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Messages - PEG

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61
It's called professionalism, it's called showing respect for your hosts and its called representing your country in a classy manner.

62
And to think that people say that the English and others speak disparagingly about us.  It is for reasons like this.  Now I dont care one wit about the English what saddens me more is that apparently nobody sees anything wrong with showing up to greet mayor of city etc. and with worldwide press coverage with man in track suit.  You ever see anybody in the EPL do they interview post match in a track suit.  All Premiership teams have strict rules about a coat and tie and they representing a club.  Our team is representing a country and a region.  I would expect no less.

63
It is not the littlest thing.  We must be professional and when you are a national team you are representing the country.  The Windies for instance have the team in coat and tie when they are travelling.  It is an atrocious breach of protocol to have man get off plane in track suit.  Take a look at how the other teams arriving.  We must take ourselves seriously and live up to the highest standards if we are to command the respect of others.

64
TTFF and the managers of the team must take the blame for having our team show up in Germany in track suit.  We must have standards if we are to be taken seriously or take ourself seriously.  No way are the English or the Swedes or dare say the Paraguayans landing in Germany with track suit with cap on etc.  WE MUST HAVE STANDARDS.  GO WARRIORS!

65
Football / Re: Is Shaka now 3rd string?
« on: June 04, 2006, 08:14:09 PM »
Nah man, work and travel don't make for frequent posting but i still monitor the board frequently.  I leaving on Thur. and am catching our first 2 games and Czech v. USA.  Hope to see friends from the Board over there

66
Football / Is Shaka now 3rd string?
« on: June 04, 2006, 06:05:27 PM »
I see Ince was on the bench vs. the Czechs.  Does anyone know if this was a demotion for Shaka?

67
Football / Terry Fenwick badtalking us in the UK press
« on: June 03, 2006, 11:45:12 PM »
Terry Fenwick has been choosing his words carefully since Trinidad and Tobago became the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup finals.

The former England defender, who famously missed a tackle on Diego Maradona that led to the Argentinian's "goal of the century" at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, now manages one of the leading club sides in the tiny, twin-island state.

It makes him uniquely qualified to assess the prospects of the national team, the Soca Warriors, but it also gives him a tricky problem. The last thing he wants to do is to offend the country where he now lives.

"In Germany I can't see them being a threat to anyone, although I can't really say that here," he confided. "It's been rolling

off my tongue to the local media here that it will be England and Trinidad who will qualify for the later rounds, but I can't really see it happening if I'm honest. I mean, they're talking about bringing the World Cup home every day on the radio. It's unbelievable."

Fenwick, 46, will have to be mindful of local sensitivities when he travels to Germany to commentate for Trinidad television on the Soca Warriors' clash with England in Nuremberg on June 15. But, privately, he fears the worst. "Personally, I think it's a case of not embarrassing themselves in Germany," he said.

"I wouldn't want them to be battered, but I think England are capable of battering them. Everybody is also under-estimating Sweden. The one game where they feel they might be able to nick something is against Paraguay, but that is their last group game. Basically, the team qualified through the back door. They were the oldest squad in the CONCACAF region and they'll be one of the oldest squads at the World Cup.

"When you're relying on players like Russell Latapy, who's 38, and Dwight Yorke, who's 34, there are no great legs around the team and there's no energy. Leo Beenhakker has done a great job as coach in a short period of time but he has not brought a great deal of youth or athleticism into the side."

Fenwick, who is in his second spell as manager of San Juan Jabloteh in Trinidad and Tobago's Pro-League, has the unenviable distinction of holding the worst disciplinary record by an England player at the World Cup finals - three bookings in separate matches in 1986, the second of which earned a one-match suspension.

An incident last November shows he has not exactly mellowed, either. When his side conceded a goal against W Connection, scorer Gefferson Da Silva made the mistake of celebrating too close to the Jabloteh bench. He was felled by a Fenwick elbow, sparking a full-scale punch-up between both sets of players. Fenwick was initially banned from the touchline for 12 matches but the punishment was reduced to four games on appeal.

Fenwick, who played for Queens Park Rangers, Crystal Palace and Tottenham before switching to management at Portsmouth and then Northampton, is honest in his assessment of the standard of the domestic league. ''It's very poor," he said. "I think there are exceptions, but they don't have the structure here. Most of the better players find themselves looking for football scholarships in the States and the few who are really good end up in the UK, mainly in the lower leagues. But in my eyes they are not a threat to England at all."

