Keane Backs Down! Yorke to Play!

[Exile]

KEANE GIVES YORKE THE GREEN LIGHT
... to play for T&T
Saturday, September 27th 2008
SUNDERLAND boss Roy Keane will send Dwight Yorke away on international duty next month with his blessings, but adamant he is not fit enough to play three games in a week.
The Irishman found himself embroiled in a furious row with Jack Warner, FIFA vice-president and special adviser to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, when he summoned the 36-year-old back from the Caribbean between World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala and the United States earlier this month.
In reaction to Yorke's latest international call-up, Keane said: "He goes with my best wishes. He has had two or three weeks' training. My big issue the last month was that he wasn't 100 per cent fit. I still don't think he is capable of going over there and playing three games in eight or nine days."
He added: "He goes with my best wishes, and he knows that. But he wasn't fit enough to play two games last month. Nobody will ever change my mind on that.
"He will go, but if somebody asked me if he can play the three games for them next month, I would say, 'no chance'. He is not fit enough, his body is not up to it.

"But he can go and have an influence in maybe one, possibly two of the games. That's up to their manager to decide."
The TTFF can confirm that Yorke was part of a conference call with Warner and Francisco Maturana on Tuesday and confirmed his availability and commitment to the national team.
"He (Yorke) has made a commitment to us and we both know that he still has a significant contribution to make to the national team and football in Trinidad and Tobago. The same goes for Russell (Latapy). Our staff will also ensure that like every other player on the team, there physical conditions are properly monitored. They too also know what they can offer and they can speak for themselves," Warner told the TTFF media man Shaun Fuentes.
"The fact remains that if these two gentlemen can still make a contribution and are willing to do so then we will make full use of them. This does not take away from what the other players are already contributing to the national team. Telling them (Yorke and Latapy) that they are not worthy of contributing to the team and the football would be an absurd thing for anyone to do," Warner added.
Meantime, Crewe are believed to be in the hunt to sign giant Swansea defender Dennis Lawrence on loan.
First team coach Steve Holland has been looking for a defender all summer and the former Wrexham defender has been a long term transfer target for the Railwaymen and they are looking to tie up a short term deal in time for today's match at Bristol Rovers.
It is understood that Roberto Martinez is keen for the Trinidad and Tobago international to get some games under his belt.
Holland told BBC Radio Stoke "We have made some progress this week and we have a player who ticks all the boxes and we have to see how that evolves over the week, its in its early stages."

[Westman]

Although Keane played for my team, Man U, I have never liked his behavior. In this soap opera, both he and Jack Warner are wrong, in my mind. The public war of words and derision was and is unnnecessary. However, I agree with Keane's position.

While I agree that professional players should be available for international representation of their countries, an old player like Yorke, who is going through major injury woes, and who has retired from international duty, should not be surprisng his salary playing team with news that he is unretiring to represent his country, when he is barely representing his salary paying club.

I actually fault Keane and club for having known the former antics of Dwight Yorke and not getting a more solid contractual arrangement with him. I think this is a general type of case (not the specific case) for FIFA to consider. Jack alone does not have the power to stop the consideration of special deals on these types of matters. As I said previously, I am sure Yorke would not have received that type of contract if his prospective club knew that an old, injury prone Yorke would be performing international duty.

[Tilla]

I actually fault Keane and club for having known the former antics of Dwight Yorke and not getting a more solid contractual arrangement with him. I think this is a general type of case (not the specific case) for FIFA to consider. Jack alone does not have the power to stop the consideration of special deals on these types of matters.

I think if you are suggesting that Keane should have only considered signing a player if he says he no longer is available to play for his country, then that would not be allowed by FIFA. Players are free to retire from the international game and they are also free to come out of retirement to represent their country. I do not think the FA or FIFA would allow any club to write into a contract that the basis of the contract does not allow him to play for his country. Remember, while these contracts are between the clubs and players, they have to be ratified by the football federation under which the contract falls.

If you did not know, if a player is still playing professionally and choses not to represent his country, he can be forced by his country to answer the call to duty. It is just that this has not been enforced because no coach would want a player who is not committed.

