FORMER NATIONAL football captain, Clayton Morris, has called on the executive of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) to resign forthwith following the seizing of their assets yesterday by 13 members of the 2006 “Soca Warriors” team.
Bailiffs swooped in on the TTFF office on Dundonald Street in Port-of- Spain yesterday morning after the local Federation defaulted on an interim payment of $4.2 million which was ordered by Justice Devindra Rampersad to the footballers in October last year.
The players have argued that funds obtained by the TTFF for the 2006 World Cup campaign was not present in the accounts produced thus far while the TTFF claim that former Special Adviser Jack Warner is in possession of the books pertaining to what the players are asking for.
The saga culminated in an ugly site with office equipment and trophies being taken away from the TTFF compound yesterday under heavy security
Morris defended the action taken by the 13 ex-players and says it is a blessing in disguise but the TTFF administration must step down.
“There is a saying that time is longer than twine...The TTFF (even) before the Strike Squad has been missing two main aspects of any organisation - transparency and accountability.
For failing to adhere to those two aspects, this is what is needed right now to take our football forward. The administration has to be man enough to throw in the towel. If you’re in an organisation for this length of time...I can’t see why they are staying in office. What are they staying in office to do? They are saying about the programmes they want to continue...I think they’re just looking for public sympathy,” Morris declared.
Meanwhile, the ex-TT player called on fresh blood to be brought into the TTFF to chart a new way path for football in this country.
“There is young blood that are willing to take football forward. They (TTFF) drafted in a few young players like Marlon Morris but I don’t think Marlon can make an impact as one individual in there. They need more people like Brent Sancho and those guys who have the energy to take football forward. They participated in the (2006) World Cup and played internationally and know what it takes to develop a professional unit,” he said.
Meanwhile, the former defender believes that good can come out of the seizing of the TTFF assets as a shake-up was definitely needed.
“People felt that the players are too greedy but it has to happen now. When we look at our football, our football continues to go nowhere fast. I think today is a red letter day and we can only go up from now,” he concluded.