March 28, 2024, 04:38:19 PM

Poll

Who will make a good TTFA president.

Kelvin Jack
5 (11.9%)
Nigel Myers
3 (7.1%)
Flex Mohammed
12 (28.6%)
Terry Fenwick
6 (14.3%)
Somebody Else
15 (35.7%)
Brent Sancho
0 (0%)
David-John Williams
0 (0%)
Foreign Investor
1 (2.4%)

Total Members Voted: 42

Author Topic: TTFA News Thread.  (Read 117173 times)

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Offline Tallman

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Ramdhan seeking FIFA's help to pay TTFA staff
« Reply #540 on: April 04, 2020, 08:51:52 AM »
Ramdhan seeking FIFA's help to pay TTFA staff
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)


General secretary of the T&T Football Association (TTFA) Ramesh Ramdhan is championing the cause for staff members to be paid salaries for March.

Members of staff did not get paid last month because of a court order that allowed former technical director Kendall Walkes the opportunity to liquidate the accounts of the embattled football association for monies owed to him for wrongful dismissal back in 2016.

Walkes who was recruited under the Raymond Tim Kee-led TTFA for $93,000 a month, won a judgement for $5.2 million by the local court last December. Walkes' action also led to the TTFA accounts being garnishee on February 13.

However, on Thursday, Ramdhan who was asked to stay on to help the recently FIFA-appointed normalisation committee of businessmen Robert Hadad (chairman), retired banker Nigel Romano and Attorney Judy Daniel (deputy chairman) as well as two others who will be appointed soon, said he has been in constant communication with Hadad, a director of the HADCO Group of Companies, for salaries to be paid to the workers, among other things which will kick-off the work of the committee with its mandate of governing the sport locally.

Ramdhan, head of the secretariat at the football association, said after wages were paid for December and January, he had to borrow money to pay workers for February, because monies expected from the world governing body for football, FIFA, did not come in time.

“And I was prepared to borrow money again to ensure that workers can pay their bills and live like everyone else, but the offices were shut down on March 15 due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. But not because the office is closed means workers don’t deserve to be paid,” Ramdhan said.

Meanwhile, Hadad told Guardian Media Sports on Friday that his first assignment will be to pay salaries for March when monies become available by FIFA. He stayed clear of the battles taking place inside and outside the Football association, saying his committee has taken a job to bring back the confidence and trust by corporate T&T, government etc into T&T football.

“I need to hear from all stakeholders to chart a way forward. I am not into pointing fingers and playing the blame game, I just want to get the job done,” said Hadad, a director of the HADCO Group of Companies, who added that he believes with the coronavirus pandemic taking place, the payment of salaries could take a few months as he is unsure of whether work will begin for him and his committee members.

The bill for monthly wages at TTFA is $100,000 which excludes the salary for the general secretary, who in addition to his willingness to go out and search for the same amount to pay staff, will also have to find money to repay the lender.

The hard-working general secretary has been making sacrifices of his own, having not received a single cent in wages since assuming the role of general secretary on December 16.

“I realised that there was hardly any money in the TTFA’s account so I chose to have the monies owed to me, used to pay staff,” Ramdhan told Guardian Media Sports when contacted.

Meanwhile, there has been a slow trickle of funds coming into the TTFA’s ‘go fund me’ initiative from the general public to the former TTFA executive of William Wallace (former president), and he also ousted vice presidents Clynt Taylor, Susan Joseph-Warrick and Sam Phillip, to challenge FIFA for the implementation of the normalisation committee, through the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Less than a week since the launch of the initiative, there is an amount of $1,905 to date.

Wallace said the outbreak of COVID-19 has been a major setback as individuals are trying to hold on to every penny they have because of the unpredictable nature of the virus. He noted that because of the coronavirus, people have also lost their jobs and are unable to donate.
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Offline Flex

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #541 on: April 07, 2020, 08:39:01 AM »
Najjar gives TTFA challenge little chance of success.
T&T Guardian Reports.


Former T&T head coach, Dr Hannibal Najjar, has held out little hope for the T&T Football Association's (TTFA) appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), against FIFA’s sudden take-over of the organisation.

“I don’t think they have a chance in hell or heaven to be represented because I don’t think we’ve gotten ourselves strong enough,” Dr Najjar told CNC3 TV.

“They don’t have enough experience in them and enough contacts to see who they would be able to call to get some kind of assistance on what they could do.

“To come in and move them out in the first place … means they were the wrong choice. You never thought they would’ve won.”

In a sudden move last month, football’s governing body announced it was replacing the William Wallace-led TTFA executive with a normalisation committee, just four months after being elected.

This followed an assessment of the TTFA finances carried out by FIFA which revealed “extremely low overall financial management methods, combined with a massive debt”.

With the TTFA “facing a very real risk of insolvency and illiquidity”, FIFA said it would take charge of the daily operations of the organisation for the next two years so that “corrective measures [could] be applied urgently”.

However, Wallace pushed back against the decision, announcing the TTFA had retained legal counsel and would “oppose FIFA’s injustice” at the CAS in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Dr Najjar, who led T&T in a handful of matches before quitting in 2003, said he had been left “traumatised” by FIFA’s actions.

“It’s a mess, not only the last few weeks, but it (TTFA) has been running as a messy affair for the last few years,” said Dr Najjar.

“But over the last few weeks given what I’ve seen, heard, understood, didn’t understand but estimated from my own judgement … like the current regime that has been ousted, I’m somewhat traumatized by the quick action and I think maybe hasty assessment of whatever it is that made them (FIFA) feel that they could come in and normalise things.”

Last month, Caribbean Football Union boss, Randy Harris, said the TTFA challenge at the level of CAS would be “very difficult to win”. - CMC

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Deeks

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #542 on: April 07, 2020, 06:13:54 PM »
“It’s a mess, not only the last few weeks, but it (TTFA) has been running as a messy affair for the last few years,” said Dr Najjar.

last few years is an understatement!!!!

Offline Flex

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #543 on: April 22, 2020, 08:54:29 AM »
Wallace, FCB lawyers fight over TTFA accounts.
T&T Guardian Reports.


It will appear there's a legal wrangle between the lawyers for the former president of the T&T Football Association (TTFA) William Wallace and the attorneys who are representing First Citizens Bank in a battle for the TTFA bank account.

After missing the stipulated 8 am deadline on Monday 20th April 2020 to respond to a legal letter from Wallace's attorneys Matthew GW Gayle and Dr Emir Crowne, FCB responded with a letter on April 21 which in part stated: "Our client is in process of providing us with full instructions to respond to your letter, and we should be in a position to do so in 28 days from the date of this letter."

The letter from Kendell Alexander, an associate of Johnson Camacho and Singh Attorneys at Law, of T&T law firm further stated: "Furthermore, our client notes that your client caused the said assertions/implications to be published in the national print and electronic media. Those assertions/implications could have the effect of discrediting and/or lowering our client’s professional image and reputation as a competent, confidential and prudent financial institution in the estimation of right-thinking members of society. As a result, we are instructed to demand that your client properly verifies information pertaining to our client before causing same to be placed in the public domain. Should your client cause any false allegations to be published our client will have no other recourse but to seek injunctive and such other relief in the High Court of Trinidad & Tobago for any reputational damage it may suffer."

Wallace and his three vice presidents - Mr Clynt Taylor, Ms Susan Joseph-Warrick and Mr Joseph Sam Phillip, who are challenging FIFA's decision to remove them from office after they were elected on November 24, 2019, at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), had sent a legal letter dated 17th April 2020, to the First Citizen's Bank, Park Street Branch manager advising the bank that a person or persons may have attempted and/or be in the process of attempting to change the names signatories on the accounts held by the TTFA.

The letter also stated: "This letter is sent in compliance with the relevant pre-action protocols as prescribed by the Honourable Chief Justice pursuant to Part 4 of the Civil Proceedings Rules 1998. No further notice or warning shall be issued."

However, FCB's responded: "Please be advised that our client instructs us that it categorically denies any assertion/implication that it has engaged in any of the acts alleged/referenced in your letter. Be advised that our client has strict policies and procedures in place which must be adhered to and require that all the requisite due diligence must be completed before the Bank can act on any request to transfer or change signatories on any account."

On March 20, the lawyers had sent a similar letter to Tyril Patrick, the current TTFA Finance manager who FIFA had appointed as caretaker until the normalisation committee was appointed giving him three days to respond. He did write FIFA on March 21 rescinding the offer. He remains the TTFA finance manager.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline asylumseeker

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #544 on: April 22, 2020, 09:54:08 AM »
Quote
"He remains the TTFA Finance Officer."

BOOM!

Offline Tallman

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Coaches worry about TTFA job cuts
« Reply #545 on: May 11, 2020, 07:04:37 PM »
Coaches worry about TTFA job cuts
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)


There are rumours of potential cuts to come within the technical staff of the T&T Football Association (TTFA) which is creating unease among coaches and other officials.

Guardian Media Sports was reliably informed by a source, who is close to the developments and spoke on the condition of anonymity, revealing that some coaches have even recommended a cut in their salaries as an alternative, to firing them.

The rumours have been circulating following a Zoom meeting between the chairman of the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee, Robert Hadad and the TTFA technical staff on April 29.

In January, a FIFA/Concacaf team was unimpressed by the football association’s appointments of 35 coaches and other technical officials at an annual salary which was stated by the then chairman of the Technical Committee Keith Look Loy as TT$4,263,000 for this year and at a time when the sporting organisation is saddled with a $50 million debt and no approved plan to pay it back, as well as put local football back on a stable footing.

Because of this debt, FIFA on March 17, enforced article 8.2 of its Statutes and appointed a Normalisation committee on March 27 to run the affairs of T&T football, thereby removing the duly elected administration of president William Wallace and vice presidents Clynt Taylor, Sam Phillips and Susan Joseph-Warrick after they were elected on November 24, 2019.

Wallace and his team have since taken steps to challenge FIFA’s decision by taking it to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland. However, on Friday, Wallace's attorney Dr Emir Crowne accused CAS of being bias in favour to FIFA because CAS has set the cost of the arbitration as 40,000 Swiss Frances (TT$276,000), although it is expected to take place via video conferencing. FIFA does not have to pay any money.

One coach said that coaches and staff under the previous president David John-Williams have not been paid since June, while another top official of the TTFA believes there is no need to cut staff since they are all doubling up by holding two positions for the salary of one person.

For each team there is a staff of five persons, a coach, his two assistants, a trainer and a manager, all being paid a salary range from $10,000 to $7,000 each, per month.

Derek King, who is the coach of the Under-20 national team, is also one of the assistant coaches for senior national head coach Terry Fenwick. The same could be said for Angus Eve, who is the coach of the U-17 boys' team, as well as assistant coach to King at the U-20s.

Meanwhile, Keith Jeffreys, coach of the country’s U-15 team, is also a helping coach for Eve at the U-17 level.

Richard Hood is the coach of the country’s U-17 and U-20 women's teams. A member of the technical committee that selected the coaches, said staffs for the senior women’s team and the U-23 Olympic team were not selected because they were not scheduled to go into any action soon. However, he explained that the reasons for the way coaches and staff were selected, was to allow the staff sufficient time to prepare their respective team for their tournament.

He noted also that the contracts for coaches were done on a short-term basis, saying there was no one making an exorbitant salary.  

Hadad, who met with the coaches collectively and promised to meet with each coach on a one-on-one basis, told Guardian Media Sports yesterday: "That’s not true. No decision on technical staff has been made."

Hadad and his committee, which comprises attorney Judy Daniel and retired banker Nigel Romano, also promised that the committee's first assignment will be to pay salaries to staff members who have not been paid for March and April. In February, Ramesh Ramdhan had to borrow monies to pay the staff.
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Offline asylumseeker

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #546 on: May 12, 2020, 01:36:19 PM »
So people are vexed that teams were being staffed appropriately?

Offline Deeks

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #547 on: May 12, 2020, 01:44:22 PM »
So people are vexed that teams were being staffed appropriately?

So the coaches who are doubling up(coaching one age group and assistant for another age group) would be required to take a pay cut also?

