Warner walks with adopted Hermitage Primary School.
By: Shaun Fuentes.[/size]
FIFA Vice President Jack Warner kept his promise to the Hermitage Presbyterian School by joining them in their annual three kilometers walkathon “Moulding Today’s Minds for Tomorrow” on Friday morning on the Dumfries Road, La Romaine.
One hundred and twenty students with placards showing messages to the “Soca Warriors” along with school principal Gemma Ramadoo, members of staff and parents took part in the procession along the Dumfries Road from 7: 30 am ending at the Palmiste Park.
The walkathon was also done in recognition of the achievements of the “Soca Warriors” and the students appeared thrilled to be able to walk side by side with the TTFF Special Advisor as the sounds of Maximus Dan’s “I am a “Soca Warrior” and other popular 2006 Soca tracks blasted on an accompanying vehicle with loud speakers.
Ramadoo said she had made the request to Warner for him to be part of the School’s activity and she was all smiles when he made time from hectic schedule on the eve of his departure for London to join in strides with the young pupils. Residents and others in their passing vehicles all admired and grasped at the opportunity to say “Well Done” and “Keep the Flag” flying as they spotted Warner and the students.
“At the end of the day I don’t want ever the country’s success to be relegated to the background Efforts are being made to do that and to tarnish my name and my efforts,” Warner said relation to his presence at the School in spite of recent allegations against him.
“I do not think they will succeed but aside from that, with every bit of strength I have in my body, I will at every turn, make every effort to ensure the history which this country has made over the last few months and the next few months at least be kept on the front burner. Let those who want to denigrate Jack Warner and hope that by doing that it will help with their ulterior motive of putting the success on the back burner then let them do it. I shall continue to maintain the high ground and maintain a situation whereby the smallest country ever with the biggest passion ever is on the biggest show on earth. I commend Mr (Lawrence) Duprey for instance for donating two houses to two very humble individuals who were part of the team and I hope that things like that will serve as a catalyst to get other people and the Government to move forward,” Warner said.
The CONCACAF President, who earlier this month donated over 100 footballs to schools and clubs in the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation, also addressed the students at the end of the walkathon as they also sang a song in honour of him and later presented with a Cup in appreciation of his efforts and then placed their placards on the school’s front fence in recognition of the achievements of Dwight Yorke and his teammates.
“As young people you must always stand up for what you believe, and if what you believe is right and is not popular, still stand up for what you believe because one day what is right will be popular. Today I am proud, as all of you are, that we have made it. There are some useful lessons that we must learn from and that includes that as young people, you too can achieve. Whether your school is in Hermitage, whereby most times you get nothing or whether it is in Woodbrook or St Clair there is no reason for example, if you believe, that you would not be able to say one day I will be a Soca Warrior. All of you in some way should aspire to become a Soca Warrior. But not because of the fame and the glory, money and the TV so much but do so because of the discipline football teaches you. Football is a school of life and it also teaches you a way of life. Do not allow anyone to lower your standards.”
Warner also announced that he would adopt the school and assist in its development in sport and provision of musical instruments as well as assuring that they would have a chance to meet the members of the “Soca Warriors” team during the May 12 Road show.
Jack Warner calls on football forces to unite.
By Joel Villafana.
He was in one of his peaceful moods—He was calm and collected…Fifa Vice President Jack Warner was preaching unity, while he was addressing a press conference hosted by the T&T Pro League—where Mr. Warner confirmed Joe Public will be making a return to the Pro League and it was also revealed that the Super League would now fall under the management of the Pro League.
Mr. Warner’s message was clear, stating—‘let bygones be bygones’—and lets move on.
The TTFF’s Special Advisor informed his troops at the TTFF, specifically addressing the Football Federation’s President Mr. Oliver Camps, “Mr. Camps, as visionaries we must put all the nonsense and petty games of the past behind us and come together and make some serious headway in the future.”
He stressed, “We have to forget what has happened in the past, we have to look at the present and prepare for what lies ahead—and that is why I am so happy that the two Leagues have found a way to work together for the good of football in this country.”
