Messages

1

Football / Re: What is the origin of the Soca Warriors nickname?

« on: August 12, 2016, 12:27:09 PM »

So you guys know how much the Soca Warriors name is worth from merchandising alone?

2

What about Track & Field / Seven Russian track stars suspended

« on: July 31, 2008, 07:19:33 PM »

More proof that a drug free circuit and a drug circuit in Track and Field may something of the future.  Repeat offenders here.

Seven Russian track stars suspended

Long-running, sophisticated doping investigation turns up drug cheats
By Alan Abrahamson, NBCOlympics.com
Posted Thursday, July 31, 2008 6:04 AM ET

BEIJING -- Eight days before the start of the 2008 Summer Games, an apparently major doping scandal involving the Russian track and field team erupted Thursday, track and field's governing body provisionally suspending seven Russian athletes after a long-running, highly sophisticated and specifically targeted investigation.

Several of the athletes had been named to the Russian Olympic team. Among them: 25-year-old Yelena Soboleva, the world indoor record holder in the 1500 meters.

The International Assn. of Athletics Federation announced in a statement issued from its Monaco headquarters that the seven Russians had been accused of fraudulently substituting urine, the federation adding that its anti-doping officials deliberately stored and then re-tested samples using "comparative DNA techniques" -- the suggestion being that the samples contained shared DNA, an obvious impossibility.

Under IAAF rules, athletes have up to 14 days to request a hearing from their national federation.  "These rule violations were established following the deliberate storage of samples by the IAAF and reanalysis using comparative DNA techniques, and were the result of a specific investigation which was instigated and carried out by the IAAF for more than a year," the IAAF said in a statement.

Full details were not immediately available. The head of the Russian track and field federation, Valentin Balakhnichev, told the Agence France Press wire service that the IAAF action was prompted by what he called "the convergence of DNA in the samples that were given by the athletes for dope testing last year," adding, "This IAAF decision dashes our athletes' hopes to perform at Beijing."

Soboleva, who maintained she is innocent, said she has no choice to accept this ruling. "I have been informed about this today," she told the Russian newspaper Sport-Express. "I categorically do not accept the decision because there is absolutely no reason to consider us guilty. Naturally, I shall fight. However, because this is the national team and the Olympics, I am forced to obey this decision."

Soboleva later appeared on state-run television and remained indignant. "The accusations are curious," Soboleva said. "It's the first ever such case. I think it's a predestined action. The time was carefully chosen -- we practically could do nothing -- neither file an appeal nor look into the case. We are simply put aside and our hands are tied." The others named Thursday by the IAAF: 800m runner Svetlana Cherkasova; two more 1500m standouts, Yulia Fomenko and Tatyana Tomashova; hammer thrower Gulfiya Khanafeyeva; discus thrower Darya Pishchalnikova; and Olga Yegorova, who runs both the 1500m and 5000m.

Fomenko was second to Soboleva when she set the world record of 3 minutes, 57.71 seconds on March 9 in Valencia, Spain, breaking her previous mark of 3:58.05.  Tomashova won world titles at the 2003 and '05 championships, and Yegorova won silver in the 1,500 at the 2005 Helsinki worlds and gold in 3,000 at the 2001 indoor worlds. Pishchalnikova won the silver medal in the discus at the 2007 worlds and gold at the 2006 European championships, and Khanafeyeva won silver in the hammer throw at the 2006 Europeans and was the 2008 world leader in the event.

Both Yegorova and Khanafeyeva have been embroiled in doping scandals before.  Yegorova tested positive for EPO in 2001, but the result was thrown out because the French lab conducting the test did not follow the proper procedure. Khanafeyeva tested positive for an unspecified stimulant at the World Military Games in India in 2007, but the case was later dismissed.

Russian officials were displeased with the timing of the track body's announcement. "The IAAF could do nothing better ahead of the games in Beijing,"  Balakhnichev said. "It's not a civilized approach."

"This is all about the clear favorites," Russian Olympic Committee anti-doping chief Nikolay Durmanov added. "There are many questions. The first is: What in fact happened? There will be a special inquiry. A less important question but a more pertinent one is: Why is the issue of last year's tests emerging just a week ahead of the games? Couldn't this question have been discussed with us in May, June or March?" IAAF spokesman Nick Davis said that the sport's governing body will go to whatever lengths necessary to keep track and field clean.

"This shows we are willing to do anything to stop doping," he said. "The IAAF is ready to take on an investigative approach on these issues if it needs to."

--The Associated Press Contributed to this report. 

3

What about Track & Field / Re: Should There Be A Drug Free and And A Drug Circuit in Track And Field?

« on: July 30, 2008, 07:39:05 PM »

I seriously doubt anybody will want to watch athletes they know are drugged up race.  I also doubt whether there'll be any sponsorship for these meets... so no prize money... no race.


So much for that idea.

You really think that no one will want to sponsor or watch that?   We watched it before we just did not know who was clean or not.  Look at when Ben Johnson beat Carl Lewis in the 1988 Olympics, it was watched with anticipation, only to find out about Ben later. There is a drug free and drug body building competeition with both having many sponsors.

4

What about Track & Field / Should There Be A Drug Free and And A Drug Circuit in Track And Field?

« on: July 30, 2008, 05:36:18 PM »

With all the drugs in T&F, should there be two separate circuits in Track and Field?  On one circuit called the drug circuit where you can use any drugs you want without any drug testing.  On the other circuit is the drug free circuit where drug testing is rampant and once you tested positive for any banned substance, you are kicked out permanently from the drug free circuit but you can join the drug circuit.  I understand the expenses involved in the drug free circuit with  the cost of all the testing, but maybe that might help with the eradication of drugs in T&F.  Sometimes it all about who has the best chemist to keep athletes ahead of the system.

5

What about Track & Field / Re: Men's 100 metre Final & 4 X 100 metre relay Final in Beijing 2008 RESULTS

« on: July 28, 2008, 07:55:35 PM »

MEN's 100 METRE FINAL

GOLD - Tyson Gay - USA

SILVER - ? - Trinidad & Tobago

BRONZE - ? - Jamaica


4 x 100 relay MEN's FINAL

GOLD - USA

SILVER - Trinidad & Tobago

BRONZE - Great Britain

"'onorable mention.....Dropped Baton - Jamaica 


Remember...u read it here first folks.   

Gold - Usain Bolt

Silver -Tyson Gay

Bronze - Asafa Powell

4x100

Gold - Jamaica

Silver -USA

Bronze - T&T

Ato believes Bolt will clean up in Beijing
 

Monday, July 28, 2008
 


MIAMI, Florida (CMC) - Trinidad and Tobago's four-time Olympic Games medal winner Ato Boldon tips Jamaican sprint sensation Usain Bolt to clean up the sprints at the Beijing Games next month.

