Thank God for Jack

The Fifa vice-president has financially supported our national team with his personal finance and yet he has not gotten thanks from our public. Imagine two days after our victory against Guatemala; a certain radio programme was debating whether or not the victory against Guatemala had redeemed Mr Warner.

The question is why does Mr Warner had to redeem himself. Has he done anything to deteriorate our football? Well, to my knowledge he has made great sacrifices to accommodate our national team and does not need to redeem himself. The advisor to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation has paid coach after coach; he has paid a great part of the team expenses and yet the public at large hates him. Mr Warner has sacrificed himself for our national team and the development of our football and the public rewards him with criticism.

In any other country the Fifa Vice President would have been given praises and cherished for his contribution to development of world football, but here it’s a totally different story. He is just hated for doing good deeds for our football team’s.

I guess it’s our culture to react like this. When we Trini’s go to watch West Indies play cricket and Brian Lara fails to get a big score we curse, yet in other countries their public will be grateful just to witness him on their home soil. In other countries around the world Mr Warner is well received, given red carpet treatment from the time he enters out of the airplane and treated with full respect.

I guess the reason our public reacts to him in this way is because of his political affiliation. This leaves me to wonder if persons like Brian, Wendy, Dwight, and Ato were to make their political acquaintances known, if they do follow a political party, they may end up being chastised by the public. I would like Trinidad and Tobago to give credit where credit is deserved. Mr Austin Jack Warner has done us proud as a football administrator and as a son of the soil. His actions and achievements speak volumes for themselves. TT should not judge an individual on their choice of their political choice but respect them for what they have done to benefit our great nation. To vote and support a particular party is your democratic choice and your constitutional right.

RAVI HARRYPERSAD

San Juan