The United States’ World Cup plans received a slap in the face Thursday as Concacaf President Jack Warner put his support behind England to host the 2018 tournament. ‘It is England’s time,” Warner told Sky Sports News. “The fact is they invented this sport. There are guys in England who have never seen a World Cup on English soil.” Later, he added that “Concacaf is one of the the strongest supporters of England.”
The comments represent an astonishing about-face from Warner, who only a few months ago, vocally opposed FIFA’s decision to terminate its World Cup rotation policy, a decision that enabled England and other European countries could bid for the 2018 tournament. The Trinidad & Tobago native has called England an “irritant” in the past that is disliked by the rest of Europe. The English FA called for an apology following his comments.
Incidentally — and soccer blogger Ives Galarcep says there’s a link here — Warner wants to see an international friendly between England and T&T sometime this summer. Friendlies against England mean big money for tiny countries like T&T. Galarcep says that would explain Warner’s kissing up to the FA.