Boldon, a world renowned retired sprinter, who is now a track and field television broadcast analyst for CBS and NBC Sports, said he is confident Bolt will win the sprint double - should he line up in both events - in addition to the gold he picks Jamaica to win in the men's sprint relay.

 
Jamaica's Usain Bolt breeses by American Wallace Spearman on the curve during the Aviva London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace on Sunday. Bolt won the 200 metres in 19.76 seconds. (Photo: AP) 

"I would go on record now and pick Bolt for three golds in Beijing (100m, 200m 4x100m) because I have thought so for some time," Boldon said in his regular column for Greek website HellenicAthletes.

While Boldon believes a fit Tyson Gay and the rocket starting Asafa Powell will post some problems for Bolt in the 100 metres, the Trinidadian has no doubt the 100-metre world record holder will run untested in the 200 metres.

"With no Tyson in sight, I don't think this race is going to even be that close in Beijing," the former world 200-metre champion said.
"Bolt has run 9.72 and 9.76 for 100m this year, and 19.67 and 19.76.

"No one else is even really close to his 200 - Walter Dix the US champion is next with 19.86 - and he did it with a 1.7 wind aiding him at the USA Trials.

"Bolt's top two 200 times in his life, both done this year are into slight headwinds! Scary," Boldon added.

Dix came back from injuries to defend his 200-metre NCAA title and then upstaged his seniors at the American championships to prove that he too can run with the big boys.

However, while admitting to the talent Dix has to trouble Bolt in the half lap, Boldon pointed out that running the double might lessen the American chances in the long run.

"I think [Dix] is good enough of a competitor to be a concern to Bolt (not to mention his 19.69 PR), except that (he) is also doubling back from the 100-metre rounds in Beijing," the Trinidadian said.

Donald Quarrie, the Olympic champion over 200 metres at the 1976 Montreal Games, is Jamaica's only Olympic male 200-metre champion, but Boldon is optimistic about number two and keeping his fingers crossed for "numero uno" in the 100m.

"For now, it appears sure that Jamaica gets gold two at 200m," he continued. "The bigger question is - will they get Olympic 100-metre gold?"

6

Football / Re: TT look gift horse in the mouth

« on: July 28, 2008, 05:52:17 PM »

USA ghetto ^

Sorry Elan but that term is not and has never been associated with Ghetto youths. Is used in a derogatory form to show blind,unthinking followers. In politics you have the Clinton and Bush Cool-aid drinkers. People who would vote republican or demaocrat regardless of the shit that the leader is doing. This is in reference to the followers of Jim Jones who knowingly drank the cool-aid laced with poison because their leader said to do it.

Sub1, thank 4 helping out meh pardner Elan.  Sub1, doh ler dem fellas ger u any of that cool-aid, u hear. 

7

Football / Re: The GOOD things Jack Warner has done for T&T Football

« on: July 28, 2008, 05:46:06 PM »

2. He has opened my eyes to the fact that money suckin vampires are people too

3. He does pay SLIM mortgage on time every month

4. He has um...uh,,well he um..........

Jack Austin Warner receives 2006 Republic Day Award

Jack Austin Warner, President of CONCACAF and Vice President of football’s world governing body FIFA was presented with the prestigious 2006 Republic Day Award from His Excellency Professor George Maxwell Richards at President House on Republic Day,September 24.
Warner , dubbed “Mr. Football” in Trinidad and Tobago, was named as the recipient of the award for long, outstanding and meritorious contribution to national development in the area of football.

Brazil, one of the world’s top football nations recognised the FIFA Vice President in 2005 while the Commonwealth Sports Foundation presented him with a lifetime award in 2001.Jack Warner also received Peru’s highest award in 2005 while Jamaica made him an honorary citizen in 1998 – the same year that the Reggae Boys made it to the World Cup Finals.

Warner, who is well known as a shrewd and tough administrator, was selected for the Republic Day Award not by just five or six people sitting on a committee but by a wide cross section of citizens.. Over 1000 people were asked to name a person they felt contributed the most to the Trinidad and Tobago Soca Warriors qualifying for the World Cup Finals in Germany and Warner came out on top.
People felt that Trinidad and Tobago head coach Leo Beenhacker along with Dwight York and members of the Soca Warriors deserved the award but none came close to Jack Warner’s popularity in the Republic Day Award Committee’ Poll.

He is considered a national hero by many Trinidad and Tobago citizens and for this reason they believe he should be appropriately honored for his long and meritorious service to Trinidad and Tobago’s football. Trinidad and Tobago’s Captain Dwight Yorke said: “It was on Jack’s shoulders that we made it to the World Cup Finals. Without him,” added Yorke, “it would never have been possible.”
Jack Warner has helped his country outside the football arena. Many still remember that when the youthful Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliam was desperately seeking a sponsor for the trip to the international pageant in Hawaii, Warner quietly purchased a first class ticket for her. That he is always wiling to lend a helping hand to the youth stems from Warner's own struggles growing up in Rio Claro and Longdenville, Chaguanas.

Indeed, his own ascendancy from “Zero to Hero” was not an easy climb for the FIFA Vice President who once cut cane in Central Trinidad to help out at home. "We were poor, very poor. I used to cut cane, look after pigs, and walk six miles to and from school. Those were tough times," recalls the Presentation College, Chaguanas graduate who is today an astute and successful businessman.

Warner is a graduate of the University of the West Indies in history and sociology and served as a teacher in Trinidad for 23 years. He also served at one time as a Special Reserve Police (SRP).

Even though he was not awarded a national medal by the present government befitting his contribution, Jack Austin Warner, deputy political leader of the main opposition party in the country, stated that he felt vindicated by the Republic Day Award which he received from the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Professor George Maxwell Richards.

The Republic Day Award is given to a great national achiever and is in keeping with Trinidad and Tobago’s status as a Republic.

Other recipients of the Award:
Roman Catholic Archbishop His Grace Anthony Pantin, Former Governor-General and President Sir Ellis Clarke, Educator Dr.Anna Mahase, Servol Chairman Fr.Gerard Pantin, Former President and First Lady, Justice Noor M. Hassanali and Mrs. Zalayhar Hassanali, Catholic News Editor Fr.Michel de Verteuil, West Indies Fast Bowler Courtney Walsh, President ANR. Robinson.

I rest my case.

8

Football / Re: The GOOD things Jack Warner has done for T&T Football

« on: July 28, 2008, 05:31:38 PM »

2. He has opened my eyes to the fact that money suckin vampires are people too

3. He does pay SLIM mortgage on time every month

4. He has um...uh,,well he um..........

Dirty ah like your number2 pardner.