Of Trinidad's 23-man squad, 15 ply their trade in Britain, though the team's outstanding player, Aurtis Whitley, is coached by Fenwick at Jabloteh.

Fenwick says Whitley, a skilful midfielder, is to the Soca Warriors what Brian Lara is to Trinidadian cricket, but he is concerned about his temperament.

"He's a top player but he's 27 with the mental attitude of a 17-year-old and I think the big occasion could be too much for him. In fact, I would say that about all of the local players. Aurtis went to Portsmouth two months ago and he was meant to be there for two weeks, but after three days he was on the phone to me wanting to come home."

Fenwick worries that, after so much pre-World Cup hype, the country could be facing a big let-down. "You turn the radio on and hear people saying that Trinidad and Tobago are going to win the World Cup," he said. "Whereas in England we would celebrate on the night of qualification and we might have a hangover the next morning, they haven't stopped partying since they qualified back in November.

"Even the carnival here, which is huge, is all of a sudden being linked with football and the carnival costumes have got footballs all over them. It's all gone really overboard."

 




68
Football / Re: Beenie the Boss & Corneal and the Aristocracy of Color
« on: April 13, 2006, 04:48:38 PM »
Truetrini,

Corneal was more anti-Jack than you back in the day.  He realised that if you cant beat them join them and Jack coopted (i.e bought) him with a lil wuk at FIFA.  That is why Corneal has not uttered one word on the ticket fiasco for example. 

69
Football / Re: Beenie the Boss & Corneal and the Aristocracy of Color
« on: April 13, 2006, 01:28:05 PM »
Moments like this make me appreciate this board.  Palos, thanks much for your reasoned and very incisive response.  Boss response.  This is a man who clearly understands the antecedent history of T&T with Maple et al.  People should take notes.  Agreeing where valid points are made and when disagreeing not ad hominem in his attacks.  The Maple connection is vital in that gave you an entree into certain segments of society.  Just as how now the mas bands cater to clearly distinct clients.  Harts for one set and Genesis for another.  And there is nothing wrong with this.  People should consort with whomever they choose.  The problem I have with Corneal is that he is viewed as an expert while he has been an abject failure at coaching.  I am however fair.  He has helped secure many a scholarship for players to have something behind they name as most would not have made it professionally.  That is why I have had a problem with some on this board with Jack.  Despite all the ratch, he has done many a positive thing for T&T and many individuals in T&T.  My problem with Corneal is he is extremely critical without the credentials and he is viewed as this guru.  Something that is not deserved given his poor record when put in charge of anything.  Palos points to the antecedents that make this possible.  Palos, I salute

70
Football / Re: Beenie the Boss & Corneal and the Aristocracy of Color
« on: April 13, 2006, 11:56:28 AM »
Some people here must do some research.  Corneal and Jack were the biggest enemies.  Corneal was coopted by Jack and that is how he got the FIFA work that is why after all the past enmity, Corneal did not get the job at FIFA.  Jack GAVE him that job.  That is why Corneal has not a boo to say about any of Jack transgressions.  That is also what makes Jack an extremely complicated individual to have simple judgements about. Alvin now uses that job tp pontificate on matters and I am simply saying the emperor has no clothes.  As for the contention that I have this overly black conscious attitude.  Anybody who knows me would laugh at that.  My points are two fold:
1. Alvin C has no bonafides has an elite coach
2. Alvin C opinions are given the prominence they are for the reasons I have stated.
That mind you does that apply to football but all facets of T&T life.

I am no race baiter but we ignore these issues at our peril.

71
Football / Re: Beenie the Boss & Corneal and the Aristocracy of Color
« on: April 13, 2006, 10:49:23 AM »
Let me be clear.  I said nothing about Alvin Corneal's son (he did not make the comment) or how he got the post he now holds.  I am saying that Alvin C. is treated as this football guru in Trinidad and I am at a loss as to what exactly this is based on.  What are his elite football coaching bonafides.  I am saying that T&T is a society where we are less willing to go to a Gally Cummings etc. or others for an opinion than an Alvin C.  One should ask Gally what he thinks about ALvin.  My view is and I maintain that Alvin has no elite coaching credentials to speak of and is viewed as this eminence grise by certain people with absolutely nothing to base this on.  If you all believed that if he looked like Gally he would be afforded this position - it is not I that is blinded.

