The forgotten Spann

“THROUGH it all, I have learnt to trust in God.” Those were the words of Soca Warrior Silvio Spann.

Spann, 24, was a member of the Soca Warriors squad who went to Germany for the FIFA World Cup but unfortunately did not get to play in the world’s biggest tournament because of a hamstring injury.

In an exclusive interview with Newsday on Saturday night, Spann described his unfortunate situation as a heartbreaking one. “One with much emotional pain. To know that I played in all the World Cup qualifying matches, it was hard for me to be given the ‘Red Card’ to exit the team and return home” Spann said. However, Spann was given the opportunity to remain in Germany to support his team for all of the three first round matches courtesy DirecTV.

On Saturday, at the grand gala held in honour of the Soca Warriors at the Hasely Crawford National Stadium in Port-of-Spain, Spann was faced with, what he described as a humiliating demeanour.

He, being one of the 24 members of the Trinidad and Tobago Soca Warriors was forgotten during the presentation ceremony of the Chaconia Gold Medal and the hefty monetary award of $1 million.

It was only noticed when the massive crowd realised that Spann was sitting alone among the empty chairs, which were occupied by the rest of the team who had been called up by Ag President Dr Linda Baboolal, to receive their respective awards.

With loud shouts, the crowd began chanting, “Spann, Spann, Spann” causing the officials to make correct their error. Spann was eventually called onto the stage where he was greeted by Ag President Baboolal. He was apologised too by both Dr Baboolal and Prime Minister Patrick Manning. He was also promised the Chaconia Gold Medal and the monetary package much too the delight of the Soca Warrior supporters.

Describing how he felt about Saturday’s blunder, Silvio said: “It was the most humiliating and embarrassing thing that ever happened to me. But thank God for small mercies. God was the only being who could have given me that courage to remain seated among the empty chairs.”

Spann said that prior to the motorcade and the ceremony he was assured by Captain Dwight Yorke that he was one of the 24, who would be presented with the honorary awards.

“I listened as my fellow team mates’ names were called. I waited and waited for mine. When I heard the three players names called who were absent for the ceremony I said to myself that that was it — I gave up” Spann said.

“I felt at that moment to get up and walk out of the stadium because I felt so embarrassed. I felt like I was not a member of the team and that I was just a mere stormer” he added.

Spann said that at that moment he whispered a silent prayer to God, “God, you’re my helper. Help me through this. Only you alone know. Thank You, Father.”

He said he knew because he was so faithful in serving God, He (God) would not have let him down. “I believe that God used the crowd as the instruments in allowing the officials to realise their sore blunder and to have it corrected. When I heard the chanting, I felt important and so appreciated. I said ‘Yes’ to myself. God, you have your way.”

He continued, “it was then a crowning glory for me when I heard my name announced and told to approach the platform for my award. God answered my prayer and I thanked God for me being a devout born-again Christian” Spann added.

Spann was left out of the final selection for the first round of the World Cup tournament because of a hamstring injury — a strain — he sustained in his right leg during a training session with the national team in Austria. The injury occurred some three weeks before the start of the World Cup, which he was told by medical doctors in England that he would be able to recover completely giving him the chance to play in the games.

He was however shocked when he was told by Coach Leo Beenhakker just one week before the World Cup that he had to exit the team and return home. “I did not understand it, I knew it was because of my injury, but I thought that because it was just a strain on my hamstring I would have recovered fully and be fit for the World Cup matches.”