9

Football / Re: TT look gift horse in the mouth

« on: July 28, 2008, 02:30:03 PM »

Lemme help alyuh out on SLIM Kool Aid Drinking!!
We must all understand when posts are made so as not to infer nuttin 








1.    drink the kool-aid    
   
A reference to the 1978 cult mass-suicide in Jonestown, Guyana. Jim Jones, the leader of the group, convinced his followers to move to Jonestown. Late in the year he then ordered his flock to commit suicide by drinking grape-flavored Kool-Aid laced with potassium cyanide. In what is now commonly called "the Jonestown Massacre", 913 of the 1100 Jonestown residents drank the Kool-Aid and died.

One lasting legacy of the Jonestown tragedy is the saying, “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.” This has come to mean, "Don’t trust any group you find to be a little on the kooky side." or "Whatever they tell you, don't believe it too strongly".

The phrase can also be used in the opposite sense to indicate that one has embraced a particular philosophy or perspective.
Alice: Hey, did you hear that Joe is working on the Nader campaign?
Bob: Yeah, he really drank the Kool-Aid on that one.

Chris: I'm thinking about attending a PETA rally
Donna: Whatever you do, don't drink the Kool-Aid!

2.    drink the kool-aid    

   
To completely buy into an idea or system, whether good or bad.
Coach Bellichick got his players to drink the kool-aid.

   
Going along with what a crowd desires. Often used when a person changes positions on a topic.
Dave got a haircut and a new suit. Looks like his company is making him drink the kool-aid

Touches, tanks 4 d help pardner cause alot a dem need help, buh da is war ah like bout d forum, we does try to help those less fortunate  ( ah no u want me to call she name, buh as i say before I in calling no names eh pardner).

SLIM seriously, you never hear black ghetto youth referred to as "cool aid drinkers" meaning uneducated, poor, black ghetto living?

Most everyone know of the Jonestown episode, but the first thing that came to mind was the black ghetto youth reference cause that is "pop culture".

But say what...it's all good. 

Ah sorry pardner, I go grow up in Laventee and r never hear that and I am very serious about that.  I never hear my friends from Nelson street use that term either.  Which ghetto u talking about?  Is it a Trinidad Ghetto or USA ghetto?

10

Football / Re: TT look gift horse in the mouth

« on: July 28, 2008, 01:02:50 PM »

Lemme help alyuh out on SLIM Kool Aid Drinking!!
We must all understand when posts are made so as not to infer nuttin 








1.    drink the kool-aid    
   
A reference to the 1978 cult mass-suicide in Jonestown, Guyana. Jim Jones, the leader of the group, convinced his followers to move to Jonestown. Late in the year he then ordered his flock to commit suicide by drinking grape-flavored Kool-Aid laced with potassium cyanide. In what is now commonly called "the Jonestown Massacre", 913 of the 1100 Jonestown residents drank the Kool-Aid and died.

One lasting legacy of the Jonestown tragedy is the saying, “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.” This has come to mean, "Don’t trust any group you find to be a little on the kooky side." or "Whatever they tell you, don't believe it too strongly".

The phrase can also be used in the opposite sense to indicate that one has embraced a particular philosophy or perspective.
Alice: Hey, did you hear that Joe is working on the Nader campaign?
Bob: Yeah, he really drank the Kool-Aid on that one.

Chris: I'm thinking about attending a PETA rally
Donna: Whatever you do, don't drink the Kool-Aid!

2.    drink the kool-aid    

   
To completely buy into an idea or system, whether good or bad.
Coach Bellichick got his players to drink the kool-aid.

   
Going along with what a crowd desires. Often used when a person changes positions on a topic.
Dave got a haircut and a new suit. Looks like his company is making him drink the kool-aid

Touches, tanks 4 d help pardner cause alot a dem need help, buh da is war ah like bout d forum, we does try to help those less fortunate  ( ah no u want me to call she name, buh as i say before I in calling no names eh pardner).

11

Football / Re: TT look gift horse in the mouth

« on: July 28, 2008, 11:24:23 AM »

Dis forum is de bestest oui, ah have tears in mih eye

Look Slimmy makin people go to WAR over kool-aid




slimmy..whey mih 9 teams yuh supposed to fact name fuh mih?   better yet whey diamondslim he abandon yuh?

Dirty pardner, since ah cum in here ah take meh lisks lake ah man, u no deh call me all kind ah name, and ah even tell yuh ah like d slimmy name u give me, but many ah dem want 2 cum in d kitchen but dey kar take d fire ah breding on dem.  Wen d see they kar take d lisk r sharing out d trying any kind of low down means necessary.  Ah har 2 tell ah must be ah real boss pardner wen dey want to petition to remove slimmy   from d froum when some country bookie (ah in calling she name) don't know what Cool-aid drinking means and u expect dar person to have an informed opinion.  So u see, some ah d cool -aid drinking bashers (ah put she in dey now) Kar deal with Slimmy so do trying all kind r odder means. 
Doh worry, meh pardner diamondslim mus be on vacation and r sure when he come u go see he post again.  He go sen u de odder 9 teams 2.

12

Football / Re: TT look gift horse in the mouth

« on: July 28, 2008, 07:38:08 AM »

Now I could be wrong, but the "cool-aid drinking" is in reference to poor ghetto blacks, which in turn suggests you are referencing people of limited intelligence and inability to understand. If that is the case you need to watch it. I am the last person you should be trying that insult on. I am not in England because I "married a passport" or won some dodgy green card lottery. As we say "check yuhself!"

Now, unless you want me to start a petition to get your ass banned from this site, I suggest you stick to the topics and stop trying to rouse up trouble for your own personal amusement. Better yet, go get a job or a hobby or a woman or even a man if that tickles your fancy, and stay off our site!

    I second dah one Reds

Well, red trini girl, meh mudda always tell be 2 be nice 2 ladies so ah go be nice 2 u.   Although ah feel u is ah country bookie, ah coud start ah petition fuh u if u want to start one.  War u want meh 2 do?  put meh tail between meh leg because u talking about petition and then u tell me to stick 2 d topic but u making this type of statement.  Better yet, go get a job or a hobby or a woman or even a man if that tickles your fancy, and stay off our site! Buh as u say ah go stick 2 d topic and not get side track by u chopidness.

Now I could be wrong, but the "cool-aid drinking" is in reference to poor ghetto blacks, which in turn suggests you are referencing people of limited intelligence and inability to understand. U see more dottishniss.  U see red Trini, Ah from one of d poorest part of T&T (Laventee), although u do no way dat is but is up by way Desparadoes ban is.  Ah going off d topic now.  U ever been up there?  In laventee, we use to drink more than cool-aid, we drink mauby, sorrel, soursop etc.  So go back and more facts about my description and if the shoe fit to all the cool-aid drinking JW bashers so be it. Ler me know when u go start d petition.  U forget America is a free country or what? Just to help u a little, if u doh like meh post then just do read it and doh respond 2 me, then u in go have nutin 2 worry about.

