T&T FOOTBALL FEDERATION advisor Jack Warner yesterday reversed his position on accepting government’s offer to financially assist the T&T World Cup football team at a news conference yesterdayat the Ministry of Sports on Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain.
Warner also announced that the T&T Football Federation will receive six million swiss francs or US$4,702,128 from FIFA for qualifying for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.
Of that six million, 21 per cent will be deducted in German taxes while another five per cent will be deducted in insurance fees which leaves the T&TFF with US$3,479,574.
Of that figure 42 per cent or US$1,461,421.38 will be shared among the players, while the remaining 58 per cent (US$2,018,152.60) will go towards the T&TFF.
The news conference was called by Sports Minister Roger Boynes, after he received from the T&TFF the budget for the national football team’s preparations for the World Cup campaign which runs from June 9 - July 9, later this year.
Asked to explain his turnaround, Warner said, “All I would say is that yesterday is yesterday, and today is today. We have realised that there is a bigger picture here and there is much to be gain by us working together.”
It was also announced that Bertille St Clair, former national senior team football coach and David Nakhid, an assistant, were among members of the Soca Warriors technical staff in line to share in the US$1,461,421.38 bonus to be distributed by the T&T Football Federation.
St Clair was axed as team coach after only three matches in the final round of the World Cup campaign and replaced by Dutch-man Leo Beenhakker while Nakhid was dismissed as an assistant coach just ahead of T&T’s World Cup play-off matches with Bahrain.
But despite not being part of the team when it actually qualified both men will be among those to benefit after playing a part in the successful campaign.
Other members of the previous staff who will share in the team earnings are manager Richard Braithwaite, Ron La Forest and former captains, Angus Eve and Reynold Carrington.
Questioned as to how many players would be privy to sharing in the bonuses of the team Warner said that it could as much as 55 players and 15 officials.
“It will not be wise to forget those who started the “Journey to Germany” because they were the ones who got the team rolling, added Warner.
Following the meeting Boynes said, “This is another historic day in T&T after spending a few hours dealing with a matter that is very dear to all of us in T&T, that’s World Cup football.
The meeting today was a follow up to our previous meeting which was held on November 24, 2005 where we discussed the role of the Ministry and the branding of the team.
“At that meeting it was stated that the full details of the Soca Warriors budget for the Germany 2006 campaign will follow after the draw on December 9.
We have since pass the time of the draw and we now have with us a full detailed budget. We have been shown the preliminary details of what is needed and after going it over we informed the T&T Football Federation that some minor adjustments need to be made by tomorrow before it is re-submitted to me on behalf on behalf on the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs.
Asked what are some of the minor adjustments to be made, the Sports Minister said: The coaching payments. We need to present a holistic proposal and we have asked for the payment of the coaches from January 2005 up until the December 2005 to be included in the presentation. After this the re-submitted budget will then be presented to the cabinet for them to deliberate on it.
Budget of TT$50, 221,925.44 to be increased
AS a consequence of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs requesting the bonuses that will be given to members of the previous staff before the arrival of Leo Beenhakker and his Dutch assistants the overall budget that will be re-submitted to government is expected to increase.
The original figure presented to Minister Boynes and members of the Sports Company of T&T (SCOTT) headed by its chairman Gerrard Ferreira was TT$50, 221,925.44 but that figure will now come close to TT$55 million according to Warner.
Included in those expenses are three camps in Europe suggested by coach Beenhakker which will cost an overall TT$22, 767, 432.
A further breakdown of the figures shows that the camp in Germany will cost $9,179, 269.42; Austria Camp - TT$6, 783, 090.02 and in London $6, 805, 073.02.
In addition administrative cost to the T&TFF is totalled at TT$ 9, 013, 942.98 . Local Training - $1,012, 725. Bonus payments at TT$13, 977,825 and a budget of TT$3, 450,000 for friendly International matches.
During the meeting which lasted almost two hours Boynes said that the way of rewarding the members of the Soca Warriors team was also discussed.
However the Prime Minister (Patrick Manning) has indicated that he wants a discussion with the team captain and we will all be willing to facilitate this as quickly as possible.
Warner turns a new page
In his brief address, FIFA vice-president and T&TFF special advisor, in a more quiet mood than he was at a media briefing where he chastised Express reporter Lasana Liburd for what he deemed were attack on his character and that of his family said that he had put that episode behind him.
Regarding his angry reply to the three-part series written by the reporter, Warner said:
Asked what got him so worked up in the press conference held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Wednesday the Concacaf boss said: “When a guy can call my home and annoy my sick wife and continue to ring her three to four times before Christmas it gets under my skin.
The T&TFF financier also said he was surprised that both parties could have come to an understanding.
“I’m surprised because I not think that we would have been here, but we have been able to look at the bigger picture.
“I’m pleased and thrilled with what has happened and this can only augur well for the future.
Contrary to what Warner described Boynes as acting that was “Boyishly, the FIFA vice-president had to eat his words somewhat as he praised the Sports Minister for showing a great level of maturity in dealing with the matter.