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The “Soca Warriors” can book their second successive CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal berth tomorrow with a win over Cuba in in Phoenix.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba kick off at 6.30 pm at the University of Phoenix Stadium while Mexico and Guatemala clash from 9 pm in the second game of a double header.
The Warriors downed Guatemala 3-1 in their Group C opener in Chicago on Thursday while Mexico routed Cuba 6-0.
Football wins will have to either get FoxSports2 or hunt for an online stream for the contest, though, as Sport Minister Brent Sancho conceded that the Government failed to a television feed for the Gold Cup.
Television rights for the entire competition is priced at US$100,000. However, CONCACAF dropped its asking price to US$60,000 for Trinidad and Tobago, which is the same rate offered to Haiti.
Even that was considered too much for local television stations, including State-owned CNMG and GISL.
“The Ministry of Sport cannot apply,” Sancho told Wired868. “The (relevant) TV station has to apply for the broadcast rights and then they have to approach sponsors (to sell advertising space) for it…
“My ministry cannot pay outright… I would have definitely have put money towards it.”
(Copyright Jonathan Daniel/AFP 2015)
It might be the first Gold Cup that is out of reach for most football fans.
In the United States, the Warriors are upbeat, though, after an encouraging opening result.
“It’s always important to get off to a winning start,” Trinidad and Tobago captain Kenwyne Jones told the TTFA Media. “A win or even (a draw) in the next game can guarantee us going to the quarter finals once again. And I think that measures the standard and level of progress we made in the last two to three years.”
Guatemalan football fans were bitter in 2005 when the Warriors edged an understrength Mexico 2-1 to pip Guatemala to a two-legged 2006 World Cup Play Off qualifying berth against Bahrain.
Jones revealed that the Warriors received some verbal jabs about the perceived influence of disgraced ex-FIFA vice president Jack Warner on Trinidad and Tobago’s football.
“Guatemala had a few digs, trying to talk about Jack Warner helping us,” said the Cardiff City forward. “But I can’t remember the last time Jack Warner kicked a ball. For us, I think we came out on the field and despite all the odds against us, showed our class.”
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
Warrior attacker Cordell Cato and defender Sheldon Bateau, who both scored their first international goals against Guatemala, are still beaming about their Gold Cup thus far.
“It was definitely amazing being able to come out in the first game with a win and the way the team played and being able to get a goal just topped it off,” said Cato. “I think this win means a lot more than everyone could imagine because the results leading up to the Gold Cup wasn’t the right one. But to come here and perform the way we did it was definitely what we needed.”
Bateau was thrilled too although he admitted that the Warriors lost control for periods in the second half.
“It was a great feeling to get my first goal at the senior level and be able to help the team get the three point,” said Bateau. “We lost some control in the second half but we knew we could maintain the lead and see them off.”
Jones agreed.
“Credit to the team for the way we started the game and we put ourselves in a position where we could cruise,” said Jones. “We wanted to come out and still to put pressure on them.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
“Ten minutes before the first half ended and then into the second half it seemed as if we were playing against twelve.”
The Warriors hope to have an easier time against a Cuban outfit that turned up in the United States with only 16 members of their selected 23-man squad minus head coach Raul Gonzales.
Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba played to a dull goalless draw in their last meeting last November in the Jamaica 2014 Caribbean Cup group stage.
Hopefully, there will be goals this time.
(Trinidad and Tobago Gold Cup team)
Goalkeepers: 21.Jan-Michael Williams (Central FC), 1.Marvin Phillip (Point Fortin Civic), 22.Adrian Foncette (Police FC);
Defenders: 6.Radanfah Abu Bakr (HB Koge—Denmark), 18.Yohance Marshall (Juventud Independiente—El Salvador), 4.Sheldon Bateau (KV Mechelen, Belgium), 17.Mekeil Williams (W Connection), 5.Daneil Cyrus (W Connection), 2.Aubrey David (Shakhter Karagandy—Kazakhstan), 3.Joevin Jones (Chicago Fire—USA);
Midfielders: 14.Andre Boucaud (Dagenham & Redbridge—UK), 8.Khaleem Hyland (KVC Westerlo—Belgium), 15.Dwane James (North East Stars), 19.Kevan George (Columbus Crew—USA), 11.Ataulla Guerra (Central FC), 20.Keron Cummings (North East Stars);
Forwards: 9.Kenwyne Jones (Cardiff City—UK), 13.Cordell Cato (San Jose Earthquakes—USA), 23.Lester Peltier (Slovan Bratislava—Slovakia), 10.Willis Plaza (Central FC), 16.Rundell Winchester (Portland Timbers 2—USA), 7.Jonathan Glenn (IBV—Iceland), 12.Kadeem Corbin (St Ann’s Rangers).
