Fighting for a cause (TT Express)
Wednesday, July 11th 2007
No, Jack, no!
What was the purpose of the latest tirade against the blacklisted players?
To warn the South Korea-bound under-17 squad that, in time, they could suffer the same fate if they ever felt they were too big for their boots and had the unmitigated gall to question the football administration?
By all accounts, Sunday's function at the Centre of Excellence was intended to be a tribute to the team who defied the odds by earning a place at next month's FIFA Under-17 World Championships, thanks to a battling victory over hosts and arch-rivals Jamaica in the decisive final game of the qualifying tournament in Kingston more than a month ago.
Since then, those history-making young men must have been walking on air as the enormity of their achievement sunk in. The dream of representing Trinidad and Tobago on the world stage has become a reality so early in their international careers that there may be the concern about them getting carried away with the achievement and believing that they are more than just servants of the Football Federation or, more specifically, its special adviser.
There's no chance of that now after the performance by Jack Warner.
Whatever praises and accolades offered to them would have been mere token gestures compared to the more fundamental message that the FIFA vice-president, CONCACAF boss and de facto supremo of the local game should never, ever be challenged unless the intention is to join the lengthening list of prominent individuals who have been either debarred from national duty or the domestic scene, or branded with that ever-popular tag of "persona non grata".
It is difficult to see how this collection of young players, so eagerly looking forward to the task ahead of them, would not have been intimidated more than encouraged by Warner's outburst. What is especially reprehensible is the manner in which this most influential football official can so flippantly belittle players who were hailed by the entire country, including Warner himself, as national heroes just a year ago.
As the man at the very heart of the alleged agreement for the sharing of World Cup profits between the TTFF and the players, he has every right to defend himself from what he may perceive to be baseless accusations. But surely, surely, making a whole heap of noise about the situation at an occasion that should have been about heartening encouragement and positive reinforcement of the under-17s is entirely inappropriate.
Keep in mind that some of those players dismissed as "mercenaries consumed by greed" or "the Soca Warriors of yesteryear" who "will never play for this country again" are probably heroes and exemplars in the eyes of the majority of the young squad. Will their opinions of Shaka Hislop, Stern John and others take an about-turn on the basis of Warner's cutting remarks, or will they now wonder if they may one day also suffer the same fate if ever they felt compelled to protest any form of injustice meted out to them by the game's administration?
Given the attention span of young people in general, it is unlikely that most of what was said at the Centre of Excellence on Sunday would have caused the under-17 players any sleepless nights since then. But, then again, you never know if one or two in the group might have taken it all in and realised that the sooner they can land decent contracts somewhere outside and get to hell out of this madhouse called T&T football, the better for their careers and long-term livelihoods, even if the country has to suffer for their absence.
Again, it all goes back to our obsession with personality cults in almost every sphere of public life. In creating these larger-than-life individuals on the basis of their achievements, wealth or influence, we have made them exempt from the rules that govern the rest of us. It is as if we firmly believe that one of the perks of such a status is being a law unto yourself.
This is the really sad part about it all. It is not so much about what Warner or any other prominent public figure says or does, but the ease with which the society tolerates, defends or forgives any indiscreet conduct purely on the basis of who they are. Even those who are troubled by this situation will take the position that it makes no sense to strike a discordant note because they will be shouted down by the rabid followers anyway.
There is no meaningful progress to be made in an environment governed by the personal whims and fancies of an anointed few, or as in football's case, one. Systems and structures, procedures and protocols are the pillars upon which any successful, progressive organisation is built. Yes, as with anything else there must be room for flexibility, but the governing principle should be that no man, or woman, is bigger than the organisation.
By taking a lag in the blacklisted players' tail at an occasion where there was no need to even go there, Warner has again demonstrated that his firebrand, confrontational modus operandi will not be tempered by considerations of tact and propriety.
As uncomfortable as it is to consider, the really unfortunate aspect, however, is that there is no concerted will to effect change, simply because we like it so, even if it means our under-17s are left wondering if they too will one day be blacklisted for standing up for a cause.