72
Football / Beenie the Boss & Corneal and the Aristocracy of Color
« on: April 13, 2006, 09:31:21 AM »
Major, major kudos to Beenie again for sticking with the players that brought us to Germany.  No waggonists allowed be they of the local or foreign variety.  That is what happened to Jamaica in their WC experience and it was destructive of team chemistry.  On the matter of Corneal - his prominence is a pure example of the lighter shade of brownism in T&T.  I don't know why Gally Cummings, Bertille , Fevrier etc aren't sought out for their opinions on these matters.  ALll who have had extensive stints (fevrier excepted) as national team coach.  Gally took us to the brink.  What has Corneal ever done as a national coach to recommend him.  His last job was with a women's team and he was fired from that.  Osei Telesford is the best defender we have.  We still suffer from mental slavery.  The more things change; the more they stay the same. 

73
Football / Re: St Anthony's, St Mary's Old Boys Needed..
« on: April 08, 2006, 07:10:20 PM »
I am a CIC old boy

74
Football / Re: Beenie, Ah Begging Don't Put Jack to Save in the WC
« on: March 21, 2006, 03:41:43 PM »
Some of the comments just amaze.  A man say that I have a hidden agenda.  My only agenda is to see TT do its best and field a competitive team in the WC.  After the US game and particularly the Bahrain game it is amazing that some people rating Jack.  Jack had two critical errors in that game that cost us dearly.  His distribution is poor and he oftentimes doesn't come for crosses or fumles them when he does come.  he is simply not an international standard Gk.  Shaka is certainly past his best but is definitely a better option because he inspires more confidence.  He has also played in the Premiership for much of his career.  When you make a boo boo like palming the ball in your own net, it doh mattter what you do for the rest of the game.  We will be underdogs and mistakes like his will kill our spirit.

75
Football / Re: Beenie, Ah Begging Don't Put Jack to Save in the WC
« on: March 20, 2006, 03:43:46 PM »
Qualifiers and WC is 2 different kettle of fish, friend.  The world's eyes will be upon us in the WC.  Take for instance what he did against Bahrain.  If that goal had score no amount of brilliant saves would have made up for it.  He is extremely gaFFE prone.  Witness the US game.  There is a huge difference between letting goals a better keeper  could save and being gaffe prone and gifting the likes of Ibrahamovic and Rooney goals.  My friend if u take a spot kick and kick it to either of them 2 fellas on the 18 yard box is goal no ifs ands or buts about it.

76
Football / Beenie, Ah Begging Don't Put Jack to Save in the WC
« on: March 20, 2006, 03:28:09 PM »
Dear Bennie,

First of All, Thanks for taking us to the WC.  And major, major kudos for not allowing waggonists to jump on the bandwagon when they were no where around when the hard work was to be done.  Beenie, if you could do me one last favor and I wouldn't ask anything further.  Please ah begging do not put Kelvin Jack on the WC stage.  I know that you are a loyal man but here me out.  Shaka may have been slowed by age and may not stop what a younger keeper may save but he is far less likely to gift goals to the opposition.  Shaka also has Premiership and Champs League experience.  He has been on the big stage before.  Jack is extremely deficient at this level of football.  He will cause tears.  Beenie, i will not question any other decision, but please no Jack.

Yours in football,
PEG

77
Football / Re: Where are they now?
« on: March 20, 2006, 01:58:05 PM »
That's why i am in support of what Beenie is doing.  Colin Rocke and anybody else who wanted to play with the Warriors before qualification had a chance to speak up.  Beenie is well within his rights by the way to dance with them who brung you.  P.S. Of those that were mentioned Kona Hislop is the real tragedy.  A beautiful left footed player blessed with speed and deadly shot with minimum back lift.  Injuries snuffed out his career.  Real tragedy.

78
Football / Is it this week that FIFA will announce Jack's fate?
« on: March 13, 2006, 10:13:29 AM »
What are you guys expectations on the punishment to be handed down.  It seems that somnething almost has to be done

79
Football / Grand old duke called Yorke marches on to Germany
« on: March 04, 2006, 07:37:04 PM »
Grand old duke called Yorke marches on to Germany
By Kevin Mitchell (The Observer)


Trinbagonians I could see. Thousands of them. Happy, loud and sporting their Soca Warrior scarves in celebration of their country, Trinidad and Tobago, who somehow have reached the World Cup finals. But Loftus Road, where T & T were playing a warm-up match on the coldest of nights, didn't seem to be heaving with Icelanders, apart from the 11 players on the pitch.
I needed an alternative perspective to this unlikely fixture, a coming together of two nations living on the fringe of Planet Football, but bristling with ambition, none the less.

