In spite of positive results on the field of play, members of the executive of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) have agreed to take a stance against the administration of the sport.

Vice presidents Lennox Watson, Rudolph Thomas and Krishendath Kuarsingh as well as other executive members Roland Forde, Neville Ferguson and Richard Kwan Chan, in a penned letter to the media, stated that they have lost confidence in president Raymond Tim Kee.

They described the administration of the sport over the past three years as the lowest it has ever been due to presidential incompetence and lack of consultation with executive committee members and/or the Emergency Committee of the T&T Football Association on critical issues.

The executive members also highlighted a number critical decisions made by the embattled football association president that derailed their confidence in him.

These include: Alleged payment to the president’s son for providing a TTFA website without consultation and agreement of the executive committee and or the emergency committee; Illegal and unconstitutional dismissal of the general secretary of the TTFA; Taking unilateral decisions with regards to matters pertinent to the TTFA and in such circumstances, failure of the president to convene one single meeting of the Emergency Committee, of which he is the chairman to address such matters.

The decisions also included; Failure of the president to convene one single meeting of the Finance and Marketing Committee and/or the Fundraising Committee of the TTFA; Failure of the president to ensure Audited Financial statements for the last three years, taking into consideration possible strategies to do so, as advised by Robert Reis of KPMG; Failure of the president to ensure a strategic plan for the development of football in Trinidad and Tobago over a ten year period is produced; Not providing relevant, timely and appropriate Financial statements over the last three years leading to the uncertainty surrounding the indebtedness of the Association, to the extent that the association may be bankrupt; Under Tim Kee the Standing Committees system has failed to function; Not addressing in a timely manner a threat by the FIFA to institute disciplinary charges against the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association for failure to adhere to a FIFA mandate to pay former National Women’s coach Evan Pellerud.

Watson said the decision by the executive is a bold move to save the sport of football from a certain suspension by the world governing body- FIFA. This letter was sent out to all stakeholders of football in T&T, as well as the FIFA. “We must understand that we are in a crisis situation and it is critical that the FIFA knows so that extreme measures are not taken against us” Watson explained yesterday.

A reliable source, however, told the T&T Guardian that there are attempts to ensure that the November 29 elections do not come off as expected. And if this happens it can spell danger for T&T as its executive members are to be compliant with the FIFA if they are to be allowed to vote at the FIFA Congress.

According to the source if they do not vote  it would mean an immediate ban for the executives from the FIFA which would lead to no representation for T&T at the FIFA level.   

The Guardian questioned Watson about the time frame given to the TTFA to be compliant and he said “TTFA executives have been given a certain period of tyime to be compliant by the FIFA and that time is November 30. If we are not compliant by then, we will be given another 18 months before the FIFA will intervene and throw us out as members.

Now after watching the game on Friday night I am sure that the TTFA being thrown out will hurt all the players who played and all other players throughout T&T and therefore what we are trying to do now is to do damage control before it becomes worse” Watson said.  

Meanwhile, Watson added also that the world governing body for football had ordered the TTFA to make payment of well over $200, 000 to Pellerud- the United States coach who was at the helm of the TT women’s team for the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in 2010 from September 5- 25. That order was not adhered to.

The T&TFA vice president has made it quite clear he will want nothing to do with T&T football after the coming annual general meeting (AGM) and Election of Officer on November 29 because of the destruction to the sport by Tim Kee.

Contacted Tim Kee said he was not surprised by the actions of his executives. “They are the ones who have criticised me when I took up office in 2012 and therefore they have been very consistent. I can tell you though that they are the ones from the Jack Warner era who are oppose to change and who do not want the sport to progress” Tim Kee said.

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In spite of positive results on the field of play, members of the executive of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) have agreed to take a stance against the administration of the sport.

Vice presidents Lennox Watson, Rudolph Thomas and Krishendath Kuarsingh as well as other executive members Roland Forde, Neville Ferguson and Richard Kwan Chan, in a penned letter to the media, stated that they have lost confidence in president Raymond Tim Kee.

