Nakhid plans to take legal action

The 41-year-old ex-midfielder stated his intention to file charges against Newsday, as well as the TTFF and the LOC Germany 2006, during a media conference at the Savannah Lounge, Hilton Trinidad yesterday.

Nakhid was also miffed at the fact that very few media personnel sought his side in the on-going war of words regarding his removal from the national team’s technical staff and his job offer in Bahrain.

Trinidad and Tobago play Bahrain in a crucial two-leg play-off for a place in the World Cup Finals on November 12 (here in TT) and November 16 (in Bahrain).

He charged that segments of the local media "which are controlled by the Syrians" are used by the TTFF special advisor Jack Warner to "spew propaganda".

"That was a deliberate and malicious headline," he stressed. "It made no sense and had no evidence to do with me," he said.

The headline "Nakhid Unmasked As Bahrain Spy" referred to a TTFF release which noted that a female acquaintance of Nakhid had approached local media houses for footage of recent matches, claiming it was for use in producing a documentary of the national team’s progress.

Nakhid served as a player/assistant coach from November 22, 2004 until May 25 2005, and subsequently a scout until October 18.

The ongoing saga had its genesis when the TTFF and the LOC Germany 2006 Limited distanced themselves from a television interview involving Nakhid on October 11, in which he linked the Syrian community with the rampant crime rate. After he was fired as team scout a week later, Nakhid revealed that the move resulted from a feud between himself and assistant coach Whim Rijsbergen.

According to Nakhid, after complaining about the quality of food at a hotel in Panama City on October 7, Rijsbergen approached him and declared, "I’ll nail you to the wall. You’re just like Saudi Arabians, you Muslims who treat people like this."

Nakhid asserted that the two were engaged in a heated argument, following which he was ostracised by team coach Leo Beenhakker. Days later, he was informed of his dismissal, via e-mail, by Warner.

Concerning reports that he was offered a job by Bahrain Sports Minister Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa to coach their Under-20 team, Nakhid remarked, "I have a family to take care of."

But, while he says he will consider the request after November 16, he noted: "It should not have any effect (on the national team) since I have nothing to do with Trinidad and Tobago football."

He however spared most of his wrath for Warner who, ironically, intervened in two high-profile matters involving Nakhid during his days with Al Ansar in Lebanon in 1997.

Warner with the help of then FIFA president Joao Havelange, got the issues resolved after US$40,000 was paid by the FIFA Players’ Status Committee.

He also rejected claims made by the Bahrain coach Luka Peruzovic that Nakhid was "untrustworthy", stating that the two never met in person.

Beenhakker also came under fire from the irate Nakhid, who said: "He’s looking for a way out" and was "very insincere. I’ve lost all respect for him."

"I don’t need to be in politics to serve my country politically," Nakhid also focused his attention on the issue of crime locally, condemning the October 22 "Death March" as a way of "getting security for the rich.

"I’m asking questions with the national interest at heart," he pointed out. "You can target me but answer the questions. Deal with it in a debate." Nakhid however hopes that he can meet with the TTFF to bring closure to the issues.

"I hope that everything can be laid to rest after today," was how he ended the press conference.

Nakhid, who has played for top local club Joe Public, and also had lengthy overseas stints in Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Sweden, USA, Belgium, Greece and Switzerland, has had a long list of controversial issues since making his name with St Mary’s College in the 1980s.

He was ostracised by Strike Squad coach Everald "Gally" Cummings during the "Road to Italy 1990" campaign while, under coach Bertille St Clair, he was at the centre of a controversy during the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup during a pay dispute.

Following another matter involving national striker Peter Prosper with Lebanese club Al Ansar, Nakhid landed in trouble again in the Middle East country after protesting the treatment of foreign players in the Lebanese leagues.

Nakhid was hired as St Clair’s assistant last November, following which he made an international comeback earlier this year.

But he ran afoul of team management at the 2005 Digicel Caribbean Cup and, a few weeks ago, he drew the ire of San Juan Jabloteh coach Terry Fenwick over a contractual row with national goalkeeper Kelvin Jack.