Benefits coming as World Cup qualification looms.
By: Shaun Fuentes.The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has agreed to meet the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation’s request for $13.5 million to fund this country’s qualifying drive for next year’s World Cup Finals in Germany.
Disclosing the news was TTFF Special Advisor Jack Warner at a media conference at the VIP Lounge, Hasely Crawford Stadium on Friday.
Aside from coming on board to assist the team in it’s quest for a historical qualification, the Government has also agreed to retain the services of head coach Leo Beenhakker and his assistants for two-four years in the first instance to coach National Teams and Local Coaches.
All this, according to Warner, was warmly accepted by the TTFF and the LOC Germany 2006 after being told of by Minister of Sport Roger Boynes and will be formalized this coming Monday.
“Even then, we are thankful and highly appreciative of this gesture,” Warner said.
The Government will also fund a charter flight to take the National team and supporters to Bahrain a few hours following the match against Bahrain on November 12. Currently 200 seats are available at a cost of $17,500 each including match entrance, travelling and accommodation. All Sports Promotions is in charge of bookings.
The Government will also fund the charges to televise the match in Bahrain on November 16 back home for viewers, costing US$50,000.
Warner further revealed that due to added support from the Government the cost of tickets for the game which kicks off at 6:30pm on November 12 will remain at $200 (covered) and $100 (uncovered) following initial intentions to raise the cost to $300 and $150.
Aside from that all, Warner was delighted to add “Yesterday Dwight Yorke called me and said to me that he wants his team and players to be focused when they come here for the game on the 8th. He says ‘Jack I am getting calls from some players about money for the two matches. He says to me ‘Jack I am not interested in money, my interest is getting this team into the World Cup and to close my career that way. But there are players on the team for whom money is important and I need your help. I said what can I do for you? He says ‘I want you to double whatever fee you pay the players for the qualifying matches so when I arrive here the players can be focused. I said to him Done Deal.”
Warner said he had to repeat it before Yorke fully understood that he would in fact double the incentives for win in each game. He further called a figure of US$10,000 as the new bonus off the top of his head but team manager Bruce Aanensen said it would be a little lower and preferred not to disclose publicly what the players were in fact taking home.
Warner said too that any sponsor willing to come on board and add to the incentives for the players were free to do so “with no strings attached”.
Warner added that he received a correspondent from the Guatemalan Federation refusing a request from Bahrain for a warm up but was later told that they had also gone to Jamaica to request a similar game. He added that he had no trouble with the “Reggae Boyz” facing T&T’s World Cup opponent inside the week before the game. But Warner’s eyebrows raised when he was informed on Friday that the Jamaican Federation agreed to accommodate the Bahrain contingent for an eight-day camp and to field a team of strong home-based players with the Jamaican League also being closed down to allow the country to field it’s best team.
The officials for the two-leg playoff will be revealed on Monday with none coming from either CONCACAF or Asia and FIFA, following a written request from Warner, will decide next week whether to wipe off all cards for both teams going into the playoffs.
And if that wasn’t enough, he then announced that officials from Adidas were in town on Friday to discuss terms and conditions of a four-year sponsorship deal with the TTFF. But nothing will be finalized, Warner said, until offers from Puma and Nike, as well as other firms expressing interest of late, are considered during the course of next week. Following that, up to 20,000 replica shirts will be printed and on sale to the public and” which we will ask you to buy in solidarity with the team for the match on the 12th. Modernized wristbands displaying images of the team will also be produced this month. “Qualification will bring a kind of unity that this country sorely needs,” Warner ended.
Request made to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago by the T&TFF:| Administrative Cost (for 3 Month Period ending October 2005) |
| Salaries (Office staff, technical staff, coaches) |
| Rent (office and Apartments) |
| Rental of Vehicles for Coaches |
| Telephone (office and Coaches) |
|
| Qualifying Games Costs (for 3mt Period ending) |
| Accommodation - Teams and Officials |
| Accreditation and Uniforms |
| FIFA and CONCACAF Dues |
| Insurance |
| Players match fees |
| Printing of tickets |
| Refreshments |
| Security | $7,091,200.00 |
|
| For Play off Matches - T&T vs Bahrain |
| Hotel Accommodation in Trinidad |
| Departure Tax |
| Accomodation in Bahrain |
| Match Fees and Bonus | $2,001,800.00 |
|
| Assistance with Charter Flight | $4,400,000.00 |
|
| Payment for Broadcast Rights for game on |
| 16th November $50,000.00US | $315,000.00 |
| $13,808,000.00 |
How it happened on Friday - the Government's pledge.
By: Shaun Fuentes.[/size]
During his three-hour long meeting with Adidas representatives on Friday morning, Jack Warner received a visit from Minister of Sport Roger Boynes shortly before lunch.
