"In 1989 the support for the Strike Squad on the Road to Italy's World Cup did not come until September for the November final, and it was too late then. There was no deep-seated, ground level commitment to the team whereas this time there is a wide range of support which was not available in 1989. People have come forward this time around and we are in the absolute best position to put on football as you have the support of the country." This says Oliver Camps, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, is one of the major reasons why the current team is doing exceedingly well on the Road to Japan/Korea in 2002.
The management of the game has also changed from 1989 when we were beaten one goal to nil by the United States of America and failed on that disastrous Sunday in November to qualify for the World Cup in Italy. '"This time around, we are managing the guys on the big issues and not nitpicking things. They are professionals, everybody has a job to do, if we do something which should not be done we suffer the consequences. There is total management from the top down, coaching, scouting, not micro management" says Camps, who now uses all available resources in managing the game.
"And I am overwhelmed. We have a lot of management with responsibility for all facets of the game. They are doing their part and delegating to people who can make decisions and get the job done, such as, organising the technical side, marketing, physio, making sure travel is in business class on long flights, good hotels, everybody is co-operative. Fans have a right to see a quality product on the field and will not support the team if a quality product is not there. Thus the product comes first and it is a balanced effort with everybody doing their part." says Camps.
"Ian Porterfield (the new coach) is good but will be the first to tell you he is not doing it alone. He has totally committed support staff. I give him an A for recognising the other people around him who are valuable and contribute to the team. There is nothing but good about Clayton Morris, captain of the Strike Squad who is now a coach and the players have enormous respect for him. Take Jimmy Blanc for instance, he has a lot to contribute. It is not a one-man show by any means and the remarkable thing is winning makes all this happen as everybody wants to be part of the winner."
One hour after the final whistle was blown last Sunday afternoon in the Canada/Trinidad and Tobago World Cup qualifier, the television cameras showed us the result of proper planning and co-operation when seven members of our victorious team boarded a national helicopter in the Queen's Park savannah, which had been kindly provided at no cost by Captain Nicholas Nothnagel, General Manager of the National Helicopter Services, for Piarco airport and the British West Indian Airways flight to London, on their way to fulfil contractual club obligations.
Neatly attired in casual wear, carrying their hand luggage, the seven smilingly shook hands with those who had come to see them off. Professionalism at its best was my reaction, by the players and those who had organised this mode of transport from the Oval to Piarco. Tim Nafziger, a football fanatic, co-opted like so many others by Camps to help wherever they can, member of the Federation or not, is the man responsible for the smooth departure of these overseas based players after every at home game. Eventually only two players departed for London that night while the other five left on Monday.
But Nafziger, who also happens to be (one of the five) Dwight Yorke's manager does not view this as indiscipline. "The choice of a departure date was theirs on the three occasions that the games were played here. It was neither my business nor that of the Football Federation. It was of the players own volition that they chose to return straight after the game. It is their call as they know their obligations and relationship with their clubs. It is our business to arrange tickets and travel after the game to get them to the airport."
I myself can only empathise with the seven who were flown over the celebrations at the Oval and St James last Sunday night on their way to the airport, where the five decided having missed the celebration after Mexico and Panama not to miss out this time especially as this was not just winning any game, it was a game through which the team qualified for the final round of World Cup qualifiers in the region, next year.
Since there will always be conflict in agenda between club and country for overseas based players, Camps explained "we have taken a decision to communicate with the club and do our absolute best at this end to make sure it runs smoothly and with the least amount of conflict when the guys come here." Nafziger explained "this started in March 1999 when Trinidad & Tobago played a friendly against Jamaica. My only real vested interest is Dwight Yorke whom I have managed since 1990, we are friends and I talk to him more than once a week sometimes, scheduling tickets, liasing with Manchester United.
And so I attend to the little details in an effort to ensure that they all make their club commitments. After the Jamaica game, Dwight had some big game on the Tuesday or the Wednesday and his club wanted him back. The game at the stadium was at 4 p.m. BWIA leaves at 7.25 p.m. and the doors close at 7.10p.m. Dwight said he had to be on that flight. I called the police traffic branch and asked for a motor cycle escort. Because it was a friendly I could ask the coach who was Bertille St Clair to take Dwight off early so that he was showered and out of the stadium to the airport in plenty of time. That was the first time we did it."
The funny part last Sunday was that there was no water with which to shower. "So the fellas used cases of bottled water" says Nafziger "but they were ready in time for the helicopter. You could see it hurt them all to leave the atmosphere particularly after Mexico, and then outside the Oval after Panama we could hardly get into the cars, and now last Sunday, but they all seven went to the airport. Eventually five came back on the helicopter. They knew their commitments and so travelled out the next day which in the first instance would have been the more reasonable schedule instead of the hurry with forty minutes to bathe and get to the airport."
"Maybe we have spoilt the clubs by getting them back on the same day" says Camps "in reality they should travel on Monday. Last Sunday it was not just that we won a game, we qualified. Crossing this hurdle is a milestone and an objective achieved."
"Professionalism and self-motivation lead to players doing the right things on their own. We can only advise them. You stay up late, eat the wrong things, nobody can control that for these big men. They are professionals who focus on the end result. Management must do their part, the players have to do their part in the whole process" says Camps, who readily admits "we did not have plans or structures in place leading to the Gold Cup early this year and so did not win. We are ready for the return game in Mexico on October 8 and in Panama on October 16. Our objective is to create victories. And the ultimate is when the whole country stands ready to do their part when called upon."