Gally against proposed Beenhakker return.
T&T Newsday Reports.EVERALD “GALLY” Cummings, former Trinidad and Tobago football team midfielder and coach, is against the proposed return of ex-national tactician Leo Beenhakker, by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), in a technical capacity.
It was confirmed last week that the TTFA met with the 70-year-old Dutch-born Beenhakker in Romania on June 4, hours before the TT football team fell 4-0 to the Romanians in a friendly football international at Bucharest. But the 64-year-old Cummings, in a letter to the Editor which was published in Newsday on Monday, admitted, “I have been bombarded by members of the public to say something. I have nothing personally against Leo Beenhakker. But he is not what we need at the moment.
“Let us not make the same mistake like we did with (former coach German-born) Otto Pfister, looking for short-term solutions for problems that are deeply rooted in our football.”
Cummings, who coached the then “Strike Squad” to within the brink of qualification for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, admitted, “I offered my services in a technical capacity to our new president (Raymond Tim Kee) which he suggested should be free of charge. Is he planning to offer the same to Beenhakker?”
Cummings, who is the lone footballer to be named as the TT Sportsman of the Year (in 1973), also referred to a letter he sent to
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in October 2011, as well as heads of the respective political parties of the People’s Partnership Government.
“I believe her hands were previously tied with her former Minister of National Security but I think she should be free to take action and to ensure proper governance at all levels where public resources are to be used,” said Cummings.
The former United States and Mexico-based player, in his letter to the Prime Minister last year, highlighted her “brilliant contribution to the budget debate on October 11 in which you made reference to your Government’s commitment to uphold the principles enshrined in the constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on the individual human rights and in particular to the issues of merit, ability and integrity as the foundation on which citizens are expected to be treated by the State.”
Cummings, who is currently employed with the University of Trinidad and Tobago, went on to state, “it was on this basis that I felt I would be given a fair hearing and that attempts would be made to bring closure to years of discrimination and victimisation I have endured at the hands of the former vice-president of FIFA and a member of your Government for upholding my values of honesty, integrity and complete dedication to the development of football in Trinidad and Tobago.”
He continued, “I have been continually bypassed although I have expressed my interest on many occasions publicly and to officials of the (then) TTFF to assist in any area where there is a need (and there is a lot that needs to be done) by persons of less merit and ability, many junior to me whom I have trained earlier in my career but who lack the experience, and are given opportunities to contribute at national level. I feel proud that many of them were developed by me but I still see areas that are lacking in which I could advise.
“I feel hurt by all the injustice done to me in the past, opportunities lost, reduced income and grossly underutilised when compared to my experience and knowledge and value I could bring to the football table.
“I feel comforted and encouraged by so many nationals of all ages, races and social standing whom I meet on a daily basis and who thank me for my contribution and express how they long to see me playing a role so I could bring back the excitement and happiness they felt when I was involved.”
http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,179048.html