[Westman]

Tilla, I believe once a player reaches a certain age and is injury prone, his international status should be a factor in any new contract. I believe Keane had a gentleman's agreement with Yorke, knowing Yorke had retired from international football and that he could onoy give a certain level of spark to the club. I really believe if Yorke had not assured Keane that he was really retired from international ball, Keane would not have given him a contract for that kind of money.

There is history with Yorke. When he was young and on top, while playing for Man U, he was in a lot of contractual antics. Staying over extra time after international duty was one occurrence. He was allegedly not physically able to play but was seen on tv partying like there was no tomorrow. He also wanted to be let out of a Champs League semi-final so he could watch West Indies cricket. There are other players whose professionalism or lack thereof is similar. Salary paying clubs need to be given consideration.

By the way, last year, I was quite miffed that certain young players on teams such as yours, had to play in the African Nations cup at an odd time. FIFA needs to resolve issues like that and keep tournaments to certain times of year. Believe it or not, I like to watch a full strenght Chelsea.

[Tilla]

The long and short of the matter is that FIFA is doing all it can to protect the international game. You also have to consider that the games which York will be called for conform to the FIFA international calendar.

Managers want to stop players from representing their country in the interest of club football. We have seen how Alan Curbishly Kept Kevin Lisbie out of the Charlton side each time he would come to play for Jamaica. That was all Curbishly could do however as he could not tell the player not to play for us.

The African Nations Cup and FIFA calendar is a case which needs attention. Looking on both sides of the issue, I understand that the January window is the best time for such a tournament in Africa. On the Club side however, it would mean breaking club competitions in the middle of the season to accommodate this tournament. It will be interesting to see how FIFA deals with this. Something really needs to be done.

Yes I know you are a Chelsea fan under the quiet. Nuh worry yuhself though, there are a lot of others out there who are the same way, but they do not want to admit it.

[Westman]

Stoke City disappointed me yesterday. I really wanted them to win, not to take just a point off Chelsea. Unfortunately they surrendered all three points. They certainly had their chances and they made two huge defensive blunders. Thank goodness Hull City came through.

[No Mercy]

That's it if I was Yorke I would move to Stoke or some other club because Keane is going to take vengeance on the caribbean players now.

He is mad that he lose Jones because of a friendly match.

I am glad Warner put him in his place because some of these white boys think they can push caribbean players around.

[Westman]

No Mercy, I hope Keane is not so foolish. I am against managers trying to keep players from fulfillng international duty and then trying to seek vengeance. However, that Dwight Yorke is a ginnal.

[Exile]

Tilla, thanks for your input. All this nonsense about age. I've seen Yorke play recently and he's better than any player on TT ot JA's team right now. How old was Roger Milla again when he ripped up the World Cup?
We have to stop making excuses for people liek Keane et al. who think they rule the World...the days of Ye Ole England are long gone....

[Warlord]

No Mercy, I hope Keane is not so foolish. I am against managers trying to keep players from fulfillng international duty and then trying to seek vengeance. However, that Dwight Yorke is a ginnal.

It isnt only Keane that is like that. There are some club managers in the UK that have the notion that smaller nations dont realistically have a chance at a WC so they sometimes put pressure on the players not to go and play. Every player has a right to play for his nation. Ferguson tried that wit Yorke as well.

[Warlord]

[quote=Exile;132235]Tilla, thanks for your input.

All this nonsense about age. I've seen Yorke play recently and he's better than any player on TT ot JA's team right now. How old was Roger Milla again when he ripped up the World Cup?

I agree. I recall his days at Man U where Becks was saying that Yorke was the fittest player at the club.

We have to stop making excuses for people liek Keane et al. who think they rule the World...the days of Ye Ole England are long gone

....

This will show some of the clubs that think our teams deserve some respect. Think about it. Our players this side of the globe needs caps to get work permits to play in the UK. If they dont play for their nation then how would they get the necessary caps to earn a professional contract abroad?

[Mosiah]

Agreed 100%!

[Assasin]

"that Dwight Yorke is a ginnal"

say it in Bold letter mi friend. We always see the players as victim but after a certain point the players start to take advantage. Yorke is taking advantage of ever situation he can. He is not 18 or 20 years old anymore.

[Raggs]

Consider Yorke history.