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TTFF manoeuvre worries Warriors
By Lasana Liburd (tnttimes.com)
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) declared an immediate interest in the “Soca Warriors” 2014 World Cup campaign. However, their rift with the class of 2006 shows no sign of closing as both parties brace for fresh legal jousting over unpaid World Cup bonuses in the Trinidad and Tobago High Court.
Sixteen 2006 World Cup players took the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA)—the TTFA is still mandated by the government to run local football although the body has referred to itself as the TTFF since September 13, 1998—before the London-based Sport Dispute Resolution Panel (SDRP) last year. On May 19, 2008, that body ruled that they are owed half of all revenue obtained from the country’s successful Germany World Cup bid.
(The TTFF revealed last November that defender Marvin Andrews had settled with them but, in the absence of formal information from either party, Michael Townley, a London-based solicitor hired by 17 World Cup players, continues to number him among his clients.)
However, even as the two parties prepare to cross swords again on home soil, the local football body’s attempt to have the name “TTFA” erased by an act of Parliament has prompted shock and dismay from the players’ representatives, who are urging authorities to thwart their manoeuvre.
Through a notice in the local newspapers on August 28, 2009, Jacqui Sampson, Clerk of the House of Representatives, notified the public that the main purpose of the Bill, which would formerly incorporate the TTFF, is “to enable (the TTFF) to hold property and to otherwise carry out its aims and objectives”.
But the players are unconvinced, particularly considering the timing of the move.
“I find it farcical, if not comical,” 2006 World Cup standout and former Newcastle and West Ham custodian Shaka Hislop told the TnT Times. “It is a ploy by the TTFF or TTFA to do exactly what they did some 20 years ago, which is to get out of paying debts they owe to creditors and players included.
“I have a copy of the contract between the ‘Strike Squad’ and the TTFA that they got out of by just changing their names. Now they have a more substantial payoff in the offing with the 2006 World Cup squad and they are trying to repeat history.”
Hislop pleaded with the powers-that-be not to be “hoodwinked.”
“To get away with this, they need presidential and Government support for what amounts to a fraud on their creditors,” said the ESPN commentator. “Nothing changed when they changed their names the last time. Everyone remained in their same jobs. It was a fraud and we shouldn’t sit idly by and allow it to happen again.”
Mike Townley is also suspicious of the TTFF’s motives and is urging Parliament to defy the football body until after the court case is settled.
“There is no apparent good reason to incorporate a new company to run the business of Trinidad and Tobago’s football,” said Townley. “The reason given in the paper is to allow the Federation to hold property but they can hold the property under the 1982 act. And, if it is about a trading name, then they have been using the name ‘TTFF’ for over ten years without any problem either.
“I can only think it is to do with the litigation and their wider responsibility to the players.”
The Clerk of the House’s public notice stated that “all legal proceedings pending, or claims subsisting against the TTFF immediately before the commencement of the Act shall be continued on and after the commencement of the Act by the TTFF”. But Townley does not feel that provision offers enough protection for his client and would rather not take any chances.
“One of the consequences of the name change,” said Townley, “is that it would make it formally impossible to require an account to be produced for the 2006 World Cup period because there won’t be a body left to produce that account.
“The new body can say we were not around in 2006 so we can’t be expected to produce an account for that period. They say (the proposed name change) is for convenience but clearly there is a reason that isn’t being stated.”
On September 18 and 23, 2009, Townley sent to the Clerk of the House two petitions in opposition to the bill.
George Hislop, father of Shaka Hislop and an attorney, also petitioned the House of Representatives to “desist from being made a party to changing and/or altering the status of any of the litigants to the proceedings prior to the determination of the matter without leave of the Honourable Presiding Judge and notice to all parties therein.”
Hislop senior further requested that any new bill regarding the local football body should give the Football Players Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FPATT) “full recognition as a partner with TTFF for the fair and proper conduct and management of the affairs of TTFF with particular reference to (i) players’ contracts and remuneration; (ii) revenue sharing at international games.”
At present, FPATT is in a state of flux as they are yet to appoint a president since the term of interim leader, Shaka Hislop, expired in mid-2008. The players’ union is yet to meet the criteria for government funding and, as such, was unable to bank the $1.5 million cheque offered by Sport Minister Gary Hunt in January.
“We are dormant,” said Hislop (S). “I have made contact with the founding members and we are trying to kickstart the association again… You might say (FPATT) went 90 yards and then stumbled at the last hurdle.
“But we don’t have far to go where (being able to accept government funding) is concerned.”
The players have always maintained that FPATT business was separate from and unrelated to their World Cup bonus suit. For the moment, it is the bonus issue—and, particularly, the possible repeal of the 1982 Act by which the TTFA was incorporated—that is on the front burner.
“The TTFF has been collecting and distributing money quite comfortably for all those years,” said Hislop, “and I don’t have any confidence in them being above board with their reason for a sudden change.
“I am afraid they are trying to divert property so that (if our legal victory stands) we will get an empty judgement.”
