Missed chances

I know that it did not appear last Sunday, when I was already walking the streets of Frankfurt, and I apologise for that. It was pretty much a preview of the excellent commentary done by Suzanne Mills immediately after our match against Sweden. Well done Suzanne! I had anticipated the comments which would have been made by the British commentators — Suzanne reported them.

So this is not about the Warriors’ missed opportunities, but rather how we, as a nation, have not been able to exploit the harvest laid on for us in Germany.

This is my third World Cup, but the other two — Mexico ’86 and Italia ’90-saw me there in an official capacity, attending the FIFA Congress, going to the opening game, and then heading home. Mexico was fun, and gave me a taste of what World Cup would be like. Italy was “tabanca.” Flying there in the aftermath of November 19, I felt that I was going to attend the wedding of my sweetheart! While there I had the tremendous honour of receiving — on behalf of the people of Trinidad and Tobago — The FIFA Fair Play Award. One day the people of our country will appreciate the value of this honour which was bestowed upon us.

But now I am here — in no official capacity other than a true supporter of TT. Thanks for that — TSTT. I walk the streets of Frankfurt, where I am in a hotel with other Trinis, and English, and Americans, and Japanese and South Koreans, and absorb the fantastic carnival that is the World Cup. And all the vibes which surround us here are embracing millions in eleven other cities across Germany.

The 32 nations here represent every continent, and almost every race, religion and culture on the planet. And the world is brought closer together as we share our souvenirs and geography. As I am sitting on a sunlit terrace on Tuesday morning, drafting this column, a group of Serbians sit at the table next to me. They — Serbia and Montenegro — and we, are the only countries here with “and” in our name.

“Where is Trinidad and Tobago — we do not know?” they ask. I draw a crude map of South America and the Caribbean. Now they know! When we came in from Dortmund on Saturday night, after our triumph against Sweden — and that’s what it was folks — an unmitigated triumph — the English, drinking after their win over Paraguay, applauded us into the lobby, and bought our drinks, grateful for the two points we had taken from Sweden. And we, heckling them: “You could not even score a goal!” (England’s goal was a Paraguayan own goal).

On Sunday I walked the streets with my son, Man United, who had come in from the States. We reached the River Main (a tributary of the Rhine). There is a huge, and I mean really huge, TV screen set in the middle of the river, facing each bank. Along the banks are bleachers which can accommodate thousands, and a whole carnival — European style, with ferris wheels, games, bars, food stalls, souvenir shops, selling stuff from every country — but nothing from TT. We walked into the “old town” and found a cozy little restaurant for lunch, chosen because our flag was among others flying there. It was a Serbian restaurant, and Serbia and Montenegro were getting ready to play the Netherlands in Leipzig. We walked back to the river to catch the match on the big screen. The streets were even more crowded — with the flags and colours of the world, but with the orange shirts of Holland dominating. Our Warriors replica shirts caught every eye, as people congratulate us in languages we will never hear again. You know what pride is: Pride is being a Trini walking in the streets of Germany, wearing our colours!

Absorbing all of this, Man United confessed that he regretted his travel plans. He is “doing Europe” on a budget — flying in for each match, then flying off to Paris, to Rome, to wherever.

“If I had any idea it would be like this, I would have stayed in Germany,” he said, “I can ‘do’ Europe anytime.” So true. But if it is all so beautiful, and football has brought the whole world so happily together in Germany, and Trinis are walking so proudly amongst the great football nations of the world — what are these “missed chances” I mentioned?

Well, even if they would not allow our steelbands and rhythm sections into the stadium (other peoples’ drums were there?) we should have had a steelband outside the stadium to “carry” the fans back to the Trini post-match fete. And thank you Angostura for the pre-match and post-match fetes. Liming along the river bank in Frankfurt, you realise how wonderful it would have been to have a steelband there, with a repertoire of our music plus the music of the countries playing on the big screen. Moko Jumbies should be there, dressed in the colours of the teams playing each day. And while they could not be at the official FIFA sites, Carib beer should be on sale in bars and bistros everywhere. In 1998, Le Red Stripe was on sale everywhere in France, and Le Reggae Music was everywhere.We should have had a steelband at every fan fest park across Germany — just as the Germans asked us to provide.

One of the ladies in our group pointed out that the coffee bar here in the hotel displays coffee from around the world. “Where,” she asks, “is Hong Wing?” How true: where are our products, where can one buy Trini stuff, where is our music?

I hear that Phase II is here, but none of us know where in Germany to send people to hear them.

Thank you, Angostura, for organising the pre- and post-match fetes. For everyone else, from Government down to Crix, you missed the chance. You “T’row away the match.” Too bad!