Offline Bianconeri

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #548 on: June 08, 2020, 03:10:07 PM »
@Tallman ----- maybe you can confirm the talk going around that Trim, Romain and Baird(GK coach) working with a group of players along with Fenwick?

This is national training?
is this the staff?

Kelvin Jack isnt the GK coach again, or Ross Russell to fill in from the U20 staff?
Or this just a case of the current staff from the Wallace admin not really working til NC organises their biz and salaries?

Offline Tallman

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #549 on: June 08, 2020, 06:22:17 PM »
@Tallman ----- maybe you can confirm the talk going around that Trim, Romain and Baird(GK coach) working with a group of players along with Fenwick?

This is national training?
is this the staff?

Kelvin Jack isnt the GK coach again, or Ross Russell to fill in from the U20 staff?
Or this just a case of the current staff from the Wallace admin not really working til NC organises their biz and salaries?


Yes, the senior team started training today. Kelvin Jack is not in the country, that is why he was not involved. Which Trim yuh talking bout?
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Offline Tallman

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #550 on: June 08, 2020, 07:26:58 PM »
@Tallman ----- maybe you can confirm the talk going around that Trim, Romain and Baird(GK coach) working with a group of players along with Fenwick?

This is national training?
is this the staff?

Kelvin Jack isnt the GK coach again, or Ross Russell to fill in from the U20 staff?
Or this just a case of the current staff from the Wallace admin not really working til NC organises their biz and salaries?


Yes, the senior team started training today. Kelvin Jack is not in the country, that is why he was not involved. Which Trim yuh talking bout?
Yes, Keon Trim and James Baird were there.
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Offline Tallman

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #551 on: June 12, 2020, 08:12:37 PM »
WATCH: Andre Baptiste interviews Jamaal Shabazz and Osmond Downer

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/ba617QbFOZE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/ba617QbFOZE</a>
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Offline Tallman

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New team, same games
« Reply #552 on: June 13, 2020, 08:56:02 AM »
New team, same games
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)


AFFILIATES of the T&T Football Association (TTFA) are describing the former TTFA executive under president William Wallace as “same old, same old,” following the news that the contract of national senior men’s coach Terry Fenwick was not approved by the TTFA board.

Kieron Edwards, president of the Eastern Football Association, said when Wallace replaced David John-Williams as the new TTFA president in November 2019, people anticipated a new beginning.

Edwards said, “They talk a good game, but it is the same old, same old.”

Fenwick was hired in December 2019 to replace Dennis Lawrence as head coach after the board voted 8-1 with the understanding that he would be paid US $17,500 per month with other bonuses. In the incentive package, Fenwick would start earning US $20,000 a month if the team qualified for the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup. However, then TTFA president Wallace, general secretary Ramesh Ramdhan and Fenwick signed an agreement that meant the national coach would receive a starting salary of US $20,000 per month and it would increase to US $25,000 if the team qualified for the Gold Cup. This was not approved by the TTFA board.

The additional US $2,500 per month came through sponsorship (not revealed) as Fenwick was not satisfied with his contract. The US $2,500 extra was included on the main contract instead of a separate contract.

Wallace and his executive led the TTFA from November 2019 to March 2020, but were removed by Fifa and a normalisation committee was appointed. The main job of the normalisation committee is to get rid of the huge debt facing the local football body.

Edwards is not satisfied with the level of communication by the former TTFA president. “Wallace needs to come to the membership and let them know what is happening because you make a statement saying, ‘We can’t tell you who is the person paying the rest of the money (Fenwick’s additional salary).’ That can’t work, not at a serious time like this. You want to keep something secret again. Secret for what?”

Edwards, however, did not say this latest situation justifies the reason why Fifa took over. “I would not go so far as to say it justifies (Fifa’s decision) because I don’t know the grounds officially why Fifa made the decision, but this shows that something needed to be done in football.”

Richard Quan Chan, president of Southern Football Association (SFA), who was also asked if the lack of transparency shown by Wallace justifies Fifa’s decision, said, “I would not want to say yes or no on that because Fifa would have made that decision based on some kind of information reaching them. They would not wake up one morning and say ‘We are going to do this.’ There must have been some kind of information reaching them and based on the information reaching them they made that decision.”

Quan Chan said the Wallace-led team is operating in the same manner that John-Williams was attacked for. “There are some things that happened, things that they criticised John-Williams for seem to be repeated in the three months (Wallace led for).”

The SFA president said the Fenwick salary confusion may affect their court battle against Fifa. “It could, It could...you criticise the last board for dictatorial behaviour and then the board agreed to something and the contract that you caused the coach to sign is different from what was agreed to.”

Wallace and the former executive are currently fighting Fifa in court on their decision to appoint a normalisation committee.

Rayshawn Mars, Northern Football Association secretary, said, “The normalisation committee (taking over) has nothing to do with Fenwick’s appointment. You will find that they want to use that as an excuse now because they see some kind of unusual (activity).”

Mars said the opportunity for Wallace and the former executive to share information with zones “never really presented itself.”

There have been rumours circulating that contracts of personnel of other national teams were extended, without the approval of the board. However, the Fenwick salary fiasco seems to be a one-off situation as technical committee chairman of the TTFA Keith Look Loy said only senior men’s team staff were given contracts exceeding one year.

Look Loy said under the Wallace-led executive the staff of national youth teams and women’s football were given short term contracts. He said, “That (extended contracts) was not done by the Wallace administration. They were given contracts for the duration from whenever they were appointed to the end of their (respective) tournaments. They were all given short term contracts.”

Concerning the contract of TTFA general secretary Ramesh Ramdhan being extended, Look Loy said that is not the case as he received a one-year contract.
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Offline royal

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #553 on: June 13, 2020, 11:29:06 AM »
the wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round …..

Offline Flex

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #554 on: June 16, 2020, 10:59:12 AM »
United TTFA loses confidence in Wallace... seeks meeting Saturday.
T&T Guardian Reports.


Members of the United T&T Football Association group are seeking to hold a virtual general meeting of the T&T Football Association this weekend to discuss what it calls the overstepping of authority and unacceptable behaviour by ousted TTFA president William Wallace.

In a release Tuesday, the group, which includes former TTFA first vice-president Clynt Taylor, second vice-president Susan Joseph-Warrick, third vice-president Joseph Sam Phillip, Anthony Harford and Keith Look Loy, said the situation arose after regional sports broadcaster Sportsmax revealed information concerning three crucial contracts which Williams allegedly signed off on without the apparent final approval of the TTFA board.

The contracts were listed as those for sports brand company Avec, national senior men’s coach Terry Fenwick and TTFA secretary Ramesh Ramdhan.

The group said according to the information disclosed, all three contracts were allegedly modified before being signed by Wallace and the parties involved without following the process of informing and getting final approval from the board. In fact, the group claims most of the information, in particular some of the details of Fenwick’s contract only came to light via the Sportsmax broadcasts.

The group said this behaviour was totally unacceptable and it was this type of activity by the previous regime which led the TTFA members to vote out David John-Williams and replace him with Wallace before FIFA stepped in to appoint a Normalisation Committee to revamp local football.

The group said it was still in favour of going ahead with the lawsuit against FIFA’s decision to bring in the Normalisation Committee but no longer held confidence in Williams.

As such, the group said it was calling a meeting on Saturday (June 20) to discuss the issue and how they would go forward.

FULL STATEMENT:

In recent days regional broadcaster Sportsmax raised the issue of Terry Fenwick's contract as TTFA's senior men's national team coach - specifically, the content, duration and TTFA Board approval of said contract.

We have stated for the public record that we were not aware of the content of, nor did the TTFA Board approve, said contract, which varied significantly from what it had in fact approved. Last night, Monday 15 June, Sportsmax raised the issue of Ramesh Ramdhan's contract as TTFA General Secretary - specifically the fact that it was two years in duration, while the TTFA Board had approved a one year appointment.

We were unaware of this and immediately contacted Ramesh Ramdhan via Whatsapp text to enquire about the veracity of Sportsmax's claim. Ramdhan confirmed that he does, indeed, hold a two year agreement signed by President William Wallace. We are confronted by the fact of TTFA President Wallace's signature of three contracts which the TTFA Board did not approve: 1) Avec uniforms, for which the Board criticized him but accepted his apology and assurance that such action would not be repeated. The contract was presented to the Board after the fact; 2) Terry Fenwick's; 3) Ramesh Ramdhan's.

This pattern of behaviour is unacceptable. It is unilateral. It exceeds the constitutional limits to the President's authority. It is deceptive and deeply disappointing. And it replicates the performance of former President David John-Williams. As members of United TTFA, we brought John-Williams' reign to an end in the last TTFA election on the promise of democracy, transparency and accountability.

We stand by the principles of national sovereignty and the right of TTFA's membership to elect and remove officers, which is the premise of United TTFA's High Court action. But we also believe Wallace no longer holds the moral high ground. We are determined to continue the case because we reject FIFA's belief that it could remove a democratically elected administration.

That said, we have determined to immediately call a virtual General Meeting of TTFA's membership (via zoom), on Saturday 20 June at 2.00PM. The purpose of this meeting will be to allow the members the opportunity to speak on all of the above, as well as the overall tenure of the Wallace administration.

Clynt Taylor, 1st Vice President Susan Joseph-Warrick, 2nd Vice President Joseph Sam Phillip, 3rd Vice President; Anthony Harford and Keith Look Loy.

WATCH:

William Wallace responds to questions on Terry Fenwick's TTFA contract irregularities

Zone Investigates: TTFA being run by FIFA's normalization committee

Sports Talk William Wallace

Zone Investigates: Ramesh Ramdan's contract with TTFA

Zone Investigates: TTFA being run by FIFA's normalization committee

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline ABTrini

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #555 on: June 16, 2020, 06:15:32 PM »
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall ............
And all falll down
Egg break
Crick crack story done
Goose egg done cook
Shortest dynasty of mismanagement
  Ho ho ho green giant

Yuhthink FIFA easy - cards stack - yuh cyar win
Hold yuh corner - tailbetween yuh leg and save what little money yuh have
D saga done

Offline Flex

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #556 on: June 17, 2020, 06:07:20 AM »
United TTFA fractured.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (Newsday).


The approval of three contracts by former TT Football Association (TTFA) president William Wallace has been deemed an act of betrayal by fellow United TTFA member Keith Look Loy.

These actions have been also frowned upon by TTFA’s membership and may be addressed via a virtual conference meeting on Saturday, a request made by United TTFA.

In a statement issued by United TTFA members, on Tuesday, they condemned Wallace’s behavior regarding contract discrepancies surrounding a uniform deal with English apparel supplier Avec Sport, national coach Terry Fenwick’s salary and most recently (Monday), an extension on Ramesh Ramdhan’s contract as TTFA general secretary to two years, despite the board approving a one-year appointment.

These members are Look Loy, Clynt Taylor, Susan Joseph-Warrick, Joseph Sam Phillip and Anthony Harford.

“This pattern of behaviour is unacceptable. It is unilateral. It exceeds the constitutional limits to the president's authority. It is deceptive and deeply disappointing. And it replicates the performance of former president David John-Williams,” the statement read.

During Wallace and United TTFA’s campaign leading up to the December 2019 TTFA general election, the promise of democracy, transparency and accountability was their frontline. The victory against then president David John-Williams was also hailed as a breath of fresh air for local football.

Ironically, Wallace and his executive led the TTFA from November 2019 to March 2020, but were removed by Fifa and a normalisation committee was appointed. The main job of the normalisation committee, headed by businessman Robert Hadad, is to get rid of the huge debt facing the local football body.

However, with the recent unearthing of these contractual disparities by Wallace, United TTFA members have openly rejected such actions from their fellow member.

“We stand by the principles of national sovereignty and the right of TTFA's membership to elect and remove officers, which is the premise of United TTFA's High Court action (against Fifa). But we also believe Wallace no longer holds the moral high ground,” the statement continued.

In February, United TTFA announced a four-year kit deal with Avec Sport, valuing it at TT$25 million, as a key element in TTFA’s debt (TT$50 million) reduction plan. Wallace then negotiated and signed the contract with Avec before obtaining approval or input from TTFA’s board of directors.