I am not in England because I "married a passport" or won some dodgy green card lottery. As we say "check yuhself!"  I in understand da one nah.  U trying 2 insult meh day or what?  Girl, stick 2 d topic nah.  Ah not in England doh and ah was never in the green card lottery.  Red trini, ah feel u no me in no.

13

Football / Re: TT look gift horse in the mouth

« on: July 27, 2008, 08:38:59 PM »

Slim wow... just wow

Peter O'Connor was TTFA president in de late 80's when Jack Warner was the secretary.

He is a known associate and backer of Warner for years. Where have you been?

And in de case of the stadiums... as has been posted multiple times:

The stadia have been rented for free or at a pittance for umpteen years. In an effort to bring some level of professionalism to the running of the stadia. A new contract was put forth... The new terms were not particular onerous nor outrageous.
In fact from some perspectives it hasn't really changed.

Jack Warner decide to pick up his ball and stomp off home.. He ent paying the gov't one cent. Well the TTFF is a private organization and that is within their rights....

but do not come now and blame de gov't because you don't want to pay de price..

the money is going to the running of the stadiums and the ppl of Trinidad. Not into the coffers of the TTFF who invariably declare a "loss" on every game regardless of the gates... ah wonder how come?
Especially since Jack does claim he pay for everything.. how come de TTF does declare a loss? If dey have no expenses thanks to Jack?

 U C d madness.  Jack is UNC and the Gov't is PNM and u can c d reason the Govt acting d way d acting.  Wow FF........Just Wow.

14

Football / Re: TT look gift horse in the mouth

« on: July 27, 2008, 07:55:17 PM »

TT look gift horse in the mouth
By PETER O’CONNOR (Trinidad Newsday)

Sunday, July 27 2008

EARLY in 2005, Jack Warner summoned the team known as LOC Journey to Germany to a meeting. However, the meeting had nothing to do with the organising of the qualifying matches for Germany, starting that Ash Wednesday and running through November.

Mr Warner informed the meeting that no Caribbean team had qualified for the FIFA U-17 championships scheduled for Peru later that year. Also, no Caribbean team had qualified for the FIFA U-20 Championships, and no Caribbean teams had qualified for several years. Caribbean teams would win the CFU legs of Youth qualifiers, and then perform poorly when they went out against the Central and North Americans.

The solution to this weakness, he suggested, lay in the staging of a “developmental” Caribbean Tournament, with players Under-15 playing the first year, and the same countries bringing their now U-16s to the second year.

This would give the Caribbean Countries a two-year competitive development programme before they faced the teams of Central and North America. Further, to show the teams the standard required, “guest teams” from North and Central America would be invited to participate. In the third year, the competition would revert to U-15s, and these boys would return as U-16s in the fourth year.

This year is the fourth year, and our U-15s of last year will be testing their Caribbean compatriots for places in the CONCACAF Qualifiers.

When might one expect some measure of success in a programme such as this? And how would one measure that success? Well, following the 2006 Tournament, with each team having two years of developmental competition, two Caribbean teams — Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago — competed against the best of CONCACAF and qualified for the FIFA U-17 Championships in South Korea. Might that be considered a measure of success?

Today, the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 tournament concludes at the Marvin Lee Stadium. Three regional teams will qualify for the inaugural FIFA U-17 Championships for Women, being held in New Zealand in October. Trinidad and Tobago girls were eliminated in the first round, losing only to the impressive USA. Earlier this year our U-20 girls were eliminated in that tournament in Mexico — however, their performances showed an ongoing improvement over our earlier attempts to qualify.

As usual, USA, Canada and Mexico dominate the women’s football in all age categories. Do the Caribbean girls also need a development programme?

This week, starting on Thursday, and continuing until August 10, the fourth edition of the Caribbean Youth Cup takes place at venues throughout Trinidad and Tobago, for boys Under 17. Twenty one teams are participating, the top three going on to the CONCACAF U-17 Qualification. Most of the boys were here in 2007, as Under-15s, and should build upon that experience this year.

However, this year’s edition also includes the girls. Eight Caribbean teams, of girls Under 15, are here to test themselves and each other. They will be back here next year, as Under-16s hoping to build upon their experience and challenge the USA, Canada and Mexico for places in the FIFA 2010 Under-17 Women’s Championships.

There is a possibility that the 2010 FIFA Championships will be held in Trinidad and Tobago, but that is another story. This story is about 29 teams of young footballers from all over the Caribbean, playing a tournament in our country.

It is about people — children —from the English, Spanish, French, Dutch and American Caribbean, bringing their culture and their sporting talent to mix with each other here in our land. It is about 21 small hotels and guest houses accommodating over 700 young persons and their coaches, managers, chaperones etc.

Incidentally, the girls’ teams will not be in the same hotels as the boys.

Should we not be opening our country, our stadiums, and our hearts to all these young Caribbean people? Well, our hearts yes, our country hopefully, but all of our state-owned stadiums are closed to this wonderful opportunity.

So what do we tell all these fine young people, and their coaches, many of whom played here last year in our stadia across the country? Why are they now being asked to play on schools and other grounds across the country?

While these grounds do have good playing surfaces (the fields are better cared for than the government owned stadia), the changing and spectator facilities are in many cases, inadequate.

But the children — from Bermuda to Suriname — will not complain. They are here to prove themselves. Still, it is too sad that our government has closed all the stadia to them and to this development programme.

I could be wrong, but isn't this JW's pal O'Connor? If that's the case, please fack off and go run for elections if yuh wanna get involved in political nonsense. Steups!

Pay de damn money for the rental of the stadium dat de gov't STILL PAYING BACK DE LOANS FOR, dat yuh pardna JW run bobol to get built, then come and talk bout youth development.

U see, another cool-aid drinking JW basher looking for all kind of excuse.  But d excuses get better and better.  Now d writer of the article is JW pardner, so JW set up Oconnor to write dis article.  What next my friends?

15

Football / Re: TT look gift horse in the mouth

« on: July 27, 2008, 07:42:31 PM »

TT look gift horse in the mouth
By PETER O’CONNOR (Trinidad Newsday)

Sunday, July 27 2008

EARLY in 2005, Jack Warner summoned the team known as LOC Journey to Germany to a meeting. However, the meeting had nothing to do with the organising of the qualifying matches for Germany, starting that Ash Wednesday and running through November.

Mr Warner informed the meeting that no Caribbean team had qualified for the FIFA U-17 championships scheduled for Peru later that year. Also, no Caribbean team had qualified for the FIFA U-20 Championships, and no Caribbean teams had qualified for several years. Caribbean teams would win the CFU legs of Youth qualifiers, and then perform poorly when they went out against the Central and North Americans.

