‘Lets not focus on Caribbean leadership as yet’, Anthony Moore, the Tobago Football Association (TFA) president and a member of the board of the T&T Football Association (TTFA) Anthony Moore said, in the wake of football association president David John-Williams’ pursuit of the leadership of the Caribbean Football Union.
Moore, considered a guru in finance, has called for the TTFA and the country to first build alliances with the regional territories, following the Jack Warner’s reign as CFU and Concacaf president for many years.
Moore was responding to John-Williams’ announcement on I95FM radio last Thursday in which he said he will be running for the leadership of CFU. Moore revealed that this decision by the TTFA president is without consultation of the board and the president has used TTFA funds to champion his cause.
He explained that while he did not have a problem with anyone seeking improvement, he reminded that football is a team sport, both on the field and at the administrative level. “I think what we have to do first is build alliances with our regional neighbours. We have built alliances in the past but that was under Jack Warner and that has totally been broken down now, so we have to do so all over again before we can think about going outside,” Moore told the Guardian.
The TTFA will, on Saturday hold a Special General Meeting at Naparima College, San Fernando, which will be a continuation from November 29 last year that was held soon after the Annual General Meeting and Election of Officers of the TTFA.
Moore explained that all financial accounts for the period 2008 to 2015 will be dealt with at the meeting, as well as concerns of the president’s strive for regional leadership.
“He will have to convince us how his pursuit of CFU leadership will be the best thing for the country, the sport and the T&T football federation at this point in time. One in which the TTFA is still attempting to be freed of the stigma of local and regional blunders in the past,” Moore said. Only recently John-Williams received a slap on the wrist from his board after singlehandedly deciding to support Gianni Infantino for the president of the world governing body for football-Fifa, Moore added, admitting they had shrugged it off as inexperience.
Quizzed if the board had been placed in a position where it had to support the goals of its president, Moore said no, noting that it will depend on the support of regional territories that will ensure that he get the CFU top spot.
He believes regional territories were severely hurt by that decision, which now enhances the need for John-Williams and the T&TFA to seek an audience with them to seek forgiveness and rebuild trust and support within the Caribbean.
“Sometimes you take things for granted and if you want to know more about that, then you can just ask David Nakhid, who was expecting some of his regional partners to support him in the lead-up to the Fifa presidency, but some of them went against him,” Moore explained.
He dismissed a response from John-Williams on a radio programme last week that other regional territories had also voted individually. He said: “We are to stand firm as leaders and not show weakness because of the actions of others.”
Moore, is calling for John-Williams and the TTFA to seek regular communications with Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean territories to find a way on how to move forward. He said: “It is only when we garner this type of support, we can consider leading the Caribbean.”
He calls for members to stay focus on first ensuring that are opportunities for young men and women and that the sport continue to grow locally before it can compete regionally and internationally.