Trinidad and Tobago special adviser Jack Warner is "extremely pleased" with the World Cup draw, which will pit T&T against England, Sweden and Paraguay in Group B.
"I am extremely pleased with the kind of draw that I have," Warner said in an interview with TV6 following the draw in Leipzig, Germany yesterday. "It's the kind of draw I predicted, I said we'd have England, and we have England, and I feel that we have a very good chance of heading to the second round, therefore I am extremely happy."
"Up to this afternoon I was telling everybody that we shall be in the group with England and then (go on) to win that group. Everybody said I was a soothsayer, and I was of course able to predict quite well."
"I did predict that we would qualify and we did," Warner added, "...I predict now that we will be in the second round, and we will be."
The FIFA vice-president also related that coach Leo Beenhakker is also very pleased about the draw, especially with so many "Soca Warriors" based at clubs in England.
"He (Beenhakker) is extremely pleased. In fact, he has asked me to try and get a game against one of the English countries for him at the earliest. He is now doing some interview with the German television and radio, he is happy because 17 of the 21 players are playing in England.
"They know the English style, the English system, and therefore as far as he is concerned, it is a plus for us. So Leo is extremely pleased. And Paraguay we have beaten already, and they are not the best team in South America anyway, and then we also know that England has not been able to beat Sweden.
"...We have seen them play, we know their players, we know their system, and it is a plus for us."
Warner is also boasting a good showing for T&T against the Europeans.
"The England supporters were saying poor England. They weren't saying poor Trinidad and Tobago, they were saying poor England. Whether they were being facetious or not, it was a good sign for us.
The Swede (official) is (FIFA's) Lennard Johansson, and Johansson shook my hand, and he said of course Jack we will now see on the field of play who is the better team. And I said to him "Johansson, I have beaten you in debates in FIFA, and I will beat you on the field of play..." Warner quipped.
