Jack Warner, special advisor to the TTFF, was a disappointed man at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Tobago, on Saturday night. He just could not believe that the Soca Warriors lost the World Cup qualifier 3-2 to Costa Rica.
Warner, along with TTFF president, Oliver Camps, and his first vice-president, Raymond Tim Kee, found the players, breathing some kind of relief that the historic Tobago match was over. They would have preferred a better result, but they are looking forward to the other six matches. Despite his incredible record for Sunderland in the English Premiership, Kenwyne Jones has been scoreless for T&T in this final round for South Africa 2010. But he took on the role of barman inside the dressing room.
He was making jokes, and opening bottles for players and their guests. Asked how he felt about the game, Jones said, “That is what sport is all about, but I would not worry, we are going off to Mexico, and who knows what can happen there.” His Sunderland colleague, Carlos Edwards, was still reminiscing about the goal he scored to give T&T the lead. He was not down to take the spot kick, but on the urging of the coach, he stepped up and scored a beauty. “I felt great after that goal, I was just hoping that we would have kept the lead and won the match.”
The match was the first World Cup game to be played in Tobago, and the Government was well-represented. President George Maxwell Richards was there as usual giving his support to the Soca Warriors, along with Chief Justice Ivor Archie. Among the other dignitaries were Ministers Colm Imbert, Donna Cox, Esther Le Gendre, Peter Taylor, Renee Dumas,Gary Hunt, deputy speaker, Penny Beckles, and former minster, Dr keith Rowley. THA secretary, Orville London, was also present, along with Governor of the Central Bank, Ewart Williams.
It was certainly a big event for the sister isle. There was traffic for hours outside the stadium after the match. Every rum shop and bar from the stadium to Crown Point were filled. At Crown Point, thousands gathered near the airport, having a good time. Warner said, “this is happening when he lost, what would have happened if we had won?” Asked if Tobago would get another World Cup match, Warner said, “time would tell.”