Warner impressed with facilities in Abu Dhabi

FIFA Vice-President Jack Warner believes that the future of football is in extremely good hands judging from the talent on display during the recently concluded FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates. The CONCACAF president had predicted a victory for Brazil which was eventually achieved when they edged Spain 1-0 in last Friday’s final in Abu Dhabi but according to Warner, Brazil’s display was not the only outstanding one at the event. “The future of football is in extremely good hands not only because of what Brazil achieved and the way in which they did it, but other countries like Egypt, Uzbekistan, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, United States  and even Canada all displayed a high level of football.

“The host nation also performed creditably and in my humble view this speaks in glowing terms for youth football. It also seems that the countries which are best organised are also those doing well in youth football, ’’Warner said on Monday after returning home. Warner received the highest award presented by the UAE Government last Friday when he received cheers from close to 60,000 fans at the Royal Lounge of the Zayed Sports City Stadium in the capital, Abu Dhabi. “The award which they gave is extremely expensive and I was somewhat shocked as they also said that what I have done is not something they want to forget. The award allows me to enter the UAE without a visa for lifetime. “I can meet with the Royal Family without any appointments and I can open businesses and clinics there and do several things which are the norm for a UAE citizen. This to me is a great honour,” Warner proudly said.

The FIFA Youth Committee chairman added that the tournament was undoubtedly the best ever organised FIFA Youth event and the fact that the media rated their facilities even better than that for the 2002 World Cup in Japan/Korea speaks volumes. “The Government left nothing to chance. Everything was first class. The stadia were absolutely super and most importantly the people were very receptive. Their hospitality left a very deep emotional feeling in the hearts of all of us,” Warner said. He mentioned that the events in the UAE over the past month removes the myth that there is only war in that part of the globe. “What all of this does is simply remove the myth that there is only war in that part of the world, in countries like Iraq and Palestine and Israel. It showed another side of the UAE. It showed that the oil dollars are being well spent and that they are planning for the future,” Warner said. “If I had my way I would take all of Trinidad and Tobago to Dubai to show them how the place has been transformed from being a desert 20 years ago to what it is today.

“I went to a place where there is a mosque and a Catholic church located near to each other and both were filled and it was unbelievable to see the kind of reverence they have for the Royal Family and Government property and the environment,” he said. Warner leaves later this month for the Caribbean Football Union Congress in Martinique where Frenchman Michel Platini will represent FIFA. He then departs for Tunisia in January for the African Confederation Congress and elections following which he goes to Holland for an inspection visit for the 2005 World Youth Championship.  “FIFA does not sleep and plans for the other developments and tournaments are continuing,” Warner said.