SEPTEMBER 7 - LORD TRIESMAN, the chairman of the Football Assocation, has today finished a trip to Trinidad & Tobago where he met four of the most powerful men in world football.

 

Triesman's visit to Port-of-Spain meant he missed England's opening qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup against Andorra in Barcelona last night.

 

But ultimately his three-day trip as a member of a powerful delegation to help celebrate the centenary of the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) could have far longer-term benefits for the sport in England, especially in helping them win their bid to host the 2018 World Cup.

 

Triesman was part of a group led by Sepp Blatter, the president of world governing body FIFA, his 92-year-old predecessor Joao Havenlange and UEFA president Michel Platini that met Jack Warner, the FIFA vice-president and head of the TTTF.

 

Warner is a controversial figure within world football but remains a powerful broker who potentially controls several votes that could make-or-break England's bid when a decision is announced in March 2011.

 

Other bidding countries are expected to include Australia, Russia, United States and Mexico.

 

Warner had been very critical of Triesman earlier this year when venting his frustration at the decision of the Englishman to miss the FIFA Congress in Sydney and then England's visit to Port of Spain in May led by  David Beckham for the special centenary celebration match widely believed to have been arranged just to promote the 2018 World Cup bid.

 

Trieman had claimed he missed the match because he needed a minor operation but Warner had suggested it would need his presence at this weekend's special celebrations to help make up for a no-show that threatened to undermine all the goodwill built up by England's visit.

 

Upon his arrival, Triesman had presented a special sterling silver plate to Warner to commemorate the TTFF’s centenary.

 

He then attended a dinner last night where the guests included the country's President, George Maxwell Richard, and then was a specator today at Trinidad's World Cup qualifying match against Guatemala at the Hasely Crawford Stadium,.

 

Warner said: "I'm giving him a platform so that he can talk to people.

 

"You can't win the bid, whatever Lord or Lady you are, by staying in London.

 

"You win the bid by bonding with people."