Jack Warner
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation are struggling to fund their World Cup qualifying campaign after being plunged into a cash crisis since the demise of chief financier Jack Warner.
Unable to fund any warm-up matches for their team or pay the wages of head coach Otto Pfister, the Soca Warriors are in danger of heading into their opening preliminary qualifier against Bermuda next month severely undercooked.
An emergency meeting has been called by the TTFF executive to find a solution to the dire financial situation, with president Oliver Camps painting a bleak picture of the team’s qualifying chances, admitting their national programme had virtually ground to a halt.
“At this point in time we are unable to fund any matches for the national team,” Camps told the Trinidad Express. “It is not an optimistic picture. But I will fight to the end...this is the toughest period we have been through in terms of funding.”
Any hopes the TTFF had of their Government bailing them out by covering the costs of the team’s qualifying campaign are also dead in the water.
“That was just another set of talk. Nothing has come of it,” said Camps. “That was only talk. We have submitted everything we were asked for (to Government), and gotten nothing.”
Such is the extent of their funding problems, the TTFF were forced to cancel Trinidad’s friendly against Haiti, which was scheduled for today; while the salary of their German coach Pfister, reported to be US $50,000 per month, also has to be paid.
The TTFF financial meltdown has coincided with the resignation of former FIFA vice-president Warner who quit his post after becoming embroiled in a bribery scandal that led to a life-ban for Asian Football Association Mohamed Bin Hammam.
Incidentally, the Bermuda Football Association were one of the whistle-blowers that lifted the lid on the cash for votes scandal that saw Warner, a Trinidad Works and Transport Minister, also resign as boss of the Caribbean Football Union and Concacaf.
Camp, however, has denied that the fall from grace of their special advisor Warner is the reason behind the TTFF’s financial turmoil.
“No. It’s not true to say that we were totally dependent on Jack,” Camps said. “But, Mr Warner did help us out greatly from time to time.”
In June, Warner unveiled 74-year-old Pfister as Trinidad’s new coach, and spoke of the Government’s earlier commitment to get the team to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
“I give the commitment today that the Government will do everything in its power, financial and otherwise, to make this dream come true,” Warner said.
“The Prime Minister (Kamla Persad-Bissessar) has spoken to us (Warner and Minister of Sport Anil Roberts) and said come to her with a budget that will take us to Brazil.
“The Government is committed to financing this project. The Minister of Sport is committed,” Warner said.
Trinidad host Bermuda on September 2.