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
Gold Cup fixtures
Group C
(Sun Jun 12)
Trinidad and Tobago v Cuba, 6.30 pm, Phoenix;
Mexico v Guatemala, 9 pm, Phoenix.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
2015 Gold Cup results
Group A
Panama 1 (Alberto Quintero 55), Haiti 1 (Duckens Nazon 85) in Dallas;
United States 2 (Clint Dempsey 25, 64), Honduras 1 (Carlos Discua 68) in Dallas;
Panama 1 (Luis Tejada 20), Honduras 1 (Andy Najar 81) in Boston;
United States 1 (Clint Dempsey 47), Haiti 0 in Boston;
(Courtesy MexSport/CONCACAF)
Group B
El Salvador 0, Canada 0 in California;
Jamaica 2 (Gareth McCleary 13, Jobi McAnuff 48), Costa Rica 2 (Roy Miller 33, David Ramirez 37) in California;
(Courtesy CONCACAF)
Group C
Trinidad and Tobago 3 (Sheldon Bateau 11, Cordell Cato 15, Joevin Jones 25), Guatemala 1 (Carlos Ruiz 61) at Chicago;
Mexico 6 (Oribe Peralta 16, 36, 61, Carlos Vela 22, Andrés Guardado 43, Giovani Dos Santos 74), Cuba 0 at Chicago.
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How committed was the Govt to get theRights for the TV?…they do not give a shit if it is not happening in Penal….
If CNC3 can bring all Caribbean premier league games live, even interrupting their traditional weekly 7pm news cast to do so, plus a pre-game show before all games that the Trinidad Red Steel is playing – then I find it strange that no local station hasn’t been able to show the Gold Cup.
It’s on fox soccer 2 on flow channel 173 but that’s not a free channel
TV6 is privately owned so if they aren’t bringing the games, then it was a commercial decision. It is also silly to say that the PNM had anything to do with the games always being broadcast except for the times when CNMG bought the rights.
Both TTT and TV6 used to bring it in the past. I find TV6 and CNMG real lapsing.
Anybody have a link by chance?
Congrats T & T , supporting !!!
Was it TV6 that brought the Gold Cup in the past?
Natasha Nunez what mean you if tax payers money came directly from our salaries? I do not know about anybody else but my tax come directly from my salary and is enough to pay ministry coaches monthly!! So it hurts me when we talk about tax payers money bc i pay it twice from my two govt jobs so very very confuse!!
hahahahahha Brian Springer and Gordon Pierre yuh have a point they dey eh.
It does come out our salaries. But that is a fair point Natasha Nunez.
I feel the same way when I hear politicians say “grassroots.” I shudder and feel a little sick every time I hear that on a political platform.
Gordon Pierre please avoid the term “B.S.” I’d personally prefer you say Crap, Rubbish etc, as B.S. just happens to be MY initials too LMAO 🙂
I think if those ‘taxpayer funds’ were coming directly out of our salaries, we’d care more and do more to influence decision making by politicians. And I’ve come to intensely dislike that cliche about taxpayers funds. It’s a euphemism that has absolutely no meaning to the people and companies to which it refers.
At least during the PNM we always got the Gold Cup whether they had anything to do with it or not.
Uncle Earl Mango Pierre do not start that pnm, unc BS here!!! We dealing with an issuse of persons promising stuff not delivering and then BSing persons who involved in media and administeration with foolish talk!! The deflecting of responsiblity to the TTFA is the ministry new strategy which is very very sad considering that persons thought that the new minister of sport real claim to fame is as a fighter for player benefits not anything he did on the field!!
That’s true Natasha Nunez. I would say the Ministry should not hand over money until the match contracts are done to its liking… But we know some of these NGBs are very good at holding the ministry to ransom.
Eventually, something will have to give. The most important thing isn’t the Ministry or the NGB. It is the taxpayers.
