TTFF suspends its football programs!
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
Due to a lack of financial support towards this country’s National Football program, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation has been forced to suspend all football related activities pertaining to National Teams with immediate effect until further notice.
This was the revelation coming from the TTFF on Tuesday as its General Secretary Richard Groden confirmed that the only program which will continue is that of the National Under 17 team which, following months of preparation, will go into a CONCACAF Final round of qualification towards the FIFA Under 17 World Championship, a tournament once hosted by T&T in 2001. The T&T Under 17 team also faces world champions Mexico in a friendly at the Ato Boldon Stadium today.
All programs relating to the National Senior Team has also come to a standstill and the TTFF has informed CONCACAF Head Offices in New York to be on standby for search of a replacement team. The draw for that event takes place today in New York and the event organizers and by extent the region has been high in anticipation of having the “Soca Warriors” as one of the competing teams, even citing them as one of the favorites following its brave and commendable performance at the 2006 World Cup.
The TTFF has long benefited from the generous support of Special Advisor and financier Jack Warner and after continuing promises from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to assist in the funding of national programs. This includes the payment of salaries of National Team Senior Coach Wim Rijsbergen and Jan Van Deinsen and other members of staff which is yet to become a practice dating back to initial promises by Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Mr. Roger Boynes and his Government since July 2006.
The salaries of the coaches, amounting to close to US$100,000 per month has been paid by Warner despite several promises from time to time by the Government that they would fit the bill. This and the other related programs have come to a standstill until assistance is offered by the Government or corporate body(s) coming out of the many which jumped on the bandwagon for the 2006 World Cup but have since slipped off.
The TTFF notes that dating back to July, the Government promised to second the Ato Boldon Stadium as a training facility for national teams, provide a hotel, as well as meet the salaries of the coaches, prompting Warner to agree that he would pay their salaries until the end of October 2006. Time elapsed without any concrete development from the Government and Warner continued to finance.
Warner held a meeting with the coaching staff last Thursday, informing them that he would be ending all payments of salaries. According to the TTFF , Boynes acknowledged receipt of a letter of request for assistance dated November 11, 2006, saying that a budget would be sent to Cabinet for approval.
In a letter to Boynes on November 11, Warner stated: “I write to confirm what was verbally advised to you by me earlier, regarding remuneration of the technical squad of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, in which context I declared my inability to continue personal funding of salaries and other expenses for this Division after September 30, 2006. Since I have again paid October’s salaries and other related expenses, I again wish to advise you of my inability to continue after October 31, 2006.
“As you are aware, I have been underwriting this aspect of TTFF expenditure for some considerable time, solely in the interest of ensuring preparation of our country’s teams enjoyed optimal assistance. Results have been more than encouraging and, like you, I wouldn’t wish to see any slippage in this regard, but the level of personal financial support that brought us to this juncture can no longer be sustained by me.” Also submitted by the TTFF was a tabulation of the various and cumulative expenses incurred by the technical squad on a monthly basis.
Boynes’ response to that TTFF letter came on December 1, 2006 and read:
“Please be advised that following the submission of the budget prepared by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, a budget to take the country to 2010, a development plan was requested of TTFF to facilitate the due consideration to Cabinet. At the behest of TTFF, this Ministry has been working with Assistant Coach Anton Corneal (also TTFF Youth Development Officer) on this matter and he has recently provided the proposed development plan. This plan is being reviewed by the Ministry and will be forwarded to Cabinet for its consideration in one week’s time. It is expected to be determined in the shortest possible time,” Boynes stated in his written response to the TTFF on December 1, 2006.
Nothing transpired, prompting a second letter from Warner on December 18 after he again paid salaries, this time for the month of November.
Part of it read : “Owing to the inactivity of your Ministry on this important issue I have been forced to pay salaries for the month of November but please be advised that this is my final advice re payment of the Technical Staff that I shall discontinue such payment with effect from November 30, 2006.
The pattern continued with Boynes’ subsequent response on January 9, 2007, during this period T&T were preparing to host and partake in the Digicel Caribbean Cup which it would eventually finish runners up in with all salaries, accommodation, match fees an bonuses being paid without any assistance from the Government,
“I wish to assure you that the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs remains steadfast in its commitment to the team’s assistance,” Boynes had written on January 9. “However you would appreciate that the Assistant Coach, Mr Anton Corneal was responsible for submitting the development plan which was still found lacking in logistical sequence.”
Boynes added that his Ministry had to “fine tune” the budget causing them to “expend considerable time and resources.”
“It is anticipated that both the budget and the plan will be forwarded to Cabinet for its consideration in approximately one week’s time and its determination will be issued to the Ministry with the utmost celerity.”
More time elapsed, the Digicel Cup was played, the National team went on tour to Central America, the National Under 17 team continued its preparations, visiting Honduras for a three-match series as well as hosting the Mexican National Under 17 team. Warner continued funding.
TTFF President Oliver Camps informed acting Minister of Sport Ms Joan Yuille-Williams of the Federation’s position as of February 27, 2007.
“Once again I am to draw to your attention the fact that with effect from January 31, 2007, Mr Jack A.Warner, Special Advisor to the TTFF, has stopped paying the salaries of the National Coaches, Wim Rijsbergen and assistant Jan Van Deinsen after numerous promises by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, through the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, to pay the salaries of the members of the Technical Staff of the National Football Teams,” Camps stated, giving a reminder that Warner was the sole person paying the salaries of the coaches.
“This is therefore to merely advise of the current situation in which the National Coach and his Assistant are in a state of wonderment and are contemplating their return to their native land until further notice,” Camps wrote.
With the possibility also of the National Senior Team missing out on the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the TTFF has had to withdraw the Team from a friendly international against Chile later this month and has issued a letter of apology to the Chilean Football Authorities. The South Americans have since finalized a replacement and will instead play Brazil.
The TTFF had also requested the release of some of its overseas-based players, including Dwight Yorke, for the friendly and therefore had to send a written apology to the clubs, informing them of the team’s inability to play the international match.