The solution to this weakness, he suggested, lay in the staging of a “developmental” Caribbean Tournament, with players Under-15 playing the first year, and the same countries bringing their now U-16s to the second year.

This would give the Caribbean Countries a two-year competitive development programme before they faced the teams of Central and North America. Further, to show the teams the standard required, “guest teams” from North and Central America would be invited to participate. In the third year, the competition would revert to U-15s, and these boys would return as U-16s in the fourth year.

This year is the fourth year, and our U-15s of last year will be testing their Caribbean compatriots for places in the CONCACAF Qualifiers.

When might one expect some measure of success in a programme such as this? And how would one measure that success? Well, following the 2006 Tournament, with each team having two years of developmental competition, two Caribbean teams — Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago — competed against the best of CONCACAF and qualified for the FIFA U-17 Championships in South Korea. Might that be considered a measure of success?

Today, the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 tournament concludes at the Marvin Lee Stadium. Three regional teams will qualify for the inaugural FIFA U-17 Championships for Women, being held in New Zealand in October. Trinidad and Tobago girls were eliminated in the first round, losing only to the impressive USA. Earlier this year our U-20 girls were eliminated in that tournament in Mexico — however, their performances showed an ongoing improvement over our earlier attempts to qualify.

As usual, USA, Canada and Mexico dominate the women’s football in all age categories. Do the Caribbean girls also need a development programme?

This week, starting on Thursday, and continuing until August 10, the fourth edition of the Caribbean Youth Cup takes place at venues throughout Trinidad and Tobago, for boys Under 17. Twenty one teams are participating, the top three going on to the CONCACAF U-17 Qualification. Most of the boys were here in 2007, as Under-15s, and should build upon that experience this year.

However, this year’s edition also includes the girls. Eight Caribbean teams, of girls Under 15, are here to test themselves and each other. They will be back here next year, as Under-16s hoping to build upon their experience and challenge the USA, Canada and Mexico for places in the FIFA 2010 Under-17 Women’s Championships.

There is a possibility that the 2010 FIFA Championships will be held in Trinidad and Tobago, but that is another story. This story is about 29 teams of young footballers from all over the Caribbean, playing a tournament in our country.

It is about people — children —from the English, Spanish, French, Dutch and American Caribbean, bringing their culture and their sporting talent to mix with each other here in our land. It is about 21 small hotels and guest houses accommodating over 700 young persons and their coaches, managers, chaperones etc.

Incidentally, the girls’ teams will not be in the same hotels as the boys.

Should we not be opening our country, our stadiums, and our hearts to all these young Caribbean people? Well, our hearts yes, our country hopefully, but all of our state-owned stadiums are closed to this wonderful opportunity.

So what do we tell all these fine young people, and their coaches, many of whom played here last year in our stadia across the country? Why are they now being asked to play on schools and other grounds across the country?

While these grounds do have good playing surfaces (the fields are better cared for than the government owned stadia), the changing and spectator facilities are in many cases, inadequate.

But the children — from Bermuda to Suriname — will not complain. They are here to prove themselves. Still, it is too sad that our government has closed all the stadia to them and to this development programme.

So E-Man, what all d JW bashers har to say about this?  Watch, they go ger eveyone else credit but JW, wait 4 dem to start posting.  If was something bad, well da is another story.

16

Football / Re: HAS LINCOLN PHILLIPS BEEN GOOD FOR FOOTABLL IN T&T ?

« on: July 27, 2008, 06:50:33 PM »

Since Lincoln Phillips has been appointed the Technical Director of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation in 2004 is T&T Football better today, worse than before or the same?  It has been more than four years since LP has been appointed to his position.  We made it to the to the 2006  WC in Germany, our U17 men's team made it to the U17 WC.   There have been some failures like no men's Olympics or U20, no women's Olympic and others.  I consider the U17 Soca Princesses performance a positive even though I question why a foreign National Coach did not get Randy Waldrum's position which we are sure was recommended by LP.  However, I think the jury is still out on LP but I am disappointed that LP has not tapped into the many outstanding  foreign based Trinidadians coaches that he himself worked with in the past while he lived and coached in the  USA.

Slim, you question why a foreign National Coach did not get Randy Waldrum's position. Do you mean a foreign based T&T coach? If so, who do you think deserves de position?

Do you mean a foreign based T&T coach?   Yes. If so, who do you think deserves de position? Because they are more than qualified and can do the same or better job than Waldrum.  They must be given the opportunity.  That's the only way you can find out how good they are.  Why do we believe foreign non T&T coaches are better than foreign T&T coaches?

Who do you think deserves de position? A foreign based T&T coach, Yes!, but is there anyone you have in mind?

These two guys were suggested by ELAN Fellas I am not taking credit for this suggestion.  Based on my research these two coaches will be outstanding and a good place to start.

17

Football / Re: HAS LINCOLN PHILLIPS BEEN GOOD FOR FOOTABLL IN T&T ?

« on: July 27, 2008, 06:39:17 PM »

This question is a tough one as the fans are not priviledged to know what is going on at the TTFF.  The National set up is not one that allow access to the various teams and what's happening. All we know is mainly what they tell Fuentes to write.

I think the precursor to this question should be;
What is LP true position in the TTFF?
In whatever position he fill, are proper resources made available to him to complete his job effective
After we answer these question then we can move on to your question posted in this thread.

So you are saying the technical director of football in T&T is not his true position or he has another position that you don't know about?

I believe that JW had restructured the Post and LP was put in charge of GKs and the Youth set up or something like that.

As of April 30, 2008 he was still TD, did his position change since then?

MAPLE CELEBRATES 90TH ANNIVERSARY THIS SUNDAY (Latest News/Latest News) 
...T&T’s first World Cup squad. Also included in that World Cup side were Maplenites, goalkeeper Lincoln “Tiger” Phillips (now Technical Director of football in T&T), midfiel … 
30 Apr, 2008

Ah tort yuh was seriously misinformed all along, now you seem like yuh carrying water for JW. Put in yuh resume for when Fuentes is no longer of use to him

Ah figger u talking about me in no.  When ah say about JW short comings none r allyuh doe say nutin, but when ah say something positvie about JW all dem fellas does jump on meh back.  Ah no if ah ger Fuentes job at least I will be well paid.

18

Football / Re: Can Jack Warner redeem himself?

« on: July 27, 2008, 12:10:56 PM »

Yes JW can redeem himself. All he has to do is make more positive movements with our football program by either 1) walking away from the TTFF and allowing competent people to take charge and make decisions in the best interest of our game, or 2) Play his part as a special adivor by giving proper, positive ideas and opportunities for our football to move on. By letting go of the purse and the purse string will do well as a show of good faith to the fans that he (JW) is moving in a new direction.

Now don't get me wrong, people may take a long time to acknowledge him turning a new branch, but he will have to accept this as people will rightfully be weary of his dealings. However, if he want to grow as a person then he have to slay the dragons he bred himself.

