The T&T Football Association’s Soca Warriors three-match tour of South America and Asia has been boosted by the injection of $600,000 from the People’s Republic of China in T&T and Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) Limited.
Coach Stephen Hart and his squad leaves today for South America to face Peru in Lima on Monday followed by two-time FIFA World Cup champions Uruguay on May 27 in Montevideo. They will then travel to Asia for a clash with emerging power, China in Qin Huang Dao on June 3.
In thanking SCG and the People’s Republic of China for their support, John-Williams noted that the company was signaling to corporate T&T that it was putting its money where its mouth is. He also thanked former national cyclist and chairman of the Sport Company of T&T, Michael Phillips’ for government’s support on the Road to Russia 2018.
John-Williams said that although the $600,000 sponsorship was specific to the upcoming tour, there were plans for further discussions between the parties for more long term deals.
He said: “The money sponsored for this tour is just the start of what I think should be a long term relationship, and a gesture of $600,000 over a two-week period is something huge in my estimation, and we want to thank SCG, and by extension the Chinese Ambassador and the People’s Republic of China for establishing this relationship. The relationship goes way beyond a few dollars.”
He noted that discussions have centred around partnerships in the medical and training fields.
Having been credited with clearing most of the T&TFA debts and providing FIFA with up to date audited financial accounts, John-Williams suggested that his organisation was now an attractive proposition to local sponsors.
“Of course, we should be more attractive to sponsors, things have changed in FIFA, things have changed in world football and you have to be more transparent and more accountable. The T&TFA has been fortunate to produce audited financial statements, and that’s the first time that has happen in ten to 12 years, so we are now compliant with FIFA, and we are now accessing FIFA funding once again, and that’s important for the development of T&T football.”
With regards to his time in charge, which started last November, John-Williams boasted, “We don’t owe any player whether from this administration or the previous administration, and I am happy to report that.”
John-Williams assured that his association was working on a few things regarding regaining confidence in corporate T&T. “We, as an administration won’t conduct our affairs in public. We will go about our business quietly because my philosophy is he who moves quietly moves the furthest. There will be a time and place for everything, and we could have talked about this sponsorship a long time ago, but we decided on today and going forward we will do so when we need to report to the public as well.”
With World Cup qualification set to resume on September 2 at home to Guatemala with the Soca Warriors needing only a point to advance to the Final Round of Qualification ahead of their final match away to USA in Florida four days later, John-Williams said there is the possibility of another match.
“Our campaign resumes in early September and I have spoken to coach Stephen Hart with regards to another international friendly locally on August 27 with the possible team being either Bahrain, Jordan, Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico.
“So when coach Hart comes back to me on his choice of the team we should face, we would make an announcement then.”
John-Williams also give his views on newly elected Concacaf president Canada’s Victor Montagliani and said both have had discussions basically about normal football issues.
He added: “Victor is football man and he won the vote fairly as democracy prevailed by a result of 27-16 votes. So the Caribbean, and North and Central American countries have spoken as to their choice for president.”