Warner cracks whip on CFU

Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:

FIFA vice-president Austin 'Jack' Warner, who also heads the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), is unhappy with the state of the union, which he feels, based on its limited global impact, was not justifying the vast sums being invested in football development in the region.

"The major problem which exists within the union is that while we concentrate on inputs, it is the outcomes that are sadly lacking," declared Warner, while addressing Tuesday's opening ceremony of the 34th ordinary congress of the CFU in Montego Bay.

"This is a clear indictment against our brand of football and the time has come for us to shift the paradigm from being just satisfied to participate in a tournament at the expense of truly competing," added Warner.

A challenge

Bemoaning the failure of regional teams to make a significant impact on the game - both within CONCACAF as well as globally - the sober sounding Warner pointed out that no CFU team has won the CONCACAF Gold Cup since its inception; CFU teams have only won the CONCACAF Champions Cup twice in is 48-year history; and no CFU team has won the CONCACAF Women's Championship in its 28-year history.

"This tells a story of its own as it relates to the quality of football being played in the union and the possibility of us presenting a real challenge within the global community," noted Warner.

Addressing the fact that each member of the union have received over US$1.3 million from FIFA in the past four years, Warner said it was most disappointing that CFU teams remain "the whipping boys and girls of CONCACAF".

He argued that if things don't change quickly, the region might soon be called on to justify the spending being done on its programmes by FIFA.

"As a union, we cannot go on like this," stated Warner. "The returns given on the investment given to us will become questionable. The assets, which we so proudly declare, will become depreciated and we will become like travellers on a journey to an unstable destination, through unfamiliar territory, on an uneven road, having already used up all spare tyres."

In a call for a paradigm shift, Warner said the time has come for the region to unite and start "dreaming big", which he said will be the first step in what he hopes will bring a turnaround in the fortunes of CFU teams.

"This must be our goal, this must be our reality," said Warner. "Success starts with a dream, with an obsession, and it is never too late to start. It begins with the abolition of infighting within member associations ... it begins with the removal of "I" and the introduction of "we", and the recognition that no one can do it alone; we need to help each other."

In a move aimed at creating greater accountability, Warner made it clear that he intends to crack the whip to ensure that the members of the union begin to step up to the plate.

"Every member association, over the next six months, should present a four-year Strategic Development Plan for Football Development in its territory," said Warner. "This plan must be different from all other plans. To state what you want is one thing; to tell us what you hope to achieve is another."

He added, "Every member state must submit a four year action plan disaggregated according to each year and this must be accompanied with identified milestones and timelines. Outputs must be aligned to outcomes. We need to become result-based policy-driven units. Until we strategise, we will never succeed."