Rewind to this article:
http://ttproleague.com/index.php/tt-pro-league-news/national-team-news/1941-government-to-ttfa-s-rescue-but-thirteen-2006-world-cup-players-vow-to-battle-onGovernment to TTFA’s rescue but thirteen 2006 World Cup players vow to battle on
Tuesday 8 July 2014
On Monday, eight years after they were promised a bonus for their appearance at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, 13 members of the Soca Warriors were relieved that they will be paid the outstanding balance of US$1.3 million.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, made the announcement at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, and in the presence of seven of the players, Brent Sancho, Cyd Gray, David Atiba Charles, Stern John, Cornell Glen, Anton Wolfe, and Aurtis Whitley.
“I have given instructions to the Minister of Finance (Larry Howai) to make provision for the outstanding US$1.3 million to be made available to these heroes,” Persad-Bissessar said. “This payment is to be made without prejudice to any rights and remedies already accrued, or, which may accrue to the Soca Warriors.”
While Government of Trinidad and Tobago was under no legal obligation to make any payment to the players, added, “We are not unmindful of the long and protracted legal battles waged by these football heroes of ours, and the situation today is that the players are still owed and entitled to a payment from an entity in the TTFF (Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation) that is unlikely to be in a position to pay.”
She said that in 2006, the Soca Warriors joined the world’s best in Germany, and “for eight months, from qualification in Bahrain in November 2005 to the end of the World Cup in June 2006 our nation soared with pride with the efforts of our team.”
“It was a moment that unified us like never before. They healed every national wound, bridged every divide, and brought us together across all boundaries, there were no political, social, religious or ethnic differences, we acclaimed ourselves and embraced each other in a celebration of genuine patriotic pride,” said Persad-Bissessar.
In a report by the Trinidad Newsday, TTFA (Trinidad and Tobago Football Association) president Raymond Tim Kee is quoted as saying he was “extremely pleased that Government has come through now. We requested that assistance so that football can breathe somewhat.”
The TTFA, he said began discussions with the Office of the Prime Minister for Government to pay the outstanding balance about six months ago and followed up in writing. He said they last met two weeks ago.
Asked whether the payment means that the TTFA does not owe the players anymore, Tim Kee said, “That is what we have been requesting, that Government pay on behalf of the TTFA.”
On assuming the TTFA presidency, he said, he acknowledged that the former players were owed the bonus promised by the old dispensation. After an issue was made out of it, he said, “We paid them what we could. We sought help from CONCACAF.”
Having run bankrupt, he said the TTFA sought Government’s assistance.
Meanwhile Brent Sancho, speaking on behalf of the 13 players, said he was overwhelmed and Government’s decision meant “more than any of us can describe.”
The 13 T&T players: Brent Sancho, Stern John, Cyd Gray, David Atiba Charles, Cornell Glen, Anthony Wolfe, Aurtis Whitley, Kenwyne Jones, Evans Wise, Collin Samuel, Shaka Hislop, Kelvin Jack and Avery John.
Sancho recalled that when they returned to Piarco from Germany they were greeted as heroes.
However, the failure to honour a promised bonus marred all that went on before and a legal battle ensued. The judgement in the arbitration that followed was that the players were entitled to 50 percent of the net profits TTFF derived from “the Road to Germany 2006 campaign”.
“We didn’t expect asking for what we were promised to be met with eight years of humiliation, torment, blacklisting and even in some cases career loss,” Sancho said.
While many had turned their backs on them and ignored their pleas, he said they had finally been heard.
Expressing thanks to the team members who endured the legal battles over the years and to Persad-Bissessar and her Government, Sancho said, “We recognise that the government has no legal obligation to assist us, yet chose to do so through this gesture.”
Asked whether the 2006 Soca Warriors will drop their legal battles, now that Government has paid the outstanding debt, Sancho said, “While this money is important for us, we still feel there is unfinished business. We intend to push on. We have suffered for a very, very long time.”
The legal battle will continue, he said, in the hope that they can repay Government.
Former FIFA vice-president and former TTFA special advisor Jack Warner.
Former FIFA vice-president and former TTFA special advisor Jack Warner.
In an immediate reaction, former FIFA vice-president and former special advisor to the TTFF, Jack Warner has appealed to Persad-Bissessar to come to the aid of former president of the TTFF Oliver Camps, who he claims is in debt and stands to lose his home.
In a release on Monday, following Government’s $1.3 million payout to 13 members of the 2006 Soca Warriors, Warner called on the Prime Minister to intervene and save Camps’ home. Camps was president at the time of T&T’s World Cup qualification for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
“If the Prime Minister really wants to demonstrate that this is truly benevolence and not public relations to lift the flagging image of her Minister of Sport, then I wish to advise her to go further and save the home of Oliver Camps,” Warner stated.
“This group of footballers who played three matches in the 2006 World Cup in Germany and who never scored a goal nor win a match there and who now stand to benefit from the Prime Minister’s benevolent gesture received $20 million dollars from the Patrick Manning administration, $7 million from FIFA, $4 million from the TTFF, $6 million from Jack Warner through the courts of Trinidad and Tobago and now $1.3 million USD from the People’s Partnership Government; a total sum of close to $50 million dollars and this excludes gifts from private organisations like Clico and others,” claimed Warner.
He stated Camps too was in need of financial help.
Camps, he stated, served football with distinction for over 50 years as Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) president and team manager and was the “most successful football manager ever”, taking the Soca Warriors to the 2006 Germany World Cup.
Warner stated that Camps signed a promissory note of US$480,000 on behalf of the TTFF in order to procure the services of Wim Risenberg as coach of the national team.
“The TTFF has been unable to raise the money and now Al Roberts’ firm - father of the Minister of Sport, is now moving to levy on this senior citizen,” stated Warner.
“Mr. Camps’ home Madam Prime Minister is now threatened. If he cannot raise the money he will lose it by September 2014, if not before. In this regard I am therefore asking the Prime Minister to be as benevolent to Mr. Camps as she has been to these footballers and save the home of this senior citizen,” stated Warner.
On the money Government will be paying the Soca Warriors, Warner wished the team members well and stated that he hoped this would finally bring closure to the matter.
“It is my sincere wish that this is the end of this story and that the furniture and the archival material, which the TTFA lost when this team of footballers levied on the TTFF, will now be returned to it,” he added.
