The Jack Warner Thread.

[Coop's]

On another note..

How come people hardly ever question Jennings motivation, financing and support for conducting his witch hunt here in this country? Allyuh never stop to think that his mandate coming from much higher up, I mean how much papers allyuh think his articles on Jack all the way here in the Caribbean selling in the UK Daily Mail??

Yuh think we could send a report like Lasana up in England to publicly harangue them crooks in the FA and UEFA with the freedom of the town like how Jennings come down here and blatantly overstep his boundaries?
[/quote

      Only in T&T that could happen because he does get huge support from us Trinis,he making a set of money with his books and papers and laughing at us,when JW threaten him peeps jump on JW back.

[Deeks]

I don't begrudge jack's position in FIFA. He used his wits to get there. Hooray to him. You have to be "crooked" to be with all the crooks in that organization. That goes for the IOC also.

But look at the state of TT football. If this  so called man of vision can change Concacaf and FIFA. Increase or always trying to increase the amount of spots in Concacaf. Yet in his very own country the state of football is pathetic to say least. He has been at the helm of football for over 30 years. Guys look at our "pro teams". Look at Jack team. Most of them teams are woeful especially against regional team. Connection is an exception when they have a good team. Most of you look in disgust when you watch a pro-game. No atmosphere. Empty stadiums, plenty invisible people. People don't support their local team. When the weekend come, I swear everybody living in Europe. Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Boo, Sunderland, RM, Barca, Milan, etc, etc.

This man at the helm of TT footbal over 30 f--king yrs. We need a f--king change. We want action on the field. We have no say on what goes on in the FIFA boardroom. F--k the boardroom and all them crooks in it.

[Brownsugar]

On another note..

How come people hardly ever question Jennings motivation, financing and support for conducting his witch hunt here in this country? Allyuh never stop to think that his mandate coming from much higher up, I mean how much papers allyuh think his articles on Jack all the way here in the Caribbean selling in the UK Daily Mail??

Yuh think we could send a report like Lasana up in England to publicly harangue them crooks in the FA and UEFA with the freedom of the town like how Jennings come down here and blatantly overstep his boundaries?
[/quote

      Only in T&T that could happen because he does get huge support from us Trinis,he making a set of money with his books and papers and laughing at us,when JW threaten him peeps jump on JW back.

And how come dais all Jack does do threaten??  Why he doh ever haul these reporters into a court??  Steups!!!....

[Football supporter]

On another note..

How come people hardly ever question Jennings motivation, financing and support for conducting his witch hunt here in this country? Allyuh never stop to think that his mandate coming from much higher up, I mean how much papers allyuh think his articles on Jack all the way here in the Caribbean selling in the UK Daily Mail??

Yuh think we could send a report like Lasana up in England to publicly harangue them crooks in the FA and UEFA with the freedom of the town like how Jennings come down here and blatantly overstep his boundaries?
[/quote

      Only in T&T that could happen because he does get huge support from us Trinis,he making a set of money with his books and papers and laughing at us,when JW threaten him peeps jump on JW back.

To be fair to Jennings, he's been chasing people for 30 years! He first broke a big story involving corruption in the Met Police. His biggest story was the corruption inside the Olympics. His original FIFA target was Blatter, but then he discovered Jack!

He despises corruption and even more so in sport. Once he locates a target he doesn't let go. The only reason he reports on T&T is because thats where Jack is from. Like any freelance journalist, of course he makes money. And if you think he's laughing at Trinis, well maybe he is.....where else in the world (except maybe Africa) would the citizens allow one man to behave like Jack? So you can't blame the messenger. Englands interest is simple. They want 2018 and Jack decides who gets it, so any story relating to Jack will be news over there.

[spideybuff]

I knew this thread would be fireworks.

[Football supporter]

This has always been my problem with Jack. With his undoubted talent, why has he not worked to create a better standard of football in T&T? The funds raised from holding world cups here could have been re invested in the country to provide a better infastructure. I'm sure Jack has met many talented people who could have organised TTFF much better. I'm afraid it appears that given the choice of benefitting his people or benefitting himself, he has chosen the latter.

[Bakes]

I'm afraid it appears that given the choice of benefitting his people or benefitting himself, he has chosen the latter.

That was a brilliant and ingenious move... to hear some in here tell it.

[Brownsugar]

I'm afraid it appears that given the choice of benefitting his people or benefitting himself, he has chosen the latter.