I doh understand what JW have to redeem himself from?  What from being successful with T&T football?   Would we be better of without JW today?

You really take in what you type? That statement alone prove what everyone been saying.

Which statement Elan? This one:Would we be better of without JW today?

This statement
What from being successful with T&T football?

So he has been a big failure huh?

Exactly he has been a not success not T&T football, thanks for pointing that out.

Well my friend Elan there are many of us with good eyesight who really cannot see, but even Stevie Wonder sees the success JW has with T&T football.  I have never said there have not been any misgivings by JW, but for me the positives out weighs his short comings.

How can the positives out weigh the negative? Even you typing it correctly, JW has been successful because he use T&T football to get where he is. Now tell me where is T&T football compared to JW status?

 

How can the positives out weigh the negative? Even you typing it correctly, JW has been successful because he use T&T football to get where he is. Now tell me where is T&T football compared to JW status?  T&T made it to the 2006 WC for the first time.  What do u call that a failure? Isn't  of one of the major goals of all football countries to make it to the WC and T&T did that for the first time in 2006? If we are going to blame the head for failures shouldn't we also congratulate him for the successes?

19

Football / Re: HAS LINCOLN PHILLIPS BEEN GOOD FOR FOOTABLL IN T&T ?

« on: July 27, 2008, 12:00:37 PM »

This question is a tough one as the fans are not priviledged to know what is going on at the TTFF.  The National set up is not one that allow access to the various teams and what's happening. All we know is mainly what they tell Fuentes to write.

I think the precursor to this question should be;
What is LP true position in the TTFF?
In whatever position he fill, are proper resources made available to him to complete his job effective
After we answer these question then we can move on to your question posted in this thread.

So you are saying the technical director of football in T&T is not his true position or he has another position that you don't know about?

I believe that JW had restructured the Post and LP was put in charge of GKs and the Youth set up or something like that.

As of April 30, 2008 he was still TD, did his position change since then?

MAPLE CELEBRATES 90TH ANNIVERSARY THIS SUNDAY (Latest News/Latest News) 
...T&T’s first World Cup squad. Also included in that World Cup side were Maplenites, goalkeeper Lincoln “Tiger” Phillips (now Technical Director of football in T&T), midfiel … 
30 Apr, 2008

20

Football / Re: Can Jack Warner redeem himself?

« on: July 27, 2008, 11:31:40 AM »

Yes JW can redeem himself. All he has to do is make more positive movements with our football program by either 1) walking away from the TTFF and allowing competent people to take charge and make decisions in the best interest of our game, or 2) Play his part as a special adivor by giving proper, positive ideas and opportunities for our football to move on. By letting go of the purse and the purse string will do well as a show of good faith to the fans that he (JW) is moving in a new direction.

Now don't get me wrong, people may take a long time to acknowledge him turning a new branch, but he will have to accept this as people will rightfully be weary of his dealings. However, if he want to grow as a person then he have to slay the dragons he bred himself.

I doh understand what JW have to redeem himself from?  What from being successful with T&T football?   Would we be better of without JW today?

You really take in what you type? That statement alone prove what everyone been saying.

Which statement Elan? This one:Would we be better of without JW today?

This statement
What from being successful with T&T football?

So he has been a big failure huh?

Exactly he has been a not success not T&T football, thanks for pointing that out.

Well my friend Elan there are many of us with good eyesight who really cannot see, but even Stevie Wonder sees the success JW has with T&T football.  I have never said there have not been any misgivings by JW, but for me the positives out weighs his short comings.

21

Football / Re: HAS LINCOLN PHILLIPS BEEN GOOD FOR FOOTABLL IN T&T ?

« on: July 27, 2008, 11:27:09 AM »

Yo stop with the all cap titles.  Alyuh pulling a Birchill or what 

This man (SLIM) worst than TI and AB.Trini put together...

I am kind of slow my new found friend, who is TI and AB?

22

Football / Re: U-15 girls get ready for CFU youth cup.

« on: July 27, 2008, 11:24:39 AM »

Who is this Coach- Richard Hood ?

I guess he's local Coach from what I understand.  See attached below.

Under 15 Women's Team Staff
     
Manager- Jinelle James, has worked with the Women's Programme since 2005 AS Teams Administrator and Assistant Manager. Ex-National Player, Vice President of the Trinidad and Tobago Women's Football Association.

Head Coach- Richard Hood, first tenure within the National Teams Programme. Has been the Head Coach of Providence Girls High School and won Secondary School League Competition in 2007. Have always made it to the Final Four of this competition for the past ten years.

Assistant Coach - Kathy-Ann Nixon- Ex National player.  Skipper of the Team in 2004. Assistant Coach of the Women's Team at Joe Public FC since 2005.

Goalkeeping Coach- - Glenno Focette Goalkeeper Coach at Police Sports Club and Superstar Rangers since 1996. Goalkeeper Coach of Boys U-15 National Team in CFU Tournament 2007 and presently coaches  Fatima College.

 Physio /Trainer - Chris Bailey Presently working with Club Sando as Physio/ Trainer. Trainer of the Police Professional Team. Coach of Police Reserve League Team. Coach Fyzabad Composite (2004 Intercol Champions). Coach Petrotrin Fyzabad  United (SFA 1999-2002).

 
Equipment Manager - Claire George Competitions Secretary, Trinidad and Tobago Women's Football Association, Secretary/ Treasurer- Central United Women's Team.

 

23

Football / Re: HAS LINCOLN PHILLIPS BEEN GOOD FOR FOOTABLL IN T&T ?

« on: July 27, 2008, 11:13:47 AM »

This question is a tough one as the fans are not priviledged to know what is going on at the TTFF.  The National set up is not one that allow access to the various teams and what's happening. All we know is mainly what they tell Fuentes to write.

I think the precursor to this question should be;
What is LP true position in the TTFF?
In whatever position he fill, are proper resources made available to him to complete his job effectively?

After we answer these question then we can move on to your question posted in this thread.

So you are saying the technical director of football in T&T is not his true position or he has another position that you don't know about?

24

Football / Re: Can Jack Warner redeem himself?

« on: July 27, 2008, 11:06:08 AM »

Yes JW can redeem himself. All he has to do is make more positive movements with our football program by either 1) walking away from the TTFF and allowing competent people to take charge and make decisions in the best interest of our game, or 2) Play his part as a special adivor by giving proper, positive ideas and opportunities for our football to move on. By letting go of the purse and the purse string will do well as a show of good faith to the fans that he (JW) is moving in a new direction.

Now don't get me wrong, people may take a long time to acknowledge him turning a new branch, but he will have to accept this as people will rightfully be weary of his dealings. However, if he want to grow as a person then he have to slay the dragons he bred himself.

