FIFA Manager of Member Associations, Luca Nicola has warned the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association they must off its debt to former women's team coach Even Pellerud or face disqualification from the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Nicola, who was in T&T to observe the TTFA elections on Sunday, told the Annual General Meeting there was a decision taken by the FIFA disciplinary committee on July 23 that said if the TTFA does not settle the outstanding debt with Pellerud w, which he said was about US$200,000, within 120 days, T&T will be disqualified from the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Pellerud coached here from 2008-2012.
“There is too much talent in this country so we don't want to have that,” Nicola said.
“The TTFA has to understand that this debt has to be settled immediately. The deadline has already passed on the 23rd of November, so the TTFA will have to find a solution and settle the debt with former national coach Pellerud as soon as possible to avoid any repercussions on the World Cup qualifiers for Qatar,” he explained.
He further stated that, “as far as I was informed, the disciplinary committee said the deadline is set but the suspension for the qualifiers for 2022 will only take effect if coach Pellerud requires such. The coach has not requested the disciplinary committee to take the measure of suspending T&T from the qualifiers for 2022.”
Another concern FIFA has with the TTFA is the organisation's lack of audited accounts.
“One concern is the accounts that have not been audited as yet. We understand there are a lot of challenges relating to having audited accounts but for TTFA to be eligible for FIFA development programmes, meaning FIFA money. We have new compliance criteria meaning we need the audited accounts of the member association of the TTFA and the minutes of last congress,” Nicola said.
“For the time being they are not eligible for FIFA money. There is debt so FIFA money becomes very important so I will encourage the incoming leadership to provide us with the audited account as soon as possible,” he added.