That was a brilliant and ingenious move... to hear some in here tell it.

Boy not just in here nah.....in the wider T&T public too.  I guess this forum is just a snapshot of our society.....go figure.....

[elan]

I does wonder about some of us moral values yes. To try and rationalize or logically make right JW action is kind of...........................don't know the word to insert here, but it's messed up.

[Flex]

False Indication of Fair Administration (F.I.F.A.).
By Sola Aiyepeku (234next.com).

Nigerians are exasperated with the way our football has been governed and are desirous of change. This led many to hope FIFA’s ban would remain in place to force us put our house in order. We should begin to learn what really matters to FIFA if we didn’t know before - “what is FIFA really after”? I have selected a few of FIFA’s scandals to shed more light on FIFA’s ways.

1. Polish football threatened

In 2005 Polish authorities began an investigation into widespread corruption within Polish football. In July 2006, the Polish sports minister criticised the PZPN (Polish Football Association) for failing to take adequate steps to fight corruption, and announced an audit of the organisation. In January 2007, PZPN board member Wit Żelazko was arrested by Wrocław police.

Shortly thereafter, the entire PZPN board was suspended by the sports ministry. This move displeased FIFA which announced that the principle of autonomy of football associations was of utmost importance. The Polish sports ministry, Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczynski, and most fans felt that the battle against corruption was more important, but when FIFA threatened sanctions, the sports ministry backed down and agreed to re-instate the PZPN board. This certainly sounds familiar to us.

2. Millions allotted to Goal Project schemes that never materialised

a) In 2000, FIFA agreed a $471,364 grant towards a training centre for the Antiguan & Barbadian Football Association outside the Antiguan capital of St Johns. For three years the site stayed empty but FIFA did not do anything. In 2003, the Antiguan government tried to intervene and FIFA suspended the membership of the Antiguan & Barbadian FA, whose national team missed out the 2004 Olympic qualifiers as a result.

The suspension was lifted later that year but nothing changed until 2005, when FIFA did do something: they handed over even more money, a $503,098 Goal grant for a second project. This grant was for a pitch, floodlights, security fencing and dressing rooms to the training centre, which had still not been built. FIFA has nothing to say about either project and directs enquiries to its own website, which simply shows an empty field in Antigua.

b) Goal project in Barbados “shelved until further notice due to a lack of progress” despite a $400,000 grant being agreed five years ago towards a proposed $627,500 training centre. According to the Barbados Goal link, the first stone was laid in July 2003 yet the project has been abandoned.

Warner’s CONCACAF region has 39 members and 35 are also full FIFA members. Of those 35, all bar one (the US) have received Goal grants.

3. Jack Warner Scandals

a) 2006 World Cup Ticket Scandal: Warner has been accused of corruption on BBC’s Panorama for repeatedly taking advantage of his position for financial gain. FIFA’s auditors, Ernst & Young, estimated that his family made a profit of at least $1 million from reselling 2006 World Cup tickets that Warner had ordered.

b) Trinidad and Tobago 2006 World Cup bonuses: Before the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Warner, as special advisor to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, brokered a deal between the Federation and the players on Trinidad and Tobago’s 2006 World Cup team to share the proceeds from their participation in the World Cup. After the tournament the Federation declared revenue of TT$18.25 million, costs of TT$17.9 million and offered the players a split of TT$5,644.08 per player. The players rejected this figure, disputing the Federation’s numbers.

The Trinidad and Tobago government later revealed that the Federation received in excess of TT$173 million for their part in the tournament in Germany. The T&TFF proposed that the bonus dispute be heard before the UK Sports Dispute Resolution Panel and the players agreed. Arbitrator Ian Mill QC heard the case and ruled that Warner had “the authority of the TTFA to commit it to financial transactions” and that the players were entitled to 50 per cent of the FIFA World Cup participation money and the commercial revenues gained from Trinidad and Tobago’s qualification, as well as half the net income from World Cup warm-up matches.

4. Jérôme Valcke

The 46 year old scored the worst-ever own goal. Ten months ago, the Frenchman’s career was in tatters but now he’s back running football as the general secretary of FIFA. He lost his job in marketing at FIFA after a judge ruled he had lied over a sponsorship deal. A New York judge had stated that Valcke, then FIFA’s marketing director, had lied to two groups - MasterCard and Visa - bidding for the right to sponsor the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. This prompted his employer to “part company” with Valcke and three of his colleagues. “FIFA’s negotiations breached its business principles,” the governing body said. “FIFA cannot possibly accept such conduct among its own employees.”

