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There's trouble in the football world tonight as Trinidad and Tobago's National Football Team, the Soca Warriors won't play on the MCC Pitch. That's because they say the field is in bad condition and they risk injury to their team - which, as we noted last night - includes a number of international players who are on contract in Europe and the USA.

The background to this is that the game will be played at the MCC because on Saturday, the only FIFA approved field in Belize at the FFB Stadium in Belmopan will be used for the LOVE FM Bandfest. That's a controversy all unto itself, but now it has avalanched into something much bigger - the threat of the cancellation of an international friendly and a major warm up match for the Belize Team in the run-up to the Gold Cup.

Daniel Ortiz went to the team's first workout at the MCC today and found out from the Trinidad Football Team Captain and the Trinidad Football Federation representative what the problem is:

Densill Theobald - Captain, Trinidad "Soca Warriors"
"From a player's perspective, we are utterly disappointed in this stadium, or this grounds - if you want to put it this way. It's definitely unfit for an international game, much less an international friendly. Belize is also in preparation just like us for the Gold Cup, and I don't see this field being fit for us to play on. We make a stance that we're not going to to play here, at no course whatsoever."

Daniel Ortiz
"Have you guys decided that you intend to postpone the friendly match if the venue is not changed?"

Densill Theobald
"If that's the situation, yes, if no alternatives could be made in terms of getting the other stadium, which we played at the last time Trinidad visited Belize, when we drew 0-0 - if there is no way or no alternative that we can play in that other stadium, then I am sorry to say to the Belizean public, the Federation of Belize, and the people who are looking forward to this game that we're not going to play on this field. You guys have a much better stadium that was built with the assistance of FIFA, the last stadium where we played at. We all know the requirements to host an international friendly. So, it's no secret. We can look at this field, we trained here, and you can see that this field is not fit for international football."

Shaun Fuentes - Director Of Commmunications, Trinidad Football Federation
"If you look at the facility, the playing surface is not conducive for international football. It's very easy for players to get injured. We have players who are coming from different leagues in Europe, America and back home in Trinidad and Tobago, and you cannot risk a player's livelihood. If a player plays here and gets injured, and is out for 6 months, you're taking away money from his accounts, his livelihood, and his family. In saying that, the arrangement for Belize to play in Trinidad was the first arrangment that we finalized. Belize were unable to travel to Trinidad, and we decided to assist them by coming to Belize to play. Had the game been played in Trinidad, it would have been played at one of our better facilities that was used for FIFA Under-17 World Cup, which is a world-class stadium as compared this facility. And then, to bring national team and put them here, it's almost like a form of disrespect to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Team, and to international football. Nobody plays football on a venue like this."

Daniel Ortiz
"So, have you guys approached the FFB with your concerns?"

Shaun Fuentes
"We did express our dissatisfaction with the venue prior to the training session, and the Federation did say that it was impossible to change the venue at this time. We're quite sorry to say that if it remains that way, then there will be no football game here on Saturday. We're still willing to see if the game can be played at another venue. Once it's better than this facility, then we'll be willing to play, even if it means playing in front of an empty stadium, but for the benefit of the Belize Team and the Trinidad team in preparations for the CONCACAF Gold Cup."

FFB President Ruperto Vicente was present at the end of the Trinidad Football Team's workout, and we asked him to respond to the Trinidadian position.

He told us that he respects their position, and a change of venue will have to take place because he intends to have the game played. He also said that this decision from the international team validates their position on having the MCC used for public functions:

Ruperto Vicente - President, Football Federation of Belize
"Well, we respect their position, recognizing the fact that they have international players, and these players are valuable to their clubs, and so are our players. We consider our players as well, not only theirs. We recognize that the MCC Grounds is not in the best of conditions. It is not the best field that we have, and any field in Belize would not suit them at this point, even the stadium in Belmopan. The stadiums at this point are - because of the dry season, the pitches are affected. So, we respect their position, and we're going to be meeting with the National Team Committee today to see where we go. And if we have to play the game on Saturday night, we will. That's where we're going. We have options."

Daniel Ortiz
"You're being scrutinized more closely because of the Band Fest which cannot be postponed and it's venue is set in stone. What sort of plan do you have to make sure that the pitch will be ready if you should so choose to play that game on Saturday night?"

Ruperto Vicente
"Well, the pitch is going to be ready. The Band Fest will not affect the surface of our pitch any at all. Also, the pitch is going to be ready for the match. It's going to be prepared as of tomorrow, marked and other details, in preparation of any match any time after the Band Fest. As I've said before, the Band Fest is not going to affect the surface of our pitch."

We must note that while he's taken that position on the MCC, he's allowing Bandfest to continue at the FFB Stadium. But, in his defence, he has stated that the Bandfest decision was made long before the possibility of the international friendly's came up.