Coach: Warriors will reach last 16

LEO BEENHAKKER expects Trinidad and Tobago to reach the last 16 at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals in Germany. This according to Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) special adviser Jack Warner. “The coach signed a contract before he left (last weekend) that takes him up until the last 16. And he also has a bonus, a substantial one, to get us there,” Warner said. “He believes we are as good as any to reach the last 16. He is totally firm in his beliefs that we shall be in the second round, as a minimum,” Warner said. Warner spoke at a news conference, hosted by the TTFF and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) 2006, at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Port-of-Spain on Friday.

Before the World Cup starts, the TT team will be involved in a 17-day camp in Europe, with Beenhakker finalising the squad’s stay in Austria. Joining the staff during that period would be a full-time professional multi-lingual European football manager, who “knows all the ropes and therefore would make (Beenhakker’s) task easier,” according to Warner, “and so to (manager Bruce) Aanensen and his team.” As far as the technical staff is concerned, Peter Rampersad joins the management staff of Aanensen, George Joseph and Joseph “Sam” Phillip while veteran equipment manager Ikin Williams will be assisted by Esmond O’Brien.

And, from May 22-June 9, Warner noted, “FIFA has mandated that all the 32 teams must not play any international matches so they (would not) come to the Finals tired.” Warner, the FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF and CFU president, also spoke of a meeting between officials of the TTFF, the LOC and five executive members of the US Soccer Federation at the CONCACAF office, Edward Street, Port-of-Spain on Thursday. “If every exercise showed our deficiencies,” he confessed, “we were shown to be totally deficient in our preparations. “I don’t know of any country more prepared, more organised than the US,” Warner said. “And the work that we have to do is almost herculean but they have pledged to help us. I want to publicly thank them for what they did for us (on Thursday) and equally what they’ll do for us in the future,” he said.

There is a board of directors who will deal with the organisational aspect of the team, led by Warner, with TTFF head Oliver Camps as the deputy chairman and Richard Groden as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Heading the various departments are broadcaster Dave Lamy (media), TISS Limited (Licensing and Sponsors Negotiations and Broadcasting Rights), Kenny Rampersad and Company (accounting), Neville Ferguson (international matches), Bernard Weston (foreign relations), journalist Terry Joseph (cultural liaison), Pepper Advertising Limited (public relations), 1 Plus 1 Limited (marketing and merchandising) and Sally Geyette (executive manager).

The firm Graphic Advantage have been given a mandate to provide stickers and wraps for vehicles. Former FIFA referee Ramesh Ramdhan is also employed with the company. “I feel that we have not yet (gotten) the vibe in the country as to what it means to play in a World Cup. And I hope that this small venture can serve that end,” he said. Horace Reid, former Jamaican Football Federation General Secretary, will serve as the team’s Chief Operational Officer while Brigadier John Sandy is the Security Officer and Cecil Wint as the main chef.