Boynes, accidentally walked straight into the TTFF Media Centre on Dundonald Street, requesting to see Warner and when told he had to walk around the to Edward Street to meet the FIFA Vice President, a smiling Boynes replied "You mean I can't pass through right here?" No, you've got to take it on the outside, was the next reply to that, and rightly so since it was not possible to make the walk through from there. "Okay, no problem, I'll walk across," Boynes added.
The rest followed.First, LOC chairman Jack Warner disclosed that Government had given $13.5 million to T&T's World Cup fund - Trinidad Express.
Warner's request included $7.09 million to cover costs of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying games up to October; another $2 million to fund the two-match play-off series against Bahrain; US$50,000 ($315,000) to have the game broadcast live from Bahrain; and $4.4 million to charter a plane to fly the Warriors to Bahrain.
He informed the audience that Government had also agreed to retain Trinidad and Tobago's Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker for the next two to four years to continue T&T's football development.
"The Cabinet, I have been informed by the Minister (Roger Boynes), approved our request for $13.5 million," Warner said.
However, yesterday Boynes sent a letter to Warner stating that his proposal for assistance is presently engaging the attention of Cabinet and a decision on the matter would be communicated shortly.
"Pleased be informed that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago is committed to further assistance to Team Trinidad and Tobago in our quest to qualify for the 2006 World Cup to be held in Germany. Please be advised further to your communication that your proposal for assistance is presently engaging the attention of Cabinet and a decision on the matter will be communicated to you shortly," read Boynes' letter.
The Minister was able to confirm the Government will fund the US$50,000 bill to pay the television rights to have the November 16 return match shown live in Trinidad and Tobago from 2 p.m. and that efforts were being made to secure a charter to fly the team to Bahrain at a cost of $4.4 million.
Boynes, who was not present at the media conference also informed Warner that his efforts to raise funds from corporate sponsors had borne fruit and millions had been generated for the Warriors.
"Finally, I wish to indicate that corporate citizens of Trinidad and Tobago have responded to our call for a united effort. In this regard, please be advised that CLICO and TSTT have once again given their commitment towards the charter.
"Please be informed that substantial sums totalling a few million dollars have been pledged by the following companies pursuant to my request: National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago; Petrotrin; British Gas; BHP Billiton; Carib Brewery; Eastern Credit Union; Unit Trust Limited; and Atlantic LNG," Boynes said by letter. Warner welcomed the new sponsors, but praised five companies-KFC, Busta, TSTT, Blue Waters and Finta-who had come aboard early and lent their support when others with greater means would not.
"Now, we have more corporate sponsors coming aboard and that will make our task less difficult," Warner said, while adding that international companies such as Adidas, Puma and Nike were also lining up to back the T&T Warriors. "Adidas flew in to talk sponsorship of the Trinidad and Tobago team for the next four years. It's an extremely attractive offer," Warner said. "Instead of going to them, now they are coming to us," he stated.
Squad for T&T vs Bahrain on Nov 12th.GoalkeepersKelvin Jack, Shaka Hislop, Clayton Ince.
DefendersMarvin Andrews, Dennis Lawrence, Brent Sancho, Avery John, Cyd Gray, Ian Cox.
MidfieldersRussell Latapy, Carlos Edwards, Silvio Spann, Aurtis Whitley, Christopher Birchall, Densill Theobald.
ForwardsDwight Yorke, Stern John, Kenwyne Jones, Jason Scotland, Scott Sealy, Anthony Wolfe.
Stand By Players:Cornell Glen, Collin Samuel, Anton Pierre, Atiba Charles, Brent Rahim.
News from the 21st of October 2005.Government, corporate $$$ for Warriors.
By: Naz Yacoob (Guardian).[/size]
The proposal put forward by the T&T Football Federation to Sports Minister Roger Boynes for a TT$11.5 million budget on Wednesday, to assist the national football team in its quest for a place among the 32 teams in the 2006 World Cup in Germany has been receiving favourable attention.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his cabinet discussed the proposal in its entirety, and according to usually reliable informed sources, it has received a good response from the members.
Manning is expected to make a public statement on the matter today following another meeting with officials from the Football Federation.
Boynes had stated on Wednesday that because the play-off is such a short time away, he intends to reply to the T&TFF on its proposal by today.
Manning and Boynes also held private discussions on the matter late Wednesday.
The proposal was put forward by T&T Football Federation’s President Oliver Camps, and special advisor and chairman of the Local Organising Committee Germany 2006, Austin “Jack” Warner, during a meeting with Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport, Cecila Greaves-Smith and Sports Minister Roger Boynes at his offices at the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, Abercromby Street in Port-of-Spain, on Wednesday.