I doh understand what JW have to redeem himself from?  What from being successful with T&T football?   Would we be better of without JW today?

You really take in what you type? That statement alone prove what everyone been saying.

Which statement Elan? This one:Would we be better of without JW today?

This statement
What from being successful with T&T football?

So he has been a big failure huh?

25

Football / Re: HAS LINCOLN PHILLIPS BEEN GOOD FOR FOOTABLL IN T&T ?

« on: July 26, 2008, 09:23:55 PM »

Do you mean a foreign based T&T coach? Yes. If so, who do you think deserves de position? Because they are more than qualified and can do the same or better job than Waldrum. They must be given the opportunity. That's the only way you can find out how good they are. Why do we believe foreign non T&T coaches are better than foreign T&T coaches?

ask Jack, he does the hiring and firing...Yuh know he muss be do it for the overall good of football, even if we cyah cyah see it...trust in him

Maxq, d man as meh ah question and ah answer he question.  How JW ger in dey?

26

Football / Re: Can Jack Warner redeem himself?

« on: July 26, 2008, 09:12:04 PM »

Slimmy, you still fertilizin fields with that propoganda article boss?

Dutty, I did not write d article in no.  War happen none of dem things is true?

27

Football / Re: HAS LINCOLN PHILLIPS BEEN GOOD FOR FOOTABLL IN T&T ?

« on: July 26, 2008, 08:53:29 PM »

Since Lincoln Phillips has been appointed the Technical Director of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation in 2004 is T&T Football better today, worse than before or the same?  It has been more than four years since LP has been appointed to his position.  We made it to the to the 2006  WC in Germany, our U17 men's team made it to the U17 WC.   There have been some failures like no men's Olympics or U20, no women's Olympic and others.  I consider the U17 Soca Princesses performance a positive even though I question why a foreign National Coach did not get Randy Waldrum's position which we are sure was recommended by LP.  However, I think the jury is still out on LP but I am disappointed that LP has not tapped into the many outstanding  foreign based Trinidadians coaches that he himself worked with in the past while he lived and coached in the  USA.

Slim, you question why a foreign National Coach did not get Randy Waldrum's position. Do you mean a foreign based T&T coach? If so, who do you think deserves de position?

Do you mean a foreign based T&T coach?   Yes. If so, who do you think deserves de position? Because they are more than qualified and can do the same or better job than Waldrum.  They must be given the opportunity.  That's the only way you can find out how good they are.  Why do we believe foreign non T&T coaches are better than foreign T&T coaches?

28

Football / Re: Can Jack Warner redeem himself?

« on: July 26, 2008, 08:48:24 PM »

Yes JW can redeem himself. All he has to do is make more positive movements with our football program by either 1) walking away from the TTFF and allowing competent people to take charge and make decisions in the best interest of our game, or 2) Play his part as a special adivor by giving proper, positive ideas and opportunities for our football to move on. By letting go of the purse and the purse string will do well as a show of good faith to the fans that he (JW) is moving in a new direction.

Now don't get me wrong, people may take a long time to acknowledge him turning a new branch, but he will have to accept this as people will rightfully be weary of his dealings. However, if he want to grow as a person then he have to slay the dragons he bred himself.

I doh understand what JW have to redeem himself from?  What from being successful with T&T football?   Would we be better of without JW today?

You really take in what you type? That statement alone prove what everyone been saying.

Which statement Elan? This one:Would we be better of without JW today?

THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT
 
FROM 'VILLAIN' TO GODFATHER, FIFA VICE-PRESIDENT, AUSTIN JACK WARNER TURNS MISFORTUNE INTO DOLLARS
 
By Camille Moreno
Business Guardian
January 13, 2000
Page 1
 
In the international football community, Austin "Jack" Warner is well known as a shrewd and tough administrator.
 
But for many others, particularly the players of the popular sport, Warner is a godfather who steps in and helps them out in their hour of need.
 
Such was the case last Friday when a footballer, fearful of losing his car which had been repossessed by a bank, caught up with Warner at the local Concacaf offices in Port of Spain.
 
It was by chance that the ever-busy football federation president turned up for work that day.  He had returned two nights earlier from Germany for a brief stopover before heading out on Monday to Brazil where the Fifa World Club Championships are being played Monday.
 
Preoccupied with last Saturday's friendly match between the senior national squad and Canada, as well as the launching of Carnival 2000 celebrations in his Arouca hometown the next day, Warner seemed a bit perplexed by the distressed young man's arrival at this offices.
 
Rather than wave him off with the excuse of a tight schedule, the 56 year-old Fifa vice-president ushered the contrite lad into his office and immediately got on the phone with the bankers.
 
"What would you have done if I weren't here?" chided Warner, sounding like a schoolteacher once again.
 
"Sorry sir, sorry sir!" replied the player, as if he were indeed a pupil in one of Warner's former classes.
 
And as quickly as he came in the grateful footballer was soon on his way out to the bank, hopefully to retrieve his car, after Warner arranged to a guarantee for his outstanding payments.
 
The gesture is an act, which the retired teacher of Polytechnic Institute, also known as Sixth Form Government Secondary, would perform for anyone once he had "the means to help".
 
That's why when Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliam was desperately seeking a sponsor for the trip to the international pageant in Hawaii, Warner quietly bought her a first class ticket.
 
Fitzwilliam, however, spilled the beans about his generosity.
 
"I have personally given away as much as $25,000 in a month once.  But I don't run here and there to pose for pictures of me making a donation.  It makes what I do seem less genuine," Warner admits cautiously.
 
That he is always wiling to lend a helping hand to youths stems from Warner's own struggles growing up in Rio Claro and Longdenville, Chaguanas.
 
Indeed, his own ascendancy to the millionaires club was not an easy climb for the Fifa executive who once cut cane in Central Trinidad to help out at home.
 
"We were poor, very poor.  I used to cut cane, look after pigs, and walk six miles to and from school.  Those were tough times," recalls the Presentation College, Chaguanas graduate.
 
The worn-out garb he wore in the fields is a far cry from the tailored three-piece suits Warner sports today.
 
Placing his personal worth in the $50 million range, the father of two is not shy about the "ultra-fantastic" paychecks he receives as Fifa vice-president, a position he assumed in 1997.
 
It, too, is a long way from his earnings as a teacher and general secretary of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA).
 
Ever ready to dip into his own pocket for the sake of football, Warner once mortgaged his Arouca home for $30,000 to bail out the former cash-strapped TTFA.
 
With such financial woes a thing of the past, Warner's current assets include the football club, Joe Public, the Scarlet Ibis hotel, real estate in Port of Spain, Westmoorings, St Augustine, Arouca and Salybia.  Also among his investments are a battery company in Costa Rica and "a few businesses" in the United States (US).
 
