Warner accepts Govt help

Only the day before, Warner publicly stated the TTFF will not be accepting any funding from government for the Soca Warriors preparation for the FIFA World Cup in Germany in June this year. "Yesterday was yesterday, today is today, there’s much to be gained by us working together," is how Warner responded to his change of heart.

Warner, TTFF president Oliver Camps and secretary Richard Groden met with Boynes, his Acting Permanent Secretary Ashwin Creed, Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT) chairman Gerard Ferreira and CEO Ken Butcher at the Sports Ministry’s Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain offices yesterday.

The TTFF presented their $50,221,925.44 budget for the team’s pre-World Cup expenses but Boynes asked for an alteration to be made, to include coaching fees from January 2005 to Bertille St Clair, who was fired on March 30 last. And the TTFF officals were expected to discuss the matter last night and re-submit their budget to the ministry this morning.

The new draft budget which is now estimated to be $55 million, will then be taken by Boynes to today’s Cabinet meeting for further consideration.

Warner said he was surprised at the latest developments since his public condemnation of Boynes’ tardiness in footing the bill for the World Cup expenses, the monthly payments of US$100,000 to coach Leo Beenhakker and his staff and bonuses to the national players.

"I’m pleased with the meeting," Warner admitted. "I’m pleased at the outcome. I’m happy to know that, of course, we are able to look at the bigger picture which is Trinidad and Tobago. In a real sense, I’m pleased, I’m thrilled, I feel very positive," the CONCACAF and CFU president continued.

"I think that, from where I sit on the TTFF, this augurs well for the future and for this country in Germany," Warner said.

The FIFA vice-president added, "I want to thank you minister. It shows a level of maturity and I appreciate this very much," he said.

Warner is expected to meet with 26 foreign-based TT players in London on Sunday, with the exception of captain Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy, to apprise them of the team’s World Cup warm-up schedule, before making a public disclosure at a media conference on Wednesday.

The TTFF is expected to generate a minimum of $5 million from the sale of memorabilia while a total of $3.4 million, after taxes of five percent from FIFA and 21 percent from the German Government, will be earned after the World Cup first round.

On the controversial ticketing issue, Warner indicated the TTFF’s application for tickets will be sent to the game’s governing body today with a response expected in one week’s time. He admitted that there are over 7,000 requests for tickets locally, and the Local Organising Committee (LOC), in collaboration with the TTFF and the Ministry of Sport, will be dealing with the ticketing arrangements.

Pertaining to Simpaul’s Travel Services Limited, Warner noted that the tickets were bought from an European tour operator before the Soca Warriors qualified for their first-ever World Cup, beating Bahrain in Manama in November last, while the TTFF granted the company the rights as official local tour operators.

Regarding the rights to the Soca Warriors brand name, Warner said the name was officially registered by the TTFF.

"I wonder how come it (a claim by an individual) wasn’t raised before the team qualified for Germany or when we had one point from three matches in March 2005?" Warner asked. "I didn’t take it seriously. Some things you have to be dismissive about otherwise you’ll go crazy." He did admit however he was enraged after a reporter called his wife who was sick in bed.

"He invaded her privacy and harrassed the poor lady," said Warner.

He said he is not eager to file a suit against the Daily Express for the three-part series which examined his relationship with the TTFF and questioned the ticket arrangement with Simpaul’s and the cost of the packages to Germany for the World Cup. "I felt it would not be in the best interest of the sport," he said.

Warner stated that he consulted with attorneys Anand Ramlogan and Fenton Ramsahoye. "I looked at the bigger picture and how it would affect the team.

"I made a public statement and I’ll say no more," he said. "I want to put this behind me."

Boynes seemed noticeably unfazed by Warner’s comments at a media gathering on Tuesday and pledged his Ministry’s commitments towards the preparation of the Soca Warriors for the June 9-July 9 World Cup.

"The TTFF, the Sports Company, the special advisor, the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, all of us, it does not matter what political party that you subscribe to," he commented.

"This is a national effort and I’ve explained that to Mr Warner, it is a national effort.

"We all must rise to that occasion," said the Minister. "And we’re prepared to do so in the best interests of this nation, what it means to this nation in terms of unity."