VICE-PRESIDENT of the TT Football Association (TTFA) Ewing Davis says he was unaware of the crisis involving the men's footballers who have threatened to strike owing to unpaid match fees for over a year.
Newsday contacted Davis yesterday after repeated attempts to solicit a response from TTFA president David John-Williams came up short.
John-Williams did not answer calls to his cellphone yesterday. Newsday emailed him several questions pertaining to the matters of unpaid players' fees, the association's current financial standing and the burden of its numerous lawsuits being faced. He responded shortly after saying, "I am out of the country."
Davis, the only VP following the resignation of Joanne Salazar in September, told Newsday, "I am not aware, so I cannot respond to that."
Davis did address the impact of the last week's High Court ruling, which saw the TTFA ordered to immediately pay staff and players attached to the 2016 national men's futsal team the sum of $475,743 for unpaid match fees, salaries and per diems for their services at the CONCACAF Futsal Championships in 2016.
"Lots of things that are coming to us are things that happened with Raymond Tim Kee. Mr Tim Kee made promises to people and did not deliver. However, David is in office and if this is football, then fine, but I cannot say that this could have been avoided. I don't think Raymond had spoken to us about the commitments he had to anybody."
Justice Margaret Mohammed noted though that the verbal agreement between the futsal team and Tim Kee was binding, with coach Clayton Morris also indicating the team had correspondence from CONCACAF and other documents which completely legitimatised them.
Davis also suggested the TTFA's ability to maintain its various national teams was dependent on its potential to generate income, adding that the financial strains on the association could see it dismantle all but two national football teams.
"From where we are, we are doing everything possible to generate income, all things being equal. If that materialises, we may be in a better position to promote football the way we would like. However, FIFA says (at a minimum) only two national teams that you must have, and if we can only have two then we might have to revert to that. I can't say that yet," Davis said.
He was also asked to comment on the other lawsuits dogging the TTFA, including that of former TTFA general secretary Sheldon Phillips.
"As far as I remember, Raymond Tim Kee fired Sheldon Phillips," Davis said.
"When we entered office, there was no Sheldon Phillips. I'm not too clear how that becomes our issue. I don't know. But I assume going into office, that whatever comes across to you...we just have to treat with it as it progresses and let's hope that good sense prevails."