High Commissioner to London, Her Excellency Glenda Morean-Phillips showered praises on the Soca Warriors last Monday evening at a reception hosted by her at Belgrave Square.
Some of the Warriors sent apologies for their inability to attend the event but Dennis Lawrence, Brent Sancho, Carlos Edwards and Shaka Hislop did manage to fit the soiree into their busy schedules and were greeted and feted by Morean-Phillips on behalf of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.
In her address, Morean-Phillips praised the team, saying Trinidad and Tobago was justly proud of the work of our Soca Warriors in not only securing a place among the final 32 football teams that will play for the prestigious FIFA World Cup this June in Germany, but also for putting this country on the world map in a lasting way.
"You will understand the swelling of pride at the fact that so small a country could field a team of talented footballers that stand shoulder to shoulder with the already acknowledged greatest soccer players in the world and put them to the test," Morean-Phillips said, eliciting a swell of applause.
The affair was also addressed by High Commission press attache Ashton Ford, TTFF international relations consultant out of England, Mike Berry and LOC executive member, Terry Joseph, who represented committee chairman Jack Warner. European media,
including BBC Caribbean's Debbie Ransome and Sky Sports' Roger Clarke spared no effort in capturing extensive interviews and comments from team members present.
Among those present, who were ushered by girls of Poison UK and heard performances from former national calypso monarch Tobago Crusoe and fellow England-based bard De Alberto and heard pan music from double-seconds player Samuel du Bois (backed by Slovenian bassist Joseph Secnak) were British Member of Parliament Joan Walley, impressario Sonny Blacks, Trini journalists Simon Lee and Odeka O'Neil, diplomat Nina Baden-Semper, Reverend Pat Stephens and Miss T&T/UK Crystal Lougier.
Guests were also treated to a wide array of Trini cuisine and beverages at the fete which went well into the night.