“[…] The questions continue. Others arise… NC has never explained where the money to pay the ‘historic debt’ originated.
“[…] Whoever inherits the TTFA throne after FIFA/NC leaves will find out the truth AND who, them still debt for funds borrowed to repay ‘historic debt’…”
In the following letter to the editor, former TTSL president and TTFA technical committee chairman Keith Look Loy questions the ‘debt-free’ claims of the normalization committee and the plans of the New Elite League:
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868)
Now I’m just an observer of the proverbial passing parade, which in Trini never fails to amuse, amuse, shock and enrage – especially for me, the passing football parade.
The TTFA Normalization Committee held a media conference yesterday to deal with the organisation’s new found ‘debt free’ status and to announce a new Trini football league in 2023.
But the questions persist. Others are born.
First, (and, as I understand it, litigation is still up in the air regarding the money claimed by two Englishmen), NC has never explained where the money to pay the “historic debt” originated.
The smart money says it comes from Zurich, in which case FIFA/NC took three years to “accomplish” something that could have been done in the blink of an eye.
If true, a loan from FIFA also goes against FIFA’s own regulations. But FIFA is FIFA. The lack of transparency in this matter is extraordinary.
Whoever inherits the TTFA throne after FIFA/NC leaves will find out the truth AND who they still owe for the funds borrowed to pay off the “historic debt”.
Then there is the issue of club licensing. How long have we been talking about this? Ad infinitum. This led to the exclusion of Trini football from the Concacaf club championship.
The TTFA has always been loathe to impose licensing requirements on clubs and NC, given yesterday’s inability to state hard facts about the proposed “new” licensing regime, seems equally willing to let the clubs slide – as in the case of an “internal licensing”. scheme.
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868)
When will clubs be required to meet licensing criteria? No answer.
And, of course, there was the grand promise to restart official elite football (with all due respect to the Ascension League) after three years of inactivity via the proposed new “elite league”—entry into which would be based on meeting the criteria of licensing. .
What are the details, nuts and bolts of this new league? No answer. Why? Because FIFA/NC has not spoken to those who matter: the clubs. However, it does make a grand announcement.
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868)
In typical cavalier style, NC unveils “plans” (more like half-baked ideas) that have no flesh on the bones, no details – because the people they’re “planning” for haven’t been consulted. This is because NC is more concerned about FIFA/Concacaf pressure and directives than our football.
Regarding current football, I question the decision to reintroduce a football season spanning two calendar years (eg 2023-2024) as apparently advised by FIFA/Concacaf.
TTPL originally had such a season and abandoned it because local experience tells us that this is not a good idea as we have the small cultural issues of mid-season Christmas and Carnival celebrations.
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868)
The TTPL went to the calendar year season, like Conmebol and the rest of Concacaf. But NC has no institutional memory because none of them were involved in football before FIFA’s intervention.
But now, with the end of the FIFA/NC dictatorship looming on the horizon in 2023 (March 2023), they rush to reveal something they can’t give any details about. Transparent policy.
The burning question that arises is will FIFA end its illegal and immoral occupation in march next year?
(via FIFA)
Insider rumors say there are plans to extend NC’s life by another two years because they don’t like who is waiting in the wings to take over.
Finally, there is the issue of constitutional reform, for which nothing has been done. I warn the clubs, both TTPL and TTSL, that this exercise will be used to remove them from their political influence within the TTFA.
Will they accept this?
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ CA-Images/ Wired868)
I can say that TTSL under my presidency would never have done it. But how much fight the dormant and dilapidated Trini football clubs have left in them remains to be seen.
The coming months will offer much to observe in the passing Trini football parade. Or should I say charade?
