Open cheque on nationalism
By Jack Warner
Subsequent to my remarks over the weekend about Coach Leo Beenhakker requiring an open cheque to ensure Trinidad and Tobago's Soca Warriors perform well at the FIFA World Cup, several interpretations have been made. I cannot allow those who have misconstrued my comments to go unchallenged as much as I regret having to perpetuate this negative banter amidst the afterglow of national euphoria which is still among us following our team's qualification for the World Cup. Allow me to clarify what I said about the resources required by the Coach of our national team.
Rather than prescribing Mr. Leo Beenhakker a budget that might constrain his ability to achieve the level of success we all know he is capable of producing from the team, I said the Coach should be given an open cheque which would allow him to write our nation even further into the record books when we compete in the FIFA World Cup, 2006. He has already done the improbable by taking the smallest team ever to qualify for a World Cup and also with the smallest budget ever provided any team in the event's history. We cannot now expect him to do the impossible and ensure our nation makes an impressive showing if he isn't given every red cent to acquire all the resources necessary. I said then and repeat now, that Coach Beenhakker will get all that he asks for even if I have to borrow the money.
My comments were never meant to suggest that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago give Mr. Beenhakker an open cheque, I believe that he should be given what in his opinion is required for the team to perform best. And I stand by that statement of principle. Come next year when the entire nation and the world is watching the Soca Warriors we must never have faltered at our most glorious moment simply because funding fell short of a nation's goal.
Jack Warner
Chairman
LOC