It was also revealed the TTFA board agreed, in December 2019, to hire Fenwick with the understanding he would be paid US$17,500 per month with other bonuses. Wallace, Ramdhan and Fenwick later signed an agreement the coach would receive a starting salary of US$20,000 per month with the possible increase to US$25,000 if the team qualified for the Gold Cup.

This, however, was not what the board had previously agreed on.

In the latest instance of Wallace’s contractual inconsistencies, United TTFA, on Monday, learnt of Ramdhan’s two-year contract courtesy regional sports broadcaster Sportsmax. After the quintet got wind of this development, they reached out to former World Cup referee who confirmed this information. This third contractual disparity seemed to push Wallace’s United TTFA members overboard.

Speaking to Look Loy on Tuesday, he convicted Wallace’s actions.

“We think he (Wallace) has lost a lot of moral high ground. We have been caught, not with our hands in the cookie jar, but by surprise. That is why we’ve called the meeting, it’s not that we’re parting ways. We came in on a certain platform – democracy, transparency and accountability – and his actions do not reflect that at all. It is with deep dismay and betrayal that we are seeing what is happening,” said the chairman of TTFA’s technical committee.

Attempts were made on Tuesday to extract a comment from Wallace and Ramdhan on these issues but calls to their respective phones went unanswered.

United TTFA is not a member of the local governing body. Although they have requested a meeting of the national fraternity’s member bodies (TT Pro League, Super League, Referees Association, zones etc.) for Saturday, there is no guarantee these arms would participate.

Look Loy remains hopeful the interested parties would join in on Saturday’s meeting, one which Wallace will also be a part of, to “allow the members the opportunity to speak on all of the above, as well as the overall tenure of the Wallace administration”.

In another turn of events on Tuesday evening, Selby Browne, president of the Veteran Footballers Foundation of TT (VFFOTT) cautioned fellow TTFA members on the validity of Saturday’s possible online meeting.

As a non-TTFA member, he declared United TTFA had no authority to call a general meeting of the TTFA. Browne affirmed the constitution provides for a minimum of 50 percent of the membership to call in writing, for a general meeting. He also questioned why United TTFA would choose such a time to convene a meeting, having been ousted from office by Fifa since mid-March.

“During the period November 24 2019 to March 16 2020, TTFA officers failed to call one single general meeting of the TTFA membership. It is amazing that they have the tenacity or persistence, to call for a general meeting when they have been removed from office by Fifa and a normalization committee appointed time conduct the daily matters of administration of the TTFA.

“Worse any such meeting by the membership of the TTFA would have the effect to quite simply place those members in good standing in the TTFA in a position of compromise with Fifa. I therefore beseech the membership of the TTFA not to fall prey to any such outrageous utter rubbish that can lead to becoming besieged and compromised with the actions of the United TTFA,” Browne added.

Although Look Loy continues to criticize his United TTFA member on his recent actions, he believes staying mum makes him a facilitator. In the same way United TTFA levelled criticism to the John-Williams administration, Look Loy affirms he and other members are exercising their democratic right while maintaining the slogan of transparency and accountability they all campaigned for.

“If we can liaise with members on Saturday, we can come to some conclusion. If the members want to leave him alone, wrap him on the knuckles, throw him out and rake him over the coals or kick him out, the membership will decide. This is the democratic process,” Look Loy concluded.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

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TTFA to receive FIFA grants
« Reply #557 on: June 27, 2020, 07:27:03 AM »
TTFA to receive FIFA grants
By Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday)


THE TT Football Association (TTFA) is set to receive a ‘universal solidarity grant’ of US$1 million, an additional US$500,000 specifically for women’s football, plus a US$2 million grant, from FIFA.

These sums will be part of a US$1.5 billion relief plan to help deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the sport globally.

In a report on Reuters on Thursday, “FIFA’s plan means world soccer’s governing body will dip into its reserves to provide national federations with a number of grants and interest-free loans to cope with budget hits.”

Staff and coaches employed by the TTFA, during the four-month long reign of William Wallace (November 2019 to March 2020) and the Robert Hadad-headed normalisation committee, are yet to be paid.

Asked how does the TTFA plan to utilise these sums and will some funds go towards outstanding staff payments, TTFA general secretary Ramesh Ramdhan said on Thursday, “Of course FIFA would specify how those funds should be spent.”

Ramdhan was unable to state when the TTFA expects to receive the funds from the global governing body for football, while efforts to contact Hadad proved futile.

RELATED NEWS

Fifa mum on TTFA, raises funding to over TT$23 million, postpones Concacaf football until 2021.
By Wired868.com.


The Fifa Council, which comprises 37 members split between its six confederations, met virtually today but did not reveal any decision with regards to its normalisation committee in Trinidad and Tobago.

On 17 March, the seven-member Bureau of the Fifa Council—which is headed by Fifa president Gianni Infantino—voted to dissolve the board of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) and replace it with a normalisation committee of Robert Hadad, Judy Daniel and Nigel Romano.

The bureau is effectively the world governing body’s emergency committee and its decision must be ratified by the Fifa Council. However, despite being on today’s agenda, a release from the Zurich-based body this afternoon did not say if the affairs of Trinidad and Tobago were discussed at all. And there was no update from either the beleaguered TTFA elected members or the normalisation committee.

At present, Fifa and the TTFA are locked in a legal battle at the Port of Spain High Court. The local body, headed by president William Wallace, has filed an injunction to stop Fifa from interfering with its operations through the normalisation committee.

Fifa countered with an application of its own, which states that Trinidad is not the correct forum for the dispute and urged the High Court to prod the TTFA in the direction of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The High Court has set a date of 29 July to rule on Fifa’s challenge.

The TTFA is represented legally by Matthew Gayle, Dr Emir Crowne and Crystal Paul of the New City Chambers. Fifa retained attorneys Christopher Hamel-Smith SC, Jonathan Walker and Cherie Gopie from M Hamel-Smith and Co.

Among the matters that Fifa did reveal its position on, is the international calendar for 2020. And there will be no football in Concacaf until 2021.

Fifa gave the green light to Conmebol and Uefa to play from September but there will be no international matches in Africa, Asia, Oceania or Concacaf.

It means that Men’s National Senior Team head coach Terry Fenwick, who has already started training, will have a longer wait before he can access his overseas players—or, for that matter, anyone from the Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, as club director Richard Ferguson said he will not release players until September at the earliest.

The Soca Warriors cannot play an official friendly outside of the Fifa match window although they can still arrange exhibition matches, once they find willing partners.

Fifa secretary general Fatma Samoura revealed that the organisation will also make a ‘universal solidarity grant’ of US$1 million (TT$6.8 million) available to all member associations with a further US$500,000 (TT$3.4 million) specifically allocated to women’s football. This is in addition to Fifa Forward funding of US$1.5 million (TT$10.2 million).

Each confederation will also receive a grant of US$2 million (TT$13.5 million).

Each member association can also apply for an interest-free loan of ‘up to 35% of their audited annual revenues’ with a minimum of US$500,000 (TT$3.4 million) and a maximum of US$5 million (TT$33.9 million).

“Both grants and loans can be directed by member associations to the wider football community in their respective territories,” stated Fifa, “including clubs, players, leagues, or others that have been affected.”

It means that the TTFA leadership can access a minimum of between US$3 (TT$20.3 million) to US$3.5 million (TT$23.6 million) this year and share that funding with not only its national programmes but affiliate bodies like the Pro League, Super League, Women’s League of Football (WoLF), Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) and the zonal bodies.

On Saturday, the WoLF executive voted to postpone its competition until 2021—in large part, due to the financial impact of Covid-19.

At present, national coaches are unpaid for as long as six months while office staff are in their fifth month without pay.

Normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad blamed the non-payment on Wallace’s struggle with Fifa and his inability to seize control of the TTFA’s accounts at First Citizens Bank. However, staff and coaches were paid directly by Concacaf before under former president David John-Williams.

Hadad asked staff to hand over bank details for close to a month now but is yet to facilitate overdue payment.

Fifa made it clear that it does not recognise Wallace as head of the TTFA and will not make funding available to him.

« Last Edit: June 29, 2020, 04:07:01 AM by Flex »
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Offline Flex

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #558 on: July 18, 2020, 06:21:35 AM »
FIFA pays TTFA staff outstanding salaries.
By Walter Alibey (Guardian).


The office staff at the T&T Football Association has finally been paid after four months waiting.

Guardian Media Sports was reliably informed yesterday that office staff members each received lump sum payments for March, April, May and June last week, which accumulated to approximately $400,000 in total.

Guardian Media Sports was also told that the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee which is being led by businessman Robert Hadad and includes retired banker Nigel Romano and attorney Judy Daniel, is expected to make another payment of an estimated $600,000 to all the national team coaches.

However, the senior men's team coach Terry Fenwick, will not be among the paysheet since his contract has been a subject of public scrutiny for various reasons.

A TTFA staff member also spoke to us on condition of anonymity and confirmed the staff has been paid.

Guardian Media Sports was also told that apart from coach Fenwick, both Shaun Fuentes, the TTFA's Media Officer and Ramesh Ramdhan, the football association's general secretary, were also not paid.

The payments, it is understood, were wired directly to the accounts of the staff members via a special account from an unknown company. According to the source, the monies were made available from the FIFA payment of US$3.5 million which represents grant funding to Member Associations and an additional amount for the FIFA Relief Fund which was given to help member associations through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which has severely affected sports all over the world since March to present.

Guardian Media Sports attempted to reach Nigel Romano for a response but calls and messages to his phone went unanswered.

The source told Guardian Media Sports: "It is uncertain why Fuentes was not paid, but there are concerns about Ramdhan's two-year deal which have prevented him from being paid."

Since accepting the position as general secretary in December last year, the former T&T and FIFA referee, who also had a short employment stint with FIFA, the world governing body for the sport, has not been paid.

Ramdhan could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Guardian Media Sports understands that there are opposing views with regards the interpretation of article 39 of TTFA's constitution between the Board of Directors of the T&TFA and the President, on whether the terms of the contract for the general secretary, should be determined by the president, or the board members.

The board, on December 14, 2019, voted for Ramdhan's contract on a one-year deal.

However, in June through a media release the former president William Wallace, stated that his position allowed him ultimate power to decide on the contract of the general secretary.

On June 17, Wallace was called to answer questions about the contracts of Fenwick, Ramdhan, Peter Miller, the football association's marketing representative, and the Avec Sports sportswear deal which was set to cost a whopping $25 million.

It is uncertain whether salaries will be forthcoming at the end of this month.

The normalisation committee and the ousted TTFA executive which comprises vice presidents Clynt Taylor, Susan Joseph-Warrick, Joseph Sam Phillip and Wallace have been in a battle for ownership of the football association's bank accounts held at First Citizens Bank, as well as the right to use the TTFA letterhead.

First Citizens through its attorney Kendell Alexander told both the TTFA and the normalisation committee that it would hand over the accounts to any party that presents a legal document showing ownership.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #559 on: July 22, 2020, 10:03:57 AM »
La Foucade paid but TTFA coaches snubbed as Hadad’s NC accused of lacking transparency.
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).


After three months on the job, the Fifa-appointed normalisation committee appeared to put through its first payments for Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) staff members yesterday.

But only some employees were paid, there was no word on where the money came from, when would more be wired, and why some staff members were snubbed. And football coaches have no idea of where they rank on committee chairman Robert Hadad’s list of priorities at all.

“I was shocked when I heard that the staff was paid [yesterday],” said one national coach, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “So I was calling around to see who else was paid and when are they going to come around to me or other coaches. But nobody could tell me what was going on.”

Hadad, the co-CEO of family-owned business HadCo Limited, promised to bring his ‘knowledge of business’ to the corridors of the TTFA.

“I love football but I am a businessman and I am coming to deal with the business of football,” Hadad told Wired868, when he was appointed on 27 March.

Since then, Hadad has had a solitary half hour meeting with coaches in which he refused to say whether he would honour their contracts or when they would be paid. And, even though a handful of coaches have worked since then with Men’s National Senior Team head coach Terry Fenwick, Hadad has not said when they can expect remuneration.

Wired868 understands that technical director Dion La Foucade was paid yesterday along with director of football Richard Piper—although neither man confirmed as much.

