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09-May-2007.
High praise for Junior Soca Warriors.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
Trinidad and Tobago’s National Under 17 footballers will soon be back on the training pitch to kick start their preparation drive for the 2007 FIFA Under 17 World Championship which kicks off on August 19.
Following a hectic last few months during which the preparation of the team for the final round of qualifiers left hardly a day off for the young players and followed by an intense 12-days of competition, head coach Anton Corneal will allow his players some days off but before long, following the Draw for the finals at a date to be confirmed, the TTFF and the team’s management will outline a programme to ensure the team’s readiness for the FIFA Finals.
Some 12 players will also take the CXC O’Level examinations in between training sessions at home.
“We will ensure a programme that is in tune with the teams that we have to face in the opening round which of course we wouldn’t know until the draw takes place,”Corneal told TTFF Media as he and the team contingent arrived home to a warm reception at the VIP lounge, Piarco International Airport on Monday night. Several official led by Minister of Sport Roger Boynes, family members and other guests received skipper Ryan O’Neil and his players. A few fans also waited outside arrivals with flags to recognize the team.
“Before we were preparing for the qualifying phase but now we actually have to prepare for a World Championship so there will be a different approach in some ways and a very detailed outline as to how we go about getting the team ready. We expect too that there will be distractions coming on now that were not there before but we will handle it in a clever manner and we have recently played in a senior World Cup as well so there will be a lot of things that is no longer a first time for us in terms of the preparation and management of the campaign,” Corneal added.
T&T will be among 24 countries at the finals which now includes England and Belgium which were celebrating on Monday night after qualifying for the Championship. The first European team to make sure of their place in the August and September tournament were Spain. After enjoying wins against France (2-0) and Ukraine (3-1) in their opening group games, a goalless draw with Germany was enough to take them to the finals. Germany, however, must play-off for a place against the Netherlands on Thursday. The other qualifiers for the Finals include Japan, hosts Korea, Korea DPR, Tajikistan, Syria, Nigeria,Togo, Ghana, Syria, Haiti, Honduras, Brazil, USA, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Argentina and New Zealand.
Overseas players feel the joy too
Meantime, some of this country’s senior overseas-based professionals sent congratulatory messages to the team following Sunday’s win. Among them being Sunderland duo Stern John and Carlos Edwards who are also celebrating promotion into the Premiership. Former T&T captain Dwight Yorke, who captained T&T’s Under 20 team to the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship in Portugal also indicated his delight on the qualification.
“We were aware that the youth team had World Cup qualifiers going on and it was great to hear that they were able to make it through after the last game against Jamaica. We heard that they had to win the last two games and that was always going to be tough ask for them but it seems that they kept their heads up and they showed a lot of heart to come through it,” Edwards told TTFF Media. “That is a very positive sign for the future of Trinidad and Tobago football,” he added.
And John and Brent Sancho also joined in, stating “We had a final game to play against Luton Town on the weekend and after we won that game to take the League the day got better when we found out later on that the boys have pulled it off. We are really happy for them and hopefully now this can act as a way of encouraging more development for football in the country,” John added.
Warner Camps hail Junior Soca Warriors
FIFA Vice President Jack Warner has heaped praises on the members of the Trinidad and Tobago National Under 17 team for achieving its success in qualifying for the FIFA Under 17 World Championship 2007 in Korea.
Warner, who T&T head coach Anton Corneal mentioned was a firm supporter of the team’s efforts ever since he was part of the initiation of the team’s set up in 2004, was in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday night when he received the news of T&T’s 1-0 win over Jamaica courtesy of Kevin Molino’s 13th minute goal.
“On behalf of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) and on my own behalf as Special Advisor to the sport's local governing body, I would like to make public our heartiest congratulations to the Under-17 team on the occasion of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Final,” Warner stated.
“As reiterated at last Saturday's gathering during the Northern Football Association's awards ceremony, while my confidence in our team never waned, the odds had become overwhelmingly acute as the elimination stage advanced, forcing our Young Soca Warriors into a crucial corner from first whistle in Sunday's game against Jamaica, but the combination of prayer and performance clearly triumphed.
“Receiving the good news while en route to Kuala Lumpur was especially delightful, as I would be meeting with senior delegates from 43 football playing nations convening the AFC Congress who, in standard FIFA tradition, added their congratulations and best wishes to our team and, in confident anticipation that the ritual will be repeated at the CONCACAF Congress in Toronto Wednesday, I wish to convey those salutations as well; along with my own praises and those of the TTFF,” Warner added.
He had also spoken to the players via a tele-conference call at the Knutsford Hotel on the eve of the tournament as well, telling them “The world and Trinidad and Tobago will remember you for your efforts on the field of play. The future of our country is now at your feet.”
TTFF President Oliver Camps also expressed his sentiments on the team’s success, saying “It was indeed a great accomplishment by our Under 17 team and the staff, others who worked around the overall effort and especially the players must be complimented and acknowledged for the achievement. I wish to salute them and say to them that now we must go on to represent in a most determined and passionate manner on the world stage just as Dwight Yorke and his team of Soca Warriors did in Germany a little less than a year ago.” He also mentioned that the qualification was proof that the TTFF had maintained its commitment towards a youth development programme and will continue to work further towards realizing more success in the future.
Govt to honour U-17 footballers.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Roger Boynes, Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs stated that government intends to honour coach Anton Corneal and the T&T Under-17 football team for qualifying for the Fifa Under-17 World Cup.
Boynes made this disclosure at an official welcome reception held for the team at the VIP Lounge, Piaro International Airport on Monday night after arriving their arrival from Jamaica where the Concacaf Group B qualifying series was held.
On Sunday, the T&T Under-17 football qualified to participated in Korea in August with 1-0 win over Jamaica to finish in third spot in the Concacaf Group B qualifiers behind winners USA and Costa Rica.
The three teams in Group B joined Group A qualifiers, Haiti and Honduras for the 24-team Fifa tournaments which runs from August 18 to
September 9.
Asked to elaborate some more on what kind of reward will be given to the team, Boynes said that government have some idea of what they want to give the team, but it will first have to be discussed.
Last year the Soca Warriors players were rewarded with $750,000 cash and $250,000 in bonds for their qualification for the World Cup Finals in Germany along with the Chaconia Gold medal.
National coach Leo Beenhakker was also presented with $1 million and a Chaconia Gold Medal.
Corneal who served as an assistant at the World Cup was also presented with a Chaconia Gold medal, the nation’s second highest award.
However it is less likely the Young Warriors will be presented with cash rewards for their achievement, with a national medal and some form of governmental scholarship more likely to be offered.
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