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Jaric Titans managing director and head coach Brian Browne finally led his travelling party of roughly 90 persons back to Tobago from the Manchester International Easter Cup today, via a flight from the London Gatwick Airport.
But they will be short of one child when they hit the tarmac at the ANR Robinson International Airport in Crown Point.
Wired868 was reliably informed that one of the unaccompanied minors on the trip lost his passport. The boy, who plays for Brother Ry’s Football Academy, is 11-years-old. (His name is withheld because of his age.)
Jaric Titans manager Tracey Coldeira, according to an informed source, remained in London with the child and the two have already held discussions with Trinidad and Tobago High Commission officials there.
The child will eventually be allowed to return home with emergency travel documents. However, the procedure for appropriate documentation includes a written request from his parents.
It is uncertain whether the child will be back in Tobago for the start of the new school term on Monday.
Presumably, again, the Tobago House of Assembly (TBA) will pick up the tab.
Last year, Browne decided to register Jaric Titans to play at the 2024 Manchester Easter Cup, which is a grassroots competition with no links to any professional teams in Europe or elsewhere.
Browne registered to play in four divisions, despite not possessing enough players—or even players of suitable quality—at his club. He then partnered with fellow Tobago club, Brother Ry’s Academy, in an arrangement that would see the latter team send players and coaches under the Jaric Titans banner.
The Titans budget for the tournament was roughly $3.7 million, which catered for 65 players, seven coaches, seven officials, and another 65 persons whose value to the trip is undetermined.
In contrast, Premier Sports Club took 29 persons (15 children and 14 adults) from Trinidad to the Manchester Easter Cup at a cost of $281,000, which includes airfare, accommodation, ground transport, two meals per day, two professional coaching clinics and a practice game.
Premier SC, who raised their own funds, spent approximately $9,700 per person for their trip to Manchester. Jaric Titans’ proposal equated to approximately $25,700 per person—at best case—with a significant chunk paid by taxpayers.
The real size of Browne’s entourage to Manchester remains unclear. Last Tuesday, he shared a list of 64 persons in a WhatsApp group that included parents and officials from Jaric Titans and Ry’s Academy.
However, government officials revealed that 75 persons left Tobago as part of the Titans team. Who were the other 11 travellers?
Ryan Stewart, the head coach of Ry’s Academy, was not on the flight—and neither were any of his club’s coaches or parents. It meant several of their players travelled to another continent with adults they barely knew.
Not only did Browne fly to Manchester without money for accommodation; he did not take enough players either, despite travelling with 75 persons.
So, last Thursday, THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and his executive agreed to fly another 75 persons to Manchester—although ticket prices had soared to as much as $17,000 per person.
(via PDP)
Once more, Ry’s Academy coaches and parents were excluded from the trip.
EuroWorld Sports Limited managing director David Shepherd told Wired868 that Browne booked accommodation for 134 persons at £120 ($1,023) per night each. It is uncertain how many of those bookings were used, as well as the total cost that the THA will bear.
If Jaric Titans’ Manchester escapade was a shock to the general public, it is now a matter of keen anxiety to one Tobago mother.
Wired868 understands that the boy was handling his own passport during check-in at the airport. And then, as the travel party began boarding the flight, he could not find his vital documents.
Hopefully, the young aspiring footballer will return to Tobago safely next week with some bizarre tales to tell his school friends.
Eventually, the THA’s Chief Secretary might be compelled to tell a story or two about the Jaric Titans fiasco as well.
Editor’s Note: Click HERE to read Wired868’s in-depth look into Jaric Titans’ now infamous excursion to the Manchester Easter Cup.
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
Why should taxpayers pay for this insanity on the part of one unhinged individual?And why did certain officials treat him with kid gloves?He should be made to contribute to the tour as well as each parent of each child and all the other hangers on.This is utter madness!!
This media officer I realize write stories mischievous look at that headline better than that hope the day your story is told its told the right way