Two men, white, one in his sixties, the other probably his son, sat behind Shaka Hislop's goal in the first half.
'Iceland?' I asked in that idiotically hesitant way we have when making an inquiry of someone we imagine might not have English as a first language.

'Derby,' said John, the elder of the two.

'So, why?'

'Well, Andy - that's my son, here - has been following Iceland since he went to university in Essex.'

I did ask why again, but John couldn't say. 'We have followed them all over Europe. Been to Iceland twice.'

Two women behind me were swaying to the rhythm of the Soca band, which thumped away non-stop in the upper tier of the stand to our right. No need to ask who they were supporting. They were among the thousands of Trinbagonians delirious that their heroes have made it to the finals for the first time in 11 tries.

But they haven't a hope of getting a ticket. For a start, the football association back in Port of Spain have not exactly been giving them away. The outrageous prices and the distribution system constituted a row one journalist on the Trinidad Express traced to Jack Warner, their Fifa representative. Warner refused him accreditation for Germany - a decision overturned by Fifa, who have promised to punish Warner for unethical behaviour.

When T & T qualified by winning a play-off in Bahrain, Warner was moved to observe, humbly: 'There are few moments in my life that have moved me as much as when the referee blew his whistle. It was the culmination of everything I have struggled for over the years...'

The fan behind me last Tuesday night was a little more detached. 'We'll watch on TV, like everyone else,' she said, freezing. 'But it's great to be here tonight.'

And it was. T & T won 2-0, courtesy of two goals by Dwight Yorke, one a beautifully worked completion of a mazy run down the left by Dundee United's Collin Samuel. The 24-year-old winger looked the business. As does Yorke, still. He is 34 and, some time today, plays in the national league final in Australia for his latest club, Sydney FC. Yorke flew home almost immediately after the game - first-class of course - and is thrilled to be captaining his country in Germany.

What a footballing journey he's had. What a life he's had. He nearly died when in a car accident back in Tobago, aged two. It is said - and widely believed - that the exhaust pipe in the crashed car lay across his back long enough to sear a map of Tobago into his skin. Whatever.

Graham Taylor, of course, discovered him and brought him to Aston Villa, where his sparkling runs lit up the league - and gave his eight siblings back home good reason to believe their brother would be worth keeping in touch with. Alex Ferguson agreed and paid £12.5m for him. He was player of the year once, dipped a little in form then went off to Blackburn and further. This late gift, a place alongside the best in the world at the biggest tournament of them all, has given his step a fresh spring. 'I'm a far better player than when I was at United,' he said recently. 'But slower.'

Not that much. He was the spark that drove the team engine at QPR. And their obvious go-to figure, the best player his country has produced, by general consensus.

They are the predictable mixture of players who have had to go abroad to make it in football, most of them occupying the lower reaches of the game in Britain. There's Russell Latapy, the Little Magician as they call him, 37 now and playing for Falkirk, recalled recently after five years out of international football. He has class, still.

Silvio Spann, owner of a wonderful name but without a club, came off the bench to liven up the midfield.

The first time Dennis Lawrence shared a pitch with Wayne Rooney, the precocious Scouser was 16 and putting a couple of goals into the Wrexham net for Everton. They meet again in Nuremberg on 15 June.

Lawrence was instrumental in recruiting an unlikely addition to the squad when the 22-year-old Port Vale midfielder, Chris Birchall, born in Stafford, casually mentioned to Lawrence after a game that his mother had Trinidadian heritage. Birchall scored the equaliser in Port of Spain against Bahrain, setting them up for that away win that got them through last November. And he did quite well on Tuesday night. So did Hislop, born in Hackney before going back to Trinidad aged two. He's 37 and, like Yorke, has been given a one-off chance for some unexpected glory.

Their leading scorer is the 29-year-old Coventry striker Stern John, and Cyd 'Flash' Grey, a defender, could be a star too. They play their football with the sort of freedom you'd expect from a team with, well, not great expectations.

