The infamous Soca Warriors of Trinidad and Tobago will not be a part of the Trinidad and Tobago team for the Gold Cup 2007, as the deadline for team registrations have passed without a resolution between the TTFF and the blacklisted players showing solidarity over the TT$5,000 bonus offered for their World Cup performances.
Sports Minister Roger Boynes was hoping to assist in the dispute to allow the blacklisted Soca Warriors to line up for the most important tournament on the CONCACAF calendar, Gold Cup 2007. In fact, even retired captain Dwight Yorke declined an offer to return from FIFA Vice President Jack Warner, instead choosing to show solidarity with his blacklisted warriors.Team Manager Joseph "Sam" Phillip confirmed in an interview with the Trinidad Express that the deadline for team registrations have indeed passed. "While we were looking to get some of the World Cup players in the team for the Gold Cup, we have to look beyond that now, because the registration date has passed," Phillip stated. "The date for that was yesterday (Thursday), so we have to look at the bigger picture and hope for the future."
Phillip is hoping the impasse is resolved before World Cup qualifiers start. "We have to resolve this now because we have a lot of internationals on the calendar. And, when the matter is resolved, the (World Cup ) players will come back. For the good of the game we are hoping for it to be settled."
For a nation recently represented in the World Cup, it is a shame and farce, that Trinidad and Tobago is not fielding it's best team for the regional tournament. It is comparable to England not fielding the likes of Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, John Terry and Frank Lampard. The English fans would simply riot over such a ludicrous throught. However the greater Trinidad and Tobago population appear to not put any pressure on TTFF.
socawarriors.net are however, and we would also, just like our most popular Soca Warrior, Dwight Yorke, show our solidarity with the blacklisted players. Remember these Soca Warriors are not on strike, the TTFF has put a block on the players that coach Wim can select from, and unfortunately for Trinidad and Tobago, most of our Soca Warriors are not in the pool.
To show some support and solidarity with the blacklisted players, we invite you the public, to sign up for free (it takes 3 mins if so much), and add a comment to this thread. Hopefully someone from the TTFF can see the thread, and know public support is there for the players and not the TTFF.