None of the academies or grassroots programmes that La Foucade was hired to manage have started as yet. However coaches who are active now or worked for between two to four months before the Covid-19 restrictions hit have not received a cent or even word on when to expect salaries.

Even in the office, the Trinidad Guardian suggested yesterday that some staff members were treated differently for no obvious reason, as general secretary Ramesh Ramdhan and media manager Shaun Fuentes remain unpaid while their colleagues had money wired to their respective accounts.

Hadad, as usual, did not respond to queries from Wired868 about his stewardship of the local football body.

And, according to several insiders, the businessman and Queen’s Park Cricket Club (QPCC) official has treated TTFA office staff and coaches with the same indifference—as he refuses to meet with them or return messages and phone calls.

Hadad, who serves on the normalisation committee alongside vice-chairman Judy Daniel and Nigel Romano, is entitled to a monthly stipend of roughly US$3,500 from Fifa for his work. However, there is a lack of transparency there too, as he has not said whether he and/or Romano and Daniel are being paid at present.

On 27 March, Hadad, Daniel and Romano were given a Fifa mandate to:

1. run the TTFA’s daily affairs;

2. establish a debt repayment plan that is implementable by the TTFA;

3. review and amend the TTFA Statutes (and other regulations where necessary) and to ensure their compliance with the FIFA Statutes and requirements before duly submitting them for approval to the TTFA Congress;

4. organise and to conduct elections of a new TTFA Executive Committee for a four-year mandate.

Sixteen weeks later, Hadad and his cohorts remain distant from the local body’s staff while they are yet to coordinate a meeting with the TTFA’s general membership—which would be the first step in the latter two line items.

Fifa’s internal regulations forbid the governing body from depositing its subvention to member associations in anything but the official bank account of the respective FA. And, at present, the normalisation committee does not control the TTFA’s account at First Citizens Bank.

However, Concacaf appears to have more leeway—or less financial safe-checks—when it comes to making payments to its member associations; and has, in the past, paid TTFA staff and coaches directly when the need arose.

It is likely that the confederation again paid staff, earlier this week—although Hadad was not transparent with employees on the matter, much less the media.

But why did Hadad not also ensure the payment of coaches?

Women’s National Under-20 and Under-17 Team head coach Richard Hood started preparing both of his outfits in December while, in late February, he became the first coach to lead his team into competitive battle under the William Wallace-led administration.

The Under-20 Women Soca Warriors finished as credible quarterfinalists.

The Men’s National Under-20, Under-17 and Under-15 Teams and the Women’s National Under-15 Team began their own programmes in early February while the Men’s Senior Team started training in June. At present, the Men’s Senior Team is the only active side.

“They haven’t communicated with us—ever,” said another coach, who also preferred to remain anonymous. “At least when the overseas-based clubs were discussing reduced salaries for their coaches and so on, they called them in and had a discussion. That has not happened here.

“We have no idea when we will be paid. For now, all we can do is sit and wait.”

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #560 on: August 26, 2020, 12:45:08 AM »
National coaches return appointment letters to TTFA.
By Walter Alibey (Guardian).


Most of the 35 coaches appointed to carry out work for the various national football teams in January, from youth to senior levels on Tuesday, handed copies of their letters of appointments and contracts in a move to ask the Normalisation Committee officials 'What is happening with their outstanding wages?.”

The coaches Terry Fenwick (senior team), Derek King (u-15 and assistant to Fenwick), Angus Eve (u-17 and assistant to King), Keith Jeffreys (U-15 and assistant to Angus Eve), Clayton Morris (assistant to Jeffreys on u-15s), Richard Hood (u-17 and u-20 Women/senior Women's team) and Stern John (assistant to King), Jason Spence, Wayne Sheppard, Ross Russell, Saron Joseph, Clayton Ince and Aaron Pollard, among others, have not been paid since they took up their respective jobs more than six months ago.

Notably absent from the gathering was Technical Director Dion La Foucade, who was the only member of the coaching staff to have been paid wages for the same period.

Clayton Morris, who along with Angus Eve and Jefferson George spearheaded the initiative, said both La Foucade and Robert Hadad, chairman of the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee could not be reached, as calls to their cell phones for the past week or so, have gone unanswered.

Morris, captain of the country's now-famous 1989 Strike Squad which came within a point of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup in Italy 1990, said before the letter bearing the signatures of all the coaches, trainers, managers, physiotherapists, equipment managers etc, was officially handed to longstanding TTFA staff member Sharon O'Brien, the coaches were made to play a game of hide-and-seek to prevent vicious security officers from throwing them off the compound of the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva.

“We arrived there about 9:30 am and Eve, Wayne Sheppard and I went in by the office. I think it was when they realized what was happening that security officers were sent to keep the coaches off the compound. However, we eventually agreed to adhere to the COVID-19 restrictions of five persons being allowed inside the office and it was how we eventually handed over the letters,” Morris told Guardian Media Sports.

The coaches went equipped with a letter that said: “The technical staff of the T&T national football teams, have taken this position to collectively seek urgent information regarding our outstanding stipend/salaries/remuneration, in accordance to our individual contractual agreements with the TTFA, which should have been paid at each month-end.”

“At our inaugural meeting with you on April 29, 2020, as chairman of the Normalisation Committee of the TTFA, you said we will meet on an individual team basis, on an individual group basis, and we will be talking to all of you with respect to your individual contracts. We will sit with you all and really work out what it is we need to do to get the football to where it needs to go.”

The letter also stated: “In addition, you said 'discussions of coaches' contracts will be conducted with small individual group basis and what will be expected of each national team.”

Morris said none of the promises made by Hadad during their first meeting in April materialized and therefore yesterday's initiative was aimed at finding out what was happening with their salaries and what are the plans for football since the contracts and appointment of most of the coaches were set to expire on August 31st.

Hadad, a businessman by profession, and his committee of Nigel Romano (a former banker) and attorney Judy Daniel will have exactly a week before the coaches approach them for answers a second time. Morris assured the move has absolutely nothing to do with the ongoing court battle between the United TTFA and the sport's world governing body-FIFA, as it was just a follow-up from the April 29 meeting.

Eve who later spoke on behalf of the coaches said: “The coaches merely came here to deliver because we believe he didn't have the full copies of them (all of our contracts, all of our agreements) to the secretariat.” Eve said the fact that coaches were not allowed on the compound demonstrates the level of disrespect that they have been getting as coaches.

Meanwhile, the Coaches Association of T&T, which has been dormant for more than a decade, was revamped yesterday as more than 21 coaches signed on to an organization that can potentially prevent a recurrence of what coaches have endured for the past months under both the TTFA and the normalization committee. Yesterday, was also the first general meeting for the gathering with more discussions expected to take place soon, while more coaches are expected to join.

RELATED NEWS

‘Total disrespect!’ Coaches locked out of stadium, while trying to deliver letters to Hadad.
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).


The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) head office at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva went into lockdown mode this morning but it was not as a safety measure against Covid-19.

Normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad’s staff was not trying to keep the novel coronavirus at bay—just the country’s national football team coaches.

At the perimeter of the stadium, security closed the gate and screened perspective entrants. Everyone barring coaches was free to drive inside.

Bewildered coaches—including Stern John, Terry Fenwick, Derek King, Richard Hood, Ross Russell and Dernelle Mascall—had only come to drop off their appointment letters for Hadad.

“[One or two] coaches got in early but when the rest of us got there, the security was given instructions not to let us in,” Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Under-17 Team head coach Angus Eve told Wired868. “[…] It demonstrates the level of disrespect we have been getting as coaches… We have Stern John, Derek King, Terry Fenwick, Ross Russell [here]; these are all people who have contributed heavily to Trinidad and Tobago football.

“That is total disrespect that we are not even able to drop off a document.”

Eve’s 117 senior international caps is a Trinidad and Tobago record while he also coaches at every level of the local game. He steers Club Sando in the Pro League as well as serial Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) winners Naparima College.

John is Trinidad and Tobago’s record goal scorer with 70 goals from 115 appearances—Argentina superstar Lionel Messi has 70 career international goals from 138 games.

Hadad, who was appointed by Fifa to head the local football body on 27 March, has done better than most defenders in the western hemisphere to keep both men at bay.

Ato Boldon Stadium security guards told Wired868 that they were ordered to keep the national coaches out by facility manager Jeffrey John. John said he was unable to comment, due to Sport Company protocols, so it was left to communications manager Kevin Garcia to explain why coaches were deemed persona non grata at the national venue today.

“It was an unfortunate mix-up,” said Garcia. “I understand eventually that five persons were let in via [Covid-19] protocol. From what I understand, it was a minor mix-up.”

Garcia said he did not know what the source of the ‘mix-up’ was and could not confirm if Jeffrey ordered the guards to keep national coaches out; or, if so, where his instruction came from.

The reference to the Covid-19 limit on public gatherings was, arguably, convenient since it took over an hour before the TTFA office staff sent word that it would allow five coaches in to deliver the letter. By then, they were aware that there was a media presence at the venue.

Even then, the five coaches—Clayton Morris, Wayne Sheppard, Jefferson George, Hood and Eve—were not invited to drive in but instead walked from the road outside the stadium and then back again to their vehicles.

The reason the coaches were there in the first place was Hadad’s refusal to speak or meet them since an introductory Zoom online meeting on 29 April. The HadCo Limited co-CEO said, at the time, that his next step would be to review their contracts before arranging payment.

After repeatedly failing to get on to Hadad directly or receive feedback from his assistant, Amiel Mohammed, or technical director, Dion La Foucade, the coaches decided to take their letters to the TTFA office themselves. Even that move, it turned out, came with its own perils.

“[Hadad] said he would get back to us with individual meetings to verify the contracts that we have,” said Eve. “It is about five months since then. All we came to do, very peacefully, is to deliver all of our documents and agreements to the secretariat.

“[..] Many of the coaches are contracted until August, so we felt it necessary that we come before the contracts are ended.”

Eve noted that he saw Tobago Chamber of Commerce president Diane Hadad, cousin of the normalisation committee president, discussing the grants provided to hoteliers. Coaches, he said, only want what they worked for.

“We are not asking for a grant, we are just asking for our salaries—the money that we signed for, that we worked for—that is all we are asking for,” he said. “We also have families and children and bills to pay. We are here observing all Covid protocol and we just want our voices to be heard.

“Are we going to be paid? Do we have a timeline? There has been no information at all coming back to us.”

Eve said the current situation prompted coaches to create their own coaches association, which is guaranteed a place within the formal TTFA structure—as well as a vote—once activated.

And, on the pavement outside the stadium in the blistering sunlight, Sheppard, the National Under-15 Team assistant coach, passed around a document for coaches to pledge their commitment to the new body. There were 20 technical staff members present, split into groups of five to avoid breaching Covid-19 regulations.

Eve said they are giving Hadad seven days to respond to their letter, although he stressed there was nothing ‘militant’ about that timeframe. He made a point of highlighting that the coaches steered clear of provocative rhetoric too.

“We are not trying to break down any doors,” said Eve. “We are doing it in the right manner, a respectable manner.”

Sweating on the pavement outside the taxpayers’ funded facility, it did not immediately appear that the respect was reciprocated.

National coaches barred from entering TTFA headquarters
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (Newsday).


TWENTY-ONE national coaches converged on the outskirts of the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, on Tuesday, to deliver a document to the TT Football Association (TTFA) secretariat highlighting their non-payment of salaries since FIFA’s installation of the normalisation committee in mid-March.

The document was addressed to Robert Hadad, chairman of the normalisation committee, and also contained the coaches’ contracts and agreements, some of which come to an end on Monday.

National coaches Terry Fenwick, Angus Eve, Wayne Sheppard, Stern John and Ross Russell were among the bunch who peacefully gathered outside the venue from 9.30 am to pen their signatures before disbursal.

Eve, who chaired the informal meeting, revealed they have not been paid in six months and are now seeking to construct a coaches association to ensure their voices can be heard at the board level.

“On April 29, the chairman met with us via Zoom call on that day and he said to the coaches and technical staff that he would get back to us and do individual meetings to validate the contracts that we have and to verify that they are all board approved. It has been about six months since then and nothing has happened,” he stated.