His recent return to FIFA as its top appointed official ranks as an extraordinary shift in fortune. It shows how highly FIFA president Sepp Blatter must rate the former Canal Plus executive that he was rehired even though the affair in effect cost FIFA half the revenues it was expecting from the eight-year sponsorship.

“Our world is a very small world,” says Valcke of his return to favour.

“We worked closely together for three years. Whatever Blatter asked me, and what I committed to deliver when I joined FIFA, I did. So we have a strong relationship, Blatter and myself”. And very rewarding too if I must say so.

FIFA’s track record in handling corruption allegations indicate a habit of either looking the other way or dishing out no more than ‘a slap on the wrist’ to offending officials in their organisation. So how can they possibly be expected to encourage any investigation and punishments to FIFA representatives [like our NFF]?

In my opinion, FIFA has never pretended to encourage governments to fights corruption within their federations or associations because it could affect them adversely so their people are protected no matter what. So we shouldn’t expect them to change, we have to effect the change ourselves.

I reiterate my previous statement in previous articles that, in matters of government interference or not, FIFA does not have the [moral] right to apply the same rules to most African countries as it does to the more developed ones in the rest of the world.

This never-ending circle of banning and unbanning events will continue so long as FIFA keep ignoring Africa’s uniqueness rather than accepting the stark reality of it. So long as governments still provide most [and sometimes all] of the funding in football [or sports], they have the right to ask questions and investigate how the money is spent as well as demand a significant role in administration. However, our government’s latest interference in a long list of many was totally unacceptable and must be stopped permanently for our football to grow.

If FIFA is sincere, insistent and serious about zero government interference all over Africa, the organisation should be working hand-in-hand with individual governments, football federations or associations to find unique solutions; rather than issue offensive statements, bans and warnings that suggest a picture of complicity in alleged and proven cases of corruption.

[Deeks]

England withdraws 2022 bid because US withdraws from 2018 bid. Kamla tells Jack to support England's bid according to the BBC.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/9097559.stm

[weary1969]

England withdraws 2022 bid because US withdraws from 2018 bid. Kamla tells Jack to support England's bid according to the BBC.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/9097559.stm

Since when Kamla telling JW what 2 do? I glad if d Brits get d WC dat will b a next WC wit or wtout we guys I will attend.

[Babalawo]

O_o

[spideybuff]

Got this classic in an email...

Jack Awards October 2010
Yes folks, it's that time again.
 
Time for that one award show we all look forward to every month, The Jack Awards.
 
For those of you who may have been living in a cave in Afghanistan since 2009, this is what you missed so far:
 
Hot on the heels of the May 24th General Elections, Deosaran Bisnath and GOPIO (the Global Organization Of People of Indian Origin) decided to prove their exceptional Indian-ness by hosting an 'All Indian All the Time' award show (to the complete embarrassment of upstanding people of East Indian origin everywhere) to celebrate Indian people that they thought deserved a nothing award, a slice of cake and some juice.
 
Not to be outdone,  we (the Organization of Semi Worthwhile and Distracting Events) had cause to celebrate (then) Acting Prime Minister HNIC Austin Jack Warner in July of this year when, in his version of a 'Papa Doc' routine for the willing news cameras, promised a little boy who was kidnapped and who found his own way out of the forest a FIFA watch and a National Award for bravery. This offer understandably caused some furor in a place not known for public outcry, and when he realized his offer had backfired (and instead of looking magnanimous and Prime Ministerial he was in fact looking foolish), did a little 'two step' back pedal and said it wasn't a NATIONAL Award he meant, which made everyone who saw him on the evening news and in the papers say 'huh?'
 
And so the Jack Awards were born.
 
It has been held every month since except August this year, due to the fact that we had no cake and not enough juice to share.
 
We at the Organization of Semi Worthwhile and Distracting Events are proud to present yet another 'Jack Awards' ceremony as there are many who are worthy of receiving the second highest 'nothing award' in the land for their dubious and self glorifying achievements, a glass of juice and a slice of cake.
 
 
And the nominees are:
 
 
1) Therese Baptiste-Cornelis
 
The good Minister of Health has depressed the national mood by staying out of the media glare since her last public flare up. This pretense of being sane and normal is fooling no one, and the decision has dampened our collective spirits by removing the best comic relief we have ever had. It has also forced the news cameras to follow the Minister of a Few People as he appears willing to be her replacement, but is more annoying than funny to watch.
 
