Phillips: No damage done by T&TFF move
Source: Trinidad Express"I think we are on track. I also think we are better off than in the past, in that we have started our preparation immediately after the last World Cup."
Lincoln "Tiger" Phillips, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation's technical director, believes there is no fall-out from the recent shutdown of all football programmes under the aegis of the T&TFF, which closed up shop last week after financier and special adviser Jack Warner said he will no longer fund their programmes, including paying the approximately US$100,000 monthly salary of national team head coach Wim Rijsbergen and his staff.
The situation has since been rectified by Minister of Sport Roger Boynes' announcement on Thursday of Government's decision to release $18 million in funds to the Federation, dependent on approval of the T&TFF's budget.
"I feel we overreact to issues," Phillips told the Express. "If something negative happens, we feel that it's the end of the world, and if we get success, we feel we are great. I feel the Government and everyone in Trinidad and Tobago want this team to do well. I am confident in my people in T&T. We may talk but at the end of the day, it all works out."
Phillips also shared his thoughts on the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup, stating it was important that Trinidad and Tobago take their place in the competition, since it will play a major part in developing the national team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. "I think it is imperative we take our place and compete. Win, lose or draw is not as important as how we compete. We must ensure that we expose our local players to that level of competition because it is a clear gauge of where we are," said the former outstanding T&T goalkeeper.
At the Gold Cup, Phillips believes at least a quarter-final place appears well within the national team's grasp.
Trinidad and Tobago are grouped with Guatemala, El Salvador and the United States during the preliminary stage of the tournament, which runs from June 6-24, in the United States. The top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed teams move onto the quarter-final stage of the 12-team tournament.
"If we play Brazil and Argentina, it will be tough. But on any day when we play our best football and possess the ball, we are capable of beating Guatemala, El Salvador, USA and those teams," said Phillips.
Kingman