Telemedia TV is also reporting that the Belize team may not travel to Monterrey
for the Saturday game as they have not been paid for the game in Houston
Sunday

...where is the money??

CH7

The 21 member Belize National Football Team left Houston today and is reportedly in Monterrey Mexico tonight. It is big news because the players reportedly threatened to go on strike and refused to play game 2 against Mexico in Monterrey on Saturday. Reports are that they threatened to strike because they weren’t paid for Sunday’s dramatic showdown with Mexico at the Reliant Stadium in Houston Texas.

Those reports say the players confronted Football Federation President Bertie Chimilio on Monday night at the JW Marriott where they gave him an ultimatum: if they don’t get paid – they won’t play in Monterrey. Best reports to us are that a written agreement was worked out and the players left Houston this morning and are supposedly in Monterrey tonight.

Again, we have spoken to multiple sources, but we could not get confirmation from Bertie Chimilio who was in transit to Monterrey. But the story is that the FFB promised the players that if more than 50,000 people attended the game at the Reliant Stadium, they would each get US$5,000 each after the game in Houston. Well 51,137 people attended. But the players weren’t paid and when Monday night came and they still got no money, they lay waited Chimilio in the hotel lobby.

As we say we’ve been unable to reach Chimilio or the Football Federation for comment or confirmation but we’ll keep trying.

Football Federation Prez. Expects Better Performance in Monterrey

Belize will play game two of its World Cup qualifying matches against Mexico in at Estadio Stadium in Monterrey tomorrow night. We lost game one by 2 goals to nil so Belize will either have to win decisively or the team will be eliminated. But since Wednesday the focus hasn’t really been on whether the team will win, it has been on if they’ll play. As we’ve been reporting, the players were up in arms because they hadn’t been paid for the game in Houston. This afternoon by phone from Mexico, Football Federation President Bertie Chimilio says it was all one big misunderstanding, or confusion as he calls it, which has been worked out.

Dr. Bertie Chimilio, FFB President
“There was a confusion. I understand players had gone and made their calculations. Yes nothing was promised to them because we are still waiting for our full financial report which we haven’t gotten yet, it will take some time because of all the expenses. But the players will get something very very substantial but they wanted that in writing and I said if that is what you fighting for, you want for us to do it so we gave them. The fact is that I didn’t hear anything about not coming to Monterrey, I didn’t hear nothing about a strike, I didn’t hear about being given an ultimatum. Nobody gave me an ultimatum.”

Keith Swift,
So what is the mood of the players?

Dr. Bertie Chimilio,
“The mood is excellent, they believe they can do it. We have trained in different areas and we have been to different parts of the city, we’ve been well treated. So we could expect as good a performance as Houston or better.”

So to recap, according to Chimilio, the players will play even though they haven’t been paid as yet. He said he wasn’t at liberty to disclose the “substantial” amount the players have been promised. Tomorrow’s game starts at 8 pm local time and you can catch it here on Channel 7 with live local commentary.

Anyone know if this game will be televised on any of the south east U.S channels?

Belize 4
Not sure about the South East but its on Telemundo channel 47 in New York kick off 10pm Eastern time.
same as last Saturday the only place I've found on line is on http://www.bet365.com/home/
You have to register, it costs nothing and you can see live streaming on games

Thanx Swanno

I watched the game from Germany on 365.com after you told me about it and worked great. Thanks again. I guess I have to watch it online again, no Telemundo here in Charleston.

okay, curling up in the corner for the balance of the weekend. Our team gave their all. Next time we'll get further ahead. Good job. Better luck next time.

My 2 cents.

Belize changed their play to the offensive as they had to do, they just didn't have the skill level to match Mexico. They still did this country very proud, they reached a level where they could hold off almighty Mexico in the first game and stop a complete annihilation in the second. They were well underestimated in the first game, Mexico was cocky and they had their face shoved in it. Tonight they still held their own while changing their game plan. Belize spent much more time in the Mexican zone in the first half than they did in the whole of game one.

The fact of the matter is that Belizean players are semi-pro and underfunded to the point that one player on the Mexican team can make more than the whole Belizean team. The Mexicans have access to state of the art training that the Belizean players can only dream of. For the Belizean team to come so far and do so well against such odds should make everyone in this country proud. The team deserves a hero’s welcome upon their return.