For the past nine months, the unforgiving challenges of the TTFA saw the moment the management of the past four years, had fallen prey to serious problems, mainly of financial debt, followed by new management most of whom were part of the previous one.
This may sound dramatic and moments of opportunities for those who were involved with casting aspersions of the persons “who started the fire”. About six months since FIFA sent a “Normalization Committee” to solve the huge problems which were placed before the entire Soccer fraternity. Apart from the waste of legal confusion, decisions were made eventually, not before the clearer picture regarding the issues and the withdrawing of the majority of former and present officers had to clear their path, some voluntarily and others by instruction from the FIFA’s Normalization Committee.
With the instruction that the TTFA will not be available to participate in FIFA competitions until the problems and new management will be tutored into an improved form of practice to perform the duties of Good management, which will include Marketing, Accounting, Technical Direction by qualified personnel and Education of ALL clubs who are considered members of the Association.
This means that there is no Soccer organized legally in TT and the already downtrodden life of the Pro League, Super League, and add the Zonal Leagues, whose path to their future, need immediate reorganization. However, not even the start of a review of the Constitution of the TTFA. This is the major dent in the football business and needs serious adjustments.
Clubs need to be educated to conduct the manner in which the rules and regulations should be adhered to. Some may wish to say that clubs were in operation for many years and should be well attuned to manage their Zonal Leagues. Now, it is my sincere belief that the Normalization Committee should take a special inspection of the constitution.
However, after seeing the Concacaf countries getting themselves ready for major competitions for the next two years, the matter is clear for TT. Their efforts to practice were taking place and still is being conducted without knowing when, where and if any admission will be offered to the TTFA before the problems are solved.
Please allow me to take a path for the benefit of football in TT in the future if the affiliated countries, will seek some form of dialogue with the members of the Normalization Committee if only to allow the Soca Warriors to engage in international friendlies within their region. The CFU should demonstrate some interest in the confused state of Football.
This decision to participate will show to FIFA, Concacaf, and CFU themselves the type of unity in which these islands should be engaged. Actually, the process of general elections which occur every four years for FIFA have always been valuable to the nominees of the confederation and FIFA. In the case of the Confederation, the voting members from the CFU already have the capacity of voters which the President of Concacaf needs in order to hold his position.
These thirty-five CFU members will also play a great part in supporting the solitary nominees, a move that will bring the elected President of Concacaf into office. Over the years, these elections have been the major feature for the persons who need to hold their positions with the support of the CFU members. Because of the past occasions where the last few occasions of Presidents in Concacaf were from Surinam, (the late Andre Kamperveen) Trinidad and Tobago, (Jack Warner) and The Cayman Islands (Jeff Webb).
Would it not be an opportunity to study the number of competent persons in the region who can perform the duties adequately. They will then be able to ensure that competence of management by the CFU affiliates, also be effective in the development of technical development, marketing throughout the Caribbean and arrange extensive and exciting forms of competitions for our neighbors, a factor which will prepare their competitiveness in order to be close to reaching the top of Concacaf tournaments.
The countries of the Caribbean have not been given the exposure of home matches in the finals of the Concacaf, neither have they been able to share ideas that can provide similar decisions to the other Concacaf countries. You will recall that only Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago were able to bring international junior FIFA competitions, to the region because the president of CONCACAF and vice president at the time was Mr. Jack Warner.
My Caribbean people, please do not fail to understand that the region has highly qualified personnel in order to hold positions at Concacaf and FIFA levels. My dear friends, these opportunities will be driven into operating the business of Football in a manner that will allow the Caribbean countries to work in the similar circumstances which the North and Central have done all their lives. The decision to change the pattern of administration is not to disregard those who were running the game for many years and we respect that contribution. But a new leader can be a step towards recognition of good management as well.