They will generate the sort of empathetic support Cameroon had - do you remember 'Give a little cheer, if you love the Cameroon'? - when they crashed the World Cup scene in 1990. But, given Trinidad and Tobago (ranked fifty-first in the world) have Sweden (fourteenth), Paraguay (thirtieth) and England (ninth) in their group, they will do well to nick a point before going home.

None of which pessimism will impress their coach, the well-travelled Leo Beenhakker (quiz question: he is one of four Dutchmen coaching teams in the World Cup finals - who are the others?) The Been is a real hero in Trinidad and Tobago, having taken over from Bertille St Clair last May, when they looked all but busted.

They qualified on the last day of play-offs and, with support back home of surely all 1.3 million inhabitants, are the smallest nation of the 32. The grooviest too. Love that Soca.

80
Football / Re: 10- Weeks Before Our NEXT GAME...Is this Wise
« on: March 02, 2006, 01:40:36 PM »
Why men doh stop talking foolishness? Who Beenie have to look at again and who didn't have the chance to impress pre-WC? Dwarika, Hardess, Evans Wise?  These players particularly Wise and Dwarika have had prolonged stints to show what they can do.  Hardess born and livin in T&T.  why was he not on the team before?  Could it be that Beenie is not suitably impressed by these folks.  Additionally, if you are van Basten, you have your pick of quality players who playing in the best leagues in the World - you looking for men in form.  The likelihood that you will find a difference maker in the Pro-League that has gone unnoticed at this point is virtually nil and there is the question if you find such a person is whether he can translate that to international football.  When you have a lack of class players (which is the case with us) you have to depend on men who tried and tested and COMMITTED TO THE CAUSE.  Not man who born and grow in T&T and now hustling to make the side.  Look at Latapy.  I sure 99.99% of people on this board would have said Latapy have to start for T&T but BEEnie knows that a) Latapy is 37 b) that he is easily marked out of games against high quality opposition and c) even when he was young he was a defensive liability.  So he has gone for younger players who play up and down the pitch like Birchall & Whitley.  The man is a boss and to hear men say that he closing the door too early is absurd secoind-guessing of a man who has proven his worth at the highest level of the game.  What is even more absurd is the has beens, retreads and never-was that people saying should be given a second look.

81
I would like to suggest that those of us on this board brainstorm and find a way to convey to Bennaker our sincerest appreciation for all that he has done for T&T and our football.  I mean - I watching T&T in that game against Iceland yesterday and I could barely recognise that team from the team he started with a year ago.  I have never seen such a transformation in any team in any sport.  That is the benefit of greatness, you got to pay this guy anything he calling because he will be in demand after the WC.  Honestly, I don't think he has one standout player on that squad in his prime and look what he has done.  He also has an eye for a player - Colin Samuel is a very good, very direct player who can cross the ball which Carlos Edwards clearly cannot or will not do consistently.  Anyway, as a forum we should get together and show our appreciation.

82
Football / Re: Warner guilty of violating FIFA's Code of Ethics
« on: February 16, 2006, 08:24:09 PM »
Jack Warner, a Fifa vice-president, has been found guilty of violating Fifa's own code of ethics because of his involvement in selling World Cup tickets, football's world governing body announced last night.

The case, unprecedented in Fifa's history, arose amid allegations of cronyism and profiteering by officials. Warner, who is also the head of Concafaf and a special adviser to the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation, faces potential sanctions that might include his removal from office.

As The Independent reported last month, Warner became the centre of a ticketing scandal in Trinidad after his family's travel agency, Simpaul's, secured exclusive rights to sell Trinidad & Tobago's entire ticket allocation for this summer's World Cup. Neither Simpaul's nor the TTFF would provide any information on potential profits but it was estimated that Warner could make millions.

Fifa's committee for ethics and fair play met in Zurich on Wednesday evening to consider the matter and Fifa announced last night that Warner had been found guilty of a conflict of interest. "As a result, he has violated Fifa's Code of Ethics," a Fifa statement said. It added that Fifa's executive committee "will now discuss the matter on 16-17 March". Any sanctions will be imposed after that meeting.

Warner was unavailable for comment last night but is expected to launch a robust defence of his position. A TTFF spokesman said: "We have nothing to say at this time."

