Sancho calls for meeting to end football impasse.
By: Nigel Simon (Guardian).
National defender Brent Sancho has called on Football Federation president Ollie Camps to set a date for a meeting to discuss the current impasse in local football.
Sancho is among several members of the Soca Warriors World Cup team who have refused to take part in next month’s Gold Cup tournament in the US, protesting the Federation’s failure to fully compensate the team for its efforts in Germany.
Sancho and fellow World Cup players Stern John, Kenwyne Jones, Christopher Birchall, Kelvin Jack, Cornell Glen, Marvin Andrews, Cyd Gray, Anthony Wolfe, Atiba Charles, Aurtis Whitley and Collin Samuel are currently locked in battle with the T&TFF over the non-payment of what they claim is reward money for their qualification and participation at the World Cup.
The players are arguing that they were promised cash rewards by T&TFF special adviser and Fifa vice-president Austin Jack Warner but were only offered close to $5,000 by the T&TFF, which they have refused.
They have taken legal action against the T&TFF, resulting in them being omitted from national selection.
The players have since launched a Football Players Association of T&T (FPATT) which was launched with a Fun Day on Sunday.
FPATT’s spokesman Alison Ayers said Sancho spoke to Camps on Tuesday and expressed his desire to meet to try and find a solution.
Ayers added: “Sancho called Camps and he is just waiting on the time and place to be selected by Camps.”
Sam Phillip, manager of the T&T football team also expressed his hope that the impasse can be brought to an end.
Phillip said: “I spoke to Stern John, Sancho and Marvin Andrews earlier this week and I explained to them that in the best of the country and football they should meet with the T&TFF.”
Phillip felt that all involved must put football first.
He added: “I told the guys to use me as an example. I was not among the reward recipients, but I’m still part of the staff and fighting my battle.
“I explained to them a boxer cannot fight when he’s not in the ring, he has to be in the ring.”
Asked if the players will be allowed to join the team if a solution is found, Phillip said, “It’s a decision the coach will have to make.
“You also have to bear in mind that the team is due to leave on June 31, and we have a squad of players already in training but to say they will all be invited if a solution arises, I don’t know,” added Phillip.
Midfielder Densill Theobald is the only member of the World Cup team in training with the squad that also includes Keyeno Thomas, Seon Power, Osei Telesford, Keon Daniel, Romauld Aguillera, Jan-Michael Williams, Glenton Wolfe, Andre Toussaint, Daurance Williams, Gary Glasgow, Errol Mc Farlane Jr, Kerwyn Jemmott, Marvin Phillip, Dwayne Jack, Kerry Baptiste, Kendall Jagdeosingh, Trent Noel, Andrei Pacheco, Christian Baptiste and Nichcolson Thomas.
Holland-based striker Darryl Roberts of Sparta Rotterdam is expected to join up with the team today after his flight Holland was delayed.
The T&T team will participate in the Digicel Shield on May 28, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, against Caribbean Football Union champions Haiti while St Vincent and the Grenadines a last minute replacement for Cuba square off with Mexico’s Olympic Team clash in the other semi-final.
The winners will meet in the final two days later at the same venue while the losers will square off in the third place match.
The national team will then meet Honduras in a friendly on June 2, before heading to the USA for the Concacaf Gold Cup from June 6 to 24 where they will meet host USA, Guatemala and El Salvador in Group B round-robin play.