If the contractors do not give us a fair shake, then let them raise their own money. As it is now, the Soca Warriors play one friendly game in Trinidad and Tobago a year and travel for all the rest with no TV feed. That is not a fair deal for taxpayers.
All of dem media houses full of f..King shit they will buy right s to show all kind of shit but something like d gold cup where our national is partisipating in dey can’t show it. Hmm wat shame
Debbie Espinal is 100% Correct, as I stated once before I have watched EVERY Gold Cup tournament live or delayed brought/bought by a LOCAL media house right here in T&T, EXCEPT this one… and irony of ironies, the CURRENT Minister of Sports is an EX-FOOTBALLER who ACTUALLY PLAYED IN THIS SAME GOLD CUP TOURNAMENT!!! So I too share Debbie’s anger and outrage!!!
Yeah but alyuh PNM people venting eh, on the PP gov’t and alyuh deserve it the same cause when the people PNM were in charge for nearly 40 years eh, and they coming back again with their track record of doing nothing but thief just like the PP. Steeuuppss. Them really good yes.
I can’t argue with that logic Lasana. But you and I both know that’s not how stuff works.
As far as I know, the government doesn’t enter into any match contract. Taxpayer dollars go into every single amenity that a national athlete enjoys but who holds the NGB, who is responsible for managing the tax free funding, accountable?
Who is the sport administrator if the government has to plan to broadcast overseas matches? The NGB, as the administrative body for the sport, has to plan and budget for expenses such as these, like everything else.
If a ministry takes over that role, they might as well do away with all the NGBs and let the state do their work for them!
This mudder arse government always get me vex when they talk a pile ah shit and expect intelligent people to swallow it. And she paid the frigging 2006 Soca warriors the two million and she can’t fork out sixty thousand? Lasana damn right. They have to tief as much as they can before they exit on Sept 7th even from babies so why shell out for out for a chupid football tournament that cyah put money in dey pocket. Bet yuh bottom dollar you will see Sancho in an elite establishment watching the game though. Yes ah blasted vex.
Buh A A Debbie Espinal who get you vex eh, what happened to the good vibes eh…..hahahaha
When the public needs something that the free market does not supply or fails to supply at an affordable price, the Government steps in.
I know resources are finite. But maybe if the Gov’t planned for this in advance, they would have sold those ads easily.
Maybe it is a case where the State could show the market how to do it properly. I don’t know. But I do think there is a benefit to all parties here that was missed.
For instance, taxpayers money goes into Soca Warriors getting international warm up matches. But 90 percent of those matches are away. And then there is no live coverage, although that is supposed to be written into every match contract.
That is a big miss by the Gov’t in my opinion.
Government can’t buy rights my ass. They could footy well do it when it suits them as i know they’ve done in the past. I used to work with TTT and had to sell that same Gold Cup etc. He talking a pile ah shit.
Well then, the ministry responsible for sport needs a way larger allocation to manage that, plus ALL the other contributions I noted in my first post.
What responsibility do other stakeholders in sport – NGBs, media – have in this?
I think if there is to be priority, you start with those sports that have the most spectator interest. And that would be football, cricket and athletics.
Also, it might be forward thinking of the Gov’t to do it. Because it makes it easier to encourage more athletes to play and more companies to sponsor.
And both of those things are Government ideals. So it would be an investment rather throwing money away.
So I also think that the Government should see the value in it. Bet you if there was a construction contract or something involved in it, then the Ministries would be fighting to do it… But that is another story.
Ok. But the flesh parades are once a year and involve one individual. Carnival is also an annual event.
So do certain sports (the popular ones, I guess) get priority or does everyone receive the same benefits? There are over 60 sporting disciplines to attend to and they all travel abroad at various times to competition. Again, just asking.
When it’s country first, yes they are Natasha Nunez. It can come from several state ministries not one. Just like Miss Universe for example, it’s not a money making broadcast in Trinidad. But when our girl is up, ministry of tourism and or CNMG pays for the rights depending on how large the cost is , same with Carnival coverage , NCC assists etc. When country is involved the dynamic is different.
Wait. So the state is expected to foot the bill for national athletes/team preparation for competition, use of facilities, travel, accommodation, rewards if successful, AND broadcasting of games? Just asking.
Maybe we can get the Sports Minister or his advisor to explain the rationale here?