Trinidad & Tobago are grouped along with England, Sweden and Paraguay in the opening phase. The TTFF has been allocated 10,769 seats for its three group games combined. Simpaul's "travel packages" cost £2,720 and included tickets to each game, and hotel accommodation, but not flights nor any transport. It was estimated that Simpaul's could make more than £1,600 in profit per package.

Both Warner and Simpaul's have been inconsistent on their involvement in ticket sales. Initial adverts by the firm ran under the slogan "Ticket or leave it", telling supporters they would need to buy via Simpaul's to secure seats in Germany. Warner attempted to defend his apparent conflict of interests by arguing that "it is not a crime to be successful [in business], even for people like me."

He later claimed that Simpaul's, which he owns in partnership with his wife and sons, was not actually selling TTFF tickets at all, although he had admitted that Simpaul's paid TTFF $500,000 local currency (£45,000) to be its official World Cup package provider.

Before a media blackout on the issue, spokespeople for both Simpaul's and the TTFF told The Independent that Simpaul's was selling TTFF tickets.

Warner has muddied the waters further by saying that Simpaul's spent £400,000 between July and September last year on World Cup packages from a "European counterpart". He has not named this counterpart, despite requests to do so, but under Fifa's ticketing rules, it is not permissible for tickets to be sold on like this anyway.

It is not known whether Fifa's ethics committee considered only Warner's conflict of interest in owning a travel agency involved with TTFF, or two separate issues, one relating to Simpaul's original monopoly, and the other concerning Warner's claims about Simpaul's dealing in third-party tickets via Europe.

Fifa announced last month that Ernst & Young had been appointed as independent auditors of the whole ticketing process, including "internal examination of potential conflicts of interest in relation to any ticketing constituent groups."

Warner's business activities have apparently conflicted with his Fifa duties before - when he obtained Caribbean TV rights to the World Cup for a pittance and then sold them to broadcasters at a huge profit - but has never before faced sanctions.
He later claimed that Simpaul's, which he owns in partnership with his wife and sons, was not actually selling TTFF tickets at all, although he had admitted that Simpaul's paid TTFF $500,000 local currency (£45,000) to be its official World Cup package provider.

Before a media blackout on the issue, spokespeople for both Simpaul's and the TTFF told The Independent that Simpaul's was selling TTFF tickets.

Warner has muddied the waters further by saying that Simpaul's spent £400,000 between July and September last year on World Cup packages from a "European counterpart". He has not named this counterpart, despite requests to do so, but under Fifa's ticketing rules, it is not permissible for tickets to be sold on like this anyway.

It is not known whether Fifa's ethics committee considered only Warner's conflict of interest in owning a travel agency involved with TTFF, or two separate issues, one relating to Simpaul's original monopoly, and the other concerning Warner's claims about Simpaul's dealing in third-party tickets via Europe.

Fifa announced last month that Ernst & Young had been appointed as independent auditors of the whole ticketing process, including "internal examination of potential conflicts of interest in relation to any ticketing constituent groups."

Warner's business activities have apparently conflicted with his Fifa duties before - when he obtained Caribbean TV rights to the World Cup for a pittance and then sold them to broadcasters at a huge profit - but has never before faced sanctions.

83
Football / Re: Warner guilty of violating FIFA's Code of Ethics
« on: February 16, 2006, 06:35:11 PM »
How could people ask if Liburd is vindicated.  Lasana is obviously and completely vindicated.  I deplore what Jack did by trying to destroy the young man's career.  If there are any standards in journalism in Trinidad, this young man should be given an award.  I was initially sympathetic to Jack for what he has done for football but this was the last straw as he deliberately tried to destroy a young black man's career as a smokescreen to cover his decption and self-dealing.  He has also been exposed as a liar as I believe he had initially said that the tickets from the Simpaul package was not from T&T's allocation.  He will realize the most painful lesson a black man can learn that certain clubs are old boys clubs for certain people

