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There was a curious incident for longsuffering observers of the Trinidad and Tobago football governing body following their last World Cup qualifying match at home to St Vincent, which the hosts won 2-1.
Without warning, 'Miss Democracy' was ushered through the front door at the CONCACAF Centre of Excellence in Macoya.

Undoubtedly, it was her first visit there and FIFA vice-president and Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) special advisor Jack Warner must have given precise directions to ensure that she arrived safely.

The occasion was the public undermining of the TTFF's own employee and head coach, Bertille St Clair, who curiously was not present.

It is exceedingly strange that an open meeting can be held to discuss the plausibility of Trinidad and Tobago's present 2006 World Cup bid without representation from such a key figure.


Trinidad and Tobago player Leslie "Tiger" Fitzpatrick is brought down by a Grenadian defender during the teams' Digicel Caribbean Cup qualifier at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella on Friday night. T&T won the encounter 2-0 to move on to the next rou

Everyone else was present.

Even the outspoken television presenter Anil Roberts, of "Spalksman" fame, had a seat to prove that the meeting was all inclusive.

Miss Democracy's presence sealed the deal.

From all reports, though, the rest of the afternoon was uninteresting.

Several local coaches and esteemed members of the technical committee seemed to think that St Clair is technically inept and stubborn.

It was, of course, precisely what Warner himself said four years ago when he fired St Clair the first time for only taking the tiny unheralded nation to an unprecedented semi-final finish in the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament.

If it took four years for Corneal and company to arrive at the same conclusion, Warner must be wondering what he is paying them for.

But the TTFF special advisor is not one to be overly disturbed by persons agreeing with him.

Still, why would the TTFF make a big show out of publicly criticising their own coach just days after he steered the national outfit in the final World Cup qualifying round? (St Clair is only the second man to do so for T&T in the last 14 years.)

Warner knows the answer to that question and few would feel too shy to venture a guess.

Miss Democracy could have saved her taxi fare.

Contrary to popular opinion, few dictators would mind going to the polls if they felt assured of the eventual outcome and surely Warner accurately sensed the mood of his colleagues and the public before arranging his symposium.

The outcome was similarly farcical. A proposal would be handed to St Clair, as if he were an errant employee, urging him to be more democratic in the future.

Presumably, the veteran coach is short of pieces of paper with which to wrap his fish or line his birdcages.

Who can blame St Clair for chucking it straight into the bin?

Does technical director Lincoln "Tiger" Phillips or advisor Alvin Corneal need Warner's nod of approval and a public vote to offer their advice to St Clair, who is an old colleague?

When has Warner ever called for a referendum before making a decision? Any hope that we had witnessed a new dawn of transparent, customer friendly relations within the TTFF was shortlived.

A week later, Trinidad and Tobago referee Ramesh Ramdhan was pardoned for retaliation and physically assaulting 20-year-old Starworld Strikers goalkeeper Marvin Phillips, who provoked his ire by spitting on him.

Phillips was banned for 20 months and fined for his offence.

Someone decided that Ramdhan should be merely reprimanded for his part in the unsavoury incident.

The decision to overlook Ramdhan's indiscretion was not taken by the Trinidad and Tobago Referees' Association-as first president Gary Andrews went to great lengths to show-or by resident super-sleuth, Harold Taylor, who has a knack of consistently solving disputes in CONCACAF's favour.

Yet, even he distanced himself from the recent refereeing decision.

Miss Democracy was nowhere to be found.

Of course, this inconsistency within the TTFF does not mean that the findings of the symposium were incorrect.

I am in no position to cast any judgement on the performances of the team or their coach after spending much of the last 15 months abroad.

I will not besmirch the reputations of Corneal, Phillips or Keith Look Loy either who I believe to be very intelligent football men.

Their vast knowledge of the game and ability to articulate them should be a blessing to any coach.

It surely has been much appreciated in the past by myself as a journalist.

Corneal has a fantastic knack for breaking down an opposing team the way a mechanic might do to a car.

I thoroughly enjoyed my discussions with Phillips, who is a solution-oriented person, while I find no shame in picking the brains of a Look Loy, Jamaal Shabazz or Jimmy Blanc whenever I am fortunate enough to run into them.

When Warner invited these knowledgeable gentlemen-all his present and past employees-to give their opinions at his symposium, they showed up to do what they felt was their duty.

But, as former and present coaches, they should all know one unmistakable fact.

There is no such thing as democracy on the football field. Advice is fine when requested but it is another thing altogether when it is forced upon you; because for eleven players to function as one team, they must be all hearing the same voice.

Players become uncertain when they feel that external pressures are affecting their coach's decisions and it can show in their performances.

What on earth will they think about their boss being handed a directive with a string of ideas compiled from the opinions of everyone from Peter O' Connor to Peter Granville?

Will future Trinidad and Tobago coaches feel confident in exchanging ideas with a technical committee that would undermine them in such a way?

Who would want such a job?

In most countries, coaches are supported up until the point that their employers no longer feel confident in their ability to perform their duties. Then, they are sacked in a manner as dignified as possible.

But where was the dignity in eroding public confidence in one's own employee?

In the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, St Clair steered St Vincent to their first ever appearance in the final qualifying round. It is ironic that the same country's progress almost embarrassed St Clair a few weeks ago.

But St Clair might legitimately argue that the farcical symposium also diminished him in the eyes of prospective employers and could deprive him of future revenue.

If you do not appreciate your head coach, Mr Warner, then fire him; but be man enough to do it properly and to his face.

And leave Miss Democracy out of it.