Mike Berry has been speaking almost daily with Trinidad and Tobago's Dutch national head-coach Leo Beenhakker since being appointed Consultant on International Affairs recently by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation.
The Manchester-based players football agent's first duty since assuming his new role was to suggest Iceland as possible opponents for an international friendly match against the Caribbean World Cup Finals qualifiers late next month.
While most of the 1.1 million population of this country will be focused on the Carnival masquerade, on February 28 (Carnival Tuesday), their "Soca Warriors" will be engaging the Icelanders in their first warm-up before participation in this summer's World Cup Finals in Germany. Berry, it was, who made the suggestion to Beenhakker to play Iceland.
"Leo rang me and asked me to suggest a possible opponent for a game. First, Leo wanted the game to be played in England. It made sense, because Trinidad and Tobago has so many players based over here. He also wanted a Scandinavian team similar to Sweden who we (T&T) play in the opening game at the World Cup. I suggested Iceland, after which, Mr. Warner (Jack) got involved by contacting Eggert (Magnusson), of the Iceland football Federation and the match was on. Iceland will be a good test. They are a quality, technically good side which has a lot of players who play in Sweden."
Berry is no stranger to Trinidad and Tobago, being the agent to several members of the "Soca Warriors". He regularly visits the island looking for talent over the past seven years and has seen all of Trinidad and Tobago's World Cup qualifiers. He playfully boasts of shedding blood for the twin-island republic. Berry refers to last November when Trinidad and Tobago won 1-0 away to Bahrain in a play-off match to reach their first World Cup Final. Berry was among the T&T contingent assaulted by irate Bahrain fans and was hit by a stone hurled towards the Trinidad and Tobago supporters.
Over the years, Berry has assisted Trinidad and Tobago in an unofficial capacity giving advice to another Englishman and former T&T head-coach Ian Potterfield during the 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign, and most recently Beenhakker. However, recently, Warner, a special adviser to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation and a vice-president of football's world governing body, FIFA as well, invited him to come on a full-time basis. His role as a consultant now includes making suggestions on the base camps which Trinidad and Tobago will use during the build-up to the World Cup Finals and also making suggestions about opponents, and where possible to use his connections to set up warm-up matches in Austria and Europe just prior to going to Germany for the competition.
"It makes sense really. Europe is on the other side of the world from Trinidad and Tobago and it makes sense to have someone here who can do these things. Also, I have a lot of expertise dealing with people in many countries. Two weeks ago, I got a call from Leo asking me to suggest the site for a camp in England. I made about three recommendations, out of which I suggested Carden Park (Manchester) which is where England sometimes train. When Leo came to England recently, he was quite pleased with the location and that is where the 'Soca Warriors' will be based when the team leaves Trinidad and Tobago on May 14 for a camp in England."
Apart from his new role with the T&TFF, Berry says his involvement with Trinidad and Tobago has been to look for talent and also to give support to the 10 or so Warriors whom he has gotten professional contracts for in the United Kingdom. Among them are Bahrain goalscorer Dennis Lawrence; goalkeepers Clayton Ince and Kelvin Jack; Hector Sam; Carlos Edwards, Collin Samuel; and Jason Scotland. Berry believes the world will have greater respect for this tiny nation's football after this World Cup.
"I think Trinidad and Tobago will surprise a few people in Germany. Some people say we (T&T) do not have a world football pedigree which is true to some extent. But, what we have is a highly technical well-respected coach and a team that has a lot of heart. I have been to Trinidad and Tobago for many years, and in terms of fighting spirit, this is one of the best Trinidad and Tobago teams I have seen."
Berry also put some perspective on his involvement with Trinidad and Tobago despite being a Liverpool-born Englishman. Trinidad and Tobago with a mixture of premier and lower division players who ply their trade in the UK, are due to be heavy underdogs when they meet England in their second World Cup match on June 16 in the German City of Nuremburg. Berry says he will not be too surprised if the Caribbean islanders were to cause a major upset.
"Yes, I am an Englishman to the bone, but I am also a 'Trini' at heart. Whether they have been through the lows like when they lost 5-1 to Guatemala or the high of beating Mexico, I have been in Trinidad and Tobago's corner. I have made a lot of friends there. If Trinidad and Tobago were to meet England and win at the World Cup, I will be elated. If they got to the last sixteen (16), it will be a tremendous achievement. However, what I would say to the people of Trinidad and Tobago is that they have six (6) more months to enjoy the journey. For 16 years people have been griping that they come so close to qualifying for a World Cup. I hear it every time I come to Trinidad. What I am saying is that Trinidad and Tobago are in the World Cup now-enjoy it. Not many countries get the chance to do so."