84
Football / Re: Who Believes Hardest should be Seen By Beenhakker?
« on: January 25, 2006, 01:17:39 PM »
This has to be the weirdest fixation ever.  Could it be that Beenie doesn't believe Hardest to be that good?  Where was he all this time?  All of a sudden he interested.  It doh work so. To play at a World Cup, you must have experienced football at the highest level be it in one of the top leagues or through Qualifying.  What TI wants Beenie to do is take a man who has never played serious competitive football at the highest level and send him to WC.  Men who not even playing regularly in local leagues want to get call.  Utterly absurd.  This is the highest level of the game man cyah be jumbeing for sweat.  Doesn't it strike you all as odd that T&T made the WC after Latas and Yorke are way past their best.  It is no coincidence that is now and under this coach.  He has a system and he has the credibility to insist on his way.  There was one action he took that told me he was the real deal:  He took off Latapy in T&T and played him for only 15-20 in Bahrain.  No other coach would have had the balls to do that.  Discipline before all else.  That is why this team has succeeded while far far more talented T&T teams have failed.  Hardest has watched football up till now let him watch some more.  That train has already passed.  No shortcuts to success.  See him in WCQ for 2010.  But I could bet my last dollar he would not be there when the dog wuk is to be done in WCQ

85
Football / Re: Jack & the ticket fiasconmaking headlines internationally
« on: January 16, 2006, 11:48:38 PM »
Thanks much Truetrini.  I will start posting more frequently.  Still in finance.  Lots of time demands but will make the time to be more active.  Really looking forward to the trip to Germany in less than 5 months.  What is Al website again.  I will drop him a note.  Take care

86
Football / FIFA executive in World Cup ticket scandal
« on: January 16, 2006, 11:29:39 PM »
FIFA executive in World Cup ticket scandal
by Nick Harris (The Independent)


One of Fifa's most senior executives could profit by more than £10m from World Cup ticket sales in a scandal that will horrify supporters and raise fears that some senior officials ­ and individuals within sponsor companies ­ are exploiting their positions to milk the tournament for personal gain.

In a move that has caused outrage in Trinidad & Tobago, who face England in the group stage, the Caribbean nation's entire ticket allocation has been allocated to a travel agency owned by Jack Warner, a Fifa vice-president who is also the president of CONCACAF and a special advisor to the Trinidad & Tobago FA.

Warner, 62, a former history lecturer turned property developer, is a director of the agency Simpaul Travel Services Limited, as is his wife, Maureen, and sons, Daryan and Darryl. The company is not selling individual match tickets, but rather "travel packages" that include tickets and accommodation but, bizarrely, not travel, either to Germany, or between venues, which costs extra.

A company sales executive, Natasha Simmons, confirmed to The Independent yesterday that basic packages, excluding flights but including 12 nights in a hotel in Germany and seats for Trinidad & Tobago's three group games ­ against England, Paraguay and Sweden ­ cost $30,000 in local currency (£2,720).

The face value of the three tickets combined is a maximum of £200.

Simpaul's other costs are estimated to be around £820 per package for hotels, plus £40 for a "supporters' kit" that comprises a shirt, a wristband, a flag, a travel bag, a whistle, a poster and a fridge magnet.

Simpaul stand to make around £1,660 profit per package. The company will not confirm how many tickets it has, but local estimates suggest between 6,500 and 8,000 per game. It is estimated that Simpaul could make between £10.8m and £13.3m profit if it sells every ticket as part of a package.

The initial revelation that Warner, who is from Trinidad, was the owner of Simpaul and that his firm had secured all his country's allocation, came after an investigation by the local Trinidad Express newspaper last month.

Neither Warner nor Oliver Camps, the president of the TTFA and a friend of Warner's, were available for comment last night. Camps had earlier told the local paper: "The [TTFA] executive asked that no one answer any questions at the moment."

Following an uproar in Trinidad that Warner's company could be profiteering at the expense of fans, Fifa have announced that they have appointed Ernst & Young as "independent external auditors to monitor and evaluate the overall ticketing project for the 2006 World Cup".

The auditing firm's remit includes a whole range of technical and ethical issues, including situations like that in Trinidad, which, while not illegal, does contravene the spirit of Fifa's anti-profiteering message on tickets.

Fifa has also acted to quell the Trinidad controversy by saying that Simpaul's website now carries the message that packages do not include match tickets. The agency's website now says "you must source these directly via from TTFA or via the Fifa website". The Independent's direct enquiry to Simpaul yesterday exposed this as untrue. Simpaul is still offering tickets. A spokeswoman at the TTFA also said that Simpaul was the place to buy tickets.

The government in Trinidad is under pressure to intervene and allow sales directly to fans, and not via Simpaul.

