Croft: Warriors going to SA
By: JOEL BAILEY (Newsday)
Wednesday, September 13 2006
FORMER West Indies fast bowler Colin Croft has promised to enable and enhance the efforts of the Trinidad and Tobago football team to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
The 53-year-old Croft made this declaration during a recent press conference at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain, when his appointment as Chief Operations Officer of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) South Africa 2010.
Speaking to the media, Croft said the LOC will be working with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) in order to improve the quality of the local players.
“That tournament in South Africa may be four years away, not as long a time to prepare as many think,” Croft said. “But I expect that many of these young men will be the ones who will make TT proud, again, come 2010.”
Croft stated that he will be performing dual roles as Chief Operations Officer of the LOC and as a cricket commentator, particularly at the 2007 ICC World Cup here in the Caribbean.
“We will need every ounce of help that we could get from everyone, including the press, everyone in the twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and even, with the new CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), the help of the entire Caribbean. “Whatever help we could get; in communications, ideas, co-operation, suggestions, operational, volunteers, anything at all, we will take,” he continued.
“If you think that Germany was spectacular, then, from my own experiences, you have not seen anything yet, in terms of soccer, when it comes to Africa, and especially, the Republic of South Africa,” Croft said.
“I would even suggest that maybe, with the exception of South America, no other continent in the world is more encased in the game of soccer than Africa,” he said.
“Similarly, except for Brazil, no other country anywhere plays soccer with such verve, enthusiasm and emphasis like the Republic of South Africa. You really have to see it to believe it,” he said.
But he made it clear that no Trinidad and Tobago national should now be thinking “if” the Soca Warriors team will get to South Africa in 2010, but what they would do once they get there.
“The precedent has been set in Germany 2006. South Africa 2010 must be infinitely better. There certainly is much work to be done. I could only do my best. That I promise you will have,” he said.