In mid-July, TTFA office staff were finally paid after a four-month wait. However, since the removal of the democratically-appointed William Wallace executive in March by FIFA, who cited “financial mismanagement” and “massive debt” by the TTFA, under the new Hadad-led administration, coaches are yet to be paid.

After the T&T Government implemented lockdown restrictions in March to prevent the spread of covid19, all national team and club activity has been at a standstill. Although the coaches were unable to resume their respective training sessions due to the health crisis, to date, Hadad is yet to rectify their payment of salaries.

Eve added, “We’re very happy the staff got their salaries but we’re not asking for a grant, just our salaries. The money that we signed and worked for, it’s all we’re asking for. Especially in a time when there’s a pandemic and none of us have worked since last year. We also have family, children and bills to pay. We just want our voices to be heard.”

According to Naparima College football instructor, the majority of coaches were prevented from entering the Ato Boldon Stadium upon their arrival. Only a few, who arrived earlier, were allowed entry onto the compound.

When they approached the security booth to query their omission, the guard stated they were given instructions “by the office” to keep the gate closed. Eve dubbed this gesture, disrespectful.

“This action demonstrates the level of disrespect we have been getting as coaches. We are in charge of young people and developing young minds. Stern John, Terry Fenwick, Ross Russell. It’s a total disrespect for us to not even be able to drop off a document,” he said.

Veteran national goalkeeper Clayton Ince was one of the lucky ones to gain entry to the TTFA office at the stadium. Following Eve’s short meeting with the coaches and media, Ince was allowed to come to the gate and receive their document for delivery.

When he arrived, the security then allowed four additional coaches to enter alongside Ince. Eve, Sheppard, Richard Hood and another local tutor joined Ince to deliver their request to the TTFA secretariat.

The former T&T midfielder Eve indicated that several arrangements and contracts were due to expire at the end of August and coaches wanted to ensure their outstanding salaries would be paid.

He stated that coaches have made multiple attempts to contact TTFA officials such as technical director Dion La Foucade and Emile Mohammed for an update on their salaries. All attempts proved futile.

« Last Edit: August 28, 2020, 12:46:12 PM by Flex »
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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #561 on: August 27, 2020, 04:20:53 PM »
TTFA: We didn't block coaches from our offices.
By Narissa Fraser (Newsday).


THE TT Football Association (TTFA) normalisation committee is denying claims it blocked national coaches from entering its offices on Tuesday. It also said it can explain the reason for the delay in staff members receiving their salaries.

A total of 21 national coaches met outside the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, on Tuesday morning to deliver a document to the TTFA secretariat.

This letter addressed their non-payment of salaries since FIFA’s installation of the normalisation committee in mid-March.

Coach Angus Eve has told Newsday the majority of coaches were prevented from entering. He said only a few, who arrived earlier, were allowed entry.

When they approached the security booth, he said, the guard said he was given instructions “by the office” to keep the gate closed.

But in a release on Thursday, the TTFA said this is untrue.

It said, “The Sports Company of TT (SPoRTT) facilities, which include the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, where the TTFA’s head office is located, remain closed in keeping with the public health measures declared by the Ministry of Health to stem the spread of covid19.

“As stated in an official SPoRTT correspondence, ‘The public is also reminded that two SPoRTT locations in Tacarigua and Couva are more heavily secured as they are being used as step-down facilities by the Ministry of Health. Consequently, restricted access is even more imperative at these locations.’”

It said the association “has not deliberately” deferred payments of salaries to any staff member.

“The TTFA is willing to engage any member of staff to explain the reason for non-payment.

“It is unfortunate that we have found ourselves in this situation. It is also important to note that all parties have the country’s football at heart and would like to see our nation’s ranking rise in world football.

“However, this must be preceded by the establishment of a properly governed and functioning TTFA.”

It said the normalisation committee has been “working assiduously” to find solutions to a “wide range of matters related to the organisation and its national teams.

“Most importantly, addressing the TTFA’s perilous financial situation. The TTFA’s indebtedness, which has increased since the start of the year, continues to be of grave concern.”

It thanked FIFA and Concacaf for “continued support,” adding that there is currently a rotational work system in place for staff - including a work from home policy - owing to the covid19 pandemic.

RELATED NEWS

Hadad, SporTT deny coaches locked out of coaches Home of football.
T&T Guardian Reports.


The T&T Football Association (TTFA), which is now being administered by a FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee, is denying media reports that the organisation locked out the TTFA coaches who were seeking a meeting at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva on Monday.

After FIFA disbanded the TTFA on March 17, the normalisation committee has been running the organisation's affairs since March 27 under the guidance of its chairman, businessman Robert Hadad, deputy chairman attorney Judy Daniel and former banker Nigel Romano.

According to the TTFA press statement yesterday: "The T&T Football Association (TTFA) wishes to place on record that it did not block any of the coaches or members of the national team’s coaching staff from entering the TTFA’s offices on Tuesday, August 25, 2020."

The release continued: "The Sports Company of T&T (SporTT) facilities, which include the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, where the TTFA’s head office is located, remain closed in keeping with the public health measures declared by the Ministry of Health to stem the spread of COVID-19. As stated in an official SporTT correspondence, the public is also reminded that two SporTT locations in Tacarigua and Couva are more heavily secured as they are being used as step-down facilities by the Ministry of Health. Consequently, restricted access is even more imperative at these locations."

Guardian Media Sports was present when approximately 20 coaches assembled outside the main entrance of the facility but were not allowed to enter in their attempts to deliver copies of the contracts to the TTFA office.

Former national player Angus Eve, who was one of the coaches present said that all the coaches wanted to do was deliver their contracts and appointment letters personally but the security did not allow them to do so.

More than an hour after they arrived, five coaches including Eve, were allowed on the compound to deliver all the documentation to the office.

Eve said that the coaches' action came about because they have not been paid since January and wanted to ensure that the office had copies of their contracts so that their payments can be processed.

According to the TTFA release: "The TTFA also wishes to advise that it has not intentionally deferred payment of salaries to any member of staff. The TTFA is willing to engage any member of staff to explain the reason for non-payment. It is unfortunate that we have found ourselves in this situation. It is also important to note that all parties have the country’s football at heart and would like to see our nation’s ranking rise in world football. However, this must be preceded by the establishment of a properly governed and functioning TTFA."

A release from the SporTT yesterday stated: "The Sports Company of T&T Limited (SporTT) advises that the company continues to comply with all public health measures as declared by the Ministry of Health. To this end, SporTT reminds its valued stakeholders that all of its managed facilities remain closed to the general public.

"The public is reminded that two SporTT locations (Tacarigua and Couva) are more heavily secured as they are being used as step-down facilities by the Ministry of Health. Consequently, restricted access is even more imperative at these locations. SporTT will continue to abide by the rules and regulations as mandated by the Ministry of Health and by extension the Government of the Republic of T&T in order to keep all persons associated with its facilities or seeking access safe from the threat of COVID-19."

Meanwhile, the TTFA release pointed out that: "The TTFA’s normalisation committee has been working assiduously to find solutions to a wide range of matters related to the organisation and its national teams. Most importantly, addressing the TTFA’s perilous financial situation. The TTFA’s indebtedness, which has increased since the start of the year, continues to be of grave concern. The normalisation committee intends to reach the best possible outcome for all parties concerned and to have a fully functional administration supporting football activities."

« Last Edit: August 28, 2020, 09:25:10 AM by Flex »
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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #562 on: August 31, 2020, 12:39:15 AM »
Hadad claims SporTT and not TTFA locked-out coaches; coaches set record straight.
By Lasana Liburd (Guardian).


Fifa-appointed normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad tried to pass the blame for the recent temporary lock-out of Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) coaches, with a release that was immediately rebutted by three national coaches.

On Tuesday morning, security at the Ato Boldon Stadium locked the gates and stopped coaches from entering the compound at roughly 9.30am, with a stand-off that lasted for over an hour.

Hadad claimed that the ‘disrespectful’ treatment of the country’s coaches had nothing to do with him and insisted that it was a Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SporTT) decision.

“The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) wishes to place on record that it did not block any of the coaches or members of the national teams’ coaching staff from entering the TTFA’s offices on Tuesday 25 August 2020,” stated Hadad today, via a TTFA release. “The Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SporTT) facilities, which include the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, where the TTFA’s head office is located, remain closed in keeping with the public health measures declared by the Ministry of Health to stem the spread of Covid-19.”

Hadad further claimed that the TTFA has ‘not intentionally deferred payment of salaries to any member of staff’ and ‘is willing to engage any member of staff to explain the reason for non-payment’.

The normalisation chair’s assertion provoked raised eyebrows from coaches who have sought feedback on their owed salaries for the past four months, as well as those at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Tuesday.

There were roughly seven technical staff members in the parking lot of the stadium at around 9.30am when, according to a coach who spoke on condition of anonymity, one female member of their group went inside the TTFA’s office to use the bathroom.

“[Office administrator] Sharon O’ Brien saw her and asked ‘what allyuh doing here’,” said the coach. “And she said she told Sharon: ‘allyuh get allyuh salary already, so we are trying to get our own’. And that was when things started happen.

“Shortly after that, security guards came and started locking up under the tunnel [to prevent access to the TTFA’s office] and we saw them close the gate outside.”

The technical staff members inside the venue included: Terry Fenwick, Angus Eve, Ross Russell, Natalie Harper, Stern John, Clayton Morris and Wayne Sheppard. When they realised that a further 12 members were prevented from entering, they decided to drive outside the venue to join them. Only Morris stayed, in case none of the coaches was allowed to reenter.

The former ‘Strike Squad’ captain and Men’s National Under-15 assistant coach tried to be discreet, just in case security spotted him and decided to throw him out.

On 15 August, Morris was honoured with the Father of the Nation Medal of Honour Gold by the Dr Eric Williams TC Memorial Committee for ‘outstanding contribution in the sphere of youth development, football and public service’.

Barely two weeks later, he was reduced to playing a game of ‘cat and mouse’ with Ato Boldon Stadium security officers in a bid to help his coaching colleagues get the attention of the normalisation committee—led by persons unknown to the local game.

At the stadium gate, the guards continued to allow other persons to enter the compound, so long as they did not identify themselves as coaches. The coaches who asked security for an explanation were not told about Covid-19 protocols, but instead were advised that there was nobody at the TTFA office to collect their letters.

When Wired868 asked on whose authority the coaches were being stopped, one guard said the stadium’s facility manager gave the order.

Facility manager Jeffrey John declined to confirm or deny whether he directed security to stop coaches at the gate and advised Wired868 to get a comment from SporTT media officer, Brent Garcia.

Garcia said he was not at the venue and was only told that ‘it was an unfortunate mix-up’. He said he could not give more details. He did confirm that there was no report of a congregation inside the facility, which might have justified action by the security.

“We called the office on Monday to ensure they would be open on Tuesday and we were told they would be open,” said Men’s National Under-17 Team head coach Angus Eve. “So we had gone there with plans in place to adhere to all the Covid restrictions and, had the gate not been locked, it would not have looked as though it was a protest.

“The only reason it became a sort of gathering was when the security guards said they are no longer allowing coaches to go in, although other people were allowed to go into the compound including to visit the TTFA.”

Men’s National Under-15 Team assistant coach Wayne Sheppard said he was bewildered by Hadad’s claims that he is ‘willing to engage any member of staff to explain the reason for non-payment’.

On 29 April, Hadad told all technical staff members that he would have assistant Yale Antoine arrange meetings with each coaching squad within a week, so as to review contracts and letters of appointment and discuss remuneration.

“He said we would be told when we would meet again, so why is it that we have to call now to find out about that?” asked Sheppard. “A big part of leadership is managing expectations and communication, and if you tell me that you are going to get back in contact with me but say nothing for four months and pay other people, how can you come and say that it is up to me to contact you to find out what is going on?

“This dialogue must have a certain level of respect.”

All the same, Sheppard—along with other coaches—have reached out to Hadad, without success.

“I have asked the technical director [Dion La Foucade] as my direct boss when we will be getting paid, especially when we heard in the media that he was paid,” said Sheppard, “and he said he didn’t know, and that several times he tried to speak to Mr Hadad and was told to speak to [his assistant] Amiel Mohammed, who was not forthcoming with any information—and that was the last we heard of that.

