ROGER BOYNES, Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, has scheduled a meeting on Monday with officials of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) to discuss what can be done to assist the national team in their bid to reach the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Boynes was responding to several media programmes yesterday in which T&TFF adviser Jack Austin Warner was critical of the input of Government in the bid to qualify for the World Cup.
A day after Trinidad and Tobago beat Mexico 2-1 and earned a chance to reach the World Cup via a home and away playoff with Bahrain, Warner, a FIFA vice-president, seemed to indicate that Government's input to the qualifying campaign was minimal and grossly inadequate.
Warner said while he had pumped $17 million of his own money into the campaign, Government had put up just $1.1 million.
"That is not true," Boynes insisted. "The Government has been supportive of football in many areas."
The Minister told the Express that, specifically, the "Warriors" had received a $2 million cheque from the Ministry of Sport and they had also been assisting whereever possible.
For instance, during the last away World Cup qualifier against Panama, Boynes disclosed that it was the Ministry which was responsible for footing the $141,000 bill to have the players return early on a BWIA charter to prepare for the Mexico game.
He said also during the entire campaign the Ministry had waived all fees which are normally required for the use of the stadiums where the national team train and play.
Boynes further said that Government was also funding an ongoing $18 million football development programme in conjunction with the T&TFF.
He said Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT), a Government company, had pledged to raise $9 million to finance the World Cup campaign and had already pumped $3 million into the fund.
Boynes also addressed Warner's continued gripe that he could no longer continue paying the salary of Trinidad and Tobago's Dutch head coach Leo Beenhakker. Yesterday, Warner was heard on radio stating that Beenhakker's contract has been extended a further month, which will see him through to the November World Cup playoff against Bahrain.
Sixty-two-year-old Beenhakker's contract ended on October 12, the day his team beat Mexico to earn a playoff with the fifth-placed Asian Zone team.
Warner was in a defiant mood, stating that whether Boynes helps or not, Trinidad and Tobago will get to the World Cup.
In response, Boynes seemed to indicate that the Ministry would be willing to pay Beenhakker and his coaching staff.
"My position is that Beenhakker has really and truly demonstrated that he has the capability to prepare our players for the international stage," the Minister said, adding that he would like to see the Dutchman remain in Trinidad to assist in the development of football at all levels.
Boynes said decisions can not yet be taken on such issues before his meeting with the Football Federation officials, but was confident all matters concerning the team will be ironed out and Trinidad and Tobago will be going to Germany next year to compete at the World Cup.