Fifa has given the all clear for the opening double-header of the Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo tomorrow from 3pm.
This was stated by Tatjana Haenni, Fifa Head of Women’s Competition at a media briefing held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain, yesterday.
Over the last couple of weeks, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the event has been under immense pressure with regards to getting the five stadia ready after a late start to refurbishment and upgrading works.
However, with only a day left before Nigeria tackles defending champion Korea DPR which starts 3 pm, and host T&T faces Chile three hours later, the venue and playing surface has been given the green light.
Haenni said, “We are pretty happy with them. We did some work in the last two three weeks with a consultant who was over in T&T helping the local people in terms of making the pitches up to standard and I think he gave a big support to them.
“He was also able to make the training pitches on average to good so we are pleased and I will say that everything with respect to the field looks good.” Haenni was speaking after the final meeting yesterday with members of Fifa, the LOC and the T&TFF.
While the playing field at Mucurapo got a thumbs up, Haenni noted that her organisation had also raised some critical issues. “Basically our main concern is the readiness of the venue for Sunday in terms of lighting and IT production.”
“We have to make sure that all the necessary things are in place so we can guarantee a proper TV production which needs a certain quality and lighting in the Stadium.
“We have been informed that people have been at the venue working tirelessly to make sure that this is completed on time.
“There are also other critical issues which are all Stadium-related such as work to be done in the media areas; that is the mixed zone and press conference areas.
Haenni explained that as with the norm with all Fifa tournaments, all systems are expected to be in place at least three days before the kick-off of the tournament. However when the Fifa team did arrive on Wednesday this was not the case.
“Fifa has organised events all over the world, therefore we understand that not every country is the same so we will continue to work hand-in-hand with the LOC.
“We have observed that in T&T certain things are a bit last minute, which we have now come to accept and obviously if for some reason there is some further delay, we will really need to have some big discussions and try and determine how best we can help to get things done.”
With regards to the marketing of the tournament, Nataki Kerr, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the LOC admitted that her company could have been a bit more aggressive.
She explained, “We were trying to strike a balance with our marketing strategy, targeting our corporate clients and the regular footballing community as well.
“In saying so, we have had the message out there in the public for quite some time now and I think a part of this late rush for tickets has to do with our last minute culture in this country. Everyone is now trying to get on board in the last two weeks.”
Meanwhile, Fifa president Sepp Blatter is expected to miss tomorrow’s opening ceremony of the second Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 2pm.
The Fifa boss, who was in T&T on Wednesday to attend a the launch of the Fifa/Concacaf Women’s Coaching Course at the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence, Macoya on Wednesday will return to T&T on September 20, five days before the final will be played at the same Mucurapo, venue.
However, several other members of Fifa’s Executive Committee and two of its Vice-Presidents are expected to attend the opening ceremony.
The high profile delegation includes vice-president Dr MJ Chung and Reynald Temarii along with executive committee members, Ricardo Terra Teixeira, Executive committee member and deputy chairman of the Organising Committee Dr Adamus Adamu and general secretary Jerome Valcke.
Dr Chung and Dr Adamu arrived in T&T on Thursday while the rest of the delegation is expected to arrive today.
Pellerud: Watch the Asians.
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express).
Trinidad and Tobago's under-17 women's football team head coach, Even Pellerud feels that North Korea may be the most dangerous of all the teams T&T will face in the preliminary stage of the 2010 FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup.
T&T's Soca Princesses open their campaign against South American runners-up Chile, tomorrow, then face Nigeria on September 8, before meeting reigning champions North Korea on September 12.
Pellerud is wary of the North Koreans, not just because they are the defending champions, having edged the United States 2-1 in the 2007 final, but because he firmly believes Asia has the best overall standard in women's football in the under-17 age group.
"I think all the Asian teams are strong. Japan, North Korea, South Korea are very strong. They could all win this World Cup. You could add in Canada, since they have a very strong age group now, and Germany are another who could be there."
But though he has a healthy respect for the North Koreans, Pellerud is confident the hosts will be competitive in all their matches. He said recent victories against Venezuela and Ireland have given his girls a strong momentum going into their opening match tomorrow.
"Ireland has been unbeaten this year in Europe and has been the biggest surprise at that age level. So, they came in probably expecting to beat us handily. I expected us to be competitive, but maybe not win the game. It was surprising, but the girls played very well.
"I think they expected us to be defending, and maybe break down after a while. But, we didn't break down. We attacked, probably much more harder than they expected.
We came nicely through the flanks and served some nice cross balls for strikers, so we were aggressive in the penalty box. The win was well earned, but maybe 1-0 or 2-0 was maybe more reflective of the game itself, but we were the better team that day."
Pellerud is hoping for the same consistency from his team during the tournament. He believes their performance will depend to a large extent on home support.
LOC applies finishing touches on eve of U17 Women's W/Cup
By Kern De Freitas (T&T Express).
MAD RUSH
In true "Trini" fashion, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) is in a tight race to be ready for opening day of the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup, tomorrow.
Before Nigeria take on defending champions North Korea in the tournament opener, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, television production and technical issues still have to be resolved.
The major worries are the lighting and other technical infrastructure that must be in place for television broadcasts. FIFA head of women's football, Tatjanna Haenni yesterday described the situation as "a bit short", indicating that another delay could make it difficult to complete opening day requirements.
"Certain things are a bit last minute in this country, which we accept," Haenni said, at the tournament's opening press conference, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, on Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.
Haenni explained that penalties for failure to complete works at the venues were not being considered now, as she felt "fully convinced everything [will be] in place".
Some of the other concerns for the event at this time include IT-related equipment, mixed zones (designated areas for media interviews) and player facilities at training and match venues.
LOC deputy CEO Nataki Kerr told the media that some adjustments had been made to teams' training schedules to ensure the visitors are "comfortable".
"I think they are very satisfied with what they have seen so far," Kerr said.
She added that the LOC had "turned night into day" in a "mad rush to the finish line" to ensure the vital components to pull off the World Cup are in place for tomorrow.
Slow ticket sales have also been a focus of the LOC, but, according to Kerr, sales are starting to pick up.
Kerr said the LOC's marketing effort was geared towards striking a "balance" between corporate clients and the general public. She admitted they could have been "a bit more aggressive". Still, she is encouraged by the "amazing responses" they have had of late.
"I remain positive. I expect to see thousands of people in our stadiums."
As in the 2001 Under-17 World Cup, which this country hosted, students will benefit from the generosity of corporate Trinidad and Tobago.
Some companies have bought tickets for schools they already support, while others have left the donation of those tickets to the discretion of the T&T Football Federation (T&TFF).