TTFA Presidency Polls; The countdown to election begins.

[Tallman]

Meet TTFA Election candidates: Team Transformation, Colin Wharfe and Colm de Freitas

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/R3aKgGHqFMg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/R3aKgGHqFMg</a>

[Tallman]

Meet TTFA Election candidates: Team Progressive, Kieron Edwards and Jameson Rigues

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/6bi3TYrLbqg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/6bi3TYrLbqg</a>

[Controversial]

I wouldn't be proud to announce any member of the Williams family as a part of my slate..

Any association to the "Dictator" means corruption... The problem with these interviews is they never probe and put them in uncomfortable situations to answer.

They are prime for selling out, Colm straight up said that finance was his main reason for joining under Wharfe... That means FIFA is ready to pay and control under Wharfe. It has nothing to do with management bc the investment from the private and govt sector is non existent

[chelsealife]

Edwards win so let's see if he makes good on his first 100 days promise and the rest going forward

[Tallman]

Kieron Edwards Landslide: EFA president takes over TTFA reins
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)

KIERON EDWARDS is the new Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president.

Yesterday, Edwards’ Team Progressive won by a landslide (38-19) at the local football association’s election of officers, held at the Home of Football, Couva. There was a 100% turnout of TTFA delegates, accounting for 57 votes.

Also elected were former national cricketer and Secondary Schools football coach Colin Murray, first vice-president; T&T Football Referees Association (TTFRA) president Osmond Downer, second vice-president; and T&T Super League (TTSL) president Jameson Rigues, third vice-president).

Meanwhile, Alicia Austin, Andrew Boodoo, Allan Logan, Ryan Nunes and Shelton Williams completed Edwards’ slate as ordinary members.

Confident going into the poll, Eastern Football Association (EFA) president Edwards promised to work with all TTFA members. “I’m happy. I’m humbled. I’m honoured to be the new president of the TTFA,” said Edwards. “After four years of (the) Normalisation Committee (NC), the members would have given me a bit of confidence with the vote and the number (margin) of the vote. I’m really happy with it and I’m ready to work.”

Defeated candidate Colin Wharfe suggested that some persons may have reneged on their commitment to his Team Transformation slate, but nevertheless accepted the results.

“You get commitments and understandings from individuals and it didn’t pan out. So, they may have changed their minds, I have no idea,” reasoned Wharfe. “But it is their democratic right to do as they wish. They, in the final analysis, made a selection, and we want to honour that selection,” he added.

TTFA delegates shied away from divulging who they voted for, but there were those who were brave enough to comment on the process.

Everton Alfred, the Tobago Football Association (TFA) president, is hoping that the new president lives up to commitments that both election slates had made to Tobago football. “When we met with both camps, we expressed some requirements for Tobago, in terms of getting some more support, technical and financial. So, I expect that it would before coming from either side which would have won,” Alfred revealed.

Meanwhile, former national defender and Central FC owner Brent Sancho believes the process went smoothly. “It’s good to see a young, vibrant person being in charge of the football,” stated Sancho. “So, the hope is that moving forward not just the slate that has won here today moves football forward, but more importantly, the membership move away from the politics that we have had over the last couple of weeks and come together and start to move football forward..”

The former Sports Minster added: “I think it’s a very experienced team. I like the collection of individuals in it. It represents not just people in the (TTFA) membership, but people with different skills-set, that I think the TTFA currently needs. I think its good for democracy in the TTFA... We have come a long way.”

Following a hectic three-month campaign, Edwards will rest today with family, but expects to begin work as soon as tomorrow when he meets with Robert Hadad, who had been appointed by FIFA and charged with running local football for the past four years as chairman of the NC.

“Monday, hit the ground running,” said Edwards. “Meet with the chairman of the former Normalisation Committee and work on the handing over; meet the staff and really start to engage, in terms of what we plan to do from Monday. We want to do a strategic planning exercise and those are the steps within the first weeks,” he intimated.

Edwards hinted that he will learn from past mistakes from the former regime, led by William Wallace, and will honour those that have legitimate contracts with the TTFA. He said the aim is to give the national team all resources they need to aid in qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and will be seeking both government and corporate support.

“When it comes to our senior men’s team, we intend to give coach Angus Eve and the boys all the support to qualify for the next World Cup,” Edwards emphasised, adding, “We will honour contracts that coaches are under. We will work with them. It’s not a situation of moving this one. It’s about giving support to T&T, enhancing what we do, ensuring the correct development and ensuring that we do qualify for tournaments and we do well in the tournaments.”

