Beenhakker bids farewell.
By: Shaun Fuentes.
Now Former National coach Leo Beenhakker bid farewell to this country at a press conference at the Crowne Plaza on Monday and will depart these shores tomorrow (Tuesday) to take up his new post in Poland.
Beenhakker, the man responsible for guiding the “Soca Warriors to a most respectable showing at the 2006 World Cup final in Germany, shared his feelings on the eve of his departure, saying that he was closing an important chapter in his coaching career.
“In a personal way I am finishing a very important period in my life. I think not only did I have a great time because I love my job but this was a very special job. Normally coaches are very focused on their own success and the team but this was a very special history because for the first time I felt very happy and satisfied that I could support a beautiful country like Trinidad and Tobago and making happy all the people to participate in the World Cup,” Beenhakker said.
“One side in a personal way I am closing an important part but on another side, after qualification it will be a new, healthy and successful start for football in T&T.
“It was a difficult decision for me to day goodbye to this job, especially because it was much more than a job to me,” Beenhakker continued. “Thanks to all of you - thanks to the support I got from everybody. On the other hand it made the decision a little bit easier at the moment that I knew Wim Rijsbrgen was my successor and in that way I am sure the football of T&T for the next few years is in very good hands.”
He went on to say that he felt confident that football will continue to grow locally following meetings yesterday with Jack Warner, Rijsbergen and Prime Minister Patrick Manning.
“In that way I am very hopeful and I have very positive feelings about what we can do with this success we had during the World Cup. I think everyone understands very well the input of football. The main part is to use that. We wrote history with Trinidad and Tobago but that’s history and hopefully everybody can make a big effort to write the future on paper. When everyone is working together not only in football but in political way, commercial way and in a federation way I am sure that Trinidad and Tobago has a great future and will be able to present themselves whenever there will be a big event in football.”
The former Dutch National Team boss paid tribute to Warner for his efforts and commitment towards the success of the country’s national team.
“Also a special note of thanks for Mr Warner, not only because he have me the opportunity to come over here last May (because) I can assure you he’s not an easy guy to work with,” he added with a teasing laugh. “ But on the other hand, what I like (is) from the first contact I had with him, (he’s) a man who also has football in his heart, he loves the game, he loves the way of football, he understands from the beginning the exposure of football and its responsibility in relation to this society. What I am really thankful for is that from the first day he gave me and Wim and the rest of the staff all the possibility to do the job as we thought we had to do it and that’s not easy because more than ever it’s his world, his country , his TTFF but in that way he showed us all the confidence. Also in some difficult moments like the Gold Cup last year when it was a disaster. But always we had his support, he never tried to change things, he gave us all the freedom to do our job and hopefully in that way we paid him back.”
The “Don” said he regretted not being able to help Warner realize a second dream which was to get the better of England.
“We couldn’t realize the other dream of beating England. (But) Mr Warner will be many, many years in football, I still want to be many, many years in football and I am sure we will meet again and hopefully also as in the second part of beating England I can pay you in the future,” Beenhakker concluded to a standing send off ovation from the audience.
