate in the UK would be released by their clubs by May 6-7 anyway and will be available to play that game against Peru on May 10. There is no problem there at all.
With the English season being closed thereafter, our training camp will not run afoul of any plans/games that might have involved our players. That should work out well for us.
This is really a wonderful time and I hope that we, Trinidad and Tobago and the entire Caribbean, all enjoy this effort by the Soca Warriors. It is really a great achievement by some people who have worked tremendously hard indeed and gotten their just rewards!
CC: Bruce Aanensen, I hope that the enjoyment and success continues. Thank you.
Sometimes in life one gets to meet people that one should try to emulate. If anyone really wants to study business and sport and to have a full appreciation for the effort, ethic and commitment necessary to succeed, then Bruce Aanensen is a great example. Enjoy!
89
2006 World Cup - Germany / 2006 Fifa World Cup™ - Ticket Lottery Results
« on: January 31, 2006, 02:32:22 PM »
Tickets News
FIFA World Cup match tickets: 70 percent in public hands after third sales phase
31 January 2006
by OC 2006 FIFA World Cup
Seventy percent of the 2.6 million 2006 FIFA World Cup™ match tickets sold to date have been distributed via public sales, organisers announced on Tuesday in Frankfurt following the allocation ballot triggered by the third sales phase. The eight-hour lottery, scrutinised by a supervisory official from the state of Hesse and set in motion at 10 am with a click of the mouse by OC vice-president Horst R. Schmidt, allocated a total of 300,000 tickets among 677,900 applicants, who had requested 6 million tickets in all. Precisely 558 draws were made as the applications were sorted match-by-match and category-by-category.
"With the end of the third sales phase, 2.6 million of the approximately 3 million available tickets have been sold, including 1.1 million to customers around the world through the official website www.FIFAworldcup.com“, Horst R. Schmidt commented. "Public sales also include the tickets allocated to national associations, together with packages available to everyone via the hospitality programme. That means nearly 1.9 million tickets have been distributed via public sale," Schmidt continued.
The lucky winners in the third sales phase will be informed by 15 February. Applicants who placed orders through the internet but failed to secure tickets will also receive notification by e-mail. The tickets will be dispatched six to eight weeks before the tournament.
The fourth sales phase, following the "first come, first served" principle, begins on 15 February 2006. Details of the tickets on offer will be determined by the volume of returns at that time.
FIFA World Cup match tickets: 70 percent in public hands after third sales phase
31 January 2006
by OC 2006 FIFA World Cup
Seventy percent of the 2.6 million 2006 FIFA World Cup™ match tickets sold to date have been distributed via public sales, organisers announced on Tuesday in Frankfurt following the allocation ballot triggered by the third sales phase. The eight-hour lottery, scrutinised by a supervisory official from the state of Hesse and set in motion at 10 am with a click of the mouse by OC vice-president Horst R. Schmidt, allocated a total of 300,000 tickets among 677,900 applicants, who had requested 6 million tickets in all. Precisely 558 draws were made as the applications were sorted match-by-match and category-by-category.
"With the end of the third sales phase, 2.6 million of the approximately 3 million available tickets have been sold, including 1.1 million to customers around the world through the official website www.FIFAworldcup.com“, Horst R. Schmidt commented. "Public sales also include the tickets allocated to national associations, together with packages available to everyone via the hospitality programme. That means nearly 1.9 million tickets have been distributed via public sale," Schmidt continued.
The lucky winners in the third sales phase will be informed by 15 February. Applicants who placed orders through the internet but failed to secure tickets will also receive notification by e-mail. The tickets will be dispatched six to eight weeks before the tournament.
The fourth sales phase, following the "first come, first served" principle, begins on 15 February 2006. Details of the tickets on offer will be determined by the volume of returns at that time.
90
Football / Don Leo vs Rene Simoes..........which package deal you prefer to pay for
« on: January 08, 2006, 08:09:17 PM »
Lincoln Phillips is our current TD and the question has nothing to do with him.
Considering the government has decided to use taxpayers money to pay for a National Coach NOT JUST FOR THE WORLD CUP but for two years after (in principle) I ask the question; which opportunity would you have preferred the government supported given the circumstances of each?
Hindsight is 20/20...unless yuh head up yuh ass
Considering the government has decided to use taxpayers money to pay for a National Coach NOT JUST FOR THE WORLD CUP but for two years after (in principle) I ask the question; which opportunity would you have preferred the government supported given the circumstances of each?
Hindsight is 20/20...unless yuh head up yuh ass