The new TTFA boss also declared that the status of all TTFA employees—including general secretary Amiel Mohammed, who was appointed under Hadad—will only be determined after perusal by a Financial and Remuneration Committee.

“He (Mohammed) is the general secretary of the TTFA currently and I will work with him until further notice.”

[Tallman]

Edwards takes charge of TTFA: Hadad says association debt free apart from FIFA loan
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)

Kieron Edwards has been given the responsibility along with his very experienced Team Progress slate to take T&T football into a new era.

This as Edwards, the Eastern Football Association (EFA) president, was elected as the new president of the TTFA by a vote count of 38-19 over Colin Wharfe and Team Transformation at the Home of Football in Balmain, Couva, on Saturday (April 13).

The voting delegates were required to register their vote, via secret ballot, at the Elective Congress for either one of the two slates – “Slate Edwards” or “Slate Wharfe”.

The appointment of Edwards who will serve as the head of local football for the next four years also brings to an end the tenure of the Robert Hadad-led FIFA-appointed normalisation committee after four years in charge of T&T football after the reign of then-newly elected president William Wallace was swiftly brought to a calamitous end several months into his tenure.

The other members of the new TTFA executive include sports commentator Colin Murray (first vice-president), former FIFA referee Osmond Downer (second vice-president), Jameson Rigues (third vice president) and ordinary members, Ryan Nunes, Andrew Boodhoo, Allan Logan, Alicia Austin, and Shelton Williams.

The other members of Wharfe's slate were Colonel Keston Charles (first vice-president), Renee John-Williams (second vice-president), Huey Cadette (third vice-president), and ordinary members Colm De Freitas, Riaz Ali, Lee Davis, Makan Hislop and Richard Mason.

Speaking following his Team Progress triumph in the election a beaming Edwards said he was happy, humbled and honoured to be the new president of the TTFA.

"After four years of normalisation committee, I think the members would have given me a bit of confidence with the vote and I am ready to work."

Commenting on the work done by his team in the build-up to the election, Edwards said, "Our slate would have done the work and left it in the hands of the membership and they made their decision. So, it was up to the members and they decided to give us the confidence and we are really humbled and honoured by it.

Looking ahead, Edwards said he will be having a relaxing "Sunday" (today) before he gets to work tomorrow (Monday).

He said, "The campaign has been hectic and I intend to hit the ground running on Monday, meet with the NC chairman, work on the handing over and meet with the members of staff to engage with the team."

Edwards said he intends to engage corporate T&T, and the Government in terms of their assistance to football and the assets that belong to the TTFA.

"So, it's going to be a collective approach we intend to deal with and it's one that we have been saying during our campaign as well.

"It's a members-first approach, one of inclusion and partnerships and it will continue during our tenure.

Asked to comment on senior men's coach Angus Eve's squad, Edwards said, "My vision is similar to that of T&T nationals in terms of ensuring that they qualify for the next World Cup not just for football but for T&T because it's a unifying and healing thing.

"We know the power of football throughout the world and we intend to utilise football to leave a positive mark on T&T.

Concerning Eve's position as coach, as well as general secretary of the TTFA, Edwards made it clear that he intends to honour all contracts of those employed currently and assured that coach Eve will be given all the support to qualify the team for the next World Cup.

He added, "It's not a situation of moving people, it's about giving the support for T&T and enhancing what we do and ensuring that we have the correct development and ensuring that we do qualify for tournaments and also that we do well in these tournaments.

Edwards was also full of praise for the Robert Hadad-led normalisation committee, saying, "The NC played a crucial role in T&T and we need to understand that and we need to acknowledge the service that they would have given to T&T football.

"It's not easy to give four years of your time to an organisation that you may not have wanted to in the initial stage, meaning that you didn't put yourself forward for the member to elect you.

"So, you first have to tip your hat to the NC and the chairman for the work that they would have done.

"We all have different views in terms of how we operate but in terms of the service given, you have to give credit to them for that.

"They would have done a tremendous job on consolidating our debt and having it there in one place now through FIFA and we have to give respect to that and you have to give to the NC as well and the team that would have worked on that and we now have the ability to lay a new foundation for football."

Beaten candidate and Team Transformation head, Colin Wharfe praised the voting process saying it was excellent.

However, said he was expecting somewhat of a different outcome.

He explained," You get commitment and understanding from individuals and it didn't pan out that way. So they may have changed their minds, I have no idea, but it is their democratic right to do as they wish."

