T&T FA starts to clear debts to players, coaches, admin staff

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Players, coaches and administrative staff of the Trinidad & Tobago Football Association (TTFA) will have a Merry Christmas after all.

This follows the settling of outstanding salary payments that date back to March this year by the normalisation committee, which was appointed by the sport’s World governing body, FIFA to manage the TTFA’S affairs.

The normalisation committee inherited a debt of over TT$50 million (US$7,353,150) and the committee has been working to reduce the financial burden on the association.

Media reports indicate that players and contract coaches were paid in full, staff coaches have received half of the sums owed and admin staff have been paid their salaries up to the end of November.

Men’s national team defender Daneil Cyrus praised the normalisation committee — which is headed by T&T business executive Robert Hadad — for keeping its word to pay before Christmas Day.

“I am happy to see some of the players receive this money because it is close to Christmas where you have a family and everything (to take care of),” he told the T&T Newsday newspaper.

“I spoke to Hadad and I asked him if I could hold him to his word and he said, ‘Yes’. Most of us had a conversation and he lived up to his word, so I respect him full 100 (per cent) for this.”

Last month, Fifa lifted its suspension on the TTFA following an eight-month court battle over its decision to appoint the normalisation committee and remove the incumbent executive, led by William Wallace.

The lifting of the suspension meant that T&T men’s and women’s national teams of all ages were cleared again to take part in regional and international competitions.