On Wednesday 22 February at the Crowne Plaza Hotel—the T&T Pro League announced that its proposal to take over the management of the Super League was approved and accepted by Mr. Warner and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation.
Looking further ahead, Mr. Warner sent a serious message, saying, “2006 is behind us, while we are excited and talking about 2006, in exactly 18 months from now the qualification for the 2010 World Cup finals begins—the draw takes place in December next year—and we must start our preparing for the 2010 World Cup and beyond.”
“It took us 100 years for a World Cup to take place on the African Continent—after 100 years of Fifa’s existence, a World Cup will be staged on the African continent for the first time in South Africa in 2010, this will be a historic World Cup—many of us are linked in one way or the other to Africa, and if this country is not in South Africa in 2010 for the World Cup Finals it will be an indictment on all of us, because in our collective lifetime we will not see another World Cup on the African continent.
Jack Warner lauds T&T Pro League’s contribution.
By Joel Villafana.
After distancing himself from the T&T Pro League for the last three years—Fifa Vice President and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation special advisor Jack Warner was full of praise for the work done by Mr. Larry Romany and the T&T Pro League.
Mr. Warner was addressing a media conference hosted by the T&T Pro League, where it was announced the Pro League will be taking over the management of the Super League—Mr. Warner thanked the League’s Chairman Larry Romany for ensuring football was kept alive in difficult times—and commended Mr. Romany for guiding the ship through rough waters.
The Concacaf President credited the T&T Pro League for the role it played in the Soca Warriors qualifying for the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany, saying, “Imagine from just one Pro League club, there were some eight [8] players that emerged and represented this country on the ‘Journey to Germany’—it tells you how important a role this League is playing in the general scheme of things.”
He added, “It was because of this when approached for Joe Public to join the Pro League, I never hesitated, because if we want to ensure T&T don’t follow the footsteps of Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica and qualify for the World Cup only once,” Mr. Warner continued, “If we want to qualify for the World Cup on a regular basis, we have to ensure we have a serious Professional League with all the top clubs in the country involved—a League that can sustain our local players at home.”
He used an analogy to describe the importance of a Professional League, saying—“You cannot be half-pregnant, its either you are pregnant or not—so, you just can’t want to qualify for a world cup and not have a strong Professional League—its either you want to qualify for the world cup, or not.”
He finally lauded Mr. Romany once again for finding a way to bridge the gap and seeing that the Super League and the Pro League work together and share a healthy relationship.
Skeene aims to make PFL world class.
Source: Trinidad Guardian
Dexter Skeene, chief executive officer the T&T Professional Football League, says that his vision is to make the PFL the premier professional league in the region.
He also hopes that ultimately the league will be recognised worldwide for producing quality players who can compete effectively in the English Premier League, the Serie A and Spain’s La Liga.
“Yes! It may sound outrageous, and I use outrageous in the sense of not choosing to be conservative in our vision and ideas. Yes, we are always pushing the envelope. We have to do it, “said Skeene.
“The central or core question that dominates what we do is; what will it take? What is necessary to achieve our goals?
“At the forefront of our minds is to be innovative and imaginative and to think out of the box.”
Skeene said that growing the T&T Pro League brand to achieve creditability, viability and permanence is a challenge, real in every sense of the word.
However, he noted, for the T&T Pro League the greatest risk is not taking risk.
“What I can say is the T&T Pro League is passionate about building a sustainable career pathway for the talented footballers and coaches in T&T.
“We are unwavering in our commitment to the betterment of football, also to assist in ensuring that we give a performance worthy of a footballing nation in World Cup 2006 and to qualifying on a regular basis for 2010, 2014 and beyond,” said Skeene.
A former national footballer, Skeene was also high in praise for some of the league’s major sponsors who have helped the league to grow over the past year.
Among the sponsors were, the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs , T&T Football Federation, First Citizens Bank, Toyota T&T Limited, Sports and Games Limited, Courts T&T Ltd, Glaxosmithkline and Seven Seas (Oscar Francois Ltd.).