“Even today, there was an online meeting with the Ministry of Sport and Hadad said all any coach had to do was call him. So immediately after the meeting, myself and another coach called, and neither of us got any response.

“So I hope he reads this article and maybe returns my call, because I’ve tried to get on to him.”

Eve expressed frustration too at the level of communication from the normalisation committee.

“[Hadad] made a statement yesterday that coaches and players were so important to our future and for our sakes he doesn’t want the country to be banned by Fifa,” said Eve. “But if you ask me if I feel that respect, my answer has to be a simple ‘no’. Everyone else has been paid except the coaches and the players and we would like to find out why.

“There is a sense that we went for a protest on Tuesday and we were being irresponsible in a time of Covid. I want the public to understand that is not what happened.

“[Normalisation committee member] Nigel Romano said in the press that they needed to look over our letters of appointment and we were not getting any feedback on that. So all we went to do was ensure that they had copies of our contracts.”

Hadad, in today’s press statement, claimed the normalisation committee is ‘working assiduously to find solutions to a wide range of matters related to the organisation and its national teams’.

At the moment, the coaches appear unimpressed.

“If there is a valid reason why the coaches haven’t been paid yet, then someone from the leadership group running the TTFA needs to come and say what that is,” said Sheppard. “To me, that is basic [courtesy].”

Hadad did not respond to requests for comment on the discrepancy between his account of Tuesday’s incident and that of his coaches.

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Coaches give FIFA's NC Sept 9 deadline to pay salaries
« Reply #563 on: September 05, 2020, 10:45:37 AM »
Coaches give FIFA's NC Sept 9 deadline to pay salaries
T&T Guardian


A September 9 deadline has been given to the Robert Hadad-led FIFA appointed Normalisation Committee which was appointed to run the affairs of football in T&T after the removal of elected William Wallace and his executive earlier this for salaries owed to appointed national coaches to be paid.

This was stated by a quartet of coaches inclusive of former national captains, Clayton Morris and Angus Eve as well as Wayne "Barney" Shepphard, and Richard Hood at a media conference held at Fatima College Ground, Mucurapo Road, yesterday.

Speaking as members of what he described as the Steering Committee representing the national coaches in their matter with the T&T Football Association/Normalisation Committee former national midfielder Eve, the most capped player in T&T football history with 118 appearances said the wanted to provide an update on their struggles to be compensated or provided with their agreed salaries as national coaches of the various national teams for the period from January up to the present.

Eve said, "After dropping off our contracts at the T&TFA head office last week Tuesday to advance the process, we then had a phone call from the NC saying that they would like to meet with us on an individual basis, which they had promised to do about five months ago, so we were happy for that."

"We did meet with them on an individual basis, each one of the head coaches was able to meet with them and articulate our positions and the meetings were cordial, and very interesting because for them, they are now coming in, and not trying to make any excuses for them, but we did seek to give them a little bit of latitude simply because they didn't know what they were getting into. It still doesn't give them any reason for the lengthy delay in not communicating with us, so putting that out of the way, there is something on the table and they now have to go back and talk to the necessary people who are giving the money to them. We have sent in all of our bank accounts information so that we can be paid directly, we have suggested that, and they now have until the 9th of September to get back to us with the information on what is the remuneration package that all of are going to get."

Eve, the coach of T&T Pro League's Club Sando FC as well as Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) team Naparima College said, "The remuneration packages were not finalised based on the fact that they had to go back to FIFA to get the monies to be released."

An optimistic Eve said, "We are convinced that we will get something. As I said before, we worked and we have not burdened the government. We could have gone to the government because we haven't been working since January and we could have burdened the government further, and we thought that it's better than other persons in the public get those grants, and all we are asking for is the money is too be paid. If we look past the normal FIFA money that is supposed to come in and we just look at the US$500,000 grant that FIFA give for Covid-19 relief it comfortably can pay all of the staff, all of their salaries."

Pressed to give a figure, Eve said that the total combined salaries owed to the coaches outside of the senior technical team is in the region of $450,000 or a little over that figure.

Eve noted that to help speed up the process of the NC meeting with the appointed coaches, it was decided that instead of having individual meetings with the 47 persons, each head coach of each technical team was appointed to meet with the NC and then relay the information to their technical team.

Asked how he felt about the status of their fight for deserved salaries, Eve said, "It's demotivating because we do it for the passion, but for some of us this is the way we take care of our families, and when you don't get pay for work being done it borders on a level of disrespect as we said before."

With football grind to a halt locally, Eve stressed, "There is no form of work for any of us as we don't have any other jobs that can supplement an income and for a lot of us this is what we do full-time.

"For instance, England-based former goalkeeper Kelvin Jack left the position that he had out there and wanted to come home and take up the position that he got, but because of the covid19 he couldn't fly home, so he is out there and he has been having to live off his savings, and there are a lot more stories very similar to that," stated Eve.

"Based on the financial information that we have and we know that FIFA grants don't go towards debt reduction, and we understand the T&TFA has a magnanimous debt, but none of it occurred because of our actions, and FIFA money is not to go to debt resolution, so we are very confident that we will be getting all our monies."

Should no agreement be reached by the deadline set out Eve said it will be due to no fault of theirs.

"The information is supposed to come back to us by September 9, in terms of how are we going to be paid and we don't foresee any delays because we already advanced the process by giving them all our banking information, and we went to them with all our arrangements. We do have comrades, guys who were unceremoniously fired from the job in the past, who are being owed, and again we will like them to get paid also."

Looking past the deadline, Eve said the coaches have not given any indication of withholding their services as the national senior team is scheduled to begin a World Cup qualifying campaign, providing no sanctions are handed down by FIFA to the local body based on communication from FIFA general secretary Fatma Samoura on August 26 and addressed to Hadad of the NC, warning that the TTFA face sanctions if it did not withdraw the matter in the T&T High Court by September 16.

Former president William Wallace and his three vice presidents - Clynt Taylor, Joseph-Warrick and Joseph Sam Phillip have challenged FIFA decision to appoint an NC in the T&T High court which is against FIFA statutes.

Eve said, "We have World Cup qualifications in October and we don't know if that might off simply because of how the place is still on lockdown due to the covid19 situation, but any opportunity all of us have to serve our country we will continue to be committed to doing so and we will continue to help the development of the young people of the country."

Eve, a former national midfielder noted that a positive side to this battle has been a desire by all coaches, not just on a national coaching level to form a Coaches Association with the registration already in process.
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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #564 on: September 11, 2020, 10:01:40 AM »
T&T football coaches move a step closer to receiving salaries
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).


THE technical staff members of the T&T football teams have moved a step closer to getting their promised salaries from the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee, headed by Robert Hadad.

A media release issued by the technical staff members said, “The normalisation committee met with the T&T technical staff and youth team coaches on September 9 as promised. In the meeting (which was facilitated virtually), the normalisation committee outlined proposals for the settlement of outstanding payments to technical staff members.

“The proposal was generally satisfactory, however nuances in some individual contracts require further engagement.”

The media release continued, “The commitment was given by the Normalisation Committee to return to our group with a final proposal for settlement in a couple days.

“We believe there is good reason to be optimistic of this process being completed within the time frame suggested by the normalisation committee. This optimism is borne out of the productive and transparent nature of the meetings between both parties thus far.”

The various men’s and women’s technical staff members were hired in December 2019 and January 2020, when William Wallace assumed leadership of the TT Football Association (TTFA).

However, Wallace and his executive were removed by FIFA in March due to mounting debts and the normalisation committee was established.

Wallace is challenging FIFA’s move, but the global governing body has threatened to suspend T&T from all football activities if Wallace and his United TTFA do not withdraw the legal matter from the T&T courts.

National men’s Under-17 coach and Under-20 assistant coach Angus Eve commented on Thursday, “Talks have been going very cordial. The coaches’ intention here is not to distract from whatever scenario that is going on. We are not a part of (the TTFA vs FIFA) scenario. We feel, just like the staff in the office and everybody else have been paid, we deserve to be paid.

“I think the normalisation committee is also of that view,” Eve added. “So, it makes the conversation a lot easier because, when the coaches would have taken up (their posts), it’s not any exorbitant amount of money. We did it for our country because it was told to us that (the TTFA) didn’t have enough money. Basically, we operated on stipends. We did it to help develop the young people and to have the country at heart when we took up the appointments.”

Eve, the former T&T midfielder and captain, pointed out that the contracts for the T&T technical staff members (excluding the men’s team) were set to end in August, following respective Concacaf World Cup qualifiers. Excluding the Concacaf Under-20 Women qualifiers (which took place in February), the other scheduled events were postponed due to the covid19 pandemic.

Asked if the coaches hold the view that things could have worked out better, in terms of salary requests, between themselves and the normalisation committee, Eve replied, “I would say yes, it should have to reach that point.

“I don’t want to blame (the committee),” he said. “They came in at a time where they had to sort out and do fact-finding. I’m not making any excuses for them. It’s still unacceptable that we had to wait five months to hear anything, but they did walk into a barrage of fire. I think that’s why the communication between us and them were so cordial because we still understand the position that they came (into) and we emphasise with them, but we still had to thread the course that we had.”

How have the coaches been keeping occupied during the covid19 period?

“I know several of the coaches have been doing their stuff online,” Eve replied. “All over the world, we can see they’re still playing football. I went on a number of courses, one with the Olympic (Committee), the CFU and the Sports Company. I’ve been very busy. Talking with some of the guys, I know they’ve been doing their stuff also.”

RELATED NEWS

Coaches to get final response on salaries in two days
By Nigel Simon (Guardian).


The 47 national coaches who were contracted by the ousted William Wallace-led T&T Football Association (TTFA) and have been unpaid since January can expect to get the final word on when they will be compensated in a couple of days.

This was the message relayed from the T&T Technical Staff members on Thursday after they had given the Robert Hadad-led Normalisation Committee installed by FIFA, the world governing body for the sport after Wallace and his executive was removed from office earlier this year, a one-week deadline to reply to their salary request made last week.

Last Friday, a quartet of coaches inclusive of former national captains, Clayton Morris and Angus Eve as well as Wayne “Barney” Shepphard, and Richard Hood held at a media conference held at Fatima College Ground, Mucurapo Road, in which they give the Normalisation Committee a September 9 deadline for salaries owed to appointed national coaches to be paid to the contracted coaches, 47 of them in total.

Back then speaking as members of what he described as the Steering Committee representing the national coaches in their matter with the TTFA/Normalisation Committee (NC), Eve, the most capped player in T&T football history with 118 appearances said that after dropping off their contracts at the TTFA head office in Couva to advance the process of their payments, they then had a phone call from the NC saying that they would like to meet with them on an individual basis, which they had promised to do about five months ago.

"So we were happy for that,” Eve said. “We did meet with them on an individual basis, each one of the head coaches was able to meet with them and articulate our positions and the meetings were cordial, and very interesting because for them, they are now coming in, and not trying to make any excuses for them, but we did seek to give them a little bit of latitude simply because they didn’t know what they were getting into.

Expressing his frustration with the delay, Eve said then: "It still doesn’t give them any reason for the lengthy delay in not communicating with us, so putting that out of the way, there is something on the table and they now have to go back and talk to the necessary people who are giving the money to them. We have sent in all of our bank accounts information so that we can be paid directly, we have suggested that, and they now have until September 9 to get back to us with the information on what is the remuneration package that all of are going to get.”

Eve, the coach of T&T Pro League’s Club Sando FC as well as Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) team Naparima College noted that the remuneration packages were not finalised based on the fact that they had to go back to FIFA to get the monies to be released.

An optimistic Eve stated then, “We are convinced that we will get something. As I said before, we worked and we have not burdened the government. We could have gone to the government because we haven’t been working since January and we could have burdened the government further, and we thought that it’s better than other persons in the public get those grants, and all we are asking for is the money is too be paid. If we look past the normal FIFA money that is supposed to come in and we just look at the US$500,000 grant that FIFA give for COVID-19 relief it comfortably can pay all of the staff, all of their salaries.”

Pressed to give a figure, Eve said that the total combined salaries owed to the coaches outside of the senior technical team is in the region of $450,000 or a little over that figure.

