Warner clears air on Beenhakker contract

Warner, who also holds the posts of president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and special advisor to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF), noted that "subsequent to my remarks over the weekend about Beenhakker requiring an open cheque to ensure (the) Warriors perform well at the 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," he continued.

Concerning his plea to the Govenment and business sector to assist in the World Cup preparation, Warner stressed, "rather than prescribing 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 World Cup.

"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," Warner added. "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," the football administrator continued. "I said then and repeat now, that coach Beenhakker will get all that he asks for even if I have to borrow the money."

Affirming that his comments were not meant to force Government’s hand, Warner pointed out that: "I believe that he (Beenhakker) should be given what in his opinion is required for the team to perform best. And I stand by that statement of principle."

Warner ended, "come next year, when the entire nation and the world is watching the Warriors, we must never have faltered at our most glorious moment simply because funding fell short of a nation’s goal."