Corneal added to TT technical staff

And another Dutch-born coach, yet to be named, will take over the reins of international scout, a role previously held by the controversial David Nakhid.

This move was revealed by TTFF special advisor Jack Austin Warner in a press conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Port-of-Spain yesterday.

In outlining the three-part programme for the team, which was organised by coach Leo Beenhakker, Warner said, "Beenhakker has thanked Theo (De Jong) for his services but he has appointed a new Dutch coach to assist him.

"He also has appointed Anton Corneal to work with him and he has asked that Corneal work with him as from January 2," Warner continued, "and that he’ll be assigned to him throughout the entire exercise."

In making his decision, Warner admitted that Beenhakker was "pleased with his (Corneal’s) competence."

But Warner, who also holds the positions of FIFA vice-president and head of both CONCACAF and CFU, stated: "(Beenhakker) wants him as his understudy so he can leave a legacy here.

"We (the TTFF) were quite pleased of that decision of his to have Corneal on board," added Warner. "And we hope that the Government would continue to pay (the technical staff’s) salary, and more."

Concerning the team’s agenda between next Friday’s draw of teams for the FIFA World Cup in Germany, and the start of the competition on June 9, Beenhakker will deal with the team in three phases.

In the first phase, players who feature in the local leagues as well as those based in Great Britain will have respective weekend camps and clinics (both in Trinidad and Britain) until May 6.

The team will also play an international friendly on February 8, against either Wales or Norway, while their only local international fixture will take place on March 29.

Warner disclosed that, during the second phase from May 6-22, "at this moment, the coach is in Austria trying to finalise a camp for the team so that (they) can remain centralised.

"Because he wants them to stay in a country where he says they can be easily accessible to play other countries," Warner added. The national team will be playing between four and five matches during that spell.