Contacted for an updated on the matter after the September 9 deadline came and went, the official press release from the T&T National Football Teams Technical Staff members stated: "The Normalisation Committee (NC) has met with the T&T national senior staff and youth team coaches on the 9th September as promised.

"In the meeting (which was facilitated virtually), the Normalisation Committee outlined proposals for the settlement of outstanding payments to technical staff members. The proposal was generally satisfactory, however, nuances in some individual contracts require further engagement.

"The commitment was given by the Normalisation Committee (NC) to return to our group with a final proposal for settlement in a couple of days.

The release ended: "We believe there is good reason to be optimistic of this process being completed within the time frame suggested by the Normalisation Committee. This optimism is borne out of the productive and transparent nature of the meetings between both parties thus far."

« Last Edit: September 11, 2020, 06:33:59 PM by Flex »
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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #565 on: September 14, 2020, 12:46:56 AM »
Coaches confident of payment despite injunction.
By Walter Alibey (Guardian).


National coaches are holding firm that monies owed to them for salaries, will be paid by the FIFA-installed Normalisation Committee (NC), as promised, despite an injunction at the T&T High Court of Justice which was filed by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) by members of the United United TTFA Team on Friday.

Former national captain, Clayton Morris, said the group of coaches remain confident that they will be paid through the same channels that the TTFA office staff workers were paid following a meeting on Saturday night.

The team is managing the coach's affairs with the NC alongside Morris is another former captain in midfielder Angus Eve, together with Wayne "Barney" Shepphard and national women's coach Richard Hood.

Guardian Media Sports understands that the office staff was paid via a direction money-transfer from the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) to their bank accounts. The coaches have submitted all the relative information which includes their personal bank information with the Normalisation Committee.

On Friday, attorneys representing the United TTFA Team of former president Williams Wallace, his three vice presidents Joseph Sam Phillip, Clynt Taylor and Susan Joseph-Warrick and associates Keith Look Loy, the president of the T&T Super League and Anthony Harford, the president of the Northern Football Association, filed an injunction to stop tomorrow's Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) which was convened by normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad, upon the request of the TTFA's membership on August 28.

That meeting was triggered after the August 26 letter from general secretary of FIFA Fatma Samoura, addressed to Hadad, warning that TTFA would face sanctions if it did not withdraw the matter out of the T&T High Court by September 16.

Coincidentally, it is the same date given by Hadad and his committee which comprises attorney Judy Daniel (deputy chairman) and former banker Nigel Romano (member), for payment to 47 coaches which is estimated at TT$450,000.

Hadad fended off concerns of the legitimacy of holding the meeting, after the membership, via a petition, showed they were capable of securing well over 50 per cent support from the delegates. The petition which was initiated by Eastern Football Association (EFA) president Keiron Edwards, is intended to prevent the United TTFA from continuing its court battle with football's world governing body-FIFA, as its action has put the country on the cust of sanctions from the FIFA.

Morris, a former national defender, who has the experience previously of not been compensated by the TTFA 2001-2002 and again in 2018, finds himself having to battle for outstanding wages from January to presently, said the payment of remuneration is to be paid out to all the coaches, from junior to senior levels.

Some coach will only be entitled to a maximum of seven months salaries as they were given letters of appointments for January to August, while other coaches, particularly those on the senior team, were given two-year contracts, and therefore, will be in a position to receive monies after the seven months.

Morris said Saturday night's meeting was just among the coaches and did not involve any member of the normalisation committee. He said the coaches believe the normalisation committee would fulfil the commitment given to them at a September 9 meeting to make the payments.

RELATED NEWS

Technical staff members say settlement imminent, hail ‘progressive’ talks with normalisation committee.
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).


Representatives for the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association’s (TTFA) national technical staff members have reported progress in discussions with the Fifa-appointed normalisation committee, with a settlement believed to be imminent.

The coaches and assortment of support staff, who were all hired under the William Wallace-led administration, have not been paid since they took up duties between December 2019 and January 2020.

Initially, Wallace said he did not have the funds to cover their remuneration, due to Fifa’s refusal to send Forward Programme money for the cash-strapped body. Then, normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad reneged on a promise on 29 April to meet with each team to review contracts and facilitate payment.

On Tuesday 25 August, the technical staff members took matters into their own hands by marching to the TTFA’s office at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva—in the glare of the media—to personally drop off contracts and letters of appointment and demand talks.

After initially meeting a locked gate, a release today suggested a thawing of relations following virtual meetings with not only Hadad but committee members Judy Daniel and Nigel Romano.

“The normalisation committee has met with the Trinidad and Tobago national senior staff and youth team coaches on the 9th September as promised,” stated the release. “In the meeting (which was facilitated virtually), the normalisation committee outlined proposals for the settlement of outstanding payments to technical staff members. The proposal was generally satisfactory however nuances in some individual contracts require further engagement.

“The commitment was given by the normalisation committee to return to our group with a final proposal for settlement in a couple days.”

Staff members praised the cordial response by the committee, which they have taken in good faith. Outside of the Men’s National Senior Team technical staff, the majority of their group saw their contracts end last month.

Although only the Women’s National Under-20 Team saw competitive action—they finished as quarterfinalists at the 2020 Concacaf competition—all the teams were activated and trained until Covid-19 forced a shut down in March.

Wired868 understands that the normalisation committee initially tried to renegotiate contracts during the recent meetings. This was rejected by coaches who were open to that idea in April, while they were still employed, but found it unacceptable to do so at the end of their deals.

With the novel coronavirus ensuring a freeze on competitive football within Concacaf in 2020, the normalisation committee—which was arguably ceded control of the secretariat by Wallace and his elected officers—is not expected to rehire any technical staff members this year. However, the payment of coaches would arguably represent a minor victory for Hadad and his team in their new roles.

“We believe there is good reason to be optimistic of this process being completed within the time frame suggested by the normalisation committee,” stated the technical staff members. “This optimism is borne out of the productive and transparent nature of the meetings between both parties thus far.”

The normalisation committee has also scheduled an Extraordinary General Meeting on 15 September, which is meant to give members the opportunity to distance themselves from Wallace’s legal case with Fifa, and/or compel the TTFA’s elected officers to abandon its courtroom fight.

Wallace refused to attend since he does not recognise the normalisation committee’s authority to be involved in the process, while Trinidad and Tobago Football Referees Association (TTFRA) vice-president Osmond Downer, one of the framers of the TTFA constitution, also challenged the validity of the EGM.

The coaches are not part of the larger debate in the local game, although that may change soon. The TTFA’s technical staff members also started the formation of a coaches association within recent weeks and intend to see it through.

Men’s National Under-17 Team head coach and Under-20 Team assistant coach Angus Eve, who also heads the Naparima College and Club Sando football programmes, said the group has spoken not only to the 35-odd TTFA employees, but also coaches like Cornell Glen and Travis Mulraine, who are ‘enthusiastic about it’.

“We believe this week we will have the registration documents done and Mr Downer is helping us with the constitution and gave us a timetable of next week to finish it,” Eve told Wired868. “[…] This action shows when you come together how more effective you are than as individuals. We have been able to make far more inroads as a group [with the normalisation committee] than as individuals.”

Men’s National Under-15 Team assistant coach Wayne Sheppard, who is also Arima North Secondary technical director and QPCC assistant coach, said the coaches association could be a blessing for all stakeholders of the game.

“We don’t just see this as an association to deal with monies owed; we see this as a plan to elevate the standard of coaching by improving the opportunities for coaching education and certification,” said Sheppard. “We have some ideas about how to improve that. We also want, as one of the main stakeholders whose voice has been absent, to help those who are in power in making decisions to help the game go forward.

“It is not about confrontation. We feel we have a unique oversight about things that administrators don’t have which affect our chances for success. The same would go for the players [and an active players association] as well.”

« Last Edit: September 14, 2020, 12:58:33 AM by Flex »
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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #566 on: September 30, 2020, 12:42:06 AM »
Sheppard wants good sense to prevail as technical staff still unpaid.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).


WAYNE Sheppard, assistant coach of the T&T men’s Under-15 football team, wants good sense to prevail as technical staff members of the various men’s and women’s squads are yet to be paid by the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee.

Sheppard and fellow members of the Coaches Steering Committee (Clayton Morris, Angus Eve, Richard Hood and Jefferson George), issued a letter to the United TTFA head, former TTFA (TT Football Association) president William Wallace on Monday.

In August, the coaches met with the normalisation committee and were promised that their outstanding salaries would be dealt with. The coaches were appointed to the various national teams by the TTFA between December 2019 and February 2020.

The letter, which was released to the media, said, “In previous newspaper articles and interviews, you and other members of the United TTFA have indicated that you were not opposed to the office staff and coaches being paid by FIFA or Concacaf and would not interfere or act in any manner to negatively affect the payment of staff.”

The letter continued, “On Saturday 26th September, however, we were informed by the normalisation committee that FIFA is unwilling to make these payments because of the reinstated court action by the United TTFA.”

The United TTFA, on Friday, resumed their court matter against FIFA, regarding FIFA’s decision to suspend TT from international matches and competition, based on the United TTFA’s late response to withdraw their legal action from the local High Court.

“We, the national staff members, would appreciate hearing from you how you can assist us with regard to our remuneration in the existing circumstances,” the letter ended.

Sheppard said on Monday, “I have said from the beginning that we’re confident we would be paid. The key part was coming to some sort of agreement with the normalisation committee, which we did. Mr Wallace and the United TTFA has said that they wouldn’t stand in the way of us getting paid, and now is the time to honour those words.”

Sheppard continued, “People have been without salaries, without pay for the better part of (a) year. So that means there are households who are suffering, which is only exacerbated by the pandemic. We can’t go out and work otherwise. The sooner it ends, the better. I’m seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

“I’m hoping to get an answer from (United TTFA) that stays true to their word and allows this process to come to an end. Not just the coaches but the players are in the same boat as well. A lot of people are forgetting the players, especially the players who are here in (T&T) who can’t play any football as well. We’re hoping for them, as well as us, that the end of this struggle is near.”

Wallace, on the other hand, thinks that the normalisation committee is using this latest legal move by the United TTFA as a reason to avoid paying the TT technical staff.

“It is passing strange that the court action is now being blamed for not paying the coaches when the court action has been there for quite a long time,” said Wallace. “As far as I know, the head of the normalisation committee (Robert Hadad) met with the coaches and promised payment. It is strange that they have now gone back to saying that the matter being in court is what’s stopping the coaches from being paid. Any monies that comes from FIFA goes to the normalisation committee.”

Wallace added, “The court matter can’t stop anything from coming to the normalisation committee. Why are they blaming the court matter? If the monies (are) coming from FIFA, the monies to pay the office staff, then what is the difference? I’m not sure, I’m confused.”

According to Wallace, “This is more than an excuse. Everything is being used to put pressure on us to act in a particular way. We expect that and, given that the matter is still in the court, and given that probably the court matter is two weeks away, we expect there will be sustained pressure between now and then. But that’s okay. We are standing firm at this point in time.”

RELATED NEWS

T&T youth coach wants greater say from coaches, players.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).


ASSISTANT coach of the T&T men’s Under-15 football team Wayne Sheppard wants a greater say from coaches and players with regards to the administration of the sport locally.

Sheppard is part of the Coaches Steering Committee along with Clayton Morris, Angus Eve, Richard Hood and Jefferson George. They are seeking payments of their unpaid salaries from the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee, headed by businessman Robert Hadad.

During an interview, on Monday, Sheppard, who was appointed to the technical staff of the men’s Under-15 squad in February, described his stint as “an enlightening experience for me.”

He said, “There are a lot of people who are not really doing a service for the country or for the game. I am one of the luckier ones where I’m not the only breadwinner in my family, but there are a lot of technical staff members who are really uncertain right now because of this thing.”

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Concacaf has cancelled all of their youth World Cup qualifiers for this year.

“This is my first time being selected as a national coach,” he said. “I’m disappointed in the fact that we didn’t get to go to our (qualifiers) but I’m seeing the bigger picture where some good has to end up coming out of this. I hope that all stakeholders could see that the game is not bigger than the individual, and that we move forward in a positive direction. “At the same time, I’m seeing some of the people positioning themselves for power and I’m not really that hopeful. A new generation, a new breed, a new blood have to come into this game, at the administrative level, for this thing to get better.”

