Trinidad and Tobago China-based professional Anthony Rougier will have just one night’s rest before taking the pitch in Wednesday’s closing 2006 semi-final World Cup qualifier against St Vincent and the Grenadines.
At first Rougier was scheduled to travel with teammates Brent Sancho and Ian Cox on Sunday but after his flight from China was delayed, he then arrived in time for Monday’s flight from London. However, upon checking in, he was then told that an additional ₤1,200 would need to be paid for him to travel. Having indicated that he was unable to pay the required amount at the time, Rougier then spoke to officials at the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation who arranged for payment via a credit card but BWIA officials in Heathrow refused to oblige, saying they could not take the card details over the telephone, even as the TTFF explained that he was a national player returning home to play in a World Cup qualifier in two days in time and the fact that a business class ticket valued at $46,000 was already paid for him to travel on the national airline.
London-based BWIA sales manager Peter Ireland was contacted and agreed to accept the credit card number via telephone but still Rougier was then refused as officials told him the flight was about to depart and that he would not make it out of the customs area in time. Marvin Andrews who was waiting to board the same flight then told Rougier over a mobile telephone conversation that he was still in the waiting lounge. The former Bristol City player then asked if he could leave back his luggage in an attempt to get on the flight but was again blanked. Ireland later apologized and informed Rougier and the TTFF that he would be on the flight on Tuesday without having to pay the added ₤1,200.
Brent Sancho, Ian Cox, Kenwyne Jones, along with Clayton Ince, Hector Sam and Dennis Lawrence all arrived on Sunday night, traveling in business class on BWIA from London and Manchester. Some sixteen T&T players have been brought home from London on BWIA at least seven times in the past six months but several have indicated preference for American Airlines or Virgin Atlantic flights for travel ahead of upcoming international matches.
TTFF special adviser Jack Warner, the sole financier of the team, had his hands up in the air over the matter.
“There seems to be a belief in some quarters that they can get to Jack Warner by starving the World Cup team of funding and other relevant services but I have news for them. For the last three years, the team has reached this far without a nickel from government and businesses including BWIA and it will reach Germany even it has to depend on my last cent,” Warner told TTFF Media. “Air Jamaica would never have allowed what happened to Rougier to take place with a Jamaican player and British Airways would not have done that to Wayne Rooney. I have written to BWIA weeks now asking for assistance in upgrading our players to business class and we would meet the economy cost and we have not even received a response from BWIA. And now to come and play the last game before the year ends, the guy is stranded in London and the team is now forced to now fight off any consequences. This cannot be right,” an irate Warner added after returning home on Sunday night from a Central American tour with FIFA President Jack Warner and other high ranking FIFA officials.