Camps hopes TTFF, Sport Ministry can improve relations in 2011
By Kern De Freitas (T&T Express)
It's 2011 and time to get the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation's (TTFF) house in order.
TTFF president Oliver Camps yesterday acknowledged that there are a lot of issues to be sorted out before T&T football, particularly senior men's football, can begin to see improvements.
The national team had one of their worst seasons in 2010, ending the year with a group stage exit from the Digicel Caribbean Cup Finals under coach Russell Latapy. That followed a string of ordinary results which drew criticism from many corners, including Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Anil Roberts.
Camps disclosed that during this month the TTFF will hold an executive meeting to iron out a number of issues. Chief among these is Latapy's future as national coach. The TTFF will also try to resolve full payment of national senior players for their last 13 international matches.
While senior men's team activities have come to a screeching halt pending those issues, Camps advised that the other national teams will continue to prepare for their various assignments.
In his message for the New Year, Camps expressed hope that there will be a turnaround in national football this year. But does he see the glass of T&T football as half-empty, or half-full?
"At this stage, the glass is shaking. It's a shaky glass," Camps admitted to the Express. "It may be dropping out some (water) but we will try to keep it as (steady) as possible. Everything is being done to make sure what is in place keeps on going and what has to be corrected (is) as soon as possible."
The reason for the TTFF's payment woes has been the late release of money by the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, but Camps said he is not pointing fingers at the Ministry. He acknowledged that the TTFF have to take their share of the blame.
"Once the payment is late in coming, we have problems paying out everybody — players and staff and whatever," Camps explained. "What I want to see happen in 2011 is that we are more promptly dealt with.
"Granted we may have been a little tardy in supplying them with the (necessary) information...we have to buck up ourselves and see things done in a timely basis, and we have to treat with it in a timely basis. We all have a piece of blame to take. "
For Camps, turning over a new leaf is the best approach and he stated his wish for the Ministry of Sport to play a "better part" and a "bigger role (financially)" in assisting their development programme.
So where else can the TTFF improve?
"Generally speaking, the tardiness all-round," Camps said. "(But) people have been working hard. If they weren't working hard, no football would be going on at all."
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