The players, management staff and coaching staff, inclusive of head coach Stephen Hart will not have the issues of salaries and match fees to deal with for at least the next seven months.
Over half of the $9,964,368 in financial assistance provided by the Government to the T&T Football Association (TTFA), handed over at the Office of the Prime Minister, yesterday, has covered debts to players and staff for as far back as two years, while the balance has been put forth to boost flagship programmes of the men and women’s senior national teams.
The remaining funds are specifically for the ongoing preparation for the December 2 second leg clash with Ecuador for a spot at the 2015 Fifa Women’s World Cup, while the men’s team has been boosted by funding for its preparation and participation at the 2015 Concacaf Gold Cup. Projected staff salaries and player fees are part of the $3,878,888 cut of the nearly $10m figure.
This comes as relief for Sheldon Phillips, general secretary of the TTFA, who was present yesterday when the players and staff members received their cheques.
Speaking afterward, Phillips explained that when Hart signed on with the TTFA as national coach, there was an agreement between the body and then Minister of Sport Anil Roberts, that the Ministry of Sport would pay Hart’s salary through the TTFA. He said it was unfortunate that the agreements was not met consistently, but added that there remains a good relationship between the TTFA and Stephen Hart.
Phillips said has not heard any rumour of Hart wanting to leave the team and said it was simply untrue.
He added that the TTFA is not solely reliant on the Ministry of Sport, although a great deal of its expenses are met by the government. Fifa and Concacaf too, are among its financial contributors, and now, as the issues of player fees and staff salaries are accounted for, the local governing body can focus on diversifying its revenue stream.
“It’s no secret that we’re reliant heavily on the ministry. There’s very little avenue for the TTFA right now to seek funding elsewhere,” Phillips said, adding that there were numerous factors to consider when it comes to financial support.
The TTFA has benefitted from attracting a number of partners, including Petrotrin, through the use of its beach camp in Palo Seco for the women’s senior team.
LabMedica recently signed on with the TTFA to provide medical coverage for all national players and TTFA staff members in exchange for exposure of its brand. Phillips assured that the TTFA was stepping in the right direction, but asserted that football fans must be reasonable in their expectations given the state of affairs and debts the current regime inherited from the last one.