They described the administration of the sport over the past three years as the lowest it has ever been due to presidential incompetence and lack of consultation with executive committee members and/or the Emergency Committee of the T&T Football Association on critical issues.

The executive members also highlighted a number critical decisions made by the embattled football association president that derailed their confidence in him.

These include: Alleged payment to the president’s son for providing a TTFA website without consultation and agreement of the executive committee and or the emergency committee; Illegal and unconstitutional dismissal of the general secretary of the TTFA; Taking unilateral decisions with regards to matters pertinent to the TTFA and in such circumstances, failure of the president to convene one single meeting of the Emergency Committee, of which he is the chairman to address such matters.

The decisions also included; Failure of the president to convene one single meeting of the Finance and Marketing Committee and/or the Fundraising Committee of the TTFA; Failure of the president to ensure Audited Financial statements for the last three years, taking into consideration possible strategies to do so, as advised by Robert Reis of KPMG; Failure of the president to ensure a strategic plan for the development of football in Trinidad and Tobago over a ten year period is produced; Not providing relevant, timely and appropriate Financial statements over the last three years leading to the uncertainty surrounding the indebtedness of the Association, to the extent that the association may be bankrupt; Under Tim Kee the Standing Committees system has failed to function; Not addressing in a timely manner a threat by the FIFA to institute disciplinary charges against the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association for failure to adhere to a FIFA mandate to pay former National Women’s coach Evan Pellerud.

Watson said the decision by the executive is a bold move to save the sport of football from a certain suspension by the world governing body- FIFA. This letter was sent out to all stakeholders of football in T&T, as well as the FIFA. “We must understand that we are in a crisis situation and it is critical that the FIFA knows so that extreme measures are not taken against us” Watson explained yesterday.

A reliable source, however, told the T&T Guardian that there are attempts to ensure that the November 29 elections do not come off as expected. And if this happens it can spell danger for T&T as its executive members are to be compliant with the FIFA if they are to be allowed to vote at the FIFA Congress.

According to the source if they do not vote  it would mean an immediate ban for the executives from the FIFA which would lead to no representation for T&T at the FIFA level.   

The Guardian questioned Watson about the time frame given to the TTFA to be compliant and he said “TTFA executives have been given a certain period of tyime to be compliant by the FIFA and that time is November 30. If we are not compliant by then, we will be given another 18 months before the FIFA will intervene and throw us out as members.

Now after watching the game on Friday night I am sure that the TTFA being thrown out will hurt all the players who played and all other players throughout T&T and therefore what we are trying to do now is to do damage control before it becomes worse” Watson said.  

Meanwhile, Watson added also that the world governing body for football had ordered the TTFA to make payment of well over $200, 000 to Pellerud- the United States coach who was at the helm of the TT women’s team for the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in 2010 from September 5- 25. That order was not adhered to.

The T&TFA vice president has made it quite clear he will want nothing to do with T&T football after the coming annual general meeting (AGM) and Election of Officer on November 29 because of the destruction to the sport by Tim Kee.

Contacted Tim Kee said he was not surprised by the actions of his executives. “They are the ones who have criticised me when I took up office in 2012 and therefore they have been very consistent. I can tell you though that they are the ones from the Jack Warner era who are oppose to change and who do not want the sport to progress” Tim Kee said.

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Trinidad and Tobago’s senior men’s team made the perfect start to their 2018 World Cup qualifying quest with a spirited 2-1 victory over hosts Guatemala at the Estadio Mateo Flores on Friday night.

The “Soca Warriors” were powered by second half goals from Belgium-based midfielder Khaleem Hyland and captain Kenwyne Jones to capture their first three points of the CONCACAF semi-final round group.

The victory on the night would have left all T&T supporters with a proud feeling as Stephen Hart’s “Red Army” battled through the 94 minutes of play, leaving everything on the pitch to come away with deserving victory after their gutsy display. The win was T&T’s first in Guatemala in 26 years dating back to the 1-0 shut out in 1989 by the “Strike Squad”. And the goal that paved the way for the win on Friday had a similar look to the one which Kerry Jamerson drove home in 1989 as Hyland drilled a right footer past a hapless Paulo Motta in the 67th minute.