The Minister has also promised to build five more hospitals, even though she is quite aware that the three we already have do not work.
 
- For keeping all that good crazy in the dark  - A Jack Award.
 
2) Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissesar
 
Did you really promise to paint the laptops yellow as a security measure to protect against theft?
 
When we first heard that we at OSWDE (pronounced oz-wood-eee) refused to believe it, and for the most part we still don't. But there are rumors that people everywhere are painting their valuables yellow so as to protect them from would be thieves, and spokespersons at both Penta and Sissons readily admit that production cannot meet the demand.
 
From entire houses to cars and appliances, people are rushing to avail themselves of this new approach to protection, and we say bravo!
 
We have already taken steps to follow your lead, and this entire article is being written on yellow paper with yellow ink.
 
- For providing a novel idea to National Security - A Jack Award.
 
3) Deputy Chairman of the Clico EFPA Policy Holders Group Peter Permel
 
Incensed that the gravy train racket that was the CLICO empire had the audacity to go belly up without repaying its big money investors, wanna be bad boy Permel went all 'Gangsta' as he took on the Government and put their collective ass on notice.
 
Threatening to 'Bust a Move' economically if somebody doesn't repay them their money, Peter Permel has shown that you don't need to be tall to be big (Imbert take note).
 
- For having more balls than Adidas and Nike combined- A Jack Award.
 
4) Dr, Keith Rowley
 
Who?
 
Dr. Keith Rowley.
 
Who is that?
 
The Leader of the Opposition.
 
We have an Opposition?
 
Dr. Keith Rowley has decided to embarrass the Government into action by disappearing right before their very eyes. In a trick worthy of David Copperfield and Harry Houdini combined, the Leader of the Opposition has faded completely away, leaving a void that very few have noticed. His shrinking violet routine has caught the eyes of Hollywood, and rumor has it that he has been offered the lead in the next installment of the "invisible Man.'
 
 - For having nothing to say and being brave enough to say it - A Jack Award
 
5) Attorney General Anand Ramlogan
 
Deciding he didn't want the blame for letting cowboy Ishwar Galbaransingh and his sidekick Steve Ferguson go free, the Honorable Attorney General has signed the extradition papers to send the good gentlemen on their way to visit their Uncle Sam, and yet, to everyone's consternation, they are still here.
 
Costing more money than a first class trip to Mars so far, the legal maneuvering required to keep them out of the clutches of the United States Legal System has ended at the desk of the AG who promptly sent them on their way to, uh, here?
 
- For an excellent re-enactment of the washing of hands scene - A Jack Award
 
6) Patrick Manning
 
Where?
 
What is wrong with you?
 
You scared me!
 
Steups.
 
The twelfth man on the Opposition's Bench has suddenly been put back in play while appearing to actively do nothing himself.
Seeming to be impervious to attack after attack in the Parliament, the media and on the street, his name is being called in all sorts of machinations that are quite frankly scaring the people to death.
 
The specter of Patos as Leader of the Opposition and 'Prime Minister in Waiting' has caused many a skipped beat nationally, and his silence and calmness is unnerving to say the least.
 
- For causing people stress STILL - A Jack Award
 
7) Ish & Steve, Brian & others...
 
For the first time in our long and illustrious history, we are pleased to present the first 'Group Award' for a proverbial tag team of bandits and shysters that took this place by storm and are still shaking things up to this very day.
 
Hitting High, Low, Hang Jack AND game legally, it is now impossible to remember where this case began, who is involved, who represents who, and we at OSWDE would not be surprised if Diana Ross herself were to appear on the witness stand.
 
In what will go down in our history as the most expensive, most challenging and most convoluted legal case ever, the matter has generated enough income and expenditure to qualify as an industry all on its own.
 
- For showing us that not everything needs to make sense - A Jack Award
 
7) HNIC Austin Jack Warner
 
It would be foolish of us to ignore the exploits of this living legend, and while few would have the balls to blame the rain for causing flooding as he does, we must be willing to recognize excellence in tomfoolery everywhere we find it.
 
In his most daring exploit to date, the HNIC has decided that if State Boards get in the way of his arbitray and autocratic decisions, then why not just do away with them altogether?
 
Having tested the Constitution, the Parliament and the People to see if they would in fact withstand a challenge, Jack decided to be both nimble and quick with contracts to who and where he damned well pleased because, well, he was the HNIC.
 