Sheppard, who is also the coach of Arima North Secondary School, has called for the local coaches, as well as players, to have their own respective voices, regarding the state of local football.

“What I’ve learnt is we have a number of technical staff members here who have (T&T) at their heart,” said Sheppard. “Coming out of this, a Coaches Association, we see, is one key thing to help move the thing forward. Beyond that, the players need to get themselves organised as well. For too long, we’ve had two of the key stakeholders being marginalised.”

He added, “Decisions are being made by administrators to have their input, for the main part.”

Sheppard commended the former TTFA executive, led by William Wallace, for the plans they had in store, from a technical standpoint. “But there is a lot of work that has to be done,” he pointed out.

“I see the coaches and the players having an important part to play if (T&T football) have to rise from where it is right now,” Sheppard said.

“We want to get investors back into the game. Two of the fastest ways to get investors back into the game are proper accounting and a proper product on the field.”

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #567 on: September 30, 2020, 06:51:35 AM »
Sheppard wants good sense to prevail as technical staff still unpaid.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).


WAYNE Sheppard, assistant coach of the T&T men’s Under-15 football team, wants good sense to prevail as technical staff members of the various men’s and women’s squads are yet to be paid by the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee.

Sheppard and fellow members of the Coaches Steering Committee (Clayton Morris, Angus Eve, Richard Hood and Jefferson George), issued a letter to the United TTFA head, former TTFA (TT Football Association) president William Wallace on Monday.

In August, the coaches met with the normalisation committee and were promised that their outstanding salaries would be dealt with. The coaches were appointed to the various national teams by the TTFA between December 2019 and February 2020.

The letter, which was released to the media, said, “In previous newspaper articles and interviews, you and other members of the United TTFA have indicated that you were not opposed to the office staff and coaches being paid by FIFA or Concacaf and would not interfere or act in any manner to negatively affect the payment of staff.”

The letter continued, “On Saturday 26th September, however, we were informed by the normalisation committee that FIFA is unwilling to make these payments because of the reinstated court action by the United TTFA.”

The United TTFA, on Friday, resumed their court matter against FIFA, regarding FIFA’s decision to suspend TT from international matches and competition, based on the United TTFA’s late response to withdraw their legal action from the local High Court.

“We, the national staff members, would appreciate hearing from you how you can assist us with regard to our remuneration in the existing circumstances,” the letter ended.

Sheppard said on Monday, “I have said from the beginning that we’re confident we would be paid. The key part was coming to some sort of agreement with the normalisation committee, which we did. Mr Wallace and the United TTFA has said that they wouldn’t stand in the way of us getting paid, and now is the time to honour those words.”

Sheppard continued, “People have been without salaries, without pay for the better part of (a) year. So that means there are households who are suffering, which is only exacerbated by the pandemic. We can’t go out and work otherwise. The sooner it ends, the better. I’m seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

“I’m hoping to get an answer from (United TTFA) that stays true to their word and allows this process to come to an end. Not just the coaches but the players are in the same boat as well. A lot of people are forgetting the players, especially the players who are here in (T&T) who can’t play any football as well. We’re hoping for them, as well as us, that the end of this struggle is near.”

Wallace, on the other hand, thinks that the normalisation committee is using this latest legal move by the United TTFA as a reason to avoid paying the TT technical staff.

“It is passing strange that the court action is now being blamed for not paying the coaches when the court action has been there for quite a long time,” said Wallace. “As far as I know, the head of the normalisation committee (Robert Hadad) met with the coaches and promised payment. It is strange that they have now gone back to saying that the matter being in court is what’s stopping the coaches from being paid. Any monies that comes from FIFA goes to the normalisation committee.”

Wallace added, “The court matter can’t stop anything from coming to the normalisation committee. Why are they blaming the court matter? If the monies (are) coming from FIFA, the monies to pay the office staff, then what is the difference? I’m not sure, I’m confused.”

According to Wallace, “This is more than an excuse. Everything is being used to put pressure on us to act in a particular way. We expect that and, given that the matter is still in the court, and given that probably the court matter is two weeks away, we expect there will be sustained pressure between now and then. But that’s okay. We are standing firm at this point in time.”

RELATED NEWS

T&T youth coach wants greater say from coaches, players.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).


ASSISTANT coach of the T&T men’s Under-15 football team Wayne Sheppard wants a greater say from coaches and players with regards to the administration of the sport locally.

Sheppard is part of the Coaches Steering Committee along with Clayton Morris, Angus Eve, Richard Hood and Jefferson George. They are seeking payments of their unpaid salaries from the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee, headed by businessman Robert Hadad.

During an interview, on Monday, Sheppard, who was appointed to the technical staff of the men’s Under-15 squad in February, described his stint as “an enlightening experience for me.”

He said, “There are a lot of people who are not really doing a service for the country or for the game. I am one of the luckier ones where I’m not the only breadwinner in my family, but there are a lot of technical staff members who are really uncertain right now because of this thing.”

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Concacaf has cancelled all of their youth World Cup qualifiers for this year.

“This is my first time being selected as a national coach,” he said. “I’m disappointed in the fact that we didn’t get to go to our (qualifiers) but I’m seeing the bigger picture where some good has to end up coming out of this. I hope that all stakeholders could see that the game is not bigger than the individual, and that we move forward in a positive direction. “At the same time, I’m seeing some of the people positioning themselves for power and I’m not really that hopeful. A new generation, a new breed, a new blood have to come into this game, at the administrative level, for this thing to get better.”

Sheppard, who is also the coach of Arima North Secondary School, has called for the local coaches, as well as players, to have their o
wn respective voices, regarding the state of local football.

“What I’ve learnt is we have a number of technical staff members here who have (T&T) at their heart,” said Sheppard. “Coming out of this, a Coaches Association, we see, is one key thing to help move the thing forward. Beyond that, the players need to get themselves organised as well. For too long, we’ve had two of the key stakeholders being marginalised.”

He added, “Decisions are being made by administrators to have their input, for the main part.”

Sheppard commended the former TTFA executive, led by William Wallace, for the plans they had in store, from a technical standpoint. “But there is a lot of work that has to be done,” he pointed out.

“I see the coaches and the players having an important part to play if (T&T football) have to rise from where it is right now,” Sheppard said.

“We want to get investors back into the game. Two of the fastest ways to get investors back into the game are proper accounting and a proper product on the field.

1. The authors of the non-payment have deployed a policy of wounding the hostages.

2. Instead of taking ownership of their indiscriminate aggression that has resulted in the wounding, they claim that an entity other than them is the wounding aggressor.

3. Indiscriminate aggression is broadly characterised by not giving a %$#@. So, guess who fundamentally doesn't give a %$#@.

4. Two parties can agree that the occurrence of a stated future event(s) shall be consequential to their agreement ... however, if an event of a type not contemplated in their agreement occurs, it isn't necessarily consequential to their agreement.

Those are the beyond-the-rope waters in which you are swimming.

Matters are attenuated when neither of the agreeing parties is in a position to control the conduct of a 3rd party not involved in the original agreement, but whose conduct ostensibly is pertinent to the 'vigour' of the agreement.

A central problem here is that United TTFA is a litigant who couldn't reasonably  be expected to hamstring its options on the altar of protecting an interest that's of perceived less import (coach payment) than the broader/larger interests that are on the altar of United TTFA's original sin/sacrifice/offending conduct (subject to definition, perception, interpretation but let's call it "their removal/federation governance").

It is this balancing of interests that overcame the United TTFA member who withdrew. She wrote: 'Within recent times it has become clear to me, that we are also fighting against those that we represent; The Associations, The Clubs, The Teams, Supporters and Sadly....the Players'

FIFA in its non-payment and United TTFA in its path of principled conviction have set the stage for lingering resentments and infighting that could survive the resolution of the main question at hand. Non-payment is an elective element of that cocktail. While some may argue that the path of principled conviction is also elective, that's not a sustainable argument because it goes directly to the main issue.  On the other hand,
payment of coaches does not go to the main question directly. It's incidental to, or tangential to, the bigger circumstance. That's why the technical staff is conveniently collateral damage.

Also,  if I was an administrator who has been paid, my stance would be I can't accept payment unless all staff are paid. Or, I accept payment but won't act on those funds in solidarity with those who have not been paid. Certainly, if I'm at the helm of the technical staff and I have been paid, that latter position would be mandatory.

 
 
« Last Edit: September 30, 2020, 11:15:15 AM by asylumseeker »

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #568 on: October 01, 2020, 02:18:26 AM »
Kudos to Lasana for picking up the trail. Maybe a comment from the technical director is missing.
« Last Edit: October 01, 2020, 02:20:20 AM by asylumseeker »

Offline Flex

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Re: TTFA News Thread.
« Reply #569 on: November 11, 2020, 01:19:24 AM »
More problems with TTFA debt-eradication plan.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).


Coaches salaries to be a concern

There could be more problems with the eradication of the T&T Football Association (TTFA) debt, which can potentially lead to the reduction of salaries for coaches in the future.

World football's governing body-FIFA will decide on the future of T&T football, inclusive of the eradication of an existing debt which is said to be some $70 million. The debt is considered key to the solution of the issues plaguing the sport but can also lead to a return of the initial problems.

Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president Randy Harris believes the country's football issues will be solved by the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee, which will have the responsibility to seek funding, in an already difficult corporate society, warning, however, that the normalisation committee which is being chaired by businessman Robert Hadad, will have to guard against going back to the problems it faced before.

Harris said: "My experience is that whenever FIFA institutes normalisation, at the end of the project the Member Association (MA) is normally in a better place so I don't see anything different to T&T. I don't think FIFA will just say okay, you owe $10 million dollars, we will give you all $10 million to pay all the debt. It will be a process and obviously, the normalisation committee acts in the same way that a normal exemptive committee will operate within the country."

T&T is currently awaiting a response from the FIFA on whether it will lift a suspension that was handed to the William Wallace-led TTFA for a violation of the FIFA Statutes on September 24. This followed the appointment of the normalisation committee on March 17, on the basis that the Wallace-led TTFA had put the sport in a position of insolvency and illiquidity.

The normalisation committee which was later filled by chairman Hadad, former banker Nigel Romano and Attorney Judy Daniel, was given a mandate to: "Run the TTFA's daily affairs; Establish a debt repayment plan that is implementable by the TTFA; Review and amend the TTFA Statutes (and other regulations where necessary) and to ensure their compliance with the FIFA Statutes and requirements before duly submitting them for approval to the TTFA Congress; and to organise and to conduct elections of a new TTFA Executive Committee for a four-year mandate".

Wallace said on Tuesday the sport is in need of an overhaul, saying the eradication of the debt is crucial to this, as everything will be affected.

"If FIFA was going to liquidate the debt, then my fight with them (FIFA) would not have taken place," he said.

Due to Wallace's apparent defiance to orders by the FIFA, to not challenge the appointment of the normalisation committee, the country has until December 18 to know whether it will be re-accepted into the FIFA as a member and be allowed to play in FIFA-sanctioned tournaments.

FIFA last week wrote to Hadad to acknowledge the country's attempts to be re-accepted via an overturning of High Court ruling by the Court of Appeal as well as a decision by the sport's membership to remove all the matters the TTFA had against the FIFA in the court system.

A TTFA Board member who spoke on condition of anonymity, said FIFA will likely provide the funding to clear the existing debt of TTFA and will take it back through the annual grants given to member associations.

He said if this happens, the country may find itself back in the same position it was in at the start, as there will be a strain on the TTFA to finance other programmes such as salaries to coaches and staff and development plans, among others.

"There will also be a strain on the operating costs, as 70-80 per cent of the debt of the TTFA comes from coaches' salaries etc. This means the salary of national coach Terry Fenwick and others will have to be reviewed in the future. It will also mean reducing the amount to be paid to coaches in the future," the board member explained.

Harris said: "There must be some manner of restoring the financial integrity of T&T and that would mean putting certain issues in place and making sure that the decisions made by the normalisation committee are workable."

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

 

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