The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, following its own investigation, can reveal that by all knowledge, a female acquaintance of former TTFF employee David Nakhid, had approached local media houses for footage of recent matches played by the Trinidad and Tobago National Senior Team.
By Shaun FuentesThese enquiries were in fact made early last week before the news broke that there was some form of link between Mr Nakhid and the Bahrain Football Association.
Mr Nakhid?s link contacted TTFF Media for videotapes or DVDs of the National team matches of recent and also whatever was possible from the earlier stages of the 2006 ?Journey to Germany? campaign, stating that it was for use in producing of a documentary on the team?s progress, for which documentary Nakhid never discussed with anyone of the team management nor with the TTFF nor with the Local Organising Committee Germany 2006.
Sunity Maharaj, Executive Producer of local television show Total Football also revealed that she was approached by the same female acquaintance.
?I was given a request by this person and was told that it was for the sake of a personal archive after enquiring why the tapes were being asked for. I then referred her to the TTFF because I am well aware that they hold the rights to these type of footage,? Maharaj stated.
Another well known local media man, Ruskin Mark of NCC Channel 4 also recalled receiving a similar request.
?Nakhid's female acquaintance called and asked for the tapes or whatever footage that may assist her and I could only refer her to the TTFF following that request,? Mark said.
Since the story broke, David Nakhid, former assistant coach of Trinidad and Tobago's football team, has been appointed as scout advisor of Bahrain's national World Cup team. The President of the General Organisation for Youth and Sports (Goys), Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, told Bahrain Tribune that he has made a lucrative offer to Nakhid which he could not refuse. Shaikh Fawaz also made it clear to the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) that they have an open budget for their final campaign to World Cup 2006 and that they must do everything in their power to overcome Trinidad & Tobago at all cost.
Bahrain will take on Trinidad and Tobago in a two-legged playoff matches on November 12 and 16. The first leg will be played in Trinidad and Tobago and the second leg in Bahrain.
When contacted in Zurich on Monday evening, FIFA Vice President Jack Warner confirmed that the talk in Zurich is all about Nakhid's treachery which has caused him to hang his head in shame.
?For 30 pieces of silver, T&T has been sold out! This makes what Jamaica has done look guiltless,? Warner told TTFF Media. He promised that in spite of all these unfortunate occurrences, that all will be in place to ensure that the T&T team is fully in tune for the matches on November 12 and 16 against the Asian opponent.
Warner will be in Bahrain on Tuesday. He is being accompanied by General Secretary of the TTFF, Richard Groden and Team Administrator, George Joseph. Meanwhile Bahrain is playing a match against Panama in Bahrain on Thursday for a match which Bahrain has paid all Panama's expenses including a match fee of some $500,000 USD, it has been reported.