“Sometimes you can’t always be playing beautiful football. You have to roll up your sleeves and do what is necessary to come away with a result. It was not pretty but we got the three points in a very difficult environment and I’m happy with that,” Hart told TTFA Media after the win

“I was really pleased with the second half and the way in which we buckled down. We endured rough period with about five or six straight corners but we defended them well. We got the goal off a nice play with Khaleem and then the second goal was just beautiful to watch with the pass from Joevin,” Hart added.

Jones’ item would turn out to be the winner when Joevin Jones floated a perfect delivery into his path from the left and the big man clinically volleyed home past Motta to the dismay of the partisan Guatemalan home crowd. The goal was Jones’ fourth in five outings for T&T, his 15th in 26 appearances since Hart took the helm and his 22nd overall.

Earlier the first half, T&T failed to settle against the Guatemalans who came hot out the blocks and intent on jostling the ‘Warriors”.

Gerson Tinoco and veteran Carlos Ruiz seemed at ease in the first half and threatened to leave T&T trailing but solid goalkeeping by Jan Michael Williams kept the hosts at bay. Williams used his legs to deny Tinoco in the 12th minute and Ruiz tested the Central FC custodian on a couple of occasions.

T&T had one look at goal, an effort from midfielder Keron Cummings which sailed over bar. The visitors had not found proper footing and would have been contented with a 0-0 scoreline at the break. But as is the case in such tough away encounters, resilience is a key and that was proven at the end of the affair.

Hart introduced midfield steel Kevan George and nippy winger Cordell Cato in the second half at the expense of Cummings and Lester Peltier. But still it seemed to be all Guatemala and at one point, shortly after the 55th minute, the hosts won five consecutive corner kicks and had the T&T defense laboring. But the backline of Radanfah Abu Bakr, Mekeil Williams, Sheldon Bateau and Daneil Cyrus held out well to keep the opponents at bay.

T&T didn’t dwindle and unlike the 2005 squad which conceded heavily in the 5-1 loss, Hart’s men came into their own and spoilt any plans of a Guatemalan party. Substitute Carlos Mejia pulled a goal back on a Ruiz assist but T&T would hold their composure in the closing four minutes of added on time to leave with maximum points.

The result was certainly not an easy one for the Guatemalans to digest as the T&T team bus, under advice of the Police, had to remain inside the stadium for at least 25 minutes before exiting at the risk of angry home fans stoning the team bus. The Police escort eventually led the bus out through another exit and safely to the Vista Real hotel. The team returns home at 4:27 pm yesterday on Copa Airlines via Panama City. The United States team is also scheduled to arrive around the same time on a charter.

The US trounced St Vincent/Grenadines 6-1 in their opener on Friday night in St Louis. A double by Jozy Altidore and one each from Bobby Wood, Geoff Cameron and Gyasi Zardes gave the US the win after the had fallen 1-0 behind in the 5th minute.

In Group A, Mexico won 3-0 at home against El Salvador on goals by Andres Guardado, Hector Herrera and Carlos Vela, and Canada beat visiting Honduras 1-0 on a 38th-minute goal by Orlando City’s Cyle Larin. In Group B, Panama won 2-0 at Jamaica as Armando Cooper and Alberto Quintero scored, and Costa Rica defeated visiting Haiti 1-0 on Cristian Gamboa’s 29th-minute goal.

Team Line Ups

Trinidad and Tobago (4-2-3-1): 21.Jan-Michael Williams ; 5.Daneil Cyrus, 6.Radanfah Abu Bakr, 4.Sheldon Bateau, 17.Mekeil Williams; 8.Khaleem Hyland 14.Andre Boucaud; 23.Lester Peltier (13.Cordell Cato, 63’), 20.Keron Cummings (19.Kevan George, 61’), 3.Joevin Jones; 9.Kenwyne Jones (10.Willis Plaza, 84’).