"I began buying properties across Trinidad from the salary and allowances I received from FIFA.  This made it easy for me to invest.  I have had one or two good fortunes."
 
Apart from a solid-gold letter opener, a gift from King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, Warner's most-prized fortune is Joe Public of which his wife Maureen and sons Daryan and Daryll are directors.
 
Ameer Edoo, executive chairman of WISE, the brokerage firm, and businessmen Peter Stone, Anand Persad and Curtis Forde round off the football club's board.
 
As owner of the only non-corporate sponsored team in the Professional Football League, Warner provides handsomely for his players, whose salaries range from $1,800 to $8,000 complete with insurance coverage and bonus benefits.
 
On the real estate front, the one-time president of the Caribbean Football Union (a position which gave him an automatic seat on the Fifa council prior to his vice-presidency) is currently remodeling the Scarlet Ibis hotel in St Augustine, which he bought in 1998 for $6 million.
 
Although he previously planned to use the 52-room structure to accommodate visiting football teams - a vision he also had for the controversial John John Towers for which he once made a $6 million bid - Warner has since decided to turn the hotel into an apartment block.
 
A multi-storey plaza is also being built next door on the hotel's car park, which the entrepreneur hopes to name "Shoppes of St Augustine".
 
In his adopted hometown of Arouca, Warner also owns and runs a small shopping mall, Kantac Plaza, and recently bought additional lands, which will be turned into a "Carnival City" for the eastern community's 2000 celebrations.
 
Warner's astute investments did not stop there.
 
Among the newest additions to Warner's real estate portfolio is a property in uptown Port of Spain, situated next door to his building on Edward Street, which he rents to Concacaf for its Trinidad offices.  He plans to share the additional space with the TTFA.
 
The list goes on and on and includes a local warehouse that he bought to store the gifts he had received from 129 countries.
 
Given his affluence, it seems Warner always had a flair for business.
 
But after more than 20 years as  a teacher (he retired from Polytechnic in 1993) and football administrator, Austin "Jack" Warner the businessman only came to the fore after the infamous Strike Squad November 19, 1989 loss in the World Cup qualifier against the US.
 
The defeat, which left Warner a broken man, turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
 
"When we lost I was vilified by the country.  I cried like a baby during that experience.  So that in April 1990 I thought I should leave the country because people outside were asking me to come and take over Concacaf.  It was then that Jack Warner, the businessman, began to emerge."
 
Pushed by Chuck Blazer, a New York accountant and businessman, Warner went up for the Concacaf presidency.
 
The hard-worn battle against Mexican, Joachim Terrazas, who ruled Concacaf for close to 30 years, was only the beginning of what turned out to be a bigger financial conflict for Warner.
 
"When I got into Concacaf, I met an organisation in Guatemala City that had been there for over 30 years and which was virtually bankrupt with a table, eight chairs and US $40,000."
 
But with Blazer at his side as Concacaf general secretary, Warner turned the struggling organisation into a US $4 million enterprise in just two years.
 
He did so by moving the football confederation to the financial capital of the world - New York.
 
There, Warner and his Concacaf team, courted some of the top US corporations, among them international soft drink giant, Coca Cola, American Airlines and Budweiser.
 
"I was able to sit in the boardrooms of these guys and talk one and one with them and so I was able to get certain benefits from them for Concacaf."
 
Drawing on his own diplomatic skills, hones in the classroom and in countless football meetings, Warner charmed leading US businessmen, among them real estate magnate Donald Trump, who gave Concacaf a ten-year-lease on an entire floor at Trump Towers in Manhattan.
 
The first year was free and as an added bonus Trump gave the football organisation the right to sublet.
 
That Fifa had named the US as the host country for the 1994 World Cup turned out to be just the extra luck Warner needed.
 
Indeed from as early as the 1986 World Cup, the Rio Claro-born native knew that football would burgeon into a worldwide billion-dollar industry.
 
"Fifa was able to raise over US $200 million from the two World Cups, (1986 and 1990).  I was then able to see that football and business are not enemies, that there is a kind of nexus between the two."
 
With that in mind, Warner capitalized on the 1994 World Cup fever in the US and struck up major sponsorship deals for Concacaf.
 
Today these include a multi-million dollar contract with US football marketers, Inter/Forever Sports which sponsors Concacaf tournaments - among them Copa Caribe - and the national football team.
 
The two partners have also hooked up to market the broadcast rights to the qualifying games for Concacaf countries leading up to World Cup 2002.
 
It is a deal like this, which helped to turn around the regional confederation's fortunes during the past ten years.
 
Today, Concacaf has over US $24 million in cash reserves, offices in Guatemala City, New York and Port of Spain and a staff of more than 40.
 
Indeed, Warner believes that eh local business fraternity continues to miss the boat when it comes to understanding the money-spinning potential of football.  And more importantly, they miss out on the chance to give back to the national community.
 
In the former respect, most companies are far behind international corporations, particularly those in the United States (US), which traditionally has not been known as a football, in their case soccer, country.
 
And even today, race and class remain an obstacle to the sport's development locally, affirms Warner.
 
"Football is still seen as a sport for the black, the destitute, the lower class.  It does not endear itself to the people who have money.  But the guys who have money fail to understand that they will be insecure as can be, if they fail to give a little help to the black kid on the block."
 
Past governments also did not escape Warner's criticism for their lack of vision when it comes to the development of football and sport in general.
 
The day former PNM sports minister Marilyn Gordon gave him $10,000 at the then National Stadium on the last leg of a 16-team tournament, stands out in Warner's mind as one of the low points in the history of local sport administration.
 
In light of his vision for the sport, though, Warner is perhaps his own best example of how football can translate into big business for players, corporate sponsors and a country.

29

Football / Re: U-15 girls get ready for CFU youth cup.

« on: July 26, 2008, 08:45:18 PM »

Is it an error the writer made or am i not understanding what he wrote,the U15 girls national team getting ready for the CFU youth cup and played two games against U12 boys teams to get them prepared,these people can't be serious.

You see, same short term goals and expecting positive results.  These girls have been in training for only three weeks (After three weeks of training, it was time to make a cut and the squad now had twenty-six girls which included four (4) players who were with U-17 Team. The girls would now be introduced to their first Team Camp.), so by the time the inaugural Caribbean Football Union Women’s Youth Cup which runs here from August 1-10 starts, they will be in training about six weeks.  It's time they change this type of preparations because its not going to work.

30

Football / Re: HAS LINCOLN PHILLIPS BEEN GOOD FOR FOOTABLL IN T&T ?

« on: July 26, 2008, 08:34:46 PM »

So this guy comes on the forum saying we shouldn't blame Jack but trying to blast Lincoln...

Ok then...

Where did I blast him?  I said the jury is still out but I am disappointed  about d foreign National coaches.