The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation will pay for use of the Hasely Crawford Stadium for the country's three 2010 Semi-final round World Cup qualifying matches, against Guatemala, Cuba and United States later this year.
The Football Federation had an executive committee meeting yesterday and considered the plea of the national head coach, Francisco Maturana, to play our home matches in the World Cup qualifying competition at Hasely Crawford Stadium "in an effort optimise home advantage".
As a consequence the TTFF approached Jack Warner on the matter. The FIFA vice president agreed to assist by paying for the use of the Hasely Crawford Stadium for the following home games: September 6, 2008 versus Guatemala; October 14, 2008 versus USA; and November 19, 2008 versus Cuba.
In a media release yesterday, the TTFF stated that the executive committee has appointed a two-person committee comprising senior vice president Raymond Tim Kee and CEO of the centennial committee, Sandra Basheer, to meet with the relevant officials from the Ministry to finalise the financial details.
Yesterday, Warner, speaking to TTFF media officer Shaun Fuentes, said he and the TTFF were putting the team and by extension the country's football interest first.
"My only role at this time is to give the Federation that cushion of hope, that faith, that belief that everything that can be possibly done to ensure this country qualifies for South Africa 2010 will in fact be done.
"It would be foolish not to listen to the cry of the national coach. Remember the Oval is there for our use free of cost but the coach nor the players believe that it would be in their best interest to play on the Oval surface."
When asked about the ongoing saga, featuring himself and sports minister Gary Hunt, Warner replied: "Mr Hunt to me is irrelevant. What is relevant are this country's chances of qualifying. Whatever I can do to help this country qualify, I will continue to do. I have invested millions and therefore it would be foolish to stand in the way of the team's wishes to play on the best surface."
Warner to pay for Warriors to use Mucurapo stadium.
By: Joel Bailey (Newsday).
Jack Austin Warner, Special Advisor of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF), has agreed to pay for the use of the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo for three 2010 FIFA World Cup CONCACAF Semi-Final Round qualifiers. These matches are against Guatemala (September 6), United States (October 14) and Cuba (November 19).
In a letter written yesterday to the Sports Ministry by the TTFF General Secretary Richard Groden, the Federation pointed out that, after an executive committee meeting earlier in the day, they (TTFF) acknowledged the “plea of national coach Francisco Maturana to play our home matches at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in an effort to optimise our home advantage.”
The letter continued, “as a consequence, we approached Warner in the matter and he agreed to assist us by paying for the use of the stadium on the (above) mentioned days. “Warner has agreed to support us by paying the required fees, and the Executive Committee has appointed a two-person Committee comprising Vice-President Raymond Tim Kee and CEO of the Centennial Committee Sandra Basheer to meet with the relevant officials from your Ministry to finalise the financial details.”
The letter ended, “we also consider this letter as a formal application for the use of the facility and do thank Mr Warner, once again, for coming to our assistance in our hour of need.”
In a TTFF media release later yesterday Warner noted that, despite his stance on the controversial stadia dispute with Hunt, he was seeking the national team’s best interests.
“My only role at this time is to give the Federation that cushion of hope, that faith, that belief that everything that can be possibly done to ensure this country qualifies for South Africa 2010 will in fact be done,” he was quoted as saying. “It would be foolish not to listen to the cry of the national coach.
“Remember the (Queen’s Park) Oval (is) there for our use free of cost but neither the coach nor the players believe that it would be in their best interest to play on the Oval surface.” Prior to the June 1 friendly international against England, at the Mucurapo venue, the Sports Ministry revealed that they issued a new lease agreement for use of the five major football stadia.
The High Court, ruled on May 23 that the TT-England game, which was at loggerheads, will proceed after the TTFF agreed to pay a $150,000 fee.
Following that match, the ministry suggested the TTFF use of the Hasely Crawford Stadium for free, that the public will be allowed free entry to witness World Cup qualifiers. But Warner refused to accept that demand, and the CONCACAF Second Round First Leg meeting against Bermuda, on June 15, was contested at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.