When told that he couldn't do what he was doing by the REAL Prime Minister of the country, Jackie boy did the only other thing he knew how to do, and threw a tantrum of epic proportions alleging plots and counterplots within the Government to shame and discredit his good name.
 
The media personnel present to record the press conference collapsed as one at this last statement and had to be rushed to hospital and treated for what could only be described as chronic hysteria.
 
They are currently in intensive care, and attempts to stop the laughter have not yet been met with success.
 
- For making us laugh out loud, Jack - A Jack Award
 
 
The Jack Awards will one day have its own ceremony complete with press and red carpet, dedicated to those who excel  at 'cocking' up epically on the national stage.
 
We plan to monitor the news, and bring you a Jack Awards function as regularly as the remaining Freedom of Speech allows.
 
The Jack Awards is an equal opportunity offender, and whoever is in Government, Opposition, State Appointees and/or receiving State funds under false pretenses will be nominated.
 
The Government of the people is supposed to work for the people, in the service of the people, and while firing them takes a little time, we can expose them for who and what they really are.
 
If you're a blind Party supporter, a racist, a biased Journalist, a corrupt public Official or a 'doh care' public servant, for reducing the quality of life in our nation, there is a Jack Award for you.
 
If you take yourself too seriously be careful, you can never tell if there's a Jack Award in your future too.

[tempo]

Brilliant.

[Dutty]

Got this classic in an email...

Jack Awards October 2010
Yes folks, it's that time again.
 
Time for that one award show we all look forward to every month, The Jack Awards...........
 .
 

^^^ that is brilliant
funny as hell.

[Brownsugar]

Read that on FB last night....ah nearly dead.  We creative eh??.....

Ah love it!!  (c) Andre Samuel...

[Bakes]

A story of promise lost... started with a bang, ended with a fizzle.

[Bourbon]

Got this classic in an email...

Jack Awards October 2010
Yes folks, it's that time again.
 
Time for that one award show we all look forward to every month, The Jack Awards...........
 .
 

^^^ that is brilliant
funny as hell.

Brilliant SQUARED!

[Jah Gol]

we must be willing to recognize excellence in tomfoolery everywhere we find it.

[boss]

Apologies if this has already been posted 
http://www.dagbladet.no/2010/08/25/nyheter/jack_warner/svartebors/utenriks/fifa/13100080/

EDIT: Link contains a large and potentially disturbing photo

[JDB]

Apologies if this has already been posted 
http://www.dagbladet.no/2010/08/25/nyheter/jack_warner/svartebors/utenriks/fifa/13100080/

That article have a picture of Jack that is tooo big for pleasant viewing, the link should come with a warning.

When I see his name I thought is was linked to the recent expose where Zen Ruffinen name ExCo members that can be bribed. Anybody know who was named or if it was Jack.

As for this allegation it seems flimsy compared to "Ticket or Leave It" so Jack will breeze through. He might even be innocent. It seems all they have is a copy of an invoice to the CFU. Unless they have some correspondence between the CFU and a middleman the rest they could claim that the rest is just speculation.

[boss]

Nothing new here 
http://www.footymatters.com/articles/champions-league-articles/footballs-decision-makers-how-uefa-and-fifa-stink-of-corruption-and-greed/

[jai john]

How You Can Watch BBC Panorama FIFA’s Dirty Secrets Outside The UKby The Gaffer on November 28, 2010 · 8 comments
 


On Monday, BBC Panorama will air “FIFA’s Dirty Secrets,” a 30 minute exposé that “investigates corruption allegations against some of the FIFA officials who will vote on England’s World Cup bid. Reporter Andrew Jennings exposes new evidence of bribery, and accuses some executives of taking kickbacks. He also uncovers the secret agreements that could guarantee FIFA a financial bonanza if England hosts the World Cup.”

While the most explosive soccer documentary will premiere on BBC 1 television in the United Kingdom on Monday night, you unfortunately won’t be able to see it anywhere on U.S. television. BBC America has no plans on showing it. The program will be available on BBC’s iPlayer but only for residents in the United Kingdom.

So here are your best options to watch the program either live or on delay:


Sign up for My Private Network to watch the episode on the BBC iPlayer,
Try Expat Shield which is free, but only runs on Windows (read review)
Last but not least, we don’t endorse or advocate this, but there’s always BitTorrent.
I wish we didn’t have to sneak around to find a solution for this. But the outcome of what happens after the episode airs may have dire consequences on the entire World Cup 2018 bid, so it’s one of those programs that will be a must-see for soccer fans. But the frustrating aspect is that most people outside the United Kingdom may never get an opportunity to watch it.