Subs not used 1.Marvin Phillip (GK), 7.Jonathan Glenn, 18.Yohance Marshall, 16.Justin Hoyte, 12.Carlyle Mitchell, 15.Neveal Hackshaw, 11.Trevin Caesar.

Coach: Stephen Hart

Guatemala (4-4-2): 12.Paula Motta (GK); 4.Hamilton Lopez, 3.Elias Vasquez (6.Carlos Mejia, 54’), 13.Dennis Lopez, 11.Moises Hernandez, 18.Stefano Cincotta (7.Henry Lopez,74’), 15.Fredy Thompson, 10.Jose Contreras, 16.Marco Papa, 9.Gerson Tinoco (22.Mynor Lopez, 83’), 20.Carlos Ruiz (captain),

Coach: Ivan Sopegno

Referee: Mathieu Bourdeau (Canada)

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T&T’s Olympic bronze medal swimmer George Bovell III just missed out on a medal in the men’s 50m freestyle A-final at the Arena Pro Swim Series when he ended fourth at the Jean K Freeman Aquatic Centre, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, on Friday night.

A two-time World Championship bronze medallist as well, the 32-year-old Bovell got to the wall in 22.44 seconds, behind Olympic gold medalist Nathan Adrian (21.56), Canada’s Santo Condorelli (22.24) and Brad Tandy (22.27).

The others in the final were Geoff Cheah (22.71), Marcelo Chierighini (22.75), Joao De Lucca (22.82) and Elvin Burrows (22.86).

On Friday morning, in the preliminary heats, Bovell, a former five-time NCAA champion at Auburn University was fourth in the seventh of 13 heats in 22.81 seconds to trail  the same trio of Adrian (22.39), Condorelli (22.44) and Tandy (22.66) to the wall. The other finishers in Bovell’s heat were Michael Andrew (22.85), Darian Townsend (23.53), and Carl Weigley (23.82)

The time by Bovell III was the seventh fastest overall as the trio of  Chierighini (22.74), Burrows (22.76) and  Cheah (22.76) were also faster while De Lucca (22.83) was the final qualifier. Yesterday, Bovell ended his participation at the meet with a slow 59.19 clocking in the men’s 100m freestyle for eight spot and 119th overall.

On Thursday, Bovell III, competing in his first meet since the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, in July where he captured bronze in the men’s 50m freestyle final, was 39th overall in the men’s 100m breaststroke with a time of 1:05.56 minutes for seventh in heat.

Also on Friday night, World Youth Olympic silver and bronze medal swimmer Dylan Carter had to settle for eighth in the men’s 100m backstroke B-final in 56.97 seconds.

Those finishing ahead of the Carter were Paul Le (55.78), record Olympic medal haul winner Michael Phelps (56.12), Daryl Turner (56.13), David Nolan (56.19), Bryce Bohman (56.48), James Wells (56.64) and Yuri Kisil (56.79) In the heats on Friday morning, Carter ended fifth in the seventh of nine men’s 100m backstroke heats to qualify for last night’s B-Final in 13th spot

The winner of the heat was David Plummer, who won in a pool record time of 52.83 to be the top qualifier overall while Gregory Tarasevich (54.33) and Bobby Hurley (55.48) followed in the heat ahead of Bryce Bohman (56.63), and Carter (56.82) while Phelps who has won 22 Olympic medals qualified as the 15th best in 56.97, the same time by Carter in the B-final.

On Thursday night, the 19-year-old Carter, a University of Southern California All-American—who is sitting out of the coming NCAA season in order to prepare for next year’s Olympic Games in Brazil was seventh in the men’s 200m freestyle B-Final in one minute, 52.01 seconds.

Markus Thormeye won the B-final in 1:50.28 ahead of Phelps (1:50.39) and Yuri Kisil (1:51.00)

In Thursday’s morning heats, Carter touched the wall in one minute, 50.84 seconds, an Olympic Qualifying standard time and the ninth best overall, which was ahead of Phelps’ 1:51.34 in his heat. Conor Dwyer won the A-Final in 1;47.88 ahead of Ryan Lochte 1:48.66, and Joao De Lucca (1:49.06).