Absolutely right Reyna Kowlessar. Nonsense squared. They could have found a way . What about GISL, wasting so much money on rubbish , but they saving their money for their campaign. That is the priority for them,.not uplifting anyone, but themselves. Election trumps all this round. Poor football fans.
Please remember, most of these people who are in government , or those aspiring to, do not know anything connected to sport. They eh have no “boy days”. Wah you expect?? Ferreting away tons of cash……well now that’s another story.
So glad J. Jones finally got unleashed to attack more. Hopefully in future we’ll see him play midfield as well.
Sorry for their troubles…whatever it may be.
They have 16 players while everyone else has 23
Cuba entire squad made it ?
So little help and they do so well. Imagine if they didn’t have all the crap.
Now our media houses on bullshit, they buy rights for all kind of crap, yet we can’t see the gold cup. SMDH
Hmmm. Interesting point Reyna Kowlessar. Thanks
Non sense Brent Sancho. Having worked at CNMG , ministry of sport could have given CNMG the money to purchase the feed. It’s quite normal. Where do you think CNMG gets the Monday to aire the Monday night forum or other government/state related shows ? From the Ministry /ministries responsible for that portfolio.
Like I said below… money for fete, money for cricket, money FORUM… football? Not so much (“dem people doh wear yellow”- from the mouth of a senior NGC official to Raymond Tim Kee during a meeting to discuss NGC sponsorship of the TTFA)
Cheyenne, I understand – and share – your frustration. But I have to add that ALL the right-thinking people of T&T are hoping that, if we still have jokers in November, at least they’ll be new jokers..Vote wisely.
I am sure the rights to the CPL was worth a lot more. Business is business and our government does not understand it, yet they want to partake in it
Cuba team is a concern only for the US Immigration
Steeuuppss if my corrupted uncle Jack Warner was still running things eh, alyuh wudda surely see the games on TV eh in our sweet country, the soon to be ex- sports minister promising this and promising that eh, and instead of the Mayor and himself make certain that our football rise again without any kind of controversy now that the white plane will be coming for the most corrupted FIFA official eh, is ah set ah bacchanal with money issues eh, and our football and our players continues to suffer steeuuppss. Them really good yes.
too much greed this is why these things happen
We don’t value our own. Is it that people don’t watch local teams? I’m surprised.
We need to hire sports marketing & advertising professionals who can assure TV rights are negotiated and sealed months before these games. Every sport in which citizens of Trinidad and Tobago participate should be televised (live or delayed) or at least made available via Internet Live Streaming. Additionally, for the sake of continuity, we need to divorce T&T politics from sports! The Minister of Sports should not be a Minister of Parliament linked to any political party.
“Television rights for the entire competition is priced at US$100,000. However, CONCACAF dropped its asking price to US$60,000 for Trinidad and Tobago, which is the same rate offered to Haiti.
Even that was considered too much for local television stations, including State-owned CNMG and GISL.
“The Ministry of Sport cannot apply,” Sancho told Wired868. “The (relevant) TV station has to apply for the broadcast rights and then they have to approach sponsors (to sell advertising space) for it…”
Sancho was full of bluster talking about how the government was trying to “acquire” the rights to the broadcast. Now he’s saying that the government couldn’t do anything it’s the TV stations who have to try and purchase the rights. Then for the stations themselves… you trying to tell me that the government owned stations couldn’t find $60,000 dollars to buy the broadcast rights?? Do they realize that some of this money would have gone back to local football (via the TTFA’s share of broadcast revenue from CONCACAF?) Do they care? More mone for fete, more money for cricket, more money FORUM… football could haul it ass, dem doh wear yellow.
Sad and pathetic from the local stations… I have fox sports 2 but I feel sorry for the family members of the players who in 2015 cannot see their sons/nephews/grandsons/cousins represent their country from the comfort of their home. Absolutely pathetic that we continue to blank these boys. Maybe we may get World Cup qualifiers on TV in November? I’m not holding my breath with these jokers
Lasana,
If the result had been reversed – Guatemala 3, T&T 1 – would the Minister’s statement have been the same? Would you even have enquired about the missing feed? Just asking…
Wired868 actually asked about a TV feed before the Gold Cup even started. See here: http://wired868.com/2015/07/07/govt-negotiates-gold-cup-feed-sancho-ttfa-discuss-pan-am-bacchanal/