If you have suggestions of how to watch the episode, please post them in the comments section below. The program is scheduled to premiere on BBC 1 at 3:30pm ET Monday.

[JDB]

Thanks for posting Jai.


if any of the British-based forumites could record and distribute it would be much appreciated. I sure is mostly well-worn ground by Jennings as far a Jack is ocncerned but I would like to see who else he after.

[boss]

The fourth Fifa executive named in the Panorama programme is Trinidad and Tobago's Jack Warner, one of the organisation's vice-presidents.

Panorama says it has seen e-mails and an invoice which show Mr Warner was involved in the procurement of $84,000 worth of 2010 World Cup tickets.

The e-mail trail suggests the tickets were destined for the black market but the planned deal - including 38 tickets for the final in Johannesburg - collapsed because the touts were not prepared to pay the asking price.

In 2006, Panorama revealed that Mr Warner had sold tickets on the black market for that year's World Cup tournament in Germany.

Fifa subsequently ordered Mr Warner's family business, Simpaul Travel, to make a $1m donation to charity to "compensate for the profits it had made through resale of 2006 Fifa World Cup tickets".

At a recent press conference, Mr Blatter was asked about the fresh allegations against Mr Warner by a Norwegian journalist who first broke the story of the e-mails.

Mr Blatter replied: "Should it be knowledgeable to us, by official means, or by official channels, then naturally we would have to look at that."

Fifa's media office, when asked by the Norwegian journalist what Mr Blatter meant by "official channels", reportedly replied "we have no idea".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11841783 

[weary1969]

The unpaid Trinidadian World Cup players are a scandal for FifaJack Warner has still not paid Trinidad & Tobago's footballers their agreed bonuses from the 2006 World Cup

That was quite a neat trick of Sir Alex Ferguson, was it not, making it look as if the Everton fans were somehow to blame for his star striker's non-appearance at Goodison when it was actually Wayne Rooney who had done most of the misbehaving? Good effort but this week's award for sheer brass neck goes to someone who moves in much higher footballing circles and manages to make the Manchester United manager's manoeuvring look amateurish.

The Honourable Jack Austin Warner MP, Trinidad & Tobago football executive, Fifa vice-president, Concacaf president and minister of works and transport, has still not paid his country's footballers their agreed bonuses from the World Cup before last. Before the 2006 tournament, as special adviser to the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation, Warner brokered a deal between the federation and the World Cup team to share the proceeds from their qualification and participation in the event. Warner has since tried to distance himself from that agreement, even though courts have pronounced it valid, and the remarkable upshot is that, while the most famous administrator in the central American region continues to act the Fifa bigwig, pontificating about other nations' World Cup bids, a shameful situation in his own backyard has scandalously been allowed to fester for more than four years.

Warner is no stranger to shameful situations, having been fined by Fifa after his family travel business was exposed as having made an estimated £500,000 from selling 2006 World Cup tickets on the black market. Unsurprisingly the Trinidad & Tobago players were suspicious when their federation said they had only just broken even from their World Cup exploits, and they rejected an initial offer of only £500 per player. Most of the squad instead asked for an independent audit of the TTFF books for the World Cup period; Warner condemned them as "greedy". No such audit was forthcoming, though it was later revealed that revenue had been around £17m, 10 times more than the TTFF first suggested.

When the group of 13 unhappy players attempted to resolve the dispute through the courts, it was agreed instead – with the TTFF's full compliance – to put the matter in the hands of the London-based Sport Resolutions Dispute Panel. That body overwhelmingly ruled in the players' favour in 2008 but the but the money was still not forthcoming. In July this year the high court in Port of Spain admonished the TTFF for time-wasting, ordered them to honour their bonus agreement, pay the players' legal costs and allow an inspection of the World Cup accounts. A comprehensive victory, one might think – except that last week the TTFF lodged an appeal. Their grounds for doing so are unclear. They have missed the deadline for lodging an appeal by 33 days. The TTFF appear to be merely playing for time again.

More than four years and another World Cup have passed since the original dispute and the silence from Fifa is deafening. An ethics panel set up in 2006 has already washed its hands of the affair, claiming it cannot deal with retrospective matters. The Port of Spain court will rule on the grounds for appeal this week.


