Leo Beenhakker is considering remaining as head coach of T&T?s national team, after the Soca Warriors? campaign in the 2006 World Cup soccer tournament finals. This in a report from Trinidad Guardian.
So said the TTFF?s special adviser, FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, following a meeting with Beenhakker at the team?s Landhaus Wachtelhof Hotel in Rotenburg.Warner had gone to the hotel to extend congratulations and best wishes to Beenhakker and the Warriors, but took the opportunity to discuss with the coach his future with the T&T team. Warner said feedback from the talks was positive and that he hoped the outcome would be in the best interest of T&T?s football after the World Cup experience.
?The feeling has been excellent. There are some things you cannot describe in the world and this is one.
?More importantly, I just spoke to Leo and he is interested in working with the team again, he and Wim (Rijsbergen), and this is extremely important, once the conditions are right, if it means that the Government needs to play an active part, the business sector has to play an active part.
?Jack Warner alone can no longer do it.
?What Leo has shown is that we can do it. Let?s just forget what divides us and let?s look at what unites us and if we do this, our country will be a better place and what we are doing in Germany should serve as a catalyst for, of course, a bright future for the country,? Warner said.
The Fifa vice-president believes that Beenhakker?s continued involvement with the team must be the next step.
?I came here to talk to him about that. He said to give him three days to consider it and I will. He also said that he wants to focus on the match on Tuesday and I respect that. ?But moreso, he said that he is positive about it,? Warner added.
?He says Tuesday he?s going for it and I expect that we shall win. He said to me:
?Jack, don?t forget that I have a player from (CL Financial San Juan) Jabloteh (Aurtis Whitley) marking Gerrard, a guy from Nelson Street (Densill Theobald) marking Beckham. When they ask what my players earn, it?s nothing compared to the England team and yet, of course, we gave them a very good performance. Had it been for a proper referee, we would have had a draw.?
?Beenhakker said the second goal was irrelevant and that the first goal should never have been scored,? said Warner.
Asked what has been the response from his Fifa colleagues to T&T?s performance at the World Cup, Warner said:
?Oh, I walk tall today. I walk taller than all of them. I tell all of them that ?I told you so?. I made the point to them that I needed to get to this stage in order to show my worth and I have gotten it and we have done it as a country.?
During the visit Warner presented Beenhakker with a signed copy of the recently-launched Zero to Hero?a book written by Guardian Sports Editor Valentino Singh, which details Warner?s journey in the football world.
He also met with Soca Warriors captain Dwight Yorke and other members of the players committee to discuss matters pertaining to the team?s ongoing appearance in the 2006 World Cup finals.