A silver medal winner in the men’s 50m butterfly at the 2013 FINA World Junior Championship, Carter was expected to conclude his involvement in the meet last night in the Men’s C-Final for the 100m freestyle. This after Carter clocked 51.24 seconds in the 15th of 17 heats behind Marcelo Chierighini (49.08), Ryan Lochte (49.64), Geoff Cheah (50.32) and Bruno Ortiz (50.84).

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Trinidad and Toba­go swimmer Dylan Carter ended his Arena Pro Series campaign in Minneapolis, Minne­s­o­ta, USA, with a fourth-place finish in the Men’s 100m freestyle C Final on Saturday night.
The 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic silver and bronze medallist sprinted a 51.32 second timing for the two-lap event to finish fourth behind Club Wolverine’s Bruno Ortiz (50.56), UBC Dolphins’ Stef Milosevic (50.82) and Swim Atlanta’s Karl Krug (50.98). Indie Swimming’s Michael Andrew (51.41), Giovanni Lima (51.56) North baltimore Aquatics Club’s Tom Kremer (51.65) and Danny Tucker (52.01). USA Olympic gold medallist Nathan Adrian won the A Final in 48.49.
Earlier, on Saturday, in the Men’s 100m free preliminaries, Carter posted the 21st fastest time (51.24) to earn a spot in the C final, which was toCondorelli had the fastest qualifying time with a 48.94 second clocking.
On Friday night, T&T’s top swimmer George Bovell splashed to a 22.44 seconds effort for the one-lap sprint, finishing fourth behind USA Olympic gold medallist Nathan Adrian, who pos­ted a fast 21.56 seconds. Canadian Santo Condo­relli placed second in 22.24, with USA’s Brad Tandy third in 22.27.
On that night, Carter also placed eighth and last in the Men’s 100m backstroke B final when he registered a 56.97 second effort. Missouri State’s Paul Le won that race in 55.78, ahead of US superstar Michael Phelps (56.12), with University of Minnesota’s Daryl Turner (56.13) third.
Phelps’ North Balti­more Aquatics Club team­mate David Nolan was fourth in 56.19, followed by Bryce Bohman with 56.48. James Wells (56.64) and Yuri Kisil in 56.64, in that order.
The meet ended Saturday night and the T&T swimmers will now return to their bases to resume their preparation for the 2016 Rio
Olympics.

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The funeral service for former national netball legend Janet Bailey will be held tomorrow at Day Break Assembly, Coconut Drive, Morvant, from 10 am. Bailey died at her daughter’s residence in the United States last Friday night. She was 80 years old.

Bailey, who was inducted into the Netball Hall of Fame, was a member of the national netball team at the first-ever World Netball Championship in Eastbourne, England, in 1963. She went on to represent her country in two more world tournaments 1971 and 1975.

Among her team-mates on that first world series were Marjorie John, Judy Francis, Enid Browne, Phyllis Pierre-Walker and the late Jean Pierre. The powerfully-built Bailey was a stalwart goal-keeper, and many goalshoots and goal-attacks feared that big left hand.

After one game between a men’s team and the nationals in a practice match at the Eddie Taylor Court, later the Lystra Lewis Court, Princes Building grounds, legendary West Indies fast bowler Wes Hall, who was in the men’s team said “she beat me more than my mother.” Bailey and a cadre of top netballers, Pierre-Walker, the late Pearl Francis and John entered the Police service and made that netball team champions.

Always flashing a broad smile, “Jay” as she was popularly called by her peers was the mother of three girls—Jacinta, Jeanne and Jessel. Only Jeanne followed her footsteps into the top flight of netball, becoming one of the country’s elite goal-shoots.

After her playing days, Bailey entered into administration and became president of the Port -of-Spain Netball League for two consecutive terms. The T&T Netball Association extended a heartfelt condolences to the family.

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