"Fifa's role in the whole business has been farcical," says Shaka Hislop, the World Cup goalkeeper turned ESPN commentator whose father, George, has been helping keep players in the Caribbean abreast of developments. "It has been quite clear from day one that legally the TTFF haven't a leg to stand on but as soon as we tried to do something to get our money Fifa passed a rule saying players could not take their national associations to court.

"I cannot say I was surprised by the latest decision to appeal. For years now it has been one legal trick after another. My father was a lawyer before he retired so I have an inherent respect for the legal process.

"I imagine that one day, perhaps after a very long wait, we will receive what we are due. But I'm one of the players who can afford to wait. I've had a decent career and the money is less important for me than the principle. But among the 13 are players who have never been on big money, players who have not managed to move beyond the islands to play, and it is a wholly different matter for them. They have been a lot more courageous than me with the stance they have taken. We are looking for justice, first and foremost for those players but also to bring some transparency into the way football is run here. Big changes need to be made."

Mike Townley, the lawyer representing the players from London, argues the changes need to go all the way to the top. "It is outrageous that Fifa are not getting involved," he says. "They seem to have the attitude that it is nothing to do with them but they have an ethics committee, Fifa members are supposed to be governed by a code of ethics and not paying your debts or honouring your contracts is generally considered unethical."

As the original Pirates of the Caribbean used to joke, the code is more what you'd call guidelines anyway. The Trinidad & Tobago players might as well walk the plank for all Fifa care. The only body that can make a complaint to Fifa's ethics committee turns out to be a national football federation in any case. That fact alone tells you everything you need to know.

It is hard to fathom quite why Kenny Dalglish is telling his life story again, 14 years after the last time, when his situation has altered little in between and his adventures at Newcastle and Celtic are not recounted anyway, but at least the old boy has not lost his sense of humour.

One rather awkward episode that My Liverpool Home (Hodder & Stoughton, £19.99) does cover is the sequence of events this summer when the club asked Dalglish to help choose their next manager and he put forward his own name, only to be told he was not wanted.

Acutely embarrassing as that must have been for both parties, Dalglish can smile about it now. "I only wanted to help the club," he says. "That's all I've ever wanted to do. But the club obviously thought the best way for me to help was by not becoming manager."

Although he insists he is fine with that decision, it is possible to surmise Dalglish is not completely fulfilled by his present ambassadorial role at Liverpool. He would not want to be anywhere else, yet his duties are ill-defined and apparently consist mainly of offering encouragement to the younger players at Melwood. That was more or less what Bill Shankly ended up doing before he found himself in the way and began to feel less obtrusive around the corner at Everton's training ground.

Dalglish seems to belong to a different generation from the present crop of sexagenarian managers at the top of the English game. He still looks as if he could play a bit and it is almost a shock to realise he will be 60 next birthday. A love affair is how the book describes his relationship with Liverpool. "That's how I see it," he says. "But it might just be one way."

Paul Wilson guardian.co.uk

[frico]

just cool,
what you have said bout J.Warner is probably exactly what I said about the man about 1 year ago,I was immediately described a UNC supporter by many on this MB.I really dont care what people say but I will continue to give the man credit for the position he has attained in one of the biggest and riches organisation in the world.There is a programme on BBC1 to-nite at 8.30pm,FIFA'S Dirty secret,its all about teefing...its not only JW.
I wonder if people think that JW just strolled into his present position,as a black man from a small country that must have taken a lot of strength and hard work,he should be a role model for every citizen of Trinidad and Tobago

[weary1969]

just cool,
what you have said bout J.Warner is probably exactly what I said about the man about 1 year ago,I was immediately described a UNC supporter by many on this MB.I really dont care what people say but I will continue to give the man credit for the position he has attained in one of the biggest and riches organisation in the world.There is a programme on BBC1 to-nite at 8.30pm,FIFA'S Dirty secret,its all about teefing...its not only JW.
I wonder if people think that JW just strolled into his present position,as a black man from a small country that must have taken a lot of strength and hard work,he should be a role model for every citizen of Trinidad and Tobago

 

[Brownsugar]

I wonder if people think that JW just strolled into his present position,as a black man from a small country that must have taken a lot of strength and hard work,he should be a role model for every citizen of Trinidad and Tobago

 
Sure Frico, the day ah decide to learn how to tief money ah goh call Jack........all yuh good yes!!....