Four international friendlies for TT

TRINIDAD and Tobago Football Federation adviser Jack Austin Warner has lined up four international friendlies for the national footballers, as they continue preparing for the Journey to Germany and World Cup 2006. And fans will see Sunday’s second-leg qualifier against Dominican Republic tape-delayed on CCN-TV6, courtesy Kenny’s Sports Centre. But local football fans will only get a close-up look at Colombia here in December. The national footballers will travel to Bankok to take on Thailand on July 10, and four days later they go to Seoul to engage South Korea.

And after nearly a one-month break they tangle with arch-rivals the Reggae Boyz of Jamaica in Miami on August 11. At the launch of a four-year US$1 million sponsorship by Brazilian sporting outfitters Finta yesterday, TTFF technical director Lincoln “Tiger” Phillips praised the federation and Warner in particular for “leaving no stone unturned” in getting the team prepared for their World Cup qualifiers. But he warned, “it takes time to mould a team and chemistry.” Warner welcomed Finta and the company’s 37-year-old owner, partner and chief executive officer Irisleuton Bertolini, but pointed out, however, “it is not by choice the second-leg World Cup qualifier against Dominican Republic will be played at Manny Ramjohn Stadium.” He said, “It is no accident no government representatives are here,” and he told the news conference television rights for the first game was offered to local stations but they refused.    

Warner said, “We had the game video taped and given to TV station for free, but they still refused.” He said Finta had demonstrated how money should be spent on youths, since no amount of police stations or crime plans would take us out of the situation the society is in today. The man who is also president of CONCACAF and the CFU and a senior vice-president of FIFA noted “no substantial local businesses are on board for the footballers Journey to Germany.  They will wait until they nearly qualify, but I welcome Finta, a Brazilian firm who are here for the long haul.” And Warner gave coach Bertille St Clair a huge vote of confidence saying: “Mr St Clair I am here with you for the long haul.”