Yesterday, Cabinet considered two proposals, the first is for TT$7.6 million if the Warriors qualify for Germany among the 32 finalists and $3.9 million which is required immediately for the home and away playoff series against Bahrain.
Both sums include the salaries for coach Leo Beenhakker and his two-man Dutch technical staff.
The proposal included the chartering of a flight to Bahrain, the players match fees and incentives and the full management staff fees.
Boynes also mentioned that his ministry will be meeting with corporate T&T to get them on board in support of the World Cup effort.
And yesterday several corporate organisations responded to the call to support the national team financially in their history making effort.
Warner revealed that some of the corporate organisations who have assisted financially so far have been TSTT with just over $3 million in cash and about another three (million) in kind; Busta just over $1 million; KFC has again given us $1 million in cash and about the same amount in kind.
Warner had stated after T&T’s 2-1 victory against Mexico that financial assistance was mostly needed to take T&T to Germany, if the team gets past Bahrain in its playoff on November 12 (home) and November 16 (away).
Bahrain gear up for key Trinidad clash.
By: Rami Hulayyel.[/size]
Bahrain's national soccer team resumed training last night as eight players were included for their World Cup qualifying play-off matches against Trinidad and Tobago scheduled on November 12 and 16.
Bahrain will travel to Trinidad for the first-leg match in Port of Spain and host the second-leg match four days later at the National Stadium.
Defenders Mohammed Hussain (Al Ahli) and Hassan Abdulla (Al Shabab), midfielders Abdulrahman Mubarak, Mohammed Sa'ad (both Riffa), Fawzi Ayesh (Muharraq), Rashid Al Sheroughi (Al Hala) and Ali Norooz (Manama) and striker Rashid Jamal (Al Najma) were included for last night's practice session at the Bahrain Football Association grounds in Riffa.
Bahrain's physiotherapist Khalil Rabea said four players - goalkeeper Ali Hassan, defenders Hassan Mansoor, Abdulla Al Marzooqi and Saleh Farhan - did not take part in last night's training as they had niggling injuries but confirmed that all players should be fit for the play-off.
The team also missed 11 professionals who are committed to their clubs in Qatar and Kuwait but are expected to report for training on Saturday.
Sponsored by Batelco, Bahrain went down two places in the Fifa rankings list and are presently in 55th position while Trinidad moved up three spots to 53rd place.
Both Bahrain, who finished fifth in Asia, and Caribbean islanders Trinidad, will be desperate to come out on top and make their debut at the World Cup finals in Germany.
With defence likely to hold the upper hand, the Asian side may well be fancying their chances in the upcoming pair of crucial matches.
Some would say that playing at home in the second-leg is a slight psychological advantage, but Bahrain have been on a steadily upward trajectory in recent years and will be keen to give a good account of themselves on the road in the first leg as well.
Certainly their defence, with players like Mohammed Juma, Al Marzooqi and Sayed Mohammed Adnan, looked well-drilled in the play-off with usually potent Uzbekistan, leaking just the single goal.
Building on the progress initiated back in 2002 by German boss Wolfgang Sidka, current coach Luka Peruzovic of Belgium has his side fit, brimming with confidence and keen for a spot in the finals. Never having played Trinidad before, Bahrain can expect a different sort of test as they look to add their name to the list of finalists in Germany.
After the second-leg match against Uzbekistan, coach Peruzovic broke down in tears. "I can't believe it," he sobbed. "I feared we might throw it away in the second half, but the team defended so bravely. I am so proud."
It is not just about defensive steadiness, however. Bahrain have in their team a noted goalscorer in the form of Qatar's Al Gharrafa striker Ala'a Hubail.
The older brother of midfielder Mohammed Hubail who is also playing in Qatar for Qatar Club, was the top scorer at last year's Asian Cup finals.
Only just back from an eight-month injury lay-off, he came on late in both legs against Uzbekistan and caused more than a few headaches despite not being able to find the goal. With some more time to rest, the diminutive striker could well spell trouble for Trinidad's much-scrutinised backline.
On the other side of the globe, Trinidad, oft-times overly reliant on joyful footwork and the carefree rhythms of football in the Caribbean, have found a smart balance of native technique and much-needed organisation under the tutelage of well-travelled Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker.
At the helm since April 2005, the 63-year-old former Real Madrid and Netherlands coach has preached a doctrine of discipline and combined it well with the creativity alive on the sun-soaked streets of football-mad Trinidad.
Defence is still something of a touchy subject for the Soca Warriors. But with former European Cup winner Dwight Yorke and Stern John, who scored both goals against Mexico, roving up front, the islanders are posing a significant threat in attack. The return of 37-year-old Scotland-based midfield wizard Russell Latapy from semi-retirement has also added a bit of spice going forward.
