Boynes ready to step into T&TFF/Players row.
By: Nigel Simon (Guardian).[/size]
Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Roger Boynes is ready to step in to help solve the current impasse between the T&T Football Federation (TTFF) and some of the World Cup players.
Boynes said that he will be contacting TTFF president Oliver Camps in a bid to help solve the problem.
“We need to find a solution because it is only hurting our football. For the benefit of the country, it must be resolved sooner rather than later.”
The members of the World Cup team who are willing to play in next month’s Conacacaf Gold Cup are being debarred because of their on-going dispute with the T&TFF.
The players are protesting the T&TFF ’s failure to fully compensate the team for its efforts in Germany and have been overlooked for team selection by the T&TFF even though coach Wim Rijsbergen has expressed a willingness to select them.
The players include Brent Sancho, Stern John, Kenwyne Jones, Christopher Birchall, Kelvin Jack, Cornell Glen, Marvin Andrews, Cyd Gray, Anthony Wolfe, Atiba Charles, Aurtis Whitley and Collin Samuel.
Both parties have expressed a desire to discuss the situation and following a statement by the Football Players Association, Camps said he was awaiting official word from the players.
“Calling me on the phone does not make sense, they have to make a request for a meeting in a formal manner, which is in the form of a letter to the T&TFF,” Camps said yesterday.
“It has to be done the same way it was done before. We are just awaiting an official letter. We have an office where we can sit and talk and we are not in the business of discussing our matters through the media.”
Camps said he was eagerly looking forward to the meeting as the federation wanted to get the matter sorted out in the best interest of football.
Coach Wim Rijsbergen is facing the possibility of going into the Digicel Shield semi-final against Haiti on Monday minus the core of players who represented the country in Germany.
Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA midfielder Densill Theobald is the only member of the World Cup team in training. The squad also includes Keyeno Thomas, Seon Power, Osei Telesford, Keon Daniel, Ramould 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 while Holland-based striker Darryl Roberts of Sparta Rotterdam arrived yesterday.
The team will continue training at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva from 10am today. However, they will have the afternoon off as they journey to South to watch the T&T Pro League Courts Pro Bowl final between Superstar Rangers and W Connection. The team will then re-group on Saturday ahead of Monday’s clash against Haiti at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, from 7 pm.