"In the final analysis, they made a selection and we got to honour that solution," ended Wharfe.

Despite his loss, Wharfe the chief executive officer of the T&T Premier Football League said he will continue to do his job while awaiting the newly appointed TTFA executive to make their determinations.

Hadad also praised the election process saying that it was very professional and he was also delighted with the full turnout of the TTFA membership.

"It demonstrated the type of support T&T football has from within and the future is bright."

Hadad also thanked FIFA and Concacaf for their support and advice in getting local football to this point.

He added, "The NC process is completed but one outstanding matter is the BIA process which is still pending, as well as the two matters before the court, which will continue to be looked after the Trustee Maria Daniel, but other than that the TTFA is debt free apart from the FIFA loan which will be repaid in ten years."

New TTFA executive

President: Kieron Edwards

First vice-president: Colin Murray

Second vice-president: Osmond Downer

Third vice president: Jameson Rigues

Ordinary member: Ryan Nunes

Ordinary member: Andrew Boodhoo

Ordinary member: Allan Logan

Ordinary member: Alicia Austin

Ordinary member: Shelton Williams

[Controversial]

Edwards played and was close to The Dictator, so hopefully he is not under the influence of the dictator. Hadad seemed very happy, which has me uneasy because that could signal another puppet.

It is a wait and see approach, if he keeps Eve, then you know who he is working for and who controls him..

[maxg]

That alone Is a foolish measurement of job (Association )performance!

[Deeks]

What do they have in store for Women football ?

[Tallman]

New TTFA president knows what is required to lead football to a brighter future
By Brian Lewis (T&T Guardian)

“It is far better to be free to govern or misgovern yourself than to be governed by anybody else.” —Kwame Nkrumah

Kieron “Bo” Edwards is the new president of the T&T Football Association (TTFA). Edwards defeated Colin Wharfe at the Elective Congress 38-19 on Saturday at the Home of Football in Couva.

The TTFA last held elections for executive members in November 2019. William Wallace defeated David-John Williams to become TTFA president. FIFA removed the Wallace-led executive from office in March 2020 and appointed a normalisation committee to run the day-to-day affairs of the TTFA. It was alleged that FIFA’s pick in that race didn’t win. Yet again the perception is that FIFA’s preferred slate didn’t win on Saturday.

While there are those who with good cause will feel apprehensive about FIFA’s relationship with the newly minted TTFA president, his biggest challenge will emanate from within his own camp of supporters as he will have to manage their expectations and sense of entitlement given what they may consider as their contribution to his landslide win.

Many will seek to shape his agenda and fulfil their personal ambitions under the guise of being his closest and most trusted ally. Be wise president Edwards, you had the courage to take on the challenge. Be careful of those who aspired to be the leader but now fashion themselves as king-makers or the real power behind your throne. Temper your words. Give everyone a fair start, regardless of what you may have heard about them. Two wrongs never make a right. Nor can you right a wrong by committing another wrong.

The enormous potential of “Soca Warriors” football and its players need no repeating. Football globally is said to be the beautiful game and is acknowledged as the number one team sport in terms of participation. Here on the twin-island Republic, it’s no different. Football is numero uno (number one) in terms of participation. Track and field is the number one sport when it comes to international achievement be it World Championships and the Olympics. However, football captures the interest of the citizens every day. The Olympics gains wider public interest once every four years. Cricket some will argue generates similar interest as football. But it certainly will run second to football in terms of participation.

That being said, long story short, president Edwards has his work cut out for him. To my mind, it’s important that he has a successful tenure. His life experiences—good, bad and indifferent prepared him for his turn as leader of T&T football. The neutrals and all those who have the best interest of football will support him and give him a chance.

Like all local sports—football has to be entrepreneurial, future-thinking, marketing and brand development-oriented and innovative. In respect of good governance, transparency and accountability are non-negotiable with zero tolerance for corruption including illegal gambling. “Bo knows” what needs to be done. The strategy adopted over the many years that has led to this point in time, may not be an effective strategy in his new role. The first test he will face is stepping out from the shadows and ghosts of the way things were done.

The pendulum and momentum has swung in his direction.

T&T football is in for interesting and exciting times.

All eyes are on “Bo”, because Bo knows.

“I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and do things that I would never, ever do.”—Bo Jackson.

[asylumseeker]

I wouldn't characterize the victory as a landslide. Undoubtedly comprehensive, but not a landslide. A not insignificant minority voted against Edwards.