BRENT SANCHO, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Players Association, has denied that former T&T Football Federation (TTFF) special adviser Jack Warner made a $15 million offer to 13 former Trinidad and Tobago footballers in a bid to settle an outstanding dispute over 2006 World Cup revenue.
Warner made the statement yesterday in an interview with I95.5FM, but Sancho denied it.
"I don't know why Mr. Warner would say that, especially today when he is expected to furnish the courts with accounts pertaining to the funds raised during the 2006 World Cup campaign."
The players have sued the TTFF in a dispute over earnings generated during the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign. On Wednesday, representatives of 13 former and current T&T players took levy action against the Federation which is in breach of a High Court judgement.
The court had ordered that TTFF had to pay the players $4.2 million within seven days of its October 11, 2011 ruling. Wednesday's levy action saw the TTFF office at 43 Dundonald Street, Port of Spain, stripped of furniture, computers and even trophies.
Sancho said that some time back, he remembered Warner's lawyer Om Lalla speculating about what kind of money might end the impasse. The former England-based T&T national defender felt it was basically delay tactics which came after players insisted on seeing the audited accounts of revenues collected during the World Cup campaign.
Based on public records and statements attributed to former Sport Minister Roger Boynes, Sancho estimated that close to $200 million was raised in 2006.
"It was a set of bush talk between their lawyer and our lawyer, where they were asking what figure might be appropriate to settle the matter. They never once made a concrete offer," Sancho declared.
"The court has given Mr Warner until today to provide the books concerning the 2006 World Cup revenues. If he does not do it we will further explore our legal options and we will also be going after (former TTFF president) Mr. (Oliver) Camps to recoup some of the money owed to us," Sancho said.