In a separate development, two ticket agencies that have been advertising World Cup seats on the internet and in newspapers have told The Independent that they source their tickets via tournament sponsors and national associations.

One company based in America named a major tournament sponsor, whose parent company is American, as one source, and also named a major European FA as another source of its tickets. Fifa yesterday declined to comment on individual cases being investigated, although the timing of Ernst & Young's appointment ­ last week ­ suggests the world governing body is increasing its efforts to clamp down on profiteering and black market sales.

The agencies that claim to be being supplied with seats by sponsors and FAs are typically selling seats at more than 10 times their face value.

"We have spent a lot of time on nurturing contacts [with sponsor companies and FAs] and spent a lot of money on these tickets," a spokeswoman for one agency said.

87
Football / Re: Open Letter to the Guardian for Honoring JW
« on: December 26, 2005, 10:36:38 PM »
i HAD NO MISPLACED ALLIANCES.  JW has done a lot for T&T football anyone who says otherwise would be dishonest.  We got to turn the page on this smartman thing as a country however.  Cause we just spinning top in mud.  You live in Virginia, you could see the Washington POst giving an award to a man no matter how much he had done for his cause with Jack's ethical deficiencies and self-dealing.  I want my country to reach, things like this show me we ent reach yet.  Thanks for you comments.  I ent check out Al site yet.  I will do do latter today

88
Football / Open Letter to the Guardian for Honoring JW
« on: December 26, 2005, 10:18:49 PM »
The text of an email, I forwarded to the Editor of the Guardian:

I write to convey my utter disappointment that a national newspaper that purports to champion integrity and accountability in public affairs would honor Jack Warner in the way that you have done.  Jack Warner has done a lot for Trinidad football - that is beyond doubt.  However, as one that is concerned by the lack of exemplars in Trinidad, I am in utter shock that Mr Warner was honored in the way that he was by your newspaper.  A couple facts are incontestable - 1. Mr. Warner or his family has a beneficial interest in Simpaul's travel agency 2. Simpaul's, without the rigor of competitive tender, has exclusive control over the Trinidad allotment of tickets to the World Cup  and 3. Mr. Warner did not publicly declare his financial interest when he made the announcement nor has he or any TTFF official deigned to explain this obvious conflict of interest.  Nor is this the only financial imbroglio which has involved Mr. Warner.  They are almost too numerous to mention.
 
I would like your newspaper as the "Guardian of Democracy" to attempt to get answers from Mr. Warner and to delve into these matters further e.g just how much does the TTFF owe Mr. Warner.  I would hope, Mr. Singh, that your previous collaboration with Mr. Warner would not dissuade you from pursuing this vital service for the benefit of your readers. 
 
True public servants do not attempt to line their pockets while ostensibly serving the public.  The ethos that you could take a little something for yourself while serving in public roles is well entrenched in our country.  It is even sadder when an august institution like the Trinidad Guardian appears to endorse this sentiment

89
i never say that you lied, my brother.  However, I know of no five star hotel that charges $200 a day even in the low season.  By comparison Hilton T&T is charging $155 plus Vat in this period and that is not in their busy period.  Clearly, you got a great deal.  I just wanted to know if other such deals are available.  I am sure that you are a decent man.  If you believe i called you a liar that was not my intention.

90
Arrow,

I dont want to make this a discussion on economics, but it seems I must.  A few points:
1. Razorgator is another participant in the market.  I have shown you that their pricing far exceeds Simpaul's for the same service.  If your point is true the way to disprove my point is to show me someone offering a similar package for less than $5000.
2. I agree with you that Simpaul's should not have a monopoly IF THERE HAS BEEN NO COMPETITIVE BIDDING TO EARN THAT RIGHT.  It appears that Simpaul's paid $500k for that right Could the TTFF have received more?  Probably but I don't know.
3. The reason that these packages are so expensive is that the demand for hotels and tickets far exceeds supply.  You cannot get this price if you try buy tickets and hotels yourself.
4. The test of whether this is unfair or not is whether there are people willing to pay this and my hunch is that there will be an excess of supply.
5. I believe the fairest way to apportion these tickets are to auction them off and use whatever profits for the development of T&T football.

P.s the man who said he got 12 nights for $2500 at a 4 star hotel.  The link says that hotel is sold out so i could not veridy the price.  However, if anybody can show me a hotel of 4 star quality for less than 200 euros.  Please point me in that direction

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