FPATT president Hislop shocked by Warner comments.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).[/size]
CAUSE FOR ALARM
Ten months into his term, Football Players Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FPATT) interim president Shaka Hislop is yet to officially meet either Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) president Oliver Camps or its special advisor and FIFA vice-president Jack Warner.
Hislop's bemusement and frustration turned to alarm on the weekend as Warner told another media house that he advised the T&TFF not to speak with FPATT. Warner suggested that the T&TFF did not have to negotiate as the local body was "not the employer of the players".
It was news to Hislop who was a standout for the "Soca Warriors" at the 2006 World Cup and played professionally for more than a decade in England at Newcastle, West Ham, Portsmouth and Reading.
"The reasons he gave (for not talking to FPATT) I think were alarming," said Hislop. "He said the TTFF does not employ players but, in the very contract he gave to players 72 hours before kick off, he twice referred to them as 'employees' in a two-page document that I am sure was drawn up by high-paid employees.
"It just doesn't make sense at the very least. At the very worse, it is very hypocritical."
Warner's statements followed on the heels of a supposed stand-off between national players and administrators regarding match contracts for last week's friendly against Guadeloupe at the Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain.
Hislop was disappointed that, after encouraging rhetoric from the T&TFF at the start of the year, the administration had, in his opinion, reverted to type.
"We made every effort to contact the TTFF to negotiate cordially," said Hislop, "but they have not responded. They have just automatically taken an aggressive stance, which cannot be good for the game or Trinidad and Tobago players who feel they have no voice.
"The Federation has not even bothered to hear what we have to say."
Hislop is anxious to discuss, on behalf of the players, issues such as insurance, match fees, travel arrangements and so on, which he feels would help the Warriors to be more at ease when on national duty.
Up to match day, the national players had to go on the T&TFF's word that they were insured against injury, while England-based players were offered stand-by economy tickets for their return trips. Football team manager David Muhammad said that FPATT was involved in the drawing up of the match contracts but Hislop insisted they never saw the document before the friendly game, which ended goalless.
He poured scorn too on Warner's reference to UEFA in his explanation as to why the T&TFF were better off ignoring FPATT. Warner pointed out that European clubs now liaise directly with their confederation rather than with national associations.
But Hislop claimed that Warner referred to a mandate, which was designed to protect clubs rather than players. UEFA has agreed to compensate clubs for releasing players for national duty. The interim FPATT president failed to spot the relevance between the European pact regarding clubs and national associations and the fight for players' rights in Trinidad and Tobago.
"To be drawing comparisons between a brand-new UEFA mandate and TTFF and FPATT is ridiculous," said Hislop. "He is talking about UEFA negotiating with the players but I pulled up their summary and, in a two-page document, the word 'player' is only there once. It says continually that it is an agreement between the association and the club but we are dealing with the players and not the club.
"I am sure the clubs would be overjoyed to hear that CONCACAF would take a similar stance to UEFA and pay them around 4000 Euros a day while their players are away but somehow I don't see that happening anytime soon."
Hislop reiterated that FPATT did not mean to be confrontational but felt the organisation was being backed into a corner. He urged the T&TFF to reconsider their position so as to avoid another stand-off between players and administrators. Hislop is among 16 players who have legally challenged the T&TFF over their share of World Cup bonus and sponsorship revenue.
"We hope that this arbitration, (between the World Cup players and the T&TFF) which I reiterate is not a FPATT undertaking," said Hislop, "is the last of its kind for the foreseeable future. We don't want another stand-off but, at times, we do feel as if we are being backed into a corner.
"We are appealing to their better judgment with the interest of Trinidad and Tobago football and our global reputation at heart."
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