By Lasana Liburd (tnttimes.com)
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) declared an immediate interest in the “Soca Warriors” 2014 World Cup campaign. However, their rift with the class of 2006 shows no sign of closing as both parties brace for fresh legal jousting over unpaid World Cup bonuses in the Trinidad and Tobago High Court.
Sixteen 2006 World Cup players took the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA)—the TTFA is still mandated by the government to run local football although the body has referred to itself as the TTFF since September 13, 1998—before the London-based Sport Dispute Resolution Panel (SDRP) last year. On May 19, 2008, that body ruled that they are owed half of all revenue obtained from the country’s successful Germany World Cup bid.
(The TTFF revealed last November that defender Marvin Andrews had settled with them but, in the absence of formal information from either party, Michael Townley, a London-based solicitor hired by 17 World Cup players, continues to number him among his clients.)
However, even as the two parties prepare to cross swords again on home soil, the local football body’s attempt to have the name “TTFA” erased by an act of Parliament has prompted shock and dismay from the players’ representatives, who are urging authorities to thwart their manoeuvre.
Through a notice in the local newspapers on August 28, 2009, Jacqui Sampson, Clerk of the House of Representatives, notified the public that the main purpose of the Bill, which would formerly incorporate the TTFF, is “to enable (the TTFF) to hold property and to otherwise carry out its aims and objectives”.
But the players are unconvinced, particularly considering the timing of the move.
“I find it farcical, if not comical,” 2006 World Cup standout and former Newcastle and West Ham custodian Shaka Hislop told the TnT Times. “It is a ploy by the TTFF or TTFA to do exactly what they did some 20 years ago, which is to get out of paying debts they owe to creditors and players included.
“I have a copy of the contract between the ‘Strike Squad’ and the TTFA that they got out of by just changing their names. Now they have a more substantial payoff in the offing with the 2006 World Cup squad and they are trying to repeat history.”
Hislop pleaded with the powers-that-be not to be “hoodwinked.”
“To get away with this, they need presidential and Government support for what amounts to a fraud on their creditors,” said the ESPN commentator. “Nothing changed when they changed their names the last time. Everyone remained in their same jobs. It was a fraud and we shouldn’t sit idly by and allow it to happen again.”
Mike Townley is also suspicious of the TTFF’s motives and is urging Parliament to defy the football body until after the court case is settled.
“There is no apparent good reason to incorporate a new company to run the business of Trinidad and Tobago’s football,” said Townley. “The reason given in the paper is to allow the Federation to hold property but they can hold the property under the 1982 act. And, if it is about a trading name, then they have been using the name ‘TTFF’ for over ten years without any problem either.
“I can only think it is to do with the litigation and their wider responsibility to the players.”
The Clerk of the House’s public notice stated that “all legal proceedings pending, or claims subsisting against the TTFF immediately before the commencement of the Act shall be continued on and after the commencement of the Act by the TTFF”. But Townley does not feel that provision offers enough protection for his client and would rather not take any chances.
“One of the consequences of the name change,” said Townley, “is that it would make it formally impossible to require an account to be produced for the 2006 World Cup period because there won’t be a body left to produce that account.
“The new body can say we were not around in 2006 so we can’t be expected to produce an account for that period. They say (the proposed name change) is for convenience but clearly there is a reason that isn’t being stated.”
On September 18 and 23, 2009, Townley sent to the Clerk of the House two petitions in opposition to the bill.
George Hislop, father of Shaka Hislop and an attorney, also petitioned the House of Representatives to “desist from being made a party to changing and/or altering the status of any of the litigants to the proceedings prior to the determination of the matter without leave of the Honourable Presiding Judge and notice to all parties therein.”
Hislop senior further requested that any new bill regarding the local football body should give the Football Players Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FPATT) “full recognition as a partner with TTFF for the fair and proper conduct and management of the affairs of TTFF with particular reference to (i) players’ contracts and remuneration; (ii) revenue sharing at international games.”
At present, FPATT is in a state of flux as they are yet to appoint a president since the term of interim leader, Shaka Hislop, expired in mid-2008. The players’ union is yet to meet the criteria for government funding and, as such, was unable to bank the $1.5 million cheque offered by Sport Minister Gary Hunt in January.
“We are dormant,” said Hislop (S). “I have made contact with the founding members and we are trying to kickstart the association again… You might say (FPATT) went 90 yards and then stumbled at the last hurdle.
“But we don’t have far to go where (being able to accept government funding) is concerned.”
The players have always maintained that FPATT business was separate from and unrelated to their World Cup bonus suit. For the moment, it is the bonus issue—and, particularly, the possible repeal of the 1982 Act by which the TTFA was incorporated—that is on the front burner.
“The TTFF has been collecting and distributing money quite comfortably for all those years,” said Hislop, “and I don’t have any confidence in them being above board with their reason for a sudden change.
“I am afraid they are trying to divert property so that (